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...]
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...]
How Ambitious College Grads Can Network Better
The first few years after college can be exciting: The freedom, the friends, the fun. It's also stressful. You have to find your place in the world, figure out how you're going to pay the rent, and what you want to do with your career. Building a strong professional network around you is important for your short-term career success. More importantly, though, it's how you can plant seeds that you can harvest the rest of your life. This is especially true because the work world continues to become more and more mobile. If you're a recent grad, you’ve probably seen statistics quoted with the average number of jobs you will have in … [Read more...]
Drive Your Sales Success with 5 Easy Networking Conversations
I've been speaking and training on networking for years, and in all that time, I've only met a handful of people who feel they really have their hands around their networking. Most people sullenly acknowledge that having better professional relationships would help, but stress that they just don't have the time or attention. Too often we wait until we need something from our network before we reach out. That never works since it comes off as self-serving and desperate (because it is). But you don't have to wait. Even if you don't need anything, in fact especially if you don't need anything, you should be investing in the important … [Read more...]
4 Simple Questions Most People Forget Before Networking
There's a cart. And there's a horse. One of the most important things you can do in any professional endeavor is to put those two in the proper order. That's certainly true when you build a network of professional relationships. Too often, professionals start "networking" without asking a few important questions. Before you dive into building and maintaining your network, you want to put a plan in place. Think of this as a marketing plan for “You, Inc.” A good networking plan acts as a map, so you know the best direction to focus your efforts. Instead of making it up as you go along (and getting haphazard results), you’ll outline a … [Read more...]
Distributed Mentoring: How to Get Help and Advice from Your Network
Do you want a mentor? Besides networking, one of the most common pieces of advice doled out to young professionals is to find a mentor. Working with an experienced and seasoned business veteran can go a long way to helping you navigate the trials and opportunities of your early professional life. They can give you feedback, share their observations, and alert you to possible missteps in your professional life. One of the biggest challenges to finding a mentor, though, is in the finding part. It can be difficult to uncover someone who has experience and knowledge to share, the time and willingness to share it, and a personality that … [Read more...]
How to Create Organizational Brand Alignment with LinkedIn
Updated December 2018 LinkedIn is often seen as the land of the jobseeker, the salesperson, and the recruiter. But what if your job isn't externally facing - is it worth spending time there? In other words, how can you use LinkedIn if you like your job and simply want to do it better? If you look beyond just updating your profile the next time you are looking for a job, there are simple ways that LinkedIn can help every career, no matter what your role or professional goals. In this article, you'll discover 3 simple (but powerful) processes that will help you capture the power of LinkedIn for your daily business success, no … [Read more...]