The coronavirus pandemic has had an impact on every part of our business communication. And professional networking hasn't avoided the crunch. Ironically, these many obstacles to connecting have appeared at a time when engagement and support are more important than ever. But just because there are challenges to getting together in person, you don't have to stop your networking activities. In fact, there is a lot of value to be found in continuing to grow and cultivate your network with colleagues, prospects, and partners while stuck at home. How I Kept Networking During Self-Isolation I try to be "evergreen" in a lot of my writing … [Read more...]
The Easy Way to Make 5 New Friends At Your Next Networking Event
updated July 2021 How do you walk into a room of strangers and make new friends? Or what about staring at your screen at a bunch of smaller windows in a Zoom call. How do you make it less awkward and actually connect with someone when you aren't even together? Those are questions that sneak into into our minds when we join a group of people we don't know. And there's no easy answer in sight. That's why networking events, everything from conference cocktail hours to Chamber of Commerce breakfasts to online networking lunches, fill so many of us with dread. In fact, it's why so many of us skip them altogether. But what if … [Read more...]
Are You a Solopreneur Who Wants More Business? The Simple Reason You Need to Connect with Other Solopreneurs
For most solopreneurs (and small business owners in general), "networking" falls in the marketing column. It's a way to find new prospects and build relationships with existing clients. But if you just focus on getting more customers from your networking, you miss out on the most powerful connections that can support your business: your fellow solopreneurs. Putting your focus on building a robust and active network of small business owners can be a huge boost as you build your own business. You can massively leverage your marketing time by engaging with other professionals who are on the same path as you. Who Should You Network … [Read more...]
How to Stay Open to Networking Opportunities Everywhere
Humans like putting things in categories. Whether it's movies, music, or restaurants, it's comfortable for us to parse things into different groups in our minds. It's one of the traits that allows us to manage a world of staggering complexity. We also like to do it with our relationships. We put people into relationship buckets: he's my work colleague, she's my friend, he's just an acquaintance, etc. But it's not always as clear cut as we would like it to be. What about a long-term client who has become a friend or a friend who you hired to work for you? This has only been exacerbated by the advent of social networking platforms … [Read more...]
5 Simple Ways Digital Natives Boost Their Offline Networking
If you are under 25, what can you do to super-charge your network? Everybody offers networking as a critical component of success early in your career, but what does it actually mean? Plant Seeds In your Network Now One of the biggest advantages you have as a professional at the beginning of your career is time. The contacts you meet know are going to be in your network for your entire career in one way or another. I see so many young professionals squander their opportunities to make new connections. You should be actively investing your time in activities that bring new people into your sphere of influence. Invest 15% of your time … [Read more...]
The Networking Obstacles and Opportunities for the New Generation
It sounds either obvious or insulting, but the way you approach your networking should vary based on your age. An experienced business veteran of 40 years shouldn't create and build relationships like a 22-year-old college grad. So when looking at how those under 30, and especially under 25, approach networking, we have to be clear about the opportunities and obstacles they face. The business environment, the world they’ve grown up in, and the fact that they are at the beginning of your career create a unique combination. On the whole, when you are at the beginning of your career, you have more flexibility and freedom. You have more … [Read more...]
I Built a Powerful Network with this Simple Networking Pyramid
When I first started my business, I didn't have a marketing plan to get new clients. (I didn't really have a marketing budget either.) But I had heard that networking was an important tool for building relationships and getting new prospects, so I started showing up at the networking breakfasts run by my local chamber of commerce. And the rest is history. Well, not quite. The actual process of muddling through my networking took time. I had some successes but also some early screw-ups before I started to feel comfortable with my networking. And it took a little while for me to develop a cohesive strategy that allowed me to leverage … [Read more...]
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