Over the past 15 years, I’ve found that people either love the idea of business networking or they think it’s a complete waste of time. How is it that some people build flourishing businesses based on the power of their network, while others fail to build any sort of connections at all? After helping hundreds of professionals leverage business networking to build their careers, I’ve found that most struggle for a few simple reasons. If your networking isn’t as effective as you would like it to be, it's important to figure out where the block is. The 3 Networking Questions to Ask Yourself If you are struggling to build a network that … [Read more...]
5 Places You Should be Networking this Summer
I don't know about you, but once the thermometer hits 80 degrees the last thing I want to do is put on a suit and go to a networking event. Here in the Midwest, we try to squeeze in as much fun as we can in our seemingly too short summer. But that doesn't mean your networking should slow down in the summer. In fact, it should be hotter then ever; everyone's in great mood and there's a lot more sunshine! You just have to go where the people are. Here are 5 great places to network when the sun is out: 1. Cookouts Whether it's for your neighborhood association, your kid's little league team, or your church picnic, summer cookouts are … [Read more...]
3 Ways to Rock Your Second-Half Networking
Ah, July. We're all sitting on a beach, enjoying the summer. But soon the fall will be here and with it the mad dash to accomplish our 2012 goals. Make it easier on yourself by having your network poised to help you as the weather starts to cool. Here are three ways you can make your networking more effective: 1. Create a plan – Many people fail at building a strong professional network because they don’t develop a strategy first, they just blindly flail about. Networking is much more effective when you create clarity around your objectives first. Think about the questions that journalists ask: Who, When, What, Where, Why, and How? Who … [Read more...]
Good Networkers Always Have Jobs
People that are good at building and maintaining a strong professional network are rarely unemployed for long; and it’s not just because they know a lot of people who can hire them. It’s because the competencies that are necessary for successful networking are highly sought after in the job market. When you are actively networking, you are both a) continually honing these skills and more importantly, b) proving that you have them! Intangible Business Skills Here are a few of the areas involved in successful networking that have an impact throughout your career: Interpersonal Communication Skills Networking is communicating. If you … [Read more...]
5 Important Networking Tips You Can Steal from Your Dating Life
If you have ever stepped back and watched the action at a business networking event, the resemblance to a singles bar is uncanny (and slightly unnerving). Think about it, there's a bunch of people wandering around, nervously approaching people they don’t know because they’re hoping to meet that special someone that will make their life better. And most prefer to stay with the group of people they already know (or by the bar) because it's more comfortable. Professional networking has a lot of similarities to dating - which shows you why a lot of people don't like networking, because let's face it, dating is hard. But if we look at the … [Read more...]
3 Keys to Introducing Yourself to a Group
At some point in your professional career you are going to have to stand up in front of a group of people and introduce yourself. It might be at a formal networking event where everyone is going around the room and giving their “elevator speech”, or maybe it’s a professional conference where you are each introducing yourself during a seminar or a break-out session. Whatever the scenario, you are going to be standing in a room of strangers, telling them who you are. And like it or not, they are going to make judgments about you based on how you introduce yourself. They are going to decide how competent and skilled you are in your … [Read more...]
The Secret Ingredient of Amazing Networking
There are a lot of ideas out there about how to become a better networker. There always seems to be a new trick or tool that promises to help your networking be more effective and get you more business (heck, I’ve probably given out a few of those). And it doesn’t hurt to have some strategy to your networking. But the most effective idea for power networking: Have fun! Networking is about relationships, and relationships work best between people who are enjoying themselves. Find the fun in learning about other people and their stories. Because the more you do that the stronger the connections will be between you and your … [Read more...]