| Your personal and professional networks provide the fuel
for your business. The wider and more diverse your networks,
the more successful your career and business will be. The
people you know, and the people that they in turn know are
the source of ideas, contracts, suppliers and knowledge
that can turn your business into a success.
People who benefit the most from extensive networks are
the ones who put the most in. They are the ones who help
others first, who are happy to spend time listening and
sharing their contacts. The human inclination to reciprocity
means that we all want to return a favour, so the people
who give end up receiving far more back than they gave out
in the first place.
So what can you do to improve your networks?
- Think about the people that you currently know. How many
people have you talked to recently? Find an excuse to get
back in touch.
- Join business clubs, societies, networking groups, email
discussion groups. Attend conferences, training sessions,
evening classes – anything that will help you to meet
more people. Dedicate time to doing this, and help out in
whatever way you can.
- There's a list of Brighton/Sussex business networking groups here so you can check out the ones you want to be part of.
- Make sure that everyone that you meet knows what it is
that you do, and has your contact details. Get that packet
of business cards into circulation; and not just in business
situations, social contacts can lead to business opportunities.
- Keep track of people – get a system to organise
your contacts. Use the contacts part of Outlook to make sure you never lose someone's details. Make notes to show when and where
you met that person and what you talked about.
- Follow up. It’s fine to email the next day and say
that you enjoyed meeting someone, and remind them of what
you do. Arrange to meet for coffee to talk about how you
might be able to work together, or send them an article
that you think they might find useful. Find ways (without
pestering people) you can gradually build that relationship.
- Invite the people you've met to join you on LinkedIn so you can stay in touch with them.
Above all, don’t expect people to give you business
directly. There’s nothing more off-putting than someone
who is trying to sell you something within 5 minutes of
meeting you. Make sure that people know what you have on
offer, but search for what you can do for them first. Sooner
or later that person, or someone that they know, will want
to do something for you.
Julia Chanteray
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