Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Energizing Your Networking, Part 2
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Energizing Your Networking, Part 2
“SUCCESS IN LIFE = (THE PEOPLE YOU MEET) + (WHAT YOU CREATE TOGETHER).”
--Keith Ferrazzi in Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time
Let’s continue our conversation for mastering the art of networking. In our last entry, we talked about initiating and enjoying the process of connecting and reconnecting.
Today, we delve into how to feed those relationships so that you stay on top of the minds of the people with whom you are connected when they learn about opportunities that are of value to you and for which you are a good fit.
Instead of badgering people, you want to be the person who provides something of value to make the relationship interesting. And here are five ingredients and they all begin with the letter “I”:
1. Information and Insights: Your connections are busy people. So if you come across some report or information that you know would be of value to them, it would be thoughtful of you to pass it on to them. Perhaps you could summarize the article and add a line or two of your view on it. Now you show that you are not just thoughtful, but you also give them a sense of your personality.
2. Invitations: You probably find out about or get invited to concerts, networking events, panel discussions and other kinds of programs that are of interest to other people in your network. Sharing these invitations shows that you are thoughtful. Of course, inviting someone to lunch or coffee always furthers a relationship. Have you tried inviting two or more people you know to get a "bite or beverage” and allowing them to meet each other? That leads us to…
3. Introductions: Introduce the people you know to other people you know. And you will be thought of as a resource and a connector.
4. Ideation: Two heads are better than one. Don’t you love hearing the term “out of the box” thinking. What if you arrange to sit down with a contact you’d like to know better and you each bring a challenge to the table, with the goal of coming up with at least 3-5 new ideas that would make a difference for each other? Exciting!
5. Inexpensive gifts: Email and even snail mail can get ignored, but nobody ever can ignore a thoughtful 3 dimensional item on one’s desk. A box of candy or a clever mug are starting points – but if you really put some thought to finding something that relates to a person’s professional or personal interests, you’ll truly stand out. Oh…and expensive gifts have an impact, too, but be careful you don’t come across as bribing where that would be inappropriate.
Of course, when all of this leads to and comes from an intent for open, interpersonal sharing about your personal and business lives, you build a deeper relationship of knowing, trusting and liking each other. You’ll build career enhancing relationship and also enjoy greater personal fulfillment if you focus on these activities in a way that’s enjoyable to you. Have fun with it.
View all episodes
By Jonathan Flaks“SUCCESS IN LIFE = (THE PEOPLE YOU MEET) + (WHAT YOU CREATE TOGETHER).”
--Keith Ferrazzi in Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time
Let’s continue our conversation for mastering the art of networking. In our last entry, we talked about initiating and enjoying the process of connecting and reconnecting.
Today, we delve into how to feed those relationships so that you stay on top of the minds of the people with whom you are connected when they learn about opportunities that are of value to you and for which you are a good fit.
Instead of badgering people, you want to be the person who provides something of value to make the relationship interesting. And here are five ingredients and they all begin with the letter “I”:
1. Information and Insights: Your connections are busy people. So if you come across some report or information that you know would be of value to them, it would be thoughtful of you to pass it on to them. Perhaps you could summarize the article and add a line or two of your view on it. Now you show that you are not just thoughtful, but you also give them a sense of your personality.
2. Invitations: You probably find out about or get invited to concerts, networking events, panel discussions and other kinds of programs that are of interest to other people in your network. Sharing these invitations shows that you are thoughtful. Of course, inviting someone to lunch or coffee always furthers a relationship. Have you tried inviting two or more people you know to get a "bite or beverage” and allowing them to meet each other? That leads us to…
3. Introductions: Introduce the people you know to other people you know. And you will be thought of as a resource and a connector.
4. Ideation: Two heads are better than one. Don’t you love hearing the term “out of the box” thinking. What if you arrange to sit down with a contact you’d like to know better and you each bring a challenge to the table, with the goal of coming up with at least 3-5 new ideas that would make a difference for each other? Exciting!
5. Inexpensive gifts: Email and even snail mail can get ignored, but nobody ever can ignore a thoughtful 3 dimensional item on one’s desk. A box of candy or a clever mug are starting points – but if you really put some thought to finding something that relates to a person’s professional or personal interests, you’ll truly stand out. Oh…and expensive gifts have an impact, too, but be careful you don’t come across as bribing where that would be inappropriate.
Of course, when all of this leads to and comes from an intent for open, interpersonal sharing about your personal and business lives, you build a deeper relationship of knowing, trusting and liking each other. You’ll build career enhancing relationship and also enjoy greater personal fulfillment if you focus on these activities in a way that’s enjoyable to you. Have fun with it.