Networking Is it worth it?

Networking is one of those things that people typically agree on and say, “Yes, it is good to get out there and meet new people.” Then there is the flipside of the coin: It’s been a long day, and all you want to do is get home to your castle and skip the cocktail meeting. So what is the right answer here? The best answer is that both points of view are right. The good news is that Networking doesn’t have to be just going to a room filled with strangers, making small talk with uninteresting people, and getting hit up by salespeople all night. But let’s back up a second here. What does networking even mean? Think about it, does anyone ever actually say, “Hey, I would like to network with you.” What the heck? It sounds like 2 computers who are ready to get to know each other really well. Here is what Wikipedia has to say about the matter: “Networking is a socioeconomic business activity by which groups of like-minded businesspeople recognize, create, or act upon business opportunities.” Excited yet? As the saying goes, it’s not what you know; it’s who you know. Now we all dislike the person kissing ass and playing political games, I am not saying to be that person. What I am suggesting is that over time, you bring people into your world that can help you when you have a need. At some point, you are going to either need or want the following: • A raise • A new job • A promotion   There are 2 ways to look at your network: 1) People who you can add to your list of individuals that you can call when you need a product or service for your building. 2) People that can help move your career forward. Developing casual or informal relationships with people. The goal is to broaden your circle of friends and or associates, you occasionally invite the ones that interest you (and could be a potential asset) to do business with you. With the 1st group, look at networking this way: To get things done, you need to have the relationships that can help you in your time of need. Cold calling a company or person for help can be tricky. Being proactive with networking can pay off with big benefits down the road: 1. Check in with your current vendor network. Have a conversation with your current vendors, and ask them if they know of anyone that they think would be a good resource for you and your facility. Set up a lunch or coffee with them. If you know good people, they most likely will only refer a quality person as well—since it is a reflection upon them. 2. Reach out to peers. People usually love to share good resources because it indirectly helps them in their relationships with their vendors. Also, this is a good way to make time to build relationships with your colleagues. 3. Talk with distributors that you buy from. Even when you take the time to really talk to an employee at Home Depot, you may develop a good contact when you need one.   Now that you have a list for upgrading your vendors’ list, here are a few points for building the rest of your network. • Develop relationships that don’t directly tie into your business. In other words, talk with professionals in other industries (e. g., banking, legal, insurance, accounting, real estate). • Get to know the people who work in the offices at your local and national trade associations. • If possible, focus on building relationships with the best of the best. There is a direct correlation between how they rank and the quality of your network. When reaching out to people, the goal is not what they can do for you directly, but rather to tap into their network. The nice thing about this kind of networking is that it is not a hard sell; it’s just making friends. Hopefully this article provides some insight on a better way to network and makes it not such a dreadful process. Most importantly, if you put the work in now, you’ll have it in place when you need it the most. Resource Guide for Networking