I’ve been told that building a network and connections in business is vital to your success.
Question: What are some tips for building my professional network?
The famous quote by Jim Rohm says it all- “you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”
Answer:
- Focus on building relationships rather than networking.
- Think about relationships as friendships.
- Make facetime a priority even in these times if possible.
- Relationships take time to build- don’t expect everything in return before you add value to the relationship
- Attend Industry Events- virtual and in-person when possible
- Establish a Strong Online Presence to build your reputation.
- Engage with Content.
- Reconnect with Old Contacts- establish a routine/habit of reaching out to 1 person a week
- Communicate Regularly by any medium(phone, text, social, etc)
- Develop Your People Skills. Good relationships start with good people skills.
- Schedule Time to Build Relationships. Again make it habit to time block your networking activities
- Build a networking database where you can keep all your key contacts in one place
- Take notes from every conversation
- Show your Appreciation of others
- Be Positive and have fun with it.
By following these tips, you will have an easy time navigating your career and be able to lean on your network for advice during your journey.
