Have you felt envy that a colleague gets to play golf with the boss for the day, to close a deal while hitting a small white ball across immaculately manicured lawns or over a 3 course meal afterwards?
There is a perception that networking is essential and that the best opportunities are always out of reach.
In today’s newsletter I want to show an alternative and make networking simpler and more accessible for everyone. I want to give you back control over these opportunities to meet new people and build relationships, because it’s entirely possible for all of us.
You don’t need a country club membership to build meaningful connections
In fact, I think that most of you probably want a more diverse network than what can be found via traditional routes of exclusive clubs and high profile events.
Social media has a lot to answer for, but it is one of the easiest way to connect with anyone you’d like. You can write a message directly to Ryan Gosling or Oprah Winfrey or the CEO of Apple. They might not answer, but you can actually reach them.
Platforms like LinkedIn tell you a lot about people before you initiate a conversation. And they give you the chance to share information about yourself so others can find you.
Use social media platforms to introduce yourself to others and establish professional connections that you can continue nurturing in real life.
3 ways to build your network on LinkedIn
Everyone is different and has their own preferences for interacting with people.
Some of you like to put your ideas out there, others would rather read and engage with existing articles.
There is no perfect way to do things and you have to network in the way that suits you – you’re always allowed to nudge yourself outside your comfort zone, too 🤓.
So here is what I suggest:
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Engage with content
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Seek out connections proactively
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Create your own content for LinkedIn
1) Engage with content others have created
Go beyond the likes and ‘reactions’ and set yourself the target to write 5 (or 10) thoughtful comments on content you find helpful or interesting.
Rather than scrolling and liking stuff from people you know, spend your time commenting and reposting the content you really value. A comment can add to the conversation, a ‘reshare’ is a visible endorsement you give.
Content creators really appreciate this kind of engagement; you benefit from connecting with them and show your own network what you’re interested in. They get to know you better in return.
If you make 5 of these engagements each working day, you’ll build stronger relationships and will receive more and more connection requests.
2) Seek our connections by finding the right people
“But Eva, how do I find the right people if I don’t know what to look for?”
On LinkedIn you can search for content via hashtags. You’ll probably get suggestions in your feed as well.
My best tip here is to hit ‘Follow’ when people pop up who write interesting stuff. As you follow them, go back to step 1 and engage with their content. Commenting on the content of people with a large following and interesting topics gives your comments exposure with other followers. And that leads to new connections.
Make it a habit to connect with people that you meet through work, e.g. at meet-ups, user groups or conferences.
Connecting is easy:
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Open your LinkedIn App
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Use the search bar at the top
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Tap the little QR code icon and
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Generate a QR code with your profile details.
As people scan it, they connect immediately without any awkward name searches and spelling errors.
3) Create your own content for LinkedIn and build your brand (and following!)
It’s daunting to publish your ideas on the internet for others to read and share their opinion on. Everyone starts with anticipation and nerves.
It is, however, an incredibly effective way to build your brand and put a flag in the ground: this is who you are and what you’re interested in.
How can you get started with writing your own content?
I bet your daily work gives you plenty of ideas, but you can also write about other interesting things in your life. Whether your hobbies involve sports, investing, painting or volunteering: what you do in your life is what makes you who you are and makes you interesting. I’m sure you’ve learned plenty of lessons along the way, so why not share those with your network?
You can start with shorter posts, experiment with topics and see what resonates. People will indicate what they find valuable and you can always ask them for their input as well.
The more you write, the more opportunities you create for people to reach out to you. See who comments and connect with them.
There are many ways to network…
…and they don’t have to involve playing golf, going to after-work drinks or even attending in-person events.
Use LinkedIn to your advantage and find ways you can make it work for you. You’ll build your network quicker than you thought possible and you can be in full control of how much you share, engage, and who you form relationships with.
Happy networking and have a great week!
Eva
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Hit Follow
If we’re not connected on LinkedIn yet, please hit the Follow button or send me a connection request. I’d love to help you build your network there.
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