Whether you’re a small business owner, freelancer, or CEO of an international company, your professional growth depends on your resourcefulness and connections. The more people you know the easier it’ll be to climb up the ladder.
Professional networking has always been one of the most effective ways to develop profitable relationships, both in terms of self-growth and financial profitability.
The benefits of expanding your professional network are obvious:
- More business opportunities
- Brand awareness
- Exclusive deals
- More clients, which equals more sales, which leads to higher revenues.
- More chances to get hired
To grow your professional network, you’ll need to improve yourself as a professional, which involves refining your knowledge and skill in your field of activity. On the other hand, you’ll need to master digital networking, which is both an art and a skill.
In today’s post, we’ll cover 7 effective network marketing strategies that’ll allow you to grow your professional connections and resources.
1. Develop Your Presence on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is one of the goldmines of networking. If Facebook’s the #1 social network for making new friendly connections, LinkedIn is the #1 place for developing your professional reputation, resources, and connections.
On LinkedIn, your profile should only contain professional information such as skills, accomplishments, experiences, and relevant posts. You can join relevant industry groups and discuss strategies, news, ideas, and opinions. Grow your number of connections, follow up consistently, and build a relevant professional network in a matter of weeks or months!
2. Attend Events, Courses, and Seminars to Connect with Likeminded People
Regardless of your industry, you can presently find relevant networking events, courses, and seminars. Online or locally, it doesn’t matter. As long as these events allow you to connect and discuss with likeminded individuals, you should build a habit of attending events on a frequent basis.
Before the event starts, make sure you establish your expectations. Simply put, decide what kind of people you’ll approach, establish your opening sentences, and ensure that your presence is visible.
3. Interact with Professionals on Facebook Groups
Facebook groups are a great networking tool that allows professionals like you to interact with each other. There are so many different niche groups that cover so many different topics. You can use Facebook’s advanced feature and seek only Groups that contain different keywords. Add your niche keywords, apply to the ones that seem relevant, and start interacting. Ask questions, provide answers, be active, relevant, and professional.
4. Keep in Touch with Your Connections
Connecting with professionals is just the first step of the networking journey. Keeping in touch and following up with different value propositions is the next. For example, if you exchange business cards with a professional, it’s critical that you send a follow-up message that details your accessible resources. Don’t forget to mention that your meeting was a pleasure and that you’d be happy to help when and if you are able to.
5. Become a Published Writer in Your Field
Becoming a published writer in your field will bring tremendous benefits. For magazines, reputable blogs, or media companies to publish your articles, you’ll need to bring unique information and useful knowledge that has rarely (or ever) been covered.
Your writing skills should also be well-developed, as well as your professional skills and accomplishments. The moment you get yourself published, list this great accomplishment in your resume, on LinkedIn, and start presenting yourself as “Name, expert [Profession] and [Magazine] publisher.
6. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask
Fear is one of the flaws that’ll always drag you down and slow your growth process. If you are afraid to ask for help, you’re setting yourself up for failure.
If you truly want something, you’ll need to use your confidence and faith and ask for it.
A connection? Simply ask for it.
Do you want to set up a meeting with a specific person? Ask for it.
Do you need some help, advice, or feedback? Just go ahead and ask for it!
7. Be Active, Relevant, and Helpful
The last yet the most important tip would be to be a true professional. What does a professional do? He keeps his work consistent, his presence relevant, and his actions helpful. Build your reputation slowly while focusing on giving as much value as possible.
Many networkers get used to taking more than giving. They’re sabotaging themselves because nobody likes people who can’t return favors or people that never prove themselves useful and relevant.
Conclusion
Becoming a skilled networker is not as hard as most people think. Build productive habits, focus on growth all the time, and be consistent. It won’t take long until networking becomes a lifestyle rather than a tedious task. Treat it as a journey instead of a result and you’ll find yourself surrounded by opportunities and valuable connections!
About The Author
This is a guest post by Serena Dorf, a content writer and a blogger at EssayOnTime. She is interested in marketing, innovations, and public speaking. In her free time, she is reading classic American literature and learning Swedish. Feel free to connect with her on Twitter.
Joseph Chukwube
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