I don’t think we put enough emphasis on the power of your individual network.
I don’t think we do enough to foster and grow our personal network. First, let’s define a personal network.
A Personal Network is Not…
A personal network is NOT the amount of Twitter and Facebook followers you have. It is also NOT the amount of readers you have on your blog. Yes, that is a network but a personal network has a stronger bond within your life.
A Personal Network is…
Your personal is the close contacts you have made over the years of being in business or networking. They are the people you communicate with on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. They are the people who value your business as much as you do (and vice versa).
We Don’t Fully Understand Networking
I… honestly… don’t believe we know how to fully utilize and develop the differently personalities and people we have met over the years.
Of course, there are people like Dale Carnegie and Keith Ferrazzi (to name a few) who have given us proper manuals on building a network of influential people.
But… it is still hard for us to manage.
I was speaking at Anderson University this week about the value of personal branding and networking as a young professional. I am extremely passionate about this topic and love the idea that you (the professional) has the ability to have a strong mentoring circle around you.
I’m still learning as well.
I wanted to give a few tips that I have learned over the years that has helped me develop a stronger personal network to help me along in business and in life.
1. Personal Note – You would not believe how powerful a hand written note can be for your network. Go to a stationary store and buy personalized envelopes and cards to send to every person you meet with on a daily basis. Hand write and note and drop it in the mail.
2. Use the Crap Out of LinkedIn – LinkedIn will be the more powerful networking tool you will use in the next couple of years. I use LinkedIn constantly to meet and be introduced to people who will strengthen my personal network.
3. Keep a Networking Database – I could be better at this. You could use tools like AddressTwo, FunnelBug, or Salesforce to keep track of your leads and contacts. I use Google Apps / iMail to keep track of information I need to remember about contacts. This information could be as simple as birthdays to spouse’s names. Send notes on milestones.
4. Send Small Gifts for Achievements – I could also be better at this. I learned this from Pete Dunn. I met with Pete this week and he presented me with a congratulatory bottle of wine for my engagement. I am not a client. I am a part of his professional network. It goes a long way when you can remember the small things in life. It is the truth that most people do not.
5. Create a Separate Facebook List for Your Closest Contacts – I created a Facebook list to organize the people in my professional network. This means that I can keep track of their “happenings” in life and respond accordingly. Front of mind is extremely important and extremely valuable.
gregnazvanov
I like your suggestion to "use the crap out of linkedin" especially. However for the business applications we did not find the company tab that useful. I listed http://www.inkom.com.au on their Company Pages and although got few 'company page followers' did not get much biz from it. What are we missing? Do I need to expand that page as much as my personal profile?
Heidi Angell
I personally have not found LinkedIn very effective. Maybe it is because of my profession, or maybe because I am young and have few "professional" contacts. I prefer Facebook for my most personal and have added people from my twitter and Google+ accounts as we build more personal relationships!
The rest are very old-school concepts that many of us young pups have not really seen in practice! They are good tips and it is a great way to take a semi-personal relationship to the next level! Sending a small gift for achievements reminded me of the episode of The Office when Michael decided to give out gift baskets to get back customers 😉
Ray
Love this post. Thank you.
I knew this stuff, but in the ADHD fuelled pursuit of what's the latest in social networking, I forget the very basics in etiquette.
I'm old enough to remember when sending someone a note of thanks or a small gift in recognition of an achievement was just considered good form.
Now that these rules of etiquette have become largely forgotten (or not taught all), their impact is all the more dramatic..
OsakaSaul
Kyle,
Networking: I say "qualify" your meetings. Many are an immense waste of time. Most people you meet, you'll never hear from again, and many are blowing through town, staying at the Holiday Inn and would like a drinking buddy. Or someone to show them around town. Or, collect your business card as evidence of another non-sale they pitched…
Best three bits on networking:
1. From a friend in Japan, Adam Acar, Professor of Sociology: "take a look at groups in Meetup.com, and note how many entire groups have met – just once."
2. from Derek Andersen, my friend, and creator of CommonRed, scroll down to the bottom of the page on http://meetordie.com/ and see how people are wasting time>money daily with "meetings."
3. from a Quora answer to "What do you say when someone asks you to meet up to grab coffee":
These tips are coming from a recovering let's have coffee person.
Here are my strategies in an effort to block 100% of coffee grabs:
Similar to X, I request clarification or questions via email. Literally, 85% of meetings go to this level and then stop.
If the person persists, I suggest we chat in real-time to talk via Skype. This kills off another 10% of the meetings.
Lastly, I'll push it to a phone call while I'm on the bus or driving.
For the remaining 5%:
a) If the person comes from a friend or respected person (both of these are hard to turn down), I suggest they join me for lunch in my area and let them know ahead of time it's for 30 minutes.
celeb999
Boise State Cheerleading Caught: When a team creeps into the top 5 in college football then one has to take notice of their cheerleaders right?
The Washington Wizards Girls: The Washington Wizard Girls jetted down to the Caribbean to shoot their 2009-10 Swimsuit Calendar.
The Cheer Cheerleaders are Cheery: I had no clue who the Cheer Fit Cheerleaders were before today. Who are these wonderful women? It’s a cheering outfit from the UK that teaches classes, cheers at events, and make me happy.
Patricia Rossi
Bravo Kyle,
Loved all of the tips. 1 & 4 are my favorite.
Best,
Patricia Rossi
John Dyer
Take a look at http://www.teemew.com
A great networking tool that everyone could use, anywhere they go (not only at events or conferences). I recommend (i think it's still in Beta)
DO: Send a Hand-Written Note « Do Get Go
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robbyslaughter
Most importantly, FOLLOW UP!
Call or email the people you meet. And if they don't get back to you in a few weeks, follow up with them again!
Most networking amounts to people talking and nothing going anywhere. If you actually write down details and reach out to people later, you can actually build relationships.
Follow up!