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10 Ideas to Jump Start Your Relationship Building in 2015

With a new year approaching, it is important to reflect on your past year's relationship building efforts. What worked? What could have you have improved? Now is the time to think about starting fresh and with renewed energy for the new year.

Below are 10 ideas to assist you in jump starting your relationship building efforts for 2015:

1. Start a blog - Personal branding is critical for relationship building success. Consider starting a blog so you can share your expertise and stay on top of mind with your network. If you already blog, then blog more.

2. Commit to attending new events - A great way to meet new people is to attend a variety of events. Make it a point in 2015 to attend new events. That way, you will have a chance to meet a batch of people.

3. Host your own events - Another great way to meet people is to host your own events. By doing so, you be bringing people to you.

4. Invite more people to lunch or coffee - Each week, you should have lunch or coffee with people in your network. These meetings are a great way to build your existing relationships.

5. Start tweeting - Twitter is one the best communication tools. It allows you to share your expertise and meet new people. Make it point to start tweeting or do it more.

6. Make more introductions - Connecting people together is one of the best ways to build credibility and goodwill with your network. Make it a point to make more introductions.

7. Respond to all requests for assistance - As your network grows, you will get more and more requests for assistance. Take the time to respond to everyone and assist where you can. If you have trouble with some requests, then make an introduction to someone who can. By responding, you will build up your reputation as someone who is approachable.

8. Leverage LinkedIn - For online professional relationship building. LinkedIn is the best tool. Spend more time on this tool by updating your profile, participating in groups, and connecting with more people.

9. Focus on building quality relationships - While it important to always be meeting new people, it is also important to focus on nurturing some of your more valuable relationships. It is critical to have a few high quality relationship, which you can leverage when the time is right.

10. Have fun - Relationship building is a time commitment but well worth the effort. Have fun getting to know others and finding ways to support one another. You never know what opportunity awaits.

What other ideas do you have?

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Relationship Building Reflection for the Holidays

The holidays are a great time to relax with family and friends. This time of the year is also a good time to reflect on the past year and think about the coming year.

Building and managing relationships is such an important piece of your personal brand but also your business and career. So, other people should frequently be on your mind.

Below are some ways to reflect on your relationships this past and and for the future.

- New beneficial relationships this past year - Think about who you met this past year and which relationships turned out to be valuable for both sides. Think about what you accomplished together. Focus on nurtuting these relationships this coming year.

- New less benefical relationships this past year - In addition to thinking about the beneficial relationships, it is also important to think about the less beneficial relationships. If it was difficult to find value for both sides, then it is okay to these drop off.  You can spend more time nurturing the beneficial relationships and building new ones.

- Existing relationships - Think about your existing network and how you assisted one another. Focus on continuing to buidl these relationships this coming year. Also, make it a point to nurture some relationships that were less of a focus this past year. It is good practice to further build on existing relationships.

- New relationships - Make it a point to continue to meet new people this year. Think about new ways to meet people by attending events, asking for introductions, or connecting on LinkedIn. Adding quaility and diverse contacts into your network will add more value.

What is important this holiday season is to be thankful that you have a good network of people who you can call friends, partners, supporters, and acquaintances. Your network is one your greatest personal assets. Continue to nurture and build it.

Have a wonderful holiday season!

 

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Networking Insight Turnes Eight!

Today, Networking Insight turned eight! Thank you for your continued readership and support these past eight years.

My goal for 2015 is write more blog posts. I am always looking for guest bloggers. So, if you want to write a post, then send it to me at [email protected].

It is a rewarding and enjoyable experience to share my thoughts on relationship building, networking, and personal branding. I hope that you find value from my posts.

I look forward to more years to come. Happy Networking!

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Focus on the Individual vs. the Company

 

When meeting people, it is easy to focus on the company that this person works for or started, especially if it is a known company like Microsoft or McDonalds. Some of us have a tendancey to be wowed or intrigued by someone's company.

Be cautious about falling in love with someone's organization at first, especially if you are looking for employment or clients. You should focus initially on the individual. Building relationships with people is the way to find new opportunities.

Over time as you get to know one another then business can be done. People do business with those who they trust and like. Spend your time nurturing your relationships and find ways to assist one another.

Relationship building is a process that takes time and effort. Good things will come to those who are patient and understand the value of building long term relationships.

You will be thankful for the time that you spent focused on the individual rather than the company. As people move from company to company, new opportunities will present themselves to you.

One of your biggest assets is people. Guard this asset because it will be a key to your business success. Take it very serious and you will be happy that you did.

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Book Review: The Risk Advantage by Tom Panaggio

The Risk Advantage was written by Tom Panaggio who co-founded two successful direct marketing companies over a thirty-year span as an entrepreneur.  In his book, he is able to give a real perspective on starting and running a business. He believes that success is the result of embracing risk as an opportunity.

The book is comprised of the following chapters:

• Are You In?
• Opportunity and Risk Are Soul Mates
• Where Risk Belongs in Your Business
• The Winner's Framework
• Prisoner of Hope
• The Freedom to Continue Your Journey
• Embrace the Risk of Failure
• Embrad the Risk of Proactive Marketing
• Embrace the Risk of Standing in Your Own Line

The author wrote this book specifically for entrepreneurs to share his story about sustaining a thriving private company for over 20 years.  He believes that risk is a key component to an entrepreneur's success. Embracing risk is what provides entrepreneurs an edge to keep their businesses relevant over time.

According to the author, the beneifts of any opportunity are the result of embracing risk of any business decision.  He shares his experiences about his ventures and how he embraced risk.  By doing so, he was able to build very successful companies.

Throughout the book, the author encourages entrepreneurs to take risks while continuing to grow their businesses. Consider this book as a guide on figuring out the right risks to take, which will assist you in formulating your leadership style and business strategy.

Books that tell stories about entrepreneurs are usually very motivating and inspirational. It is always great to hear and learn about success from various vantage points. The Risk Advantage is one of those worthwhile reads. 

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