SolveYourProblem Article Series: Networking
How To Successfully Network Yourself

The Power of Networking Yourself

Ask any successful business person the secret to their success, and you are almost guaranteed to hear a story that involves meeting someone who gave them their chance and opened the door for them. Being at the right place, at the right time and meeting the right person has taken many people to the top of their game. That is why networking is so important in the business world. When you are at a trade show, a meet and greet, or even the hotel bar while on a business trip, you never know when you are going to meet the person who will change the course of your career forever. Successful networking can be the difference between a lackluster career that is going nowhere fast and rocket ride to the top of the corporate ladder.

If you’re just entering the business world, you should make use of every networking opportunity available to you. Through networking, you should be trying to make contacts who may be useful to you in the job you are now, who can help your advance within the company you are in now, and who may be able to help you reach your ultimate career goals in the future. If you’re new to networking, try networking with people you already know. Family friends, old professors, distant relatives; look at them in a new way and evaluate who might have contacts that can help you achieve your objectives. Contacts don’t have to actually perform the task you need to get done; make contacts with people who themselves have contacts with people you need to know, and let them open the door for you. Research has shown that people who approach someone after being “vouched for” by another contact are 75% more successful at making a sale or obtaining a service than people who use a “cold call” method.

If you’re new to the business world, you should join as many professional organizations as you can and attend as many of their meetings as you can. Local groups exist in most areas that arrange meet and greets for business people; these events are invaluable for meeting the people who make up the business community in your area and getting to know them. When you need to call on someone, you will find people are much more receptive and committed to helping you if they can put a name to a face and have had a past interaction with you.

For small business owners, networking lets you get the word out about your business without spending all the money on advertising the big guys do. If you attend a trade show and get a few meetings with relevant companies and pass out some business cards, your face to face interaction with a potential business partner can be worth more than all the glossy literature the major corporations can churn out. In networking environments, your personal touch can be your selling point.

Women in the business world often find themselves competing against the boys’ club. For this reason, networking groups for women only can be found in most cities. Business women who take part in these groups report that the impact on their business has been profound. Within these groups, women can help each other open new doors and create new business opportunities.

In business, the old saying, “it’s not what you know, but who you know” holds true. If you want to know the right people, you have to get out there and network. Without it, your career will be left in the dust.

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SolveYourProblem.com : 2007

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