Work Your Network

Working your network is a great way to not only make connections, but also get work done. Whether it's a fellow professional you believe could help with something, or someone you want to meet because their company may be hiring, here are six ways that working your network can help you get what you want from the people who matter.

1) Reach out and offer help before asking for it. Offer valuable advice in an industry they're involved with or ask them if they know anything about a certain topic and then share what you know too. This builds a relationship while you are surely being helpful.

2) Make the small talk part of the meeting. I'm talking about those situations where you have some "small talk" you want to get to, but are interrupted by other people's information emails or questions. Formerly, I would default to "Oh right, let me just answer this email real quick..." and then procrastinate for two hours. If you give your time to others in a timely manner and then match that up with their time in an equally timely manner, you'll be that much more valuable.

3) Asking for advice is a great way to boost your networker's value without any action on your part. I am a big believer in asking others what they're currently working on, where they are going, and how they see their career going. Most people have a lot of genuine interest in helping you learn what you need to be successful.

4) Connect your network members to others who need help. You may have a friend or colleague that you know could solve some problem for some other person in the business world. Ask them to get in touch with that person via LinkedIn, email or phone call and offer your help as well!

5) Don't take no for an answer. If you have met someone at a networking event, or through your professional network, and they don't want to meet with you again, don't let the door hit you on the way out. Reach out to them via LinkedIn or email and ask for their help in getting back in touch.

6) Follow up. Getting things done is about action not just word. Following up doesn't mean just sending an email and expecting a response right away - it means making sure that person remembers that you're trying to connect with them again. It helps to send a follow up email or LinkedIn message, a call if you only spoke on the phone, or even a visit if you went out to lunch.

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Title: More Opportunities, Less Risk

Give Your Network a Shout Out! That's right. The time has come to put your network to work for you! The fact that we're on LinkedIn means that we have a public profile where any business owner can see what you are currently doing and connect with us. Unfortunately, most businesses have not chosen to use this medium to expand their reach. Due to this, they are missing out on the potential partnerships and connections they can make.

The more people who know about your business, the more likely those people are to choose you for their needs. So make your business a little more attractive by adding more value to your network.

Unless you still have the default page, you are likely to receive LinkedIn notifications for new connections, invitations and endorsements: These are excellent time-fillers when you're feeling unproductive but don't want to appear that way. If you're new to these notifications, here's how they work: You will be notified of an update on your LinkedIn homepage or in the email they send. It might say something like: "Michael Smith" has endorsed one of your skills. Clicking on the notification will take you to a page with all of your endorsements, which looks something like this: This is a great way to see how you're doing at work, and what skills people feel you have. If they feel that you are valuable enough to endorse, why don't you offer that same value to others? A great opportunity here is to start by getting your co-workers, friends and family members to endorse some of your skills or accomplishments. A lot of prominent people will do this for their employees when promoting skills for a promotion. Your wife might mention that you're great at X and Y, which will make her more like an endorser than an employer, who doesn't have a relationship with her. All of your colleagues may not recommend you in your LinkedIn profile because it might look strange or awkward to them to recommend an employer's employee. However, they'll still be happy to endorse you because they know that you're very committed to the company and have worked hard to get where you are today. This gives you a chance to get your network talking about you and your brand.

If you're the kind of person who hates to ask for help, this is where the trick comes in: Most people will be more than happy to talk about something they know about or know how to do. Remember that these are professionals who want not just a job, but more clients and responsibility. They need employers more than employers need them. To find out what kinds of things make them tick, ask for their advice on topics within their expertise. Then when you connect, send them a quick email letting them know that you'd like to offer some value in return for the help they gave you before (i.e., endorsement). They might be more than happy to help!

Remember that good networking isn't just about sharing your own needs and wants. It's a lot more important to find out what other people are looking for, and offer that. If they know you're trying to help them, they'll be much more likely to help you get new connections, clients, or job opportunities.

This is what separates real professionals from those who are just trying to use LinkedIn as a replacement for the old resume! You don't want your professional profile to have the default text or title anymore. Go out of your way to take the time to write something meaningful.

Conclusion

It's pretty easy to be successful at networking. You just need to think of the benefits you can get from networking and how you can utilize it. Make sure that networking is not just a part-time job, but a way of life that you want to incorporate in your daily routine.

These are tips on how to be more successful at networking. It is important to understand why people get excited when they see your name in the directory or when people call you for help, so we have provided some tips here for you.

In some cases where someone has been seeking help with their business or needs your help before, they will be happy to feel like they have someone who understands them and can provide assistance that they need.