A good network is very important for professional success. If you know the right people and you can rely on them, you can get information faster or get tips and advice about your own business or the industry. Above all, you can be recommended by a qualified network and thus gain new customers.
Leave the comfort zone
„If you are not curious, you will not learn anything.“ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe already knew that. A good, personal network does not build up by itself. Unlike Facebook & Co, where quantity rather than quality is important, you have to be able to leave your office and talk to people. But how and where to start? Here are five tips for you to build a good network with.
1. Know your goals
First of all, ask yourself what goals you want to achieve with a network? Then you also know very quickly, which people you want to get to know. It’s not necessarily important to have 1000 people in your network, but the right ones.
2. Identify events
Where do the people who are interesting for you meet? Attention: Always expect to meet people who are already there, where you still want to be. If you meet those who are just as far as you are, such contacts are not interesting for you. There are a lot of network events, that have exactly the purpose in mind, namely to connect people.
3. Give first instead to take
The first steps are done. You have identified events, have been on one or the other. Many make the mistake to come straight to the point. Only with your own benefit in mind, you act very annoying. It’s always about communication “on eye level”. Therefore, giving, that is, helping others, sharing contacts, is a good start. Social media consultant Mike Sansone has set up the 70-20-10 rule for this:
Use 70% of your time to help others
20% of the time to present yourself (self-marketing) and
10% of the time to ask others for help.
4. Leave an impression
Nobody says building up a network is easy. Sure, it’s frustrating in the beginning when you meet people who doesn´t suit you or if you feel like collecting thousands of business cards that you can throw away. Do not get discouraged. At some point it will be easier for you to identify the right person. Try to leave a lasting impression during the conversation. It’s not about posing, but to show something personal. It is better to reveal for example, where you may volunteer – so that the other might remember. It is also important to show interest and to remember things that you can use to maintain contacts with the people you met.
5. Maintain contacts
You get to know important contacts? Now you should take care of them. Experts advise to act within 72 hours of the first meeting. Write an e-mail, call, make a new appointment, and connect via LinkedIn or Xing. Even if it looks like old fashion, but birthday congratulations or congratulations on other important dates are still effective. You should take your time here to write some good sentences.
With these tips, building a good network should succeed. Did you have any questions or network- experiences you would like to share? Then write to us at eu.support@qneurope.com. We want to learn from each other.
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