For anyone looking to improve their ability to get things done, it is essential that you understand the value of relying on others. Many of us prefer to be self-sufficient, dealing with everything we can. When you need specialist support and input, though, it is very important that you get the right kind of help. that is why you should focus on expanding your professional network as soon as you can.
Having an extended professional network means you always have someone you can rely upon. From an IT expert to a web designer to a trade expert, you have numerous reasons to expand your network. How, though, can you expand your network to satisfy your professional needs?
There are numerous resources that you can use to improve your time management. A great place to start, though, is with the Inside Out Skills Podcast. In the episode related to professional networking, Shawn shares tips on the importance of building and growing a professional network. He also explains the steps that each person should follow to be able to build a powerful professional network for themselves.
Useful tips to make your professional network bigger
- Get involved with social media. While many of us look to avoid social media, tools such as LinkedIn can be absolutely essential to growing your network. This allows you to easily meet like-minded professionals who you can work with.
- Go out of your way to help others. A key way to build a larger professional network is to do a good job for someone else. If you go above and beyond to help others, your name becomes one that is more easily recommended to people in the future.
- Always ask for recommendations. When you complete a task for a client or partner to satisfaction, it is always wise to ask for a recommendation. They might know someone else who could benefit from your service, forming another new partnership.
- Look outside your normal scope. You might already have people whom you want to work with, but do they cover every avenue? Look for people who can offer complementary services to what you provide in an indirect manner, so you always have someone on-hand in an emergency.
- Understand your related industries. Regardless of what fields you work within, there are always related industries that you can connect with. Understand where else your services and expertise can be useful and look to befriend people within these industries for more varied connections.
- Know your true value. The best way to make new networking partners is to fully understand what it is that you bring to the table. Don’t put yourself out there as a Jack of All Trades; focus on your specialty, and you will land partners who respect you for your expertise rather than versatility.
Expanding your professional network – how can you succeed?
Of course, building a successful professional network is a time-consuming and long-term exercise. You need to build trust with people, and that starts from the moment they meet you for the first time. With that in mind, you might want to start focusing as much as you can on learning how to make that positive first impressive. Understanding your intention, knowing what you need from any transaction, and having a clear idea of how to get there makes forming trustworthy, long-term relationships much easier.
To get started further in understanding how to tackle this, be sure to listen to the Inside Out Skills Podcast. This podcast can give you great insights on networking, ensuring that you can build on the above ideas by making a fantastic first impression.
If you are serious about the long-term improvement of your networking position, then this is absolutely essential to making that possible. We also invite you again to learn more about networking and its massive benefits, and how to make the most positive impression, and much more, by listening to the second episode of the Inside Out Skills Podcast.
