How to Become a Power Networker: Second of Six Parts

Who, what, when, where, why and how? These are great questions to ask yourself no matter what activity you are involved in. Who do you want to meet? Why do you want to meet them? What can you gain by meeting them? Where can you come into contact with them? When is the best time to introduce yourself or get introduced? How can you maximize your interaction? 

Learn from the Experts. Did you ever wonder how the rich and powerful got to be the rich and powerful? Sure, some of them were born into it. But many figure out how to gain entrance to the elite club, and it isn’t by being a wallflower. Some go to schools where they get great educations and make the acquaintance of others who help them on their journey to the top. Others join clubs where they can hobnob with contacts who help them. Some join city and country clubs to make great contacts. Political fundraisers can be fruitful. And then, there is always flying first class. This group may not be your target, but it does provide a sense of how the network thing is done. 

Find the Right Places to Network. Networking is an activity that requires planning to be successful. You need to identify networks in which you would like to participate and then devise a way to access those networks. This can be achieved by joining formal or informal networks. Formal networks include professional institutes and organizations, business organizations, and industry groups. Informal networks include conferences and business retreats, sports and social clubs -- even parties and social hours. 

Your job is to match your interests and objectives with the plethora of networking opportunities that are available. All you have to do is figure out in which areas you want to expand your circle of contacts. Then you find groups that match the demographics you’re looking for. Potential places to network include: 

• Chambers of Commerce 

• Business clubs and organizations 

• Professional institutes and organizations 

• Industry Groups 

• Social and service clubs 

• Volunteer groups and charitable organizations 

• Community organizations and special-interest groups 

• Faith organizations – synagogues, churches, etc. 

• Neighborhood organizations 

• Meetup groups 

• LinkedIn and other online groups 

Whatever you do, remember it is not enough to simply join these groups. You have to get involved. Getting involved requires time but it is time well spent. You’ll meet new people, make new friends and contacts, and be seen as a person who is interested and can be depended upon. That will, over time, help you achieve your networking goals. In the meantime, you’ll be enjoying a rewarding experience that enriches your life as well as the lives of the people you touch. #networking #powernetworking

How to Become a Power Networker: First of Six Parts

 What are your networking objectives? You need to figure out what your expectations are and how they can be achieved. You can develop a plan by casting a wide net in the right direction. 

Identify Your Network. Your network is dynamic. It is constantly changing, growing or shrinking based on your activities and the way you interact with people you’ve met or are meeting. Networks increase access to information. They develop means for exchanging information with others, finding sources for new business, making new friends, and cultivating and building relationships you already have. 

You can draw on your own circle of influence and the circles of influence of all the people you know. Go past your secondary circle of influence to your tertiary circle of influence -- people you can potentially reach. You’d need a computer to figure out how many people you might have access to! There is power in numbers. You have power. 

Have a Strategic Plan. What do you want from your network? Are you looking for new friends? Do you want more business? How can building your network help you achieve your goals? Answer these questions to establish a direction in which to proceed. 

You have to help others and be available to support them if you expect them to be there for you. What do you have to give? What are you prepared to give? You need to be willing to help to engender the kind of respect and reciprocity you’d like. This isn’t an issue of quid pro quo. It’s a matter of liking people and wanting to help them. You don’t want to be known as a networker who is purely self-serving. 

Target People You Want to Meet. Know something about the people you’d like to meet and how you might come into contact with them. Who do you know in common? What events do they go to? Where do they work out? Join organizations where you might connect. Check out their events calendar. Know who you want to meet in advance of an event including the speaker. 

Make a point of meeting people from as many different worlds as you can. People in other industries, from other countries, of different faiths, with different interests. This will position you to make strategic introductions for friends and associates. You’ll land on the winning side, too. #Networking #PowerNetworking