Expanding Your Network
A lot of my work comes through people I know or have met through my network. They say your network determines your net worth so thought i’d write on how to expand your network with shared lessons on leveraging relationships to create opportunities.
Social Media - Be Present
I think it goes without saying that the easiest way to be present in 2015 is of course through Social Media. Not just having an account thats dormant or one that only caters to your friends whose phone numbers you have anyway but by actively using accounts to connect with people professionally, following people whose work you admire, being present in conversations, sharing useful content, helping people, asking for help and making it known what you want to do or what you are doing. You’ll be surprised at how many people you’ll connect with without even having to leave the comfort of your own home.
Networking Events - Put Yourself Out There
Social media is great but there’s still nothing better than face to face interaction every once in a while. I LOVE a good networking event and always have done. It’s a great way to learn new things and meet new people. My first lesson in the power of networking and putting myself out there came way before I had even considered setting up a business. I remember a time during my first internship as broke interns set on making it in the entertainment industry me and my two friends Paida and Jennifer were literally at every single event we could blag our way into.
It was ALOT of fun (maybe too much, thats a story for another day) but it paid off as I quickly learned that regularly being on the scene had its professional benefits and access to opportunities you wouldn't find on job boards, no matter what industry you're in relationships are everything so I applied this same method when I set out on my own. Looking back now even though that was effective, our approach wasn't the best but it laid the foundations for my approach today.
Key Lesson: When it comes to events you don't want or need to be at everything just for the sake of it, that's counterproductive and thirsty.
These days I will only go to an event if it:
Adds Value - e.g could be a panel talk, workshop or seminar in something you want to learn more about or with speakers you can learn from.
Strengthens A Relationship or puts you in a situation to build relationships either with people in your industry or like minded people.
Something of Genuine Personal Interest
I find that by following these steps and being selective you already have a purpose in mind before going to an event so expanding your network will actually come as a by-product of being in tune with your interests and development. Twitter is a great way to find out about business events, newsletters, meetup, eventbrite and once you're out there you'll find out about more through the people you meet. A good starting point are monthly events like
smarta 100
I regularly attended their events especially within my first year. If its something you don't do already then I would suggest challenging yourself to attend at least one event a month.
Join A Network - Get Involved
Getting involved was a great turning point for me as not only did it expand my network but it also created opportunities by leveraging the relationships I was and still am building. There are loads of networks targeting young people starting businesses for example theres
Virgin Media Pioneers
,
Shell livewire
,
Princes Trust
,
somewhereto_
's spaced initiative and loads more you just need to take the time to research them. I joined Virgin Media Pioneers back in 2010 during my final year of uni as I liked the idea of being part of a community with people who where toying around with business ideas or who had already started one. Little did I know back then that being part of the network would provide me with so many opportunities. It has been invaluable for me and my business.
What you don't want to do is join a network or initiative and just be a spectator, thats what I did for 2 years but eventually in 2013 I applied to be part of the team helping to put on networking events for the VMP community in London which then led me to become an ambassador and since then I haven't stopped getting involved where I can. As a direct result I have met a bunch of cool people, made new friends, got to be part of a digital tour, received press coverage and secured 3 paid jobs for My Social Media PA, one which lasted a year.
So, if you've ever been in doubt about the benefits of being part of a community and getting involved go out on a limb and sign up to something. Regularly look out for opportunities or email/tweet them and most importantly remember to contribute to whichever community you decide to be a part of, don’t let the sole purpose be about what you can get out of it. It’s about building relationships firstly and if you get involved and add value everything else will come.
If you're reading this you might notice an orangish bar at the top of my blog. Something I wanted to add as over
100 people read my last blog post
but I only know about 10 of those people. So in short, if you're reading this then I would love to get to know you a little better so please leave your email address if you are interested in getting future posts straight to your inbox :-)
