|
Author: Nick Usborne Article source: http://www.georgiabizupdate.com/. Used with author's permission.
Recently I was interviewed for a book on networking. My first response was, "Hey, I don't network. I hate that stuff."
In other words, you won't catch me dead shaking hands and passing out business cards at a local Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting. Nor do I cold call. Nor do I wander around conferences with my hand thrust out saying, "Hi, my name is Nick Usborne." It's just not part of my character.
I guess that was my view of "networking".
But as I started writing, answering each of the interview questions, I realized that I network as much as the next person. I just go about it a different way.
The more I think about it, we all network, one way or another. If you think this doesn't apply to you, just make a quick mental tally of the people you know in your industry. People you have worked with, exchanged emails with, met somewhere.
Have a look at your address book. If you have more than the names of your personal friends and family, you're already networking.
>> Why this is important
Whether you are employed right now or a freelancer, networking is essential to your future. Nothing happens without knowing other people. None of us advance in our careers in blissful isolation.
We get a job offer because someone knows about us. We pick up a new client for our freelance business because someone referred us to someone else. We are asked to write articles because an editor or webmaster read something else we had written.
Every step forward we take can usually be traced back to knowing someone.
>> Different Networking strokes for different folks
Some people seem born to walk up to strangers and introduce themselves. If that sounds like you, then you already know how to expand your current network of contacts.
But if, like me, you're not an outgoing person who loves to get out and meet people, you need to find other ways.
For me, my network has grown almost entirely through people contacting me after reading an article I have written, reading my book, or listening to me speak at a conference.
In other words, I network by making myself visible through writing and speaking. My network grows as more and more people get in touch with me.
>> A key to successful networking
Whenever I am offered a speaking or writing project that I feel might be "beyond' me, I jump at it. Why? By stretching myself I not only get my name and talents exposed to a new audience, but I also get in front of an audience that is a little higher up on the food chain.
Let me explain. If I was asked to speak at a local Chamber of Commerce meeting, I would find myself in front of a group of local business people. For me, that's not a good audience.
But last year when I was invited to do a half-day seminar for the senior editors of the world's Number One web site, I jumped at it. Why? Because I would get to stand up in front of some very influential people in the online industry.
The higher I aim, the more influential and better connected my network becomes.
Whatever method works for you, don't confine your network just to "people like you". Try to expand your network vertically, to include people who are more successful, more influential and better connected than you.
Do that, and in time some exciting new opportunities will start presenting themselves. To find out more about networking for success, read my review of this guide, Networkaholics Revealed.
Nick Usborne is a freelance copywriter, author and speaker. For more articles and resources on making money as a freelance writer, visit his site, http://www.FreelanceWritingSuccess.com.
Simple and Free Ways to Start a Blog
It doesn't have to cost a small fortune to start a blog and it is easier than you think. In fact I would say it is easier to start a blog than it is any other t...
Did You Use Your Sword Today?
It's real easy to look at the physical world around us and not see swords being used. To even find one it is often necessary to go to a museum. So what am I t...
Finding The Right Exercise Intensity
We've all heard the exercise guidelines that recommend we participate in 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity 3-5 times per week. That seems easy ...
Acquired Expertise: Attitude and Confidence
How does one become an Expert? When all is equal, what gives one person the leading edge over the market and leaves another floundering in wistfulness? Expert...
The Top Ten Reasons to Hire a Coach
Everyone has a coach but what do they do with them? Is having a coach the competitive edge everyone talks about? What are the reasons people are hiring them? ...
Online Gaming In Your Face?
Whether it is on the street or online, one cannot escape the force that has become the state of Internet gambling. Online casinos and poker rooms have never bee...
GoodBye GrandMa
Dedicated to my grandmother who passed away on December 27, 2004
Sometimes, there are stories & memories written with the hands… Others, with the heart. And som...
Shih Tzu - Training Words Of Consistent And Great Meaning
When you first begin to talk to your shih tzu, I feel like the shih tzu will find your voice new and interesting.
Social Security Rant
This article deals with Social Security. The article debates if Social Security is going broke, and if Social Security should be privatized.
Body Joy
How to get our bodies out of a stagnant rut, due to stress and overwork.
A Wedding Band: Traditional or Cultural?
What does your wedding ring look like or what do you want your ring to look like when you get married?
What Can I Do To Improve My Job-Interviewing Skills?
Whether you're a student job seeker or a polished and proven executive, the first thing you must come to terms with is, "Regardless of the position you seek, yo...
Geothermal Heat Pumps 101
Stop paying those high electric/gas bills. Discover how a geothermal heat pump can drastically lower your utility bills and save you a lot of money!
Iron Man Inspiration - Raise The Ceiling On What You Can Achieve
Most people don't realize what humans can achieve until they come across one of the ordinary few who has become extraordinary. Jane Tomlinson, a cancer patient,...
Sunday NFL Gridbits - Week 9
Matt Fargo takes a brief glance at each game this Sunday and offers some thoughts and trends.
How to Sell a Dead Horse Online
Dress up your horse!
The Symptoms of Canine Diabetes
Canine diabetes tends to sneak up gradually and the symptoms will often go unnoticed until the disease has become quite advanced. Here are some things you shoul...
Tips On How To Fix Bad Credit
Unfortunately, many people find themselves with bad credit. Bad credit is your personal financial history when it comes to things you have purchased on credit. ...
Beginnings
Just about everyone is familiar with this beginning: "In the beginning God created the heavens and earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness wa...
Why Do I (You) Collect?
Collecting is totally emotional for me the value is not important, it helps me to eternalize my memories of loved one's and good times and that my friend is pri...
Own Your Success
Steps to be successful in your life by making goals and closing a sale.
Career Help
Career help or the help needed to find a job that best fits you is a job for a career development consultant. You need qualifications, but how do social skills ...
How Search Engines Work
Before anyone can start optimizing a web site, you must understand how search engines work. Search engine optimization is the hardest thing to do for a webma...
Zodiac Signs of Venus and Mars Reveal Your Sexuality
If you think of yourself as a walking solar system with all the
vast planetary energies that were present in the heavens at the
time you were born, you will b...
|
Print this page