Networking Insight

Put Together a Relationship Building Plan

Building relationships requires a plan of action. Take the time to plan out your strategy so you can maximize your effort.

Without the proper planning, you will have a more difficult time growing a quality network. Below are some ideas to assist you in putting together a relationship building plan.

- List your networking goals - Think about what you want to get out of building relationships. Do you want to find new clients, employees, partners, friends, etc.?

- List who you want to meet - Think about the types of people who you want to meet. Do you want to meet industry experts, referral partners, clients, etc.?

- List places you will meet new people - Think about what activities you need to participate in to meet new people. Will you need to attend events, meet others online, get referrals, etc.?

- List how you will leverage your existing network - Think about how you will interact with your current network so you can benefit from your relationships. Will you ask for strategic introductions, advice, or employment assistance?

- List how you will utilize online tools - Think about how you plan on using online tools to enhance your brand and your network. Will you connect on LinkedIn, share your expertise on Twitter, or get personal on Facebook?

What other ideas do you have for putting together a relationship building plan?

 

 

Five Reasons to Get Excited about Summer Networking

Now that summer is just about here, it is time to get excited about building your relationships. Summer is a fun and more relaxing time of the year to get to know others.

Below are five reasons to get excited about networking during the summer:

1. Attend Sporting Events - During the time, there are opportunities to attend sporting events with others. Find someone to go with who is also passionate about sports. You will get to know each other better in a fun and casual environment.

2. Eat Lunch Outside - It is important to meet people for meals on a weekly basis. Since the weather is nicer, find places to go with outside seating areas. The same can be said about having coffee with people at outside tables.

3. Participate in Golf Outings - Golf is a great sport for relationship building. If you are fortunate to be invited to an outing and you happen to be a golf, then make an effort to attend.

4. Enjoy happy hours - After the work day, you have the opportunity to attend happy hours with others. Many restaurants / bars have outside areas so find those types to social and enjoy yourself.

5. Summer makes people happy - It important to make people feel welcome when speaking with you. The summer generally is a happy time of the year for others. So, take advantage of good moods as long as you can keep in good spirits too.

What other reasons can you think of?

Tips to Maximize Your Memorial Day Holiday Networking

The holidays are a great time to further build relationships with family and friends. One of the great aspects of the holiday is that you and others are getting together in a casual and friendly environment. You get to see a different side of other people so you can get to know them more personally.

Take advantage of having family around. This is usually a good time to update them on your life, personally and professionally.

Below are some tips to maximize your time with others on Memorial Day:

- Spend quality time with others - Make sure to spend enough time with certain people so you can have a conversation. If there are people who you would like to get to know better or spend more time with, then make the effort to get some alone time with them.

- Attend parties or gatherings - If you are invited to a get together on Memorial Day, then make an effort to attend. This is a great opportunity to hang out with others who you can get to know better

- Catch up on emails - We all know that email can get overwhelming so take advantage of some down time on a holiday. Respond to those emails that are sitting in your inbox. That way, you will be caught up before the work week begins.

- Set up some meetings - Another way to take advantage of holiday downtime is to plan some meetings for the next week or two. Set up meetings via email so when others are available, they can respond.

- Work on your personal / business brand - Take the time to work on your brand by writing blog posts/articles, creating newsletters, preparing for a talk, etc. Use the down time to your advantage.

What other tips can you share?