Professional networking tips

​Harnessing the Power Networking for Business, Professional, Social & Personal Triumph and success, Professional networking tips

It is a no brainer, if you want to be, have and do the following

1.Hugely successful

2.Accomplish large Dream

3.Start your own successful start-up

4.Get promoted & rise fast in your profession

5.Get a fantastic life partner

6.Being considered powerful

7.Get fame, recognition, name etc

8.Grow your business

9.Market yourself successfully at the interview for job

10. Get new clients

11. Get admission in great colleges

12. Become wealthy

You would not only need to have a network of powerful and influential people, but you need to create the relationship that makes them want to help you.

If you have trouble reaching these or others goals no matter how hard you try – One of the reason could be because you haven't developed the right connections, if everything else you doing right.

Let me share with you an extremely important personal experience of wrong way of networking.

About one and half years back, my daughter & niece were out of college & looking for a job – at that time I had 6000+ contacts in LinkedIn.

At least 40% of my contacts were The real decision makers, the CEOs, The Partners, The MDs, The Chairpersons, The Business Owners in many Global MNCs.

I approached them in worst possible way of directly asking them to help my daughter/niece get an interview with their firm, without building power or value over them - Only 4 people responded with "Okay send me their details".

I sent as asked, but there was no response.

The right networking works on the principle as quoted - "It's not who you know, it's who knows you."

Networking is one of the most Influencing element for your success in any aspects of life

At times your network can become your life-line if you cultivate, nurture, grow and maintain your network.

Most of us do not know or give enough importance the right way of identifying connecting, nurturing, maintaining & creating power over our connections – very few of us actually manage to use the incalculable power of a powerful network.

That is the very reason the Multi-level-Marketing failed or it is not successful that much.

The detrimental belief, mindset & traits that does not let you network effectively

1.You are sacred of networking
2.You rarely go to social function
3.You are not part of many or any professional forums or network
4.You do not have much presence either on profession, social media or the internet
5.You are a loner or very introverted
6.You feel that using people for your benefit is terrible
7.You feel networking is just a sham as your connections are not meaningful
8.You are scared of going in strange gathering & introducing yourself
9.You feel asking others for help is letting yourself go down in others as well as your eyes

There are following types of network available to us to tap – you can identify more
I.Our Personal, Family, Social, Religious
1.Our Immediate family members & their connections
2.Our extended family members & their connections
3.Our Friend circles & their connections
4.Our Social circles & their connections
5.Our Hobby circles & their connections
6.Our Spiritual circles & their connections
7.All our social media contacts & their connections
8.All our charitable associations & their connections
9.All our neighbors/society members & their connections
10.All our religious associations & their connections
11.Even the help working in your house & their connections[I came across a very powerful person through a common maid]
12.All people who helps us time to time like Doctors, Lawyers, accountants etc
II. Our Business/Professional, Educational Connections & Service Providers
1.All our Seniors/Juniors/Peers & their connections
2.All our customers & their connections
3.All our vendors/suppliers/contractors & their connections
4.All our professional media contacts & their connections
5.All our various business/professional forum contacts All our professional media contacts & their connections
6.All our competitors & their connections
7.All our ex-colleagues & their connections even the people you interviewed and rejected
8.All our class-mates
9.All our seniors and juniors
10.All our alumni beginning from school & their connections
11.All our professors & their connections
12.All the places we buy things from
13.All our service providers
14.All our consultants [even manpower consultants] & their connections
15.All our Mentors & their connections

Now even if you list only half of the above, you would have a huge list.

The following tips would get you started with.

As you practice and refine these guidelines, you will discover that networking is actually a lot of fun.

If you do not do these then you will have to go on digging the well every day, every time.

The Dos and Don'ts of Networking

[These includes the beliefs that you need to inculcate and basics that you need to practice on war-footing as well as religiously – not in any specific order of priorities]

I.Understanding the Networking - The Right Mindset
1.Networking is not about selling what you want & the reason for your getting connected with them
2.Networking is not about putting a mask of being someone but being authentically about who you really are
3.Networking is actually about building a relationship where you add value & help others achieve their goals – if you don't believe in the adage "If you help a large number of people achieve their goals, they will help you achieve your larger goal"
II.How to Network at an Event all the * marked ones have detailed DIY in my other blogs

1.Dress appropriately by wearing comfortable

2.Arrive early and join in groups as they are forming Or forming your group by meeting one person and then expanding by including people as they arrive

3.Practicing the right way of shaking hand with women and men

4.Practicing the timeless advice of smiling while looking in the eyes of people

5.While in a group ensuring that you look into the eyes of the speaker and if you are speaking rotating your eyes to make eye contact with each person in the group

6.Learning to introduce in an intriguing way that would create curiosity even among the most powerful person to make them ask you for clarification*

7.Prepare some interesting conversation openers that has elements of curiosity as well as humor or knowledge

8.Practice Joining a new group conversation by smiling and saying "Do you mind if I join you"

9.Manage your time effectively by moving around the room and talking to as many different people as possible

10. Practicing for how walk out ofgroup and conversation politely and respectfully when necessary

11. Creating a powerful and tested elevator speech*

12. Developing the art of asking powerful, tough and difficult questions with the intention of learning and shows your sincerity as a authentic person*

13. Focus on questions to show your keen interest as well as to understand the needs, aspirations etc of your prospects, in order for you to create a way to add value to them later on when you follow-up.

14. Developing the art of empathic listening*

15. Practice the art of remembering names without forcing yourself to remember by association and visual technique

16. Learning the art of humor as well as the ability to laugh at yourself and your mistakes*

17. Ensuring your best professional behavior*

18. Creating a sassy way of conversing*

19. Making your personality a classy way

20. Learning about the different culture

21. Avoiding putting down anyone

22. Avoiding trying to please any one

23. Avoiding stunts to get attentions in a rather cheap ways

24. Reading and being aware as well as what is happening in the world in general and in your area of interest in particular

25. Going for food only after you have met people and then joining a group that is your best targeted one with the food to have general conversations

26. Follow up all contacts made by email, phone, newsletter or make arrangements to meet again (e.g. For coffee)

27. Learn to Treat everyone equally and with respect by disregarding people whose rank or position to be lower than yours

III.Common Tips to practice to make you an effective and successful networker [not given in any particular order as all are important]
1.Hold volunteer positions in organizations
2.Ask open-ended questions in networking conversations
3.Become a powerful resource for others
4.Have a clear understanding of what you do and why, for whom, and what makes your doing it special
5.Be able to articulate what you are looking for and how others may help you
6.Follow through quickly and efficiently on referrals you are given
7.Call those you meet who may benefit from what you do and vice versa
8.Be ever Ready to Find Common Point of Interest
9.Both Your questions & answers should invoke interest & provoke
10.Always Have Business Cards, which should tell in shortest cutest way how you may benefit them
11.Never dismiss anyone as unimportant.
12.Share your passion
13.Smile with your eyes as well & shake had firmly
14.Don't hijack someone's conversation with the idea of impressing people
15. If you are fortunate enough to be among other interesting people, then take the opportunity to learn
16.If there aren't right people, folks with gravitas, influence, money and are smarter than you, you're in the wrong room
17.Become a connoisseur. Almost nothing elicits more interest than genuine expertise.
18.Become the center of the network by becoming a organizer and initiator to host group event
19. Ask for advice
20.Don't use jargon to describe yourself and what you do
21.Don't hand out business cards like your distributing pamphlets
22. Be intriguing and difficult to understand rather than looking needy and without any virtues 23. Focus on people, not positions 24. Give before you ask, Be generous, Understand that the Networking is a Two-Way Street
25.Keep in mind that networking is about being genuine and authentic, building trust and relationships, and seeing how you can help others
26.Ask yourself what your goals are in participating in networking meetings so that you will pick groups that will help you get what you are looking for
27.Hold volunteer positions in organizations
28.Become known as a powerful resource for others
29.Have a clear understanding of what you do and why, for whom, and what makes your doing it special or different from others doing the same thing
30.Be able to articulate what you are looking for and how others may help you
31.Call those you meet who may benefit from what you do and vice versa
32.Create a diverse network of people with whom you can share ideas and gain information. Nothing is as effective as bouncing ideas back and forth with another professional whom you admire.
33.Be genuinely interested in people for who they are, not the opportunities they may or may not represent
34.Join professional groups and business-related events. There are many professional societies and local events sponsored by
35.Attend community functions
36.Network through hobbies and interests
37.Start Blogging
38.Take time to make a real connection, Focus on quality over quantity
39.Track competition
40.Exchange meaningful stories
41.Respond to others' challenges in witty way*
42.Be Helpful
43.Build a solid Reputation of dependability
44.Be Visible
45.Find a mentor outside your circle
46.Network even when you're comfortable
47.It's not about closing a deal "Don't approach networking with a sales mentality
48.Hang out at the same places the people you want to connect with hang
49.Be respectable not likeable*
50.Don't only speak to one person – The more the better.
51.Do Informational Interviews
52.Do Your Research
53.Send Thank You Notes
54.Always Be yourself

Face-to-face interaction is still key in business, but social media offers avenues to find new powerful connections through the various interest groups in

1.Facebook

2.Linkedin

3.Meetup

4.Twitter

5. YouTube

6.Tumbler

7.Your Professional Associations

8.Your Charitable Association

9.Your Religious Associations