Networking as Part of a Solid Business Plan
Truly masterful networking is only possible when you are confident and comfortable with yourself and the value of your services. The Book Good to Great by Jim Collins explains that you need to:
- Be brilliant at what you do
- Be passionate and enthusiastic
- Be distinct… or become extinct
- Have a plan for your networking activities. Think things through, decide on a goal, and work out what actions and behaviors will get you there.
- Target specific industries or professions. You’re shooting a .22 rifle, not a shotgun. Establish a niche for yourself: this could be geographical (a particular city or state) or could involve the types of people with whom you work.
- Have a well-practiced 15-or-30 second commercial. For example: I coach high integrity business leaders to achieve sustainable breakthrough results in their professional and personal lives. You can vary the language in different situations, saying “work with” rather than “coach.”
- Have specific goals for your networking activities. For instance, “I will add five new connections to my LinkedIn profile on a weekly basis,” or “Have a one-on-one conversation with a new contact.”
- Network when you’re busy and don’t need the business. If you find yourself out of work and then start networking, you networks will be brand new and it will be hard for you to get quick results. Continuously establish and build relationships.
- Have a personal advisory panel of peers who can help you build your business. Try to include individuals who work with similar clients or customers to you.
- Keep a list of centers of influence and strategic referral partners. More on this in a future blog.
- Have a large quality network of resources to share with others. Become very well read in your area of expertise and in business in general.
Exercise
List some people you know well, in different categories, who are part of your network and with whom you can share other members of your network. Aim for 8-10 people with different areas of expertise, ideally people who are of a different generation. Consider how you could establish a regular meeting with these people.
They should be people you know, like and trust, with extraordinary capabilities in their area. You can help one another, be sounding boards for each other’s business, and be “raving fans” for one another.
You can also help each other’s clients, where appropriate. One of my clients, for instance, may need a lawyer or financial planner.
