256 - Is your network working?

The emphasis in "network" should be on WORK.

Think of a fisherman casting a net and pulling in a large catch.

Not everything he catches is useful. He tosses back the bad fish, the seaweed, the plastic! and anything else that can not be sold at the market.

In business networking, we also cast a net but too often we are not willing to throw anything back.

We build our network without a thought about who the person is.

As a result, we end up with a huge network in numbers but little value.

I used to accept every invitation I received. I don't even know most of those people.

I'm more thoughtful today in the people I connect with. I want to get to know them so I can pass them referrals. In time, I hope they will do the same for me.

I have connected with some amazing people in the last few months, more than I can keep up with to introduce to others.

When I meet with a new connection, I have 3 goals:

• Learn about them and their business

• Tell them about myself and my business

• Introduce them afterward to 2-3 people who could bring value to them

I view LinkedIn as a business relationship-building website.

With the right agenda, you can build a powerful network of like-minded business people.

Here are a few basic steps in the process, not necessarily in this order:

✅ View posts

✅ Like

✅ Comment

✅ Follow up on comments

✅ Post your own content (YES, people want to read what you have to say)

✅ Share others content occasionally (shares don't get as much attention as original content)

✅ Connect

✅ Meet 1-2-1 by phone, virtual meeting, or live (if possible)

✅ Introduce new connections to others in your network

✅ Ask for referrals

Networking is a process.

In order to build a strong network, you have to put effort into it, as you would with anything that brings value.

Is your network working?