There’s an old (but gold) saying that goes…
Your network is your net worth.
And for those of us who are in business, we know how this couldn’t be more true. However, that doesn’t mean that networking is easy. Once you’ve gone out of your way, hung out at the places where other successful people hang out, and traded business cards, you may be wondering….
Now what?
Here are three of our proven strategies to help you leverage your network and relationships for business opportunities and professional growth.
1. USE YOUR CURRENT CONNECTIONS TO GAIN NEW ONES
One of the best pieces of advice out there when it comes to networking is to network out of your comfort zone. But to do that, you may need a bit of help. And if you have been building your network and nurturing relationships for a while now, someone who is already in your network may be capable of giving you the introductions you need to the right people.
However, we aren’t saying that your current network should be stomped on to get a leg up on them and make your way to the next great connection. And this brings us to our next point…
2. BE OPEN TO DOING FAVORS
You can’t always be on the receiving end and take from people. If you do that, you’ll quickly squeeze out all of the kindness and goodwill people may have to offer. So, what do we suggest you do here?
Make sure that you aren’t always taking; take it upon yourself to return the favor or provide help first. Like we said before, relationships are meant to be nurtured, and it works both ways.
3. MAINTAIN QUALITY OVER QUANTITY
A Rolodex full of prospects that you haven’t spoken to in years is as valuable as a huge network of people you have not maintained a relationship with. If you want to be able to leverage your network, you need to make sure that you have more valuable and high-quality relationships. Basically, maintain quality over quantity. Stay in touch with them, say hello to them at events, and continue to foster the important relationship through the years.
All in all, networking may be an activity that takes a lot of time and energy at first, but once you can connect the dots, that’s when the magic tends to happen. If you apply the right strategies to leverage your network, the relationships you invest in almost always have a promising ROI.