Join one networking group with the intent of helping someone else.
Networking is a reciprocal process, in which you share ideas, leads and referrals. Give as much as you can, and it will come back to you.
Build at least one strong relationship. When you meet someone you connect well with, invite him or her to lunch or out for coffee. Find out all you can about them, and share your experiences. Build the relationship.
Maintain relationships. Meeting new people every week is great. But if you don’t keep up with that person over time, it’s a lost contact.
Become active in a networking organization. People will refer you more if they get to know you. Being active and attending the meetings makes all the difference in the world.
Connect people. When you meet someone new, find someone from the past that would be a great connection. Then link them up.
Ask what you can do for the person you’re meeting with. Talking to people about their business is different than asking what they want help with. By asking one simple question, you may get an answer that will lead to a direct idea you can help with.
Bring plenty of business cards. Have you ever been to an event, and you run out of business cards after a few minutes? It’s easy to do at large events. Always have a box of cards in your car so you’ll never run out.
Make your business cards stand out from the crowd. When you return from a networking event with dozens of cards, what do you typically do? Chances are they go into a pile. Or worse, the trash. If you create an unusual card, or something that says more than the average card, you may get a better response rate.
Many networkers say not to spend more than a few minutes with one person at any event. But do spend enough time to get to know someone well enough to determine if you might have something in common. If you would like to meet a person for lunch to get to know them better, mark the back of their card for a follow up call later in the week.
