Many people think of business or social networking as circulating around a room and exchanging business cards. But a broader view of business and social networking is that it creates a pool of contacts from which you can draw leads, referrals, ideas, and information for your job search and career progress. You can network without ever attending an official business or social networking event, although attending events is key in growing a powerful and supportive network.

The means is not only face-to-face events, but also LinkedIn, Facebook, e-mail, conference calls, etc. In a nutshell, any form of communication is an opportunity for networking. The ‘trick’ is to be prepared, ready to promote yourself, present the right image to the right people, and use your networking contacts and events as opportunities for development.

So why network?
Networking in this new world is the effective method in which to promote yourself and your business. It will enable you to find hidden opportunities and can set you apart from the competition. It is also a great way if you are uncomfortable in being the ‘front’-facing part of your business as a way to gain confidence and overcome shyness. Don’t be fearful of using people to help you gain new business, this is how introductions work. It is better to go indirect than direct, use someone you know to introduce you to your target contact. A good solid introduction can accelerate the relationship quickly.

What are the techniques?
Build a network of partners who can keep an open eye and listen out for new opportunities for your business, but you must reach out and target individuals directly or if you can, indirectly, who can help assist you gain what you require. In order to gain credibility in your network, you must build visibility and build your profile. Go to as many social gatherings as possible and give something back, either help, support or introductions. This is a long-term plan and takes time and effort to gain rewards, it doesn’t happen in a short period of time and takes continual effort.

Plan, plan and plan… Define your objective for networking:
» is it to increase business?
» build your marketing outreach?
» learn new skills and knowledge?
You must be clear on the objective and then select the right technique to reach it, identify your target, work out your positioning. This is a statement of what you are about and what you can offer, as you have to be clear about what you can do for your network partners in exchange for information and contacts.

Build networking partners, talk to everyone you know about opportunities. It’s amazing how much insight you can gain even from close friends who you thought you knew everything about, find out who they know and who they can introduce you to. Clarify what network partners can and will do for you. Identify those network spiders, those types of people or friends who seem to know everyone, talk to them and start to work on the telephone, keep the contact ongoing.

Grow and refresh your network, go out of your way to be where people are. If you aren’t naturally talkative, get into the habit of being so and gain enough information as possible about people you meet. Don’t just exchange business cards but remember key information and note it down, such as children, birthdays and hobbies.

What’s the opening line?
In any event, you have to go with a positive focused outlook so be cheerful, confident and straightforward but keep clear in your mind that you need to gain your objective, so look for new introductions and how to find new connections. Open up with news of interest to the person you are talking to, mention common interests if you have met before and see if there is anything relevant or new that has happened. Keep the conversation minimal and get ready to move to the next person.

So how can you be visible without really trying while networking? The answer is to be heard. At conferences, be the one asking engaging questions, opening up speakers or panelists so that they seek you out later to carry the conversation on. Keeping this theme, write letters and articles for magazines in your industry or area, introduce yourself to everyone at shows or events, discuss a book with an industry leader, make yourself a thought leader in your sector. Make people laugh, have an opinion on everything (keep an open mind), hand out an unusual business card, one that is different and stands out. Take up an unusual hobby that people remember, be a brand, wear bright shirts and gain awareness of yourself, and thus your company.

Go out and have fun, build your network, nurture it. Networks require upkeep in terms of pruning, feeding, watering and physical needs to grow – neglect them and they willow and fade away.

Networking can help increase your business, awareness, sales and opportunities for growth if done correctly, but it has to be part of your overall plan. It can’t be something you step in and out as your network will not be supportive if you don’t give back what you take out.

Networking isn’t just meeting people but knowing what they can do for you and being able to clearly state what you need from them, or can do for them.

Stewart Townsend has spent the last ten years working at Sun Microsystems, now part of Oracle. He is also running a business unit focused on supporting startups in Europe. By working with high growth companies, he understands the restraints and the needs of small companies, and offers advice around brand strategy, marketing, channel growth and high impact marketing campaigns.

Further info:
Contact Stewart Townsend here: twitter.com/stewarttownsend, uk.linkedin.com/in/stewarttownsend, http://www.stewarttownsend.com