Social Media
One of the most popular and widely effective methods for networking is social media. Social media has been providing brands with the opportunity to reach the masses with their content, services and products for over a decade now and shows no signs of slowing.
Each social media site has its own niche benefits. Find groups that talk about your industry and get involved, comment, like and share other people’s content that you find useful to grow organic relationships and bring some attention to yourself. Posting original, relevant and quality content about your industry will draw people you can network with to your brand. Finding a balance between quality and quantity for each social site is key for this method to be effective. I have found this infographic to be a great tool of reference when determining how often and what to post to my social media accounts.
Events and seminars
Nothing can replace the power of face-to-face interaction with real people. Sites like meetup.com and eventbrite.com offer a variety of quality events to attend that you can use to boost your brand awareness as well as meet individuals who can bring value to your brand. Experts suggest that you should attend a minimum of two networking events a week with a goal of acquiring five contacts per event. That would total 520 new contacts a year that can benefit your brand!
Your network is your net-worth
Your ability to network contributes directly to the value of your brand. The more people you are connected with, the more opportunities your brand has to influence, sell and grow. Dedicating time to grow your network will only benefit your brand and contribute to your success as you progress in your industry and become a well-known professional in your field.
Networking, however, is not just about how many friends you can make but about how well you interact with others and develop true, long-lasting relationships that are mutually beneficial. What are your thoughts? Leave your questions in the comment section below and let us know if this article was helpful.