Successful Networking in 3 Steps
Networking is an ongoing set of actions, not a one-time activity, that you do to further the reach of your business. Just like other critical activities in a small business — marketing, customer service, process development — networking typically does not offer instant results; it's an "over-time" pursuit that will eventually benefit you, if done consistently.
I've boiled networking down into three general steps. They are:
1. Do Your Research
A huge part of networking is finding the right people to network with. Some places to look: colleagues, clients, vendors, even competitors. All of these groups can represent potential new clients or opportunities for collaboration. Some questions to ask: Is this person someone you can connect with? Are they a decision-maker in the organization? Do they have a group of contacts they may be willing to refer to you? Do they have a skillset that will make for a beneficial partnership?
2. Get Introduced
The best way to do this is by having a common contact introduce you directly, preferably someone respected and well-liked by the other person. If this isn't possible, introduce yourself. But be quick, clear and direct in terms of why you want to make a connection with them.
3. Follow Up (and follow up again)
Once you have personally met someone, the networking process is in full swing. After the initial introduction, following up is key. It's good to have a general plan for following up — after three days, two weeks, one month, etc. — but you'll need to be able to adjust on the fly depending on the person, their contact preferences and their responsiveness. The last thing you want is to be pushy to a potential client or collaborator.
These general steps apply to all networking, in-person and virtually.
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