Level Up Your Business by Networking
By: Lauren Marsicano
Insta: @networkingmaverick
Level Up Your Business by Networking
Businesses don’t grow all on their own. They need strong connections to the community and other businesses to level up. How do you do get there? Through networking. A lot of emphasis is placed on social media networks, and they work. But you need more than digital connections to level up your business. You have to build relationships and surround yourself with people who support you, and vice versa, so everyone levels up together.
Here’s how you can level up your business by networking:
Prepare.
This is probably the most important part.
To network more effectively, it’s best to know what connections you have, or need to make, to help your business grow.
Run a Relationship Inventory by answering these questions about your network:
Who do I have in my network? (Make a list.)
Are there any gaps or weak connections?
Which connections should I strengthen, let go of, or make to help level up my business?
Based on the results, seek out professional groups to join or events to attend that align with your networking goals.
Also, be ready with plenty of business cards and a mastered elevator pitch.
Schedule time to network.
Observe your activities for a week, and record them. Now, analyze your schedule. Where can you fit in some networking? How many events can you attend per week or month? Set time aside just for networking. With some practice, you will begin to notice how many events you have to attend, and how many one-on-one chats you need to have, to achieve your goals.
Know what you have to offer.
Make sure to know the answer to all of these questions:
What do you have to offer that other people need?
What problems can you solve for people?
What makes you unique?
What introductions can you make?
Once you know what value you bring to the table, make sure to let others know too. A huge part of creating business relationships is providing so much value that people will miss out if they lose their connection to you.
Talk to people.
If you attend an event with a group or a friend, make sure to split up and talk to different people. Set a goal to talk to a certain number of people at each event, or get their contact information. The more you practice introducing yourself to, and approaching new people, the easier it becomes.
Listen and ask.
Spend 80% of the conversation listening, and 20% talking. Ask people you meet about themselves. Be genuinely interested in others and what they have to say.
Here are some ideas to learn about your connections and keep the conversation going:
How did you start your career/business?
What do you like most about your field?
Are there any challenges in your line of work at the moment?
What do you like to do outside of work?
Tell me more.
When it’s your turn to talk, don’t make it a sales pitch. Tell them a little about yourself and your business. But focus mostly on listening and asking questions.
Be a leader.
If you attend a few events of a group or organization, inquire about opening in leadership positions. For example, committee member, secretary, treasurer, etc. When you take on a leadership role, you learn more about running a similar group, and you stand out at events. Also, sponsor events to increase brand recognition. This will do wonders for you and your business.
Connect people in your network.
The best way to make a strong network is to build a community within it. Introduce people who can help each other grow. By introducing people in your network to each other, you help everyone level up with you.
Connect outside of the virtual space.
This isn’t limited to setting up meetings in person. What it means is that if you make a connection, cultivate the relationship outside of just social media and emails. Try to set up video or voice calls. Meet someone for coffee. All of these will help strengthen a relationship past superficial virtual interactions.
Stay in touch.
Make sure to follow up with people 48-hours after you meet them, even if it’s just a quick hello. If you would like to get to know them better, ask if you can text or email them to set up a call or coffee. And once that connection is made, keep it alive by checking in with them every month or so.
Use Connectional Intelligence (CxQ).
One of the main ideas of CxQ is that it’s not so much about who you know, but how you leverage your connections to help you and those around you grow. Ask your connections for introductions to extend your network. If your connections are solid, and you make sure that providing value is your number one priority, people will be happy to help you. Be sure to be clear about what you have to offer that people need. Be clear on how you can solve their problems. Know your worth, and offer it to help others. Always keep in mind that in business, you give without expecting to receive, but when you’ve built up a relationship enough, it’s ok to ask for help.
If you don’t network and build relationships with people who will help your business grow, then it won’t. But after reading this, you are now equipped with tips to level up your business by networking. So go get some practice. And remember to ABC - Always Be Connecting!