How To Become A Top Networker

Ilya Pozin, Contributor

I cover entrepreneurship and digital marketing

 

 

 

 

Networking can be intimidating. But it’s an important task for those who want to set up future jobs, business deals, and partnerships. More often than not, it’s not about what you know, but who you know.

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Sure, I had a great mentor who helped me to launch my Web design company, Ciplex, but throughout my career, I saw it was a struggle for any young professional to make the connections they need to succeed. Plenty of people want to move up in their industry or profession, but don’t know how to approach top executives or other industry leaders.

The fact is, networking can be overwhelming and downright intimidating. But throughout our lives, we’ll end up in these situations in which we have the opportunity to build successful professional relationships.

For those aspiring to move up, what’s the best way to network while building credibility? To find out, I spoke to Jim Riley, founder of Kaleio, a company that aims to revolutionize global workforce communication. Here are his tips:

Have a goal. Before going to a networking event or reaching out to a networking contact, it’s important to ask yourself what you want to get out of the interaction. Ask yourself: Do I want to get introduced to a certain person? Do I want advice on reaching a specific business, professional, or personal goal? Or, do I want to offer my skills to a particular professional or company? Approaching a professional with a clear goal in mind will help you to communicate clearly about what it is you need.

Focus on high impact conversations. Develop a 60-second elevator pitch to quickly communicate who you are and what it is you’re looking for. Keep it simple and short, and always ask questions–ask the contact if they have time to chat more over coffee in the future, or if you can elicit some advice. Remember, networking is a two-way, mutually beneficial relationship. If you’re at a networking event, don’t get stuck talking to one person for too long–keep focused on memorable conversations with as many people as possible in the shortest amount of time. To gracefully move on to the next conversation ask for their contact information.

Stick to a schedule. Networking is most effective when it’s done for long periods of time–not just once or twice. The best networkers create a schedule and stick to it. Create blocks of time you’ll devote to networking. For instance, commit to three networking events per month, or make it a goal to reach out to one professional a day via LinkedIn or email.

Show enthusiasm. It goes without saying that the best networking professionals are happy in what they do. Show you’re passionate about your industry, and people will notice–they’ll want to engage with you and hear your ideas. Ultimately, this will help you to move forward in your networking goals.

Stick to your word. If you tell a professional you’re going to do something for them, do it–and as quickly as possible! Remember, professionals in any industry are busy people. Show your credibility by following up on your word.

Swap out business cards for email. Instead of collecting business cards, send the professional an email immediately after the networking event. That way, you won’t be just another name on a list–they will have your contact information right when they need it.

Keep a list. Networking means talking to tons of different professionals in a short span of time. Often, this leads to information overload. Organize a list of professionals as you meet them, and include tags or labels that will help you to remember their contact information, the company or industry they represent, their expertise, and notes about your conversation.

Be brave. Being a great networker means not having fear when it comes to approaching others who have achieved great things. When you’re engaging with others, people will recognize that you’re not fearful, and they’ll embrace it. In short: Don’t think you can’t change the world. You just have to get out there and do it.

Networking doesn’t have to be difficult or intimidating. In the end, successful networking can be chalked up to a time commitment and focused energy.

Image courtesy of Victor1558; Flickr

 

 

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Portraits that Prop~by Alex Smith

As a photographer, how many times have you had your portrait taken. There is nothing more uncomfortable and awkward than sitting in front of a camera trying to evoke a natural smile or a true, heart felt expression. Let’s be honest, the experience of having your portrait taken can be down right terrifying, yet we aspire to have our subjects pose and emote in an organic and subtle way that transcends and captures the embodiment of our subjects personality. Simple right?
The reality is that the camera makes our subjects self-conscious and hyper aware of their appearance, with an overall fear of not capturing a single image that meets their approval. I mean, how many of us truly look in the mirror each morning thinking, “Wow, I am looking fantastically, good today?” Most of the time, all we can see are the imperfections and bothersome nuances that melt away and stifle the perception of our own esthetic. So how does one capture a nice, natural portrait?
I have read many articles and blog posts concerning this topic. Many focus on trying to relax your subject either through gentle conversation and personal connection or simply by breaking out some wine as a medicament to treat the inhibitions created by the shoot. The truth is that there is no easy recipe to help overcome this problem. No matter whether you are shooting a model, family member, or even a close friend, the camera is still the giant 400 pound gorilla in the room that everyone knows is there regardless of any distractions. So what can we do?
Aside from normal social graces and pre-planning for the shoot, I have one simple method that surprisingly works almost every time. PROPS! It is amazing what magic can happen when you give your subject something else to interact with while you are shooting. Cuts right through some of those awkwardly, silent moments when both you and the subject know things are not working yet no one wants to admit it. Yes, we all experience these gratingly, uncomfortable situations.
So what kind of props am I talking about? All and any kinds. They can be silly, beautiful, interesting or even surprisingly strange. These can be fresh flowers, a costume, a masquerade mask, a piece of interesting fabric, a hat, a pet, a piece of fruit, sports equipment, a music instrument, a lawn mower, oven mitts, or even an original, mint in box, Darth Vader action figure from Star Wars. The reality is that any item that has some meaning to the subject or that they can relate to will work and don’t be afraid to go way outside the box into the realm of the disturbingly obscure or insanely cliche. It is amazing how a simple prop can break the ice and give the subject something with which to interact, allowing you to capture a few true emotive moments when they have forgotten about the camera, shed some of the self conscious inhibitions and helped you create a beautifully expressive portrait.


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The Shift in Small Business Behavior: 90 Percent Networking Online, According to New Manta Survey

Poll Also Finds Small Businesses Gain at Least a Quarter of New Customers Online
COLUMBUS, Ohio—September 12, 2012— Small business owners are putting an increased emphasis on establishing and promoting themselves online to network and increase their customer base. An overwhelming majority (90 percent) dedicates time to networking online and 74 percent find networking online just as, if not more, valuable than networking in person, according to a new survey by Manta, the largest online community dedicated entirely to small business.

Nearly 50 percent of small business owners surveyed say the most valuable benefit of networking online
is gaining and targeting prospective customers. Moreover, 78 percent say they gained at least a quarter of their new customers through online or social media channels this year."Small businesses understand they need to go where their audience is. Participating, networking and being found online is extremely important today in growing their business, so it's not surprising that they are embracing the channel", said Pamela Springer, CEO of Manta. "We're empowering members of the Manta community to create a comprehensive showcase for their company, products and services, and member profile all in one place. And, since more than 36 million people come to Manta each month searching for companies and their related products and services, these searches will now become even more valuable and more profitable for our members."
"As 97 percent of consumers use the Internet
to research products or services in their local area, and those searches regularly include company name, product or service, or business owner, it is critical small businesses build awareness of themselves and their company online. Manta is providing them with the ability to create and house all of this content about their company in one place, which enables them to be found in all the ways customers search for businesses," said Jed Williams, BIA/Kelsey Program Director.However, the large amount of online and social media channels available can be overwhelming for today's small business owner to navigate and use successfully. 58 percent of small businesses surveyed say they struggle to find value in using Facebook to promote their business or don't have a page at all. Pinterest and Groupon, channels considered to be popular with consumers, turned out to be the most unfruitful online channels for small businesses, receiving a 1 percent and less than 1 percent response, respectively. On the flip side, nearly 25 percent of small businesses surveyed say their company website drives the most business for them, which is a simple place for busy small business owners to start driving awareness online.
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