One of the things that can help you achieve your goals faster and better is the quality of the network you keep. You can’t afford to joke with professional relationship this 2020.
Your professional relationship will give you an edge and take you to places that even your money can’t take you.
In many places, ‘what you know’ doesn’t open the desired door to you, ‘who you know’ does the opening. What you know only counts when you get in the door. So if you really want to go far, you must leverage on high profile networks.
Through this post, I will show you how to build and maintain a long term mutually beneficial relationship with important people in your industry or field.
Building a professional relationship requires a deliberate effort because it doesn’t happen by chance. You have to deliberately choose the kind of people you want in your network and find where you can meet and interact with them.
You can build professional networks through social media, by being a member of a professional association or by attending conferences and events that high profile people in your industry are likely to attend. When you attend such meetings, be visible and ready to sell yourself.
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ATTEND THE MEETINGS.
1. INTRODUCE YOURSELF: During the lunch breaks and networking sections, don’t just eat, press phone and take pictures, that’s when to sell yourself and get new people into your network. Start by introducing yourself to the person next to you. Tell the person your name and what you do in simple words and give the person an opportunity to do likewise. This will help you connect with people of common professional and personal interest.
2. ASK QUESTIONS: After introducing yourself, ask your new contact questions about his work or business. Ask him his current challenges and how he think you can be of help to his business. You can also suggest to him what he can do to solve his challenges or improve his work. Your new contact will likely ask you these questions too and in that way, both of you will understand how to add value and help each other’s business or work. This is what networking is about. It’s a two way process that involves giving and receiving value. A good network must be mutually beneficial to both parties, therefore if you know you don’t have any value to give, don’t go about seeking professional relationship. Be a person of value first.
3. FOLLOW-UP: This is the part that most people ignore. They just collect business cards and that’s it. Without proper follow-up on your new contact, the time you invested in introducing yourself and getting to know your new contact will be wasted. Without follow-up, there’s no real relationship. Following up is what helps you cement your relationship with your new contact. You can do this through phone calls, social media chats, sending mails or scheduling face to face meeting with the person. Following-up on new relationship shows that you value the relationship and you are ready to invest in it.
When networking is properly done, it can help you land that job faster, get that exposure, improve your skillsets, stay abreast of latest trends, give you access to great opportunities and a competitive edge in your industry or field.
Be deliberate about building and maintaining your professional network.
Best Regards
About The Author
