The first key to successful networking is to find out the preferred communication channel of the person you are trying to connect with. If they have a website, check out how they prefer to be contacted. If they have Twitter but rarely make a post, it may not be the most effective way to engage them, but if they post frequently on Facebook, that indicates it to be one of their preferred networking channels. Whatever their preferred method of communication, always make it short and sweet. If it takes you over 500 words to describe yourself, your product or your service, you need to take it down to 50 words or less. If someone reads your 50 words and is interested in what you have to say, you can now send them more information.

Whether it is via Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, your blog, or offline networking events, you need to think about the audience and walk in their shoes for a moment; what do they want and how does it fit with what you have to offer? If you enter into the networking arena with the idea that everyone is interested in what you have to ‘show and tell’ you may end up disappointed. One of the best ways therefore to think of networking is in short, sharp, sound bites. What is the most interesting thing about you or what you have to sell? How can you portray yourself, your product or service in the best possible light? If you are networking to find a partner, what are your best attributes? What are your passions?

If you’ve never done it before, construct a 30-second ‘elevator speech’ that shows your skills, goals and background. Think about all your most sought after qualities, and personal goals, and make it into a short compelling 30-second story that will catch people’s attention and create a good and lasting impression. Don’t always expect a response back. If people like what you have to say, and are interested, they will get in touch. If not, be prepared to wait a few days or even weeks and then reach out again. Don’t become a spam person, it is ok if you can’t make a connection with everyone you reach out to. Allow people the opportunity to communicate in their own time; you can’t push someone into doing something if it doesn’t interest them. The key to networking is to find mutually, beneficial relationships. Think more in line of ‘what can I give’ rather than, ‘what can I get.’ Check out this book, Throwing Sheep in the Boardroom: How Online Social Networking Will Transform Your Life, Work and World for more networking tips!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 26th, 2010 at 7:18 pm and is filed under College Life, College News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.