How to Start Networking
February 15, 2010 | In: Career, Featured, Self Improvement
Networking is valuable if you want to get a boost in your career. Sounds a bit manipulative but it is no secret that having good contacts in the industry is an asset.
Ask yourself why you want to network. Is it for more exposure in the industry? Is it for finding more prospective clients or customers? Knowing why you want to network will give you clearer objetives and will help you form a more constructive plan.
What do you do? When you introduce yourself to people, you need to be confident about yourself. Write a short introduction of yourself and practice it until it sounds natural.
Find out which people you want to include in your network. Do some research. Read news and keep yourself up-to-date in what’s going on in the industry.
It will also help when you finally meet people and have small talk with them. Impressing them with your knowledge is always a good thing.
Be ready always. Have your card printed out. If you’re working for a company, ask to be issued official business cards that bears your name. Invest in a good phone wherein you can neatly store contact details if need be.
Follow-up on your contacts. Get to know them as people (not merely as clients or customers). This way, you’ll get a more precise idea of what they want and need.
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