10 Tips for Growing Your Network
Networking is an integral part of growing your business and of personal & professional development.
Here are 10 tips to help you grow your network!
1. Create A Google My Business Profile
One effective way to grow your business is to appear more frequently in online searches! By creating a Google My Business profile, you are more likely to rank in searches. This also gives you the opportunity to list your contact information and a brief description about yourself and what you do! If you provide a type of service or product, you can also receive reviews directly on your personal Google My Business profile.
2. Make Introductions For Others
Making valuable introductions for other people is a great habit to implement. Helping other people makes it more likely for those people to want to help you in return! It also strengthens the connection you have with the people that you help, which will lead to a reliable and long-lasting connection.
3. Join Groups On Social Networks
To meet and connect with like-minded individuals, it is a great idea to join and participate in groups on various social networks such as Facebook or LinkedIn. This is a great way to share knowledge and find individuals within your industry or area of interest.
4. Interact With People On Social Networks
It is not enough to solely follow or connect with people in your network. To maintain a strong relationship and remain top-of-mind, you should be consistently and actively engaging with content that your connections post. You can also grow your network on social media by engaging in discussion posts.
5. Follow Up With People Already In Your Network
Like any type of relationship, when you form a professional connection, it is essential to touch base with that person to maintain that connection. While this may take some commitment, it is always easier to maintain a strong connection than it is to form an entirely new relationship with someone.
6. LISTEN
When growing your network, listening is just as (if not more) important as speaking. Be sure to actively listen to what people are saying. Doing so will help you identify what they are looking for, any issues they face, and any opportunities for you to help them!
7. Attend Networking Events
Attending networking events is a tried-and-true way to grow your network. These events make it much easier to form connections with people because you know that everyone else is there to do the same. Oftentimes, there are networking events for professionals within a specific industry, so this also makes it much easier to find common interests and even identify mutual connections with others!
8. Support Your Work Colleagues
While attending social events and increasing your digital presence are excellent ways to grow your network, forming valuable connections can be as easy as supporting your colleagues at work. Not only will this help you form strong bonds and make your current work situation more enjoyable, but it can also set you up for success in the future. You never know where you’ll end up in the future or who will be able to get you that interview for your dream job, so start forming those connections now!
9. Find A Mentor
Having a mentor is a great way to grow your network and to expand your knowledge. When you have someone investing into you, it makes you more capable to invest into others as well.
10. Be Consistent
Picture this: an old friend that you haven’t heard from in 5 years reaches out to you one day and asks if you’ll help them move. What do you say? Most likely the answer would be no! Why would you go out of your way to help someone who hasn’t made an effort to maintain a relationship with you? The same concept applies to your professional network. Of all the tips that we have discussed, none of it will matter if you are not consistent. SO BE CONSISTENT!