The Hidden Power of Networking

Networking is often referred to as the art of making connections with people. Connections are powerful and make you more influential, which means that networking is a crucial skill for success in any industry. The question is how do we know what questions to ask and when to ask them? Networking offers more than just connecting you with new friends though. It also can give you new insights, opportunities, and business contacts.

The key is to make sure that you are not just a networker and ask questions that will help you reach your goals. If you view networking as the art of making connections with people, you will probably be better off. By asking the right questions at the right time, you can gain a deeper understanding of what other people think about your business or industry and which opportunities may present themselves to you. You can establish lasting relationships and increase your chances for success by making sure that what you get out of networking efforts is equal to or greater than what you put into them. Even if you are not successful, you will still have a stronger network and a better understanding of the industry.

When networking, you want to accomplish two things. First, you want to understand your target audience. What are their needs? How do they make their decisions? What do they already know? What is their opinion about your industry or product? In other words, how do they view themselves and the world around them in general? The answers to these questions will help with your next step: selecting key people you can connect with and asking the right questions to help figure out what it is that they think about your company. This is often called "marketing" for a reason. The idea is to meet and network with your target audience (your market) so that you can figure out what it is that they want or think about your company in general. A lot of times, people will not tell you this information, but if you know what the people want, there are ways we can find that out without them telling us.

There is a big difference between networking and stalking future employers. Networking gives you insights into what others think about your business; stalking gives you a chance to look at their home, office, vehicle and their kids will be thinking about you when they are in there alone.

Networking helps build relationships and attracts more business. To be good at networking, you need to become a good conversationalist. Start by talking about something that you can both agree on and then move on to more interesting topics. Being able to communicate well with people and listen is essential to networking. The best part is that there are no hard and fast rules, so you can ask whatever questions will help with your goals.

Review

Conversational communication is an art form - we are an echo of our own words, thoughts, feelings and emotions. We live in the realm of our minds - we think what we feel before we act or speak it. This makes language a powerful influence in shaping our lives and thus important in any situation where our future success may be at stake.

Whenever we are learning a new skill, it is important to go through the various learning stages before we can master it. As with any other skill, networking is a skill that can be learned and mastered. You will have to learn about yourself and others in order to successfully network with people.

The following is a review of each of the sections found in this module.

Module 2: Know Thyself & Others – To be effective at networking, you need to know yourself, your goals and what you want from others; you also need to know who are the people that will be able to help you achieve your goals.

Review

You need to start by understanding yourself and knowing your goals before you move on to the next crucial step: networking. You will need to know your strengths and weaknesses, as well as your goals. You also want to know what you want from others, such as a new job, new clients, or information.

Knowing and understanding yourself is the first step toward successfully networking with others so that you can achieve your goals and meet your needs. Once you have established what it is that you are looking for from others, the next step is to network with people who can help to move you forward in achieving your goals.

Module 3: Developing Connections – There are many ways to develop connections; however only some of them will be useful for you and meet your needs.

Review

Networking is a multifaceted activity that can be used to meet many types of needs. Some people network for professional reasons, others for personal reasons, and still others simply enjoy it. However, the most important thing is to know what you are looking for from other people and how you will utilize them in your life - this includes knowing how you will use their connections and interests as well as where you need to focus your networking efforts.

The following is a review of each of the sections found in this module.

Module 4: Networking Techniques – Networks are made up of networks and everyone has his own techniques that he or she uses to network effectively with others.

Review

You will want to create your own personal network that contains the people with whom you want to set up relationships. This network should be made up of the people you think will be able to help you with your goals and meet your needs. Do not forget that these new relationships are just as important as your existing relationships, so make sure that you do not treat them any differently. You should treat everyone equally and show them respect so that they are willing to help you in future situations - this includes all of the relationships that you already have.

The following is a review of each of the sections found in this module.

Conclusion

Module 5: Networking the Right Way – Networking will not be effective if you do not know what to say or how to say it in order to be successful.

Review

Networking is a very social and friendly activity and it works best when you are trying to connect with others in a mutually beneficial way. Respond with interest instead of just waiting to hear what they have to say. Questions help people feel more comfortable and build rapport, so ask them questions about why they are talking with you. Also, let them know how your business is going so that they will be more willing to help you achieve your goals.