Who is in Your Network?
Take time to define your network.
- All the people you used to know – old friends, former clients, fellow employees, school acquaintances, former neighbors.
- All the people you now know – family, current clients, social contacts, charitable affiliations, members of religious organizations.
- All of the people who know you – attendees at your speeches, newsletter recipients, former students.
- All of the people you would like to know – prospective clients, influential people, leaders of trade/business associations.
Networking Tools to Ensure Success
Be sure to use these:
- Establish a strong relationship so that networking contacts recognize you even among a large group.
- Maintain one-on-one name recognition.
- Establish a mutual point of interest – search for something you have in common.
- Send informal notes to confirm meetings.
- Follow-up with breakfast meetings.
- Express interest in finding out more about the person’s business.
- Forward articles of interest.
- Invite business contacts to social events attended by other friends and associates.
- Make some type of on-going contact every four to six weeks until you feel comfortable that this individual is a viable part of your network.
Maintaining Your Network
You can never stop managing your network.
-
Make regular telephone calls to prospective clients.
-
Invite people to quarterly or semiannual luncheons or holiday parties.
-
Send copies of newsletters and personal notes. Send birthday and anniversary cards.
-
Plan annual meetings with clients to review satisfaction level.
-
Occasionally stop by clients’ offices.
Things to keep in mind
- Quality relationships take time to build and get stronger over time. They cannot be maintained without regular communication.
- People tend to feel most comfortable with others in their age group.
- People who share common interests transcend most age barriers (personal interests, political affiliation, children of the same age, social interests).
- People are attracted to others who are most like them, or to those who offer unique perspectives.
- People appreciate and remember when you show personal interest in them or others important in their lives (family, employees, charitable activities).
- People do business with people they like, trust, confide in and feel comfortable around.
