Think you don't have time to network?
Think again.
With all the demands
on our time made by our business, professional and
personal lives, it is tempting to assign a lower priority
to networking as an activity designed to meet new people.
After all, we have so many commitments at the office
and at home -- to colleagues, family and friends – that
it is difficult to set aside extra time to bring even
more people into our lives.
This thinking would
be wrong, however, on two levels. For one, we are constantly
being introduced to new people anyway, every day, with
no disruption to our schedules.
Secondly, by not consistently
widening our circles of acquaintances and contacts, we
may be severely curtailing our chances for advancement
and success. It is estimated that the average person
knows about 250 people. And each of those people knows,
in turn, another 250 or so people.
This means that for each new
person you meet, you gain access to a potential pool of 62,500
people separated from you by just two degrees!
Imagine the odds, then,
that out of so many people, you would NOT find one person
who would be a source of information about a better job,
additional clients or customers, a speaking engagement
or writing assignment, an investment opportunity, where
to shop for better value, and much more. In all likelihood,
you would find many more than one.
Do these numbers sound
staggering? At the end of this article, I will prove
the multiplier effect to you!
Networking, therefore,
is one of the most profitable activities in which one
can engage. Fortunately, like any endeavor, one can get
more proficient at it with practice. Moreover, it takes
very little time or effort to get it right.
It takes only a moment’s
conscious decision to become a networker, with no interference
to one’s daily routine. All it requires is a slight
shift in attitude, and adopting one simple trifurcated
rule:
Greet each new acquaintance
with an openness to learn more about that person, a
willingness to help, and an offer to stay in touch.
This approach is equally
applicable to every form of networking, whether in business
or social contexts, and whether the encounter takes place
in person or, as frequently happens today, online.
It pays to network
in person, not only to meet new people, but also to keep
your vital communications skills sharp. Practice making
friendly conversation; even if no relationship develops
with that person, he or she will likely remember you
as a “nice guy/lady” if asked about you at
some point in the future.
If you feel you are
too busy to go to networking events, attend only those
vital to your professional or business standing. Make
the best of chance and casual meetings that occur during
the course of your normal workday.
Also, take more business
cards than you give out. That way, you are more in control
of the tempo of developing relationships.
If you’d like
to network from the comfort of your home or office, or
during down time on weekends, join an online business
networking community. Many of them have sub-networks
focused on topics of particular interest to you. In addition,
you can look at others’ profiles and prioritize
accordingly.
The power of online
networking is in the viral effect so unique to the Internet.
I belong to an online networking community that has tens
of thousands of members.
As members invite friends
to join, this network’s rate of exponential growth
is now up to an average of more than 2,750 new members
a week. As an individual member, over eight months, I
have linked directly and mutually to 208 online “friends.” Amazingly,
this translates into 8,138 “friends of friends!” These
are all people I can access with a few clicks of a mouse,
and without disturbing my first circle of friends at
all. It is mind-boggling to imagine the number of “friends
of friends of friends” I have – and this
figure grows every hour, with no more effort on my part.
It is worth noting
that all this is free – and for just a small upgrade
fee, I can search the entire network for individuals
who work in a specific industry or company, live in a
city I plan to visit, are experts in a field in which
I am seeking advice, etc. And there is a very good chance
they would respond to me, since we are members of the
same community of networkers.
Lack of time is no longer an
excuse for failing to “reach out and find someone” who
can possibly be on your side in the business of life.
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