Networking Insight

Rekindle Old Relationships

Over time, it can be hard to remain in contact with everyone in your network.  Because of this challenge, some of your relationships will lapse.  So, every once in awhile, you need to dig into your contact database and reach out to someone who you haven't talked with or seen in awhile.

It can be fun to re-connect with people because you get to learn about what has happened since your last encounter.  You can sometimes be quite surprised at what some of your old contacts are now doing.  In fact, there may be more synergies with each other now than in the past.

As long as these people remember you, which they should, they should be honored that you re-connected with them.   After a rekindled relationship, it should be a goal of yours to continue to maintain the relationship and not let it lapse.

Recently, I was re-connected with an old co-worker who left Chicago for several years.  We built a nice relationship while he was in Chicago but once he moved away, we lost touch.  This is a very common reason why some relationships aren't maintained.  So, yes, I am guilty of poorly maintaining this relationship!

The great news is that he is back in Chicago and he reached out to me shortly after he returned.  So, I look forward to beginning to build our relationship again.

Make it a goal of yours to reach out to 1 new contact every week or two.  You will be amazed at how quickly your network will grow.

Leverage Your Firm's Board

If you are fortunate to sit on the board of your organization, then you already know the power of boards and relationship building.  One of the most important benefits of sitting on a board is that you get to interact with various other executives on a regular basis.  Most people that sit on a board are very accomplished executives or investors so leverage this situation and get to know everyone on the board.

Make an effort and get involved in a committee so you can work together with other people.  In relationship building, you need to continuously keep in touch with people so board activity is a great way to achieve this.

At the same time, if you are not on the board, but have the opportunity to sit in on the meetings, then take this an opportunity to meet some executives that you probably wouldn't otherwise meet.  Get to know them before and after each meeting.   Find out if any of the board members would like to get involved with any of your projects such as mentoring, speaking, or talking to your clients.

Today, I sat in on the board meeting of the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center, which is made up of investors, entrepreneurs, bankers, and other executives in Chicago.  While I am not a board member, I still have the opportunity to interact with the board members before and after the meetings.  Our board members are all happy to help with any of our projects so I will tap some of them when ready.  Either way, I enjoy getting to know the board members whenever the opportunity arises.

Don't waste the opportunity to meet new people and build relationships by not taking advantage of your firm's board meetings.

EntrepreneurshipWeek Chicago

From February 24 to March 3, EntrepreneurshipWeek USA has been declared by the Kauffman Foundation.  In Chicago, many activities are taking place this week, which can be found on ChicagoEWeek.com.  My organization, Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center, in conjunction with several other organizations including DePaul University's Coleman Entrepreneurship Center, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago GSB, Kellogg School of Management, and Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce hosted a competition called Fast Pitch. 

Fast Pitch provided the opportunity for 60 entrepreneurs to pitch their business in 3 minutes or less to a panel of judges.  I was fortunate enough to be one of the judges.  It was fun because each entrepreneur had his or her own style of pitching.  You could tell that some were more prepared than others.  The entrepreneur who won the entire competition was Aashish Dalal of ParkWhiz, which is an online parking marketplace that matches buyers and sellers together to make the parking experience simple, more efficient, and cost-effective.  Aashish was very polished and explained his company succinctly and effectively.

It was great participating as a judge because I was able to re-connect with the other judges who I already knew.  At the same time, my organization was given some additional exposure to the entrepreneurs who may not have known about the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center.

Whenever you have the chance to participate in an event or competition don't pass up this opportunity.  Part of relationship building is gaining exposure in your community.  So, get involved and stay in front of people.  I was lucky because my organization was one of the organizers of the event.  Regardless, seek out these opportunities and volunteer your time.  Most people will be grateful for your assistance.

Show Your Support Whenever You Can

In relationship building, you need to continuously find ways to interact with those in your network.  To build a long lasting and sustaining relationship, you should get to know people more on a personal level as well.  Therefore, I suggest that you show your support for people's endeavors whenever possible. 

For example, if someone who you know will be speaking at an event, then make an effort to attend.  By making an appearance, it shows that you care and that you value the relationship.  Make sure that you let the person know that you are there.  As a result, your relationship will grow stronger and you will most likely be introduced to new people.

Over the weekend, I went to see a client's band, The Usuals, which is a rock cover band.  My client's band doesn't play too many public shows so I wanted to see him in action to show my support.  Also, it was great to connect with him more on a personal level.  I know that he appreciated me coming because he spent time speaking with me during his set breaks.  He even offered to introduce me to a few new people.

So, whenever an opportunity arises that you have a chance to be a part of something that a person in your networking is doing, then make an effort to support this person.  It will mean a lot and further your relationship.

Get to Know Event Speakers

Whenever you attend an event, it is good to get to know the featured speakers.  In fact, you may want to reach out to them before the event so you can connect with them beforehand. That way, when you meet them in person, you will already have started to build a relationship.  By speaking to them before, you should ask them if there is a question that they would like you to ask after their talk.  This is a nice tactic that will get you noticed by the attendees and the speaker will really appreciate your help.

Most speakers are connectors and subject matter experts so get to know them. There is a reason that they were asked to speak. Take the time to seek out the speakers and make yourself memorable to them. 

Tonight, I had the privilege of speaking on a panel about economic development, which was hosted by Americans for Prosperity Illinois.  This group is "committed to educating citizens about economic policy and mobilizing those citizens as advocates in the public policy process".   My role was to talk about the small business resources for entrepreneurs.  I shared the spotlight with 3 other panelists but only really connected with one person.  So, I will follow up with him and get to know him.

My point is that if you are one of several speakers at an event, then you should get to know the other speakers.  You already have at least one thing in common (being asked to speak at the same event) so use this as a launching pad for relationship building.

With networking, you need to find creative ways to meet people so get to know the speakers at events.

It is Okay to Take a Break from Building Relationships

With our busy lives and constant relationship building, it is easy to get burned out.  So, if you are not in the mood to attend an event or reach out to someone, then don't do it.  You need to be in the right mindset, otherwise, you are not doing yourself or others any good.

It is okay to take a break every once in awhile.  You sometimes need to clear your head, relax, and slow down.  Sounds like a vacation, right?  Vacations are one solution while putting down your mobile device is another solution.

If you are not at your best, then you won't be effective.  Therefore, it is good to walk away until you are your self again.  We can all get overwhelmed with our busy lives so don't feel like you have to do everything.

I usually attend 1-3 evening events per week.  This can be too much certain weeks so I have to cut something out. This week, I decided not to go to a regular monthly event that I normally attend because I was overwhelmed with all of my activities and work.  Therefore, I skipped it because I was not in the right mood.  If you have these feelings, then go with your gut and go home after work.

Take care of yourself and just say "no" when you don't feel like building relationships.  However, don't forget to come back soon to reality.  Relationship building is a continuous process so always keep it in your back pocket.

Accomodate People When You Can

From time to time, you will be in situations that you don't plan for in which someone may need your help or your time.   Make an effort to accommodate people whenever you can.  It says a lot about your character and people will remember you for your generosity.

For example, a business consultant came into my office today expecting to meet with a co-worker.  However, a mis-communication occurred in which my co-worker had to cancel the meeting.  For some reason, this consultant didn't get this information.  So, I decided to meet with this individual.  As it turns out, we both know someone in common.  Better yet, we connected and have started to form a business relationship.

If it wasn't for this chance meeting, then we may not have met.  So, keep an open mind and be accommodating whenever possible.  You may meet someone that will become an integral part of your network.

As another example, suppose one of your contacts needs you to find some information about a particular subject.  Take the time to do some research and help this person.  The fact that your contact reached out to you for help should say a lot about you.  Your contact respects and trusts you to provide assistance.  With networking, helping others is the "holy grail" to forming long lasting relationships.

So, the next time someone asks for something, before you say "no", consider what this could lead to down the road.  Obviously, you can't and shouldn't accommodate everything and everyone.   Use your professional and personal judgment to know when to say "yes".

Leverage Your Family to Make Connections

One of your most powerful networks should be your family.  Take advantage of this personal network and ask for their help whenever needed.  While you should offer to help as well it isn't as crucial because family is supposed to help each other at all times. 

Just like with anyone, don't over stay your welcome by asking for too much.  Ask for help only when you truly need it, otherwise, you may not be taken serious.  You need to still act professional when asking family members for to take the time to help you.  As long as business is involved, show that you are a professional.  After all, their credibility is on the line so make them feel secure that you are a good referral.

Any family member is fair game for you to reach out to for help.  Since most family members should already know you quite well, it shouldn't be difficult for them to make a connection for you, as long as they are comfortable with making this happen. 

So, the next time you are looking for a job, business partner, or referral, start with your closest family members because they may know the right person for you to talk to.  Don't forget that your family is a very powerful personal network.

Start a Conversation with Someone New Every Day

One of the best ways to develop your communication skills is to talk to someone who you don't know every day.   By talking to new people, you will become more comfortable having conversations with random people in various settings.  Have fun and find opportunities to start conversations.

If you live in a big city and take public transportation, then the bus or train will provide you with multiple opportunities.  If you eat out for lunch, then find someone at a restaurant.  If you fly alone for business, then make sure to talk to the person seated next to you.  Be creative.  You will realize that your every day activities will put you in constant contact with new people.

So, by making this a daily routine, you will increase your comfort level at networking events.  Many people are not comfortable starting conversations with other individuals at business events so they usually don't attend.  If this is you, then you need to tackle this fear head on and get in the habit of talking with people in random encounters.  By meeting new people in your every day routine, it can feel more natural to start these conversations.  Therefore, it should become more natural in a networking situation as well.

In addition, it is interesting to learn about people.  Who knows?  You might even form a connection with some of these random people and build a relationship. 

The other day, I was waiting for a bus on a cold Chicago day and starting talking to a woman who was also waiting for the same bus.  I found out that her pipes broke in her apartment so she was temporarily staying with her boyfriend.  I also found out that she didn't know the neighborhood well so I educated her about the public transportation situation.  She was happy to hear what I told her so I felt good that I was helpful. 

So, new conversations can lead to helping other people, which is a major tenet of networking.  Be proactive and give yourself the chance to meet new people.

Focus Groups - An Interesting Way to Interact with People

An interesting way to meet very random people is to participate in a focus group.  People from all walks of life participate in focus groups so you are bound to meet some very unique and diverse people.

Focus groups are good practice for conversing and sharing opinions with new people about a particular topic.  Sounds like a networking event?  Well, in some respects it is because you are meeting people for the first time in a structured environment.  In addition, you are expressing yourself, which is very important for building relationships.  You want people to get to know "you" so this again is good practice.

Tonight, I participated in a focus group with 7 other people.  It was an interesting mix of people who all had diverse backgrounds.  Everyone interacted well together and most people provided some good opinions.  You will always get some people who don't say much and just coast the entire time.  You can learn a lot about a person's personality in these settings.

We talked about a new Website that a well-known company will be launching soon that allows people to provide opinions on all types of media and product categories.  Other people can then comment on what was said.  Part of our discussion was on blogging, and I was the only blogger in the room.

So, I encourage you to register for focus groups so you can get an additional experience interacting with people.  Learning how people interact with others in new situations is a good study of human nature.  Take this as a learning opportunity.

Another benefit of a focus group is that you get paid for your opinions.  Not a bad way to spend some time meeting new people!