Network to Success

A simple platform that keeps you disciplined and motivated throughout the business networking process: www.networktosuccess.com

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How to Network: Network to Success & Lacey Gardner

To a recent college grad or new entrant into the job market, business networking can seem daunting. Learning how to network to achieve your goals is not easy and takes time. To help speed up the process of how to network successfully, we have a very special guest blogger and networking expert, Lacey Gardner, to shed some light on the issue and give you some solid networking tips. Networking is a skill that when practiced and worked upon can be very beneficial. We hope this interview provides some valuable insight into how to become a better networker!

1. What characteristics does a good networker have?

I believe each professional can be a "good" networker. The key to successful networking is to be memorable, interesting, sincere, passionate, enthusiastic and honest. A good networker can have these qualities, but the art in networking is knowing the right amount of each quality to have to make a memorable impression. Knowing the good mix will be determined by the personality of the group, so intuitive attention should be #1 when you walk into a networking situation.

  2. What advice would you give a recent college graduate trying to expand his or her network in a new city?

Do not snub opportunities to network. I find many new networkers feel a little overwhelmed with the choices and opportunities out there, so they stick to what is comfortable for them. Uncomfortable networking situations sometimes equate growth and challenge. You should be used to that from your path through your education. Schedule yourself a number of hours to network, for two reasons. 1) It gives you a goal. 2) Networking is a factor in building your network, but a quality network is more valuable than a large network. Stick to your goal, do no more and no less. I encourage every person I coach in networking to ask for 2 business cards from the new contact. On one make a note about the conversation, an interesting fact about the person, if you promise information - note it. This card is YOURS! The second card is your opportunity to refer the new contact. When they ask you why you want 2, share that tip! It is an impressive way to show your polished networking skills, and be MEMORABLE. But, it's also a way to keep you organized. I always send an email or a greeting card to a new contact made. I've found a really nifty program to send unique and personalized cards with SendOutCards. It's a must-have in my networking tool box.

  3. Is building a valuable network about quality, quantity or some combination?

I believe quality is better than quantity, however if you follow up with the contacts you're adding to your network and building a relationship with them through genuine interest and sincerity... Your network will explode because word travels fast. Real people enjoy real people and real relationships. Friends refer friends... Be that to every connection you make networking.

  4. For you, what's been the largest challenge in successful networking?

My challenge is determining when connections are self-serving or sincere in their networking, which is to give first in order to receive. But, I'm reminded of the Golden Rule and to treat others as I'd like to be treated. Respect is a big bonus when I meet new connections. Because of my network size and the amount of people who trust and respect my referrals, I've found some professionals will try to manipulate me for introductions. I make it no secret that I will not refer a connection if I don't know them. I am not willing to sacrifice my hard work on building my trusted network for someone who is here today and gone tomorrow. My advice is to really get to know your referral partners. It's worth the investment of time, it could save your professional reputation.

5. Do you use any tools, resources, or references to help you network better?

I'm old fashioned. I have a binder of the cards that I've collected. They're noted so that it will jog a memory of the meeting. I believe sincerity will be shown in your conversation and follow up. If you meet someone show sincerity and email them, mail them a greeting card or phone them. Express your appreciation for meeting them and that you're anticipating the opportunity to meet again, extend the welcome mat for return communication. As mentioned before, I'm a huge fan of SendOutCards. It's a super cool program that mails greeting cards for you without you having to buy them at the store, write them out, stamp, and mail them. You can also create campaigns that will automatically send cards to your contacts when you've told it to. I've even sent greeting cards from my SUV from my cell phone while sitting in the contacts parking lot. Really cool service, worth the $35/mo.! I've used referral software, but the challenge I've found is that the receiver must be a user. Not everyone wants to sign up for this sort of thing, for whatever reason they have. But, I believe in tracking your referrals sent. Because you can follow up on the status of the business sent and ensure that the process is all being handled professionally... I also love the CardMunch app. It connects with your LinkedIn account and as you add these contacts to your database with a simple picture of their card, it also sends an invitation to connect via LinkedIn. If you're going to use this app, you MUST be sure your LinkedIn profile is complete. It's a real turn off, for me, to connect with someone and realize their profile isn't complete or up-to-date. Use LinkedIn, it's a great tool to learn about your connections.

  Lacey Gardner is a seasoned sales & marketing professional and successful entrepreneur. They call her the "Networking Guru" and  "The Business Matchmaker." She helps small business owners create a more established and long lasting presence through networking, sales & marketing plans, as well as provides direction on execution. Lacey currently resides in Ocala, FL and is the Sales & Marketing Coach at her business, “The Business Matchmaker.” We at Network to Success give a big THANK YOU to Lacey for her time and willingness to share her networking tips & advice!!

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Sincerity is Success in Business Networking

Yes, it can be done! Business networking does not need to be cut throat business card collecting. Unfortunately, that’s how it’s been done for quite some time. In fact, just recently, someone belittled me for being a good networker. I was pretty taken aback and politely – though agitatedly – asked, “What exactly do you think of when you think of a good networker?” This person went on and on about the college campus recruiting process and analyzed all of those over achieving, back stabbers who weasel their way into the spotlight at campus information sessions and career fairs. “Now now,” I facetiously said, “calm down.” Handing this poor soul a tissue (not really), I agreed that those people are the worst but assured her (just gave away gender) that is not how I network nor how networking should be successfully done.

When I network, whether for business or personal enjoyment, my goal is to meet new, interesting, and intriguing people. Of course, I may have other goals like learn more about SEO or talk about the VC industry. Regardless, my overarching objective is to talk and hang out with awesome dudes and dudettes. It’s surprising how much more easy-going and smooth the conversations are when you actually genuinely care about someone’s background, interests, and stories. It’s surprising how much you find out about people when you try to connect with them. Granted, you won’t click with everyone but if you don’t try, you won’t know.

As my girlfriend’s dad always says, “what’s behind the doors, I do not know, but the more I open the more I sell.” Many years back, her dad went door to door around the US trying to sell his agricultural technology. He ended up blossoming a multi-million dollar business because of his likeability and willingness to engage honestly with everyone he came across.

Helpful push in the right direction below

Having a tough time connecting personally? No worries. Here are a few good conversation starters… (Disclaimer: they only work if you care what the answers are… ask follow up questions and dig deeper):

Are you from [Current City] or did you grow up elsewhere?

Geography is always a fun thing to talk about – if nothing else, learn what it’s like to live in a different city or bond over places you’ve both been to or lived in previously

So, how did you end up in [Industry X]?

This is an open ended question that will teach you a lot about the person’s past and life adventures

Have you always seen yourself being [Current title in Industry X]? Lead in for… What else are you passionate about beyond your work?

Insight into their personal interests and hobbies provides a nice jumping off point to connect more intimately… work is boring and no one wants to talk about that for too long! 

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Don't be a Rick

When you think of a great networker, who do you think of? I used to get the image of the 30-year-old salesman with that slicked back hair superficially schmoozing with his victims. Let’s call him Rick - sorry to those named Rick out there.

Rick has given networking a bad rap. His slimy way of going about advancing his career turns a lot of people off to the process. With the right tools and structure, we can overthrow Rick and take over networking as it’s meant to be performed.

When you boil it down, everything in life is made up of a set of behaviors. Let’s take cooking for example. To be great in the kitchen, you have to master the art of chopping, cutting, pouring, flipping, whisking, etc. Networking is no different. It is made up of a variety of actions that when combined, can lead to results.

Networking actions can be categorized into three buckets of behavior:

1. Organize & Prioritize

It is of upmost importance to stay organized as you network. If you drop the ball here, you will get nowhere. You will forget peoples’ names, where they work, when you were supposed to meet them, etc. Your contacts should be organized and you should have everything about everyone in one central location. Moreover, you should prioritize your contacts in terms of relevancy to your networking goals. Contact those most relevant first and try to achieve your goals as soon as possible. Networking to network is not good - stay focused and with a little prioritization, you can skip out on the brutal small talk.

2. Outreach & Follow-up

Once you know who to contact and why, begin reaching out. The smaller actions here are write emails, make cold calls, set meeting dates, and have phone / in person meetings. After you meet someone, always follow up. I find hand-written notes are much more personal and express a gratitude not easily found in an email. Though, email follow-ups are fine if you are strapped for time. Express your thanks, talk about what you learned and liked about the conversation, and follow up on any open items from the meeting.

3. Optimize & Practice

Thirdly, practice. Networking is not an end game. Cold-emails are hard and following-up is never easy to remember. Your time is your most precious asset – figure out your most productive days and evaluate what activities you do well and which ones you need to improve (great at reaching out, horrible at following up). Tracking these actions is key to improving and becoming a better networker.

 With a little structure and motivation, networking is accessible to anyone. Looking for a little help on how to network? Check out networktosuccess.com.

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Will you lead the Network to Success Community on your Campus?

 Are you passionate about startups? Do you like to learn from meeting cool and interesting people? Are you interested in rebranding the way people think about networking? 

If yes, then apply to be a Network to Success Campus Ambassador today!

The Network to Success program is a way for students to gain valuable startup experience in marketing, sales, and social media. This is an opportunity to build a unique community of go-getters and lead the growth of a new business.

Ready to Spread your Entrepreneurial Wings? We are looking for leaders to:

Represent and promote Network to Success at relevant campus events and activities

Manage social media channels

Identify partnership opportunities with classes and groups interested in integrating Network to Success

Assist the Network to Success team with business development, sales, and marketing strategy

Generate relevant content to build Network to Success Community

If you’re up for the challenge, then this is a chance to:

Build your resume and gain valuable startup experience

Lead and grow your personal network

 Interact and learn from professionals around the nation

Preferred attributes include:

Ability to dedicate 5-10 hours per week

Comfortable socializing, cold-emailing, and connecting with new people

Entrepreneurial (self-starter with an optimistic attitude)

Independent and detail-oriented

Excellent written & verbal communication skills

Passionate, honest, and hard-working

Ability to pitch, sell, and negotiate

Results-driven and scrappy

Comfortable living and sharing your goals and dreams

Proactive and candid

Curious and creative

Hungry for challenge

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Network to Success (NtS) is a startup based in New Orleans founded by two recent Ivy League graduates and current Venture for America Fellows. NtS is a tool to help you stay organized, disciplined, and motivated as you go through the networking process. Our mission is to transform networking from its current connotation of brown-nosing and social climbing to its real form as a medium to achieve your goals and dreams. 

To apply:

Visit NetworktoSuccess.com

Go to the Connect tab

Send us a 200 word blurb illustrating why you’re the perfect NtS Campus Ambassador

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Stop Reading. Start Playing: Introducing Network to Success

Google "how to network," what do you find? 

You find, Forbes, Inc, WSJ, Business Insider, WikiHow, and maybe a YouTube video or two. They all say the same thing – how important networking is to maintaining your business relationships, how to use LinkedIn, approach contacts, set up meetings, write emails, get an introduction, and the list goes on. We know most of these things and what to do, but it doesn't mean we know how to do them.

Networking to me is like starting to play a new sport. When I started learning tennis for the first time, I tried self-directed learning. Before going out on the court, I watched ESPN and read all about proper tennis techniques and how-to's. I could conceptualize exactly what I needed to do when I hit the ball, but every time I tried to put all those words into action, it just didn't happen. The problem was I knew what to do but not how to do it. Finally, I gave in and took a lesson. The lesson broke down every step of the swing into digestible actions and helped me focus on one move at a time. And, unexpectedly, I became more motivated as my time to master the swing was limited to one hour with my instructor. 

This is what Mike and I want for networking. We created a tool, Network to Success, to go above and beyond the tips and tricks and to provide the structure, motivation, and instruction to be a successful networker. Network to Success is your "tennis coach" for networking, walking you through the process one-step at a time. It's a tool that provides focus, motivation, and optimization.

Focus: Organizes and structures your contacts into a prioritized, targeted list.

Motivation: Sets a timeframe for your networking goals. Then creates a quantifiable framework for you to achieve them by associating point values to your daily and weekly business activities.

Optimization: Built-in real-time analytics show you exactly where to improve.

More than this, our vision for Network to Success is to de-stigmatize networking from its common connotation of social climbing and applaud it in it's more appropriate form of personal and professional achievement.