“The further you get away from yourself, the more challenging it is. Not to be in your comfort zone is great fun.” ― Benedict Cumberbatch
Networking simply starts with an information exchange between you and another person. It then goes on to establish relationships with people who will often become your mentors, your friends and community of colleagues as you go through your career.
Given that each separate person you meet will know approximately another 200 people, gaining introductions to some of these contacts will quickly increase your network and your chances of finding an extremely valuable connection.
Remember everybody is just 6 connections away
Six degrees of separation is the idea that all people are six, or fewer, social connections away from each other. As a result, a chain of "a friend of a friend" statements can be made to connect any two people in a maximum of six steps. #proven
As an Introvert, sometimes networking can be a serious hassle, so without further ado here is an introverts guide to networking:
Start off networking with your existing connections.
Your biggest connections might just be someone you now, so get in touch with old friends, distant relatives, and people you went to school with. It is a good stepping stone because you're reaching out, but you're not approaching complete strangers.
Networking begins at home
Locate who you want to talk to.
It may be at a conference / online / at an event / in an office / a grocery store, simply approach your "target" confidently, stick out your hand, and introduce yourself.
It's not easy to do, but it's straightforward, and the more you do it, the easier it becomes.
Being confident will inspire confidence in you.
This projection soon becomes reality. The "fake it till you make it" strategy really does work. Some people call this the "hostess mentality." You put others first and try to make them feel comfortable. This uncommon effort makes you feel powerful and, ultimately, puts you at ease.
Ensure to approach from the perspective of "How can I help?"
Many think of networking as a selfish act, just because some treat the process as a means to an end. While some certainly treat it that way, it's a less sophisticated way to think about networking and undoubtedly is not the image you want in the long term.
Using a connection and forgetting about them, then one day needing that person again, you quickly become that person who just asks for favours,
It is better to approach a networking situation being willing to help someone else out first. If you genuinely try to help others out, they'll want to do the same for you. Then, the motivation for mutual assistance will come from a genuinely good place.
Give before you ask.
!!!!
- Please note, making a connection and doing them a favour with the sole purpose of them doing you a much bigger favour isn't a good way to go about it. Be generous, try expecting nothing. You'll be surprised how much a person would go out of their way for a selfless act.
Always have a business card
One of the most powerful weapons in your marketing arsenal is your business card.
This will avoid conversations getting too long; it also gives you the illusion that you got your stuff together.
Even if you are currently not working for any company, you could:
Say your field and put freelancer or consultant -"your field" : freelance writer, consultant
Hype yourself: 'Financial Expert', 'Marketing Expert',' Gardening Guru', 'A.I Specialist'
Just put what you studied: 'Economist', 'Civil Engineer', 'Lawyer'.
Don't have one, make one
Have one, keep many on hand
Practice your pitch
Prepare mentally and physically
Get a few opening lines ready
To be honest this was a tough one for me, but start at the mirror, then try it on a friend or family member.
If you get stuck:
Ask For Suggestions on How to Expand Your Network
Let The Other Person Speak, appeal to most humans' love of tooting their own horn
Tap into their interests and Present A Success Story
Tone down your RBF
Okay this was a hard one, its my natural setting the only other default is terribly scared.
So this one takes a little practice, try and look approachable but not too chatty
Elude confidence but not arrogance
Have a Presence
Leverage your social media, it is an effective way to get to know important contacts better and without the pressure of a face to face meeting that you may not be prepared for.
With this you can seek out like-minded or key contacts you would like to know better within LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter or whatever.
Try commenting on a link they post or responding to a comment they make, start a conversation with them and offer them value in return. When you have the opportunity to meet them in person it will be easier to reference previous communications with them.
Resume!Resume!Resume!
If you are job hunting, always, always, always have a copy of your resume when networking, digital or physical.
Last week a lady came into where I work asking for job, she was abut to be sent away because there was no opening, but after appealing because she was bold enough to ask, I asked for her to hand in her CV incase a position opened up, and....... she did not have one. I was in awe and all compassion went out the window.
In networking, your resume could be a hidden tool, especially during a job search. By asking others who you have established a relationship with to review your resume and give you feedback on how to improve it.
It's a Follow up conversation starter
It provides a pathway for mentor-ship
IN A CONFERENCE / EVENT
Dress like you belong
You gotta look the part even if you aren't there yet #fakeittillyoumakeit
Remember its not just that you know your shii but know you are the shii
Give your self a target
Okay if this was a must for a powerhouse like Mrs Carla Harris, you should definitely try it.
Today I am not working out of here with anything less than 30 new contacts,
that means you're going to have to get 30 business cards
Work the room
Since you got your target, its time to achieve them
Work the room!!!
Try and be that person, the one that comes up to you when you are into yourself and makes you talk and feel comfortable, the secret is that alot of people at networking events feel the same way you do.
So, rather than dwelling on how scary it is to start a conversation, think about how by doing so you’ll be helping other people feel more comfortable.
Resist your primal urge to stay in one place, hiding in a corner avoiding social interaction, just keep practising your pitch and remembering your target #YouGotThis
Take a Break
If you are like me, you are wayyy out of your comfort zone, and that is okay .Eventually you will need to take a break,re-group, watch the room.
Plan a 10-15 minute break about half way and be sure to set a specific time for when you'll jump back in.
Not in a stalker way, but you can plan your next steps just by observing.
“The comfort zone is a psychological state in which one feels familiar, safe, at ease, and secure. You never change your life until you step out of your comfort zone; change begins at the end of your comfort zone.” ― Roy T. Bennett
DON'T
Take up too much time :
Time is money and people are never happy with someone that takes up too much of their time.
Plus this way you can save some chitchat for your follow up
By planning out your meeting ahead of time, you establish your professionalism, you gain credibility and cover all the critical topics you wanted to cover.
Ask for a job right away:
Networking is not asking everyone you know for a job, in fact, when you network you should never ask someone for a job.
Ask for information that will assist you in your job search.
Your main networking goal should be to build a relationship and establish rapport so when a potential opportunity may arise in the future, your contact may be willing to refer you.
MOST IMPORTANTLY
Follow up!!!
Don't get someone's business card or e-mail address and forget about it.
Make sure to stay in touch and maintain your network.
I get anxious easily and panic over the most mundane situations, social anxiety, texting anxiety, but damn do I try to push it down to get through stuff like this. After my first conference it took me over 2 hours to draft what I was sending as a follow up message.
But that is the key to make it all worth it, following up is needed!!
Because your network is like a tree: without nourishment, it will die.
Be sure to give it the attention it needed.
Send an article that might be of interest to them,
Check up on them
Keep track of birthdays and mark them on a calendar
Congratulate them on even the little things
Try and find at least two or three opportunities yearly to reconnect with the members of your network.
In summary, just because you're not a natural extrovert doesn't mean you can't handle networking like a pro.
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