By Vishal Ingole
A few months ago, you met some potentially mutually beneficial contacts at a networking event. They said they’d connect with you, you said you’d be in touch, but there was no further connection. Today you realize that one of those contacts can be helpful with critical information and resources for an assignment you are working on. You can’t seem to get him to return your phone calls or email. Now, you wish you would have reconnected sooner and kept in touch.
For most people, this is the general course of introductions made at networking events. Like T.S. Eliot’s observation on the end of the world, these networking events end ‘not with a bang, but with a whimper.’
There are simple yet effective ways to keep your network alive so that you can reach out to your contacts whenever you need to and not only have them respond, but also be very helpful. In turn you will also know when you can be of assistance to them; and there is no better feeling than being able to help someone.
- Networking is Essential for Career Advancement: There is no getting away from it. The most sought after jobs, the best assignments, new customers and referrals depend on the quality of your network. You may think that networking is something salespeople or businessmen do and that it isn’t necessary for people who plan to stick to traditional career paths. However, its time to see networking for what it is – one of the most important strategies to career advancement. Whether you want a better job, a different career, an investor, a client, an audience, a market, or even a sounding board for your multi-billion dollar idea – you need to be able to go to your network.
- NetWORK: An important guideline to follow while establishing a network is to anticipate that this will require investment of your time and some effort. A network doesn’t develop with one interaction. To regard networking as an isolated event is like mistaking a one time meeting for a relationship. It’s what you do after the initial meeting that is critical to develop the relationship. Make time for it. Dedicate a certain number of hours every week to either maintaining your network or expanding it. Keep in contact via email to enquire about their projects, send them articles, books, conference information or other resources and information which might be of interest to them; or communicate via their profile on networking sites.
- Keep in Touch: Generally, networking is sparked by an agenda, a need. You are seeking to expand the number of clients you have, or the company you work for has just launched an animation branch and you are looking for projects. So, the initial interaction will be because you both want to add to your network. However, every subsequent interaction with them need not be about what you want or need. Make the interactions about them. Make them a part of your projects of interest to them by giving them updates. At the same time ask them what’s going on with their work. Ask if there is any way that you can be of any help to them. Maybe you have come across an article that seems to address their problem. Or connect them with another of your contacts who could use their services. The more bridges you build, the easier your journey becomes.
- Don’t Lose Sight of the Bigger Picture: No matter how immediate your networking need is, it is critical that you think beyond today and think beyond yourself. In order for a network to be viable, you need to build rapport and establish credibility. For example, if you are a writer networking with a publisher, don’t just ask for help to get your manuscript published. Talk about trends in publishing, current challenges with supported opinion or who the hot favorites are for the Booker Prize this year. Such discussions convey that you are knowledgeable, indicate your commitment, and that you should not be regarded as someone who is simply looking for an immediate opportunity never to reciprocate.
- Go the Distance: People are usually willing to help when asked. Most often, they will be ready to give you what you want. The trick here is to know exactly what you want and ask for it. Whether it is information about a particular field, a request for a particular assignment or to be connect with a specific individual, be specific about what you want. If your contact does put you in touch with the right person or opens an avenue for you, act on it immediately and show your appreciation. Everything you do affects your networking barometer and your credibility. And remember, word gets around.
- Networking Requires Both Give and Take: To maintain goodwill, it is important to be ready to reciprocate when asked. If you do have contacts someone else can benefit from, pass that along. When you show that you are as open to dispensing aid as much as receiving it, you will retain your contacts over a long period of time.
- Be Patient, Persistent and Persuasive: Sometimes an introduction may be instantly beneficial for all involved. More often than not it will take time for something tangible to occur. It is important to know that networking is a process requiring the development of a relationship of trust. Subtle and unique pings will ensure that you stay fresh in the memory of your contacts, while building rapport and establishing credibility.
Business development and career advancement require that you develop a network. And though the business world is generally not the place songs are written for, when Barbara Streisand sang, “People who need people are the luckiest people in the world,” she could very well have been serenading the networking community.