Networking in New Ways
Networking is essential for business growth. For those of us in referral-based industries, it’s important to make a regular point to meet new people in order to broaden our connections and expand our client base.
In a world where everything is done via Zoom and every event is still TBD, it can feel harder and more awkward to put energy toward meeting new people. Our options are limited to platforms that aren’t necessarily suited for making valuable connections.
Rather than retreating into our shells and wishing the world would go back to the way it was, business leaders should start building a new skill set to network virtually and purposefully. Particularly during a time when we’re all going to need to make connections in a new way, it's important to bolster our networking abilities rather than be disheartened by virtual-only interactions.
Be Upfront About Your Intentions
“Hey Madeline,
I wanted to add you to my network. It seems like we know a lot of people in common and we could really benefit from hopping on a call. Here is a link to schedule some time.”
I can't tell you how many times a message like this shows up in my LinkedIn inbox from somebody I don't know and don’t have any reason to connect with. More often than you might believe, it’s someone trying to sell me services that are identical to the ones that my company offers.
It boggles my mind that people think this kind of cold, unspecific, inhuman outreach is an example of good networking. I’ve realized that networking isn't something many of us were taught to do well and that we should open up a conversation about how we could be doing it better.
Lesson number one is to stop spamming people’s inboxes. Instead, set an intention for your outreach. Great networking is about giving to get and nurturing real relationships. So, before you send a blanket message––be clear about what you want to communicate: What is the value you’re offering in exchange for someone’s time or energy? If you don't have something of value to offer, chances are you’re not going to make for a good professional network connection.
As you begin reaching out, it's important to be brief but clear in your intentions. Make sure to include an option for them to opt out if they don't see value in the connection. If you’re trying to sell something, be explicit and upfront about it. Humans value directness and even though they might not be interested in your offer, they may know someone who is, and now they know enough about it to make other introductions where they see fit.
Contribute to a Community
One of the best ways for us to connect in this virtual age is to take part in an online community. There are so many new business networks being offered online––from niche industry groups to entrepreneurial masterminds to groups designed specifically for moms who are launching a new business.
If you’re hoping to make new connections, it's critical to seek out a community that attracts the same type of people you're looking to make contact with. Do a little reflection to get clear on the audience or individuals you’re aiming to attract to your business, and then make a point to seek out a community that includes the archetype of your ideal client or connection.
Personally this year, I’ve joined The W Source and HeyMama, while continuing to cultivate and expand connections within our company’s community groups: Firm Forum, Womxn Talk Money, and Finding Fearless.
What I love about being a part of these spaces is the opportunity to organically meet new people that share a similar ethos around business development and personal growth. As a result, I’ve attracted new clients and been able to introduce folks that I’m affiliated with to other businesses within our burgeoning network. Beyond just building my own network, being a part of these communities has brought me a lot of joy because I get to witness as people I know build new professional relationships and uncover ways to collaborate with each other.
Be a Connector
One of the most powerful things I learned early on in my career was the benefit of nurturing and honoring long-term business relationships. Most of my work has been centered around business development. Because of this, I see my connections not just as individual opportunities, but as evolving partnerships that expand through a series of collaborations that play out over time.
I'm super proud of the fact that there are connections who I speak to on a regular basis, and who I’ve known for the entire length of my career––regardless of what entity I was working for. This is possible because I value those relationships and because I have always made it a point to be a connector.
Being a connector means you're not just seeking to establish new relationships for yourself, but also see the benefit of weaving your networks together. Each week I try and establish five to ten connections between people within my network. When I’m on calls, I always try to ask my contacts what kinds of connections they’re looking to cultivate in their business so I can have those connections top of mind in upcoming conversations. As soon as an opportunity to make an introduction arises, I take action knowing that this creates a powerful, karmic, and supportive web for all of our companies to call upon each other as needed.
Carve Out Space for Virtual Coffee
There will be people in your network who you connect with sporadically as well as people with whom you’ll want to continue the conversation. I aim to always have at least three relationships a year that I nurture in a virtual coffee environment. These are people and peers who I'm wanting to learn from or that I believe I could offer advice to––they're often folks that are working on similar projects.
For example, this past year as I was working to cultivate the initial manuscript for my first book. In order to support this process, I regularly met with a fellow friend who was working on a similar creative endeavor. These monthly conversations offered us a chance to give each other advice on the creative process, to hold each other accountable to our goals as they unfolded, and to share our stories in terms of what was arising within our individual work.
This time has been deeply valuable because it facilitated a deeper relationship with a fellow creative, and it allowed us to lovingly push each other along a path of personal development. To build strong relationships and create anchors within our networks, it’s critical that we make it a point to carve out time to nurture a subset of connections on a deeper level that support our highest work. Each year, I check in with those relationships that I'm spending more quality time on to ensure we're still benefiting from the chance to regularly support each other's growth in life and in business.
Never Stop Networking
One of the biggest mistakes we make in referral-based businesses is thinking that our connections will grow to a point where we never need to network anymore. While the introvert in me might wish that this was true, I've come to realize over the course of my career that networking is an essential action to continue with regularity in order to power our growth in business.
This is why I think it’s crucial that everybody continues building relationships on a consistent basis. I’ve made mistakes in the past where I've stopped networking, thinking that I was all set in terms of the clients I needed to serve. As a result of my inactions, I quickly found myself in a state where my pipeline and my life started to stall. What I've learned from these experiences is that networking is about more than just cultivating new connections. It's about giving ourselves consistent opportunities to share our stories and to call in new people that expand our ability to grow.
As entrepreneurs, it’s easy to get distracted and stop showing up for networking moments. We make the mistake of thinking they’re only essential when we’re in start-up mode. The truth of the matter is that our businesses will attract what we put out, so when we stop networking, we’re essentially telling the universe, “I’m good, I don’t need any new business.” Unless you’re ready to close up shop, that’s not the message you want to be sending.
Instead, we need to see networking as an essential and joyful part of our cadence in business and cement regular time in our calendars to make these moments happen. Doing so will help us attract new clients, push us to build better relationships and companies, and keep us connected to a steady stream of new connections and ideas that help our businesses thrive.