8 Networking Tips from AIM CEO Vivienne Anthon
1. Network to LearnNetworking represents one of the most effective ways to learn. Every single person you meet will know something that you don’t. Keep your mind and your ears open and you will find out the most amazing things. In a world where there is information at our fingertips, those you meet can help you cut through the clutter and direct you to valuable information. The important thing is not to judge too early…the best ideas can come from the most unexpected of places and that is not always the biggest name in the room. 2. Networking with a NoteIn a world clogged with electronic communication and social media and dwindling deliveries from the postman, the old fashioned handwritten note is experiencing resurgence. The handwritten note is distinctive, personal and non-delegable – only you can write it, so the investment of your time is clear to see. An effective networker hand writes sincere notes of recognition and appreciation. Many companies are encouraging their team members to write thank you notes. Sprint in the US created a “Thank You Thursday” and the results are staggering. Sincerity and brevity are key – if you don’t mean it don’t write it, no matter how fancy the stationery. And don’t mistake length for impact. 3. Networking as a Safety NetNurture your network and keep it flourishing so that if you experience a change in circumstances, you are prepared. Think of it this way, if you were made redundant today, who would contact for assistance? These are the relationships in which you should regularly invest. You can’t kick start a motor off a flat battery. Frantically trying to re-establish a connection in response to an urgent need rarely works and looks exactly what it is…desperate and needy. 4. Networking Face to FaceSocial media is hugely useful in creating and making contacts, particularly across geographies and time zones. LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, Facebook, go for it…but why is it that there have never been more coffee meetings? Why is it that social media gurus still hold face to face conferences? Where once we encouraged people to network online, we now have to recalibrate. Face to face still counts. People will seldom strongly recommend someone if they haven’t met them in person. As Andy Lopata says, “you’ll reach a ceiling if you haven’t seen the whites of their eyes.” A balance of online and face to face networking is absolutely crucial. 5. Networking and the Comfort ZoneDeveloping a network takes discipline and also a little courage. Your existing network is of only so much use because your close friends and family are likely to have the same interests and connections that you do (that’s why you interact in the first place). Connecting with unfamiliar faces and places expands your contacts and horizons. Attending a networking event by yourself forces you out of your comfort zone and into developing your conversational skills. This includes practising how to enter, engage and exit a conversation. 6. Networking and the Business CardThe business card remains an essential business tool with rules of engagement that subtly morph. Media and TV consultant Lucy George says perfunctorily handing a business card to every single person you meet or to everyone at your table is “very last century”. She encourages networkers to avoid business card clichés and only offer a business card if one is asked for as this signals genuine interest and the likelihood of further genuine interaction. The reverse is true – only ask for a card if you genuinely intend to follow through. 7. Networks Magnify and StrengthenIn their book The Start Up of You authors Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha wrote, “Your career success depends on both your individual capabilities and your network’s abilities to magnify them. Think of it as IWe. An individual’s power is raised exponentially with the help of a team (a network)”. They encourage you to think of it thus… “just as an individual’s power rises with the strength of its network, a company’s power rises with the strength of its employees’ networks”. Building an external network is creating a pipeline to ideas and intelligence, and should be actively encouraged and funded. 8. Networking, Impact and the InfographicWhere once words dominated, now graphics rule and the infographic is the king of them all with a straight line to networking and your image. Dr Sarah David, personal branding and social media expert, recommends that you create a visually appealing infographic that uniquely captures your brand and services. A personal infographic is a branding device, a visual resume and a huge talking point. If you can conceptualise it, you can create an infographic. Sites like 65 of the best infographics on the web can provide you with inspiration while 20 amazing personal infographics will inspire you to act. REFERENCES http://content.usatoday.com/communities/technologylive/post/2012/08/sprint-customers-get-a-handwritten-thank-you-note/1
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