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Steps to Successful Networking
by Michael Rice
1.
Establish your networkings goals
2. Identify your resources
3. Develop a Strategic Networking
Plan Action (SNAP)
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1.
Establish your networking goals.
The establishment of goals
is of the utmost importance in networking. While goals need to be SMART i.e. specific, measurable, achievable,
relevant and timely, they should also cover the different aspects of your life. Your networking goals need to be balanced.
The following areas are important to consider when you are setting your networking goals.
Personal
Development
Professional Development
Job Search
Physical
Spiritual
Education
Social
It is proven fact that people who have written goals tend to be more successful throughout their lives than
people who do not.
There is a true story of a graduation class from Yale that was surveyed in the 50s.
One of the questions was " Do you have written goals?" Only 3 percent of the class had written goals.
Twenty years later, the same class members were surveyed again. The 3 percent that had written goals were earning more
money than the other 97 percent of their class combined.
You will need to combine your goal setting with affirmations
and visualizations in order to be effective. (see Inner game)
Inner Game
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 2. Identify your Assets.
An asset is
valuable possession, quality, skill or resource. Your personal assets are the qualities about you that make you
unique. The successful networker knows their strengths and focuses on them.
Keep in mind
"what you focus your mind on is what you give power to."
James Allen said, " As
a man thinketh, in his heart so he is."
So we want to concentrate our efforts into focusing
on our positive assets.
The first step is list ten positive attributes about yourself. I know in
the beginning its is difficult. We have been trained to downplay our strengths. Be
humble. Don't brag about yourself. I say, "If you don't blow your own horn no one may really
know what beautiful music you can make."
You may want to start out by asking friends and
co-workers for help. Ask them what are your positive attributes or qualities. Their answers may surprize
you.
I am going to start you off with positive qualities. You start your list.
Affectionate brave compassionate
Able businesslike considerate
articulate calm
dedicated
artistic caring friendly
assertive committed respectful
Go head and make your own list.
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3. Develop
a Strategic Networking
Action Plan (SNAP)
Your SNAP will consist of
Objectives, Activities, Resources needed and Benchmarks.
Objectives - Your objectives should bring you closer to
your goals. For example, I will increase the number of my sales prospects by 20 by December 21st.
Activities
- These are actions you take to get to your objectives i.e., I will attend the monthly networking events sponsored by
the Chamber of Commerce.
Resources needed - Items such as business cards, a cell phone, blackberry,
calendar book, etc., that will help you get to your goal
Benchmark - Break your objectives down
into segments by which you can measure your progress. For example, I will make 4 new contacts a month
until I reach 20 or I will make four contacts in October, four in November and so forth.
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