Professional Networking Tips for Business People Who Don’t Have Much Time
By
Professor Theodore Henderson
“Networking is an investment in your business. It takes time and when done correctly can yield great results for years to come.”
~ Diane Helbig
As a company owner or entrepreneur, networking is one of the most beneficial things you can do. However, time is at a premium. This post will provide valuable but quick professional networking tips for business owners, entrepreneurs, and other professionals.
According to studies, networking at events may help businesses get up to 20% of their new clients. A networking strategy can also help you discover new investors and partners to help your firm develop.
Unfortunately, effective networking is not always straightforward.
You have to get accustomed to the “painful” first introduction period while attempting to connect with people. Still, you also have some significant time limits to contend with.
It takes time to establish bonds. However, as every business knows, time is money. So, how do you stay on track with your networking plan when you’re short on time?
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Professional Networking Tips for Business People
Try these methods…
1 Make It a Daily Practice
The more you practice networking regularly, the more quickly it will become a part of your routine. Therefore the foundation of our suggested professional networking tips is to make it a daily practice.
Instead of setting out an hour every week to meet with individuals who might help your company expand, you utilize five to ten minutes per day. Begin your day by sending emails to others and communicating with your peers on social media.
Schedule phone conversations with possible partners and investors in your calendar and complete them whenever you’re stopped in traffic or waiting for anything else to happen.
When networking becomes as natural as brushing your teeth or combing your hair, it begins to seem more instinctively.
Furthermore, when networking becomes a habit, it becomes something you have to push yourself to do. You’re less prone to make excuses about not having enough time.
This does not imply that anyone should spend all of their leisure time attending tedious “networking events” and happy hours. Instead, attempt to seize on the natural chances that can occur to meet with individuals in your sector and build deeper connections.
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2 Make Use of New Connections
Networking is more than simply making new friends.
There’s a strong possibility you already have some great individuals in your network who can introduce you to key personalities in your industry. The workplace is an excellent area to begin growing your network.
Learn about your teams’ backgrounds and get to know them. Take advantage of employee lunches whenever possible, and search for opportunities to meet new individuals via them as well. You may realize that your internal network has much more value to give than you previously imagined.
Knowing your team may also indicate that some individuals have latent abilities that you may be better leveraged in your organization.
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I have generally found that new employment does not come through your main network (those who know you best and with whom you communicate the most often). They are likely to have comparable knowledge of the available chances. Your new possibilities usually come through your secondary and tertiary networks because such relationships have access to markets and people that you do not. The reason is simple. They will be aware of possibilities that you are unaware of.
To be successful in your job hunt and career aspirations, keep in touch with your mentors and acquaintances while also making an attempt to broaden your network.
3 Make Use of Existing Activities
If you currently participate in social events regularly, why not include them in your networking strategy? Suppose you volunteer at charitable organizations on a regular basis, for example. In that case, you may start up talks with individuals in this setting.
Even if you don’t make any meaningful contacts, taking the effort to engage with people and exercise your networking abilities will pay off in the long run. You can talk everywhere, from the gym to the laundromat.
Including practice time in your day to work on your capacity to form emotional connections with others is much more helpful than most people believe.
4 Plan Important Events Ahead of Time
If you want to make time for a particular in-person networking event, you must plan ahead of time. You probably won’t be able to attend most events at the last minute, but you can go to the crucial ones if you plan ahead of time.
To increase your chances of networking on a regular basis, try to attend at least one event every month – even if it’s an online event. Make a note of the activities you want to attend and add them to your calendar so you can plan ahead of time.
Be picky about the kind of events you attend. Ideally, you’ll want to travel somewhere where you can meet individuals who can help you and your company.
5 Conferences should be reconsidered.
Summer is a busy time for conferences and yearly gatherings. However, rather than seeing these occurrences as chances to learn, consider what you can teach. When you’re at a workshop or a panel, for example, try to consider how you might assist each person in the room. You can either ask a good question during the Q&A period or follow up with them afterward and offer my resources.
When returning home from seminars or conferences and offer to connect with then around your expertise in a way that is helpful to them. By being a bit selfless in the beginning you may be able to create some wonderful connections in places where yyou would want to work eventually.
Quickly position yourself as a problem solution rather than a time-waster. However don’t forget being helpful doesn’t mean endless free consulting. After all there is a balance to maintain.
6 Utilize Social Media
Ultimately, social media is one of the most suitable and accessible methods to communicate with and grow your network.
Spend some time each day going through your LinkedIn contacts and reaching out to folks who may be helpful to your social or business circle. The key to success with social media networking is to avoid allowing it to consume too much of your time.
Set aside an exact amount of time to prevent being sidetracked for too long. If you have several social accounts, try combining them with a social media marketing tool to make posting content and attracting prospective connections easier. When used correctly this is one of those professional networking tips that pays huge dividends.
Conclusion and Looking Ahead
Networking is critical to your success and the success of your company. Keep these professional networking tips in mind to allow you to do vital networking operations while remaining focused on the rest of your organization.
Interacting with individuals from other professions, ethnicities, and cultures broadens your perspective on life. Every time you interact with someone from different origins, ages, and points of view, your open-mindedness grows. Another benefit of networking is that it teaches you to be a better team player via open-mindedness and understanding.
Aside from improving one’s perspective on life, networking has several advantages. Consider this: networking allows you to practice establishing conversations, talking well, and learning about the people around you. It’s an obvious choice! These conversations will boost your confidence, and you will no longer be afraid to strike up a discussion with strangers.
Time to take action and put these professional networking tips to use!
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About The Author
Professor Theodore Henderson works with business owners, entrepreneurs, and corporate professionals on their business skills, marketing, and leadership strategies. He is an Amazon best-selling author, a Certified Career Coach, Business Skills & Leadership Coach, and a Certified Social Media Security Professional Powered by CompTIA.
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