The Joy of Networking

Hey young professionals, are you just beginning your journey to social networking? Well, worry not, networking is incredibly fun, and did I mention easy? Think of social networking as a hangout. These networking events typically have food and drinks to enjoy while connecting and building new relationships with other business professionals in the community. In other words, by investing time into these social network events, you are investing in your business. 

The first time I've ever gone to a Business After Hours was during my fourth semester of college. My instructor introduced the class and me to these events and I must say, I was very much impressed. In the beginning, it was very intimidating. However, I soon realized that I had already known some of these business professionals, and have seen other faces around town before. Here are some of the tips from the article 11 Tips to Help You Network Better that I found most useful:

1. Meet people through people

2. Don't take up too much time

3. Let the others speak

4. Present a success story

5. Ask for suggestions on how to improve your network

6. Find a reason to follow up

7. Always say thank you

Meeting people through people is much easier than just approaching someone you don't know. When you meet a person this way, you already have built an instant connection through the introducer. Don't take up too much time and leave them curious about you. Build a presence with everyone you meet then get on to the next person. This will help expand your network faster. Let the others speak, don't make it all about you. You don't want to make your new friends or partners think you are a narcissist. Present a success story. Give yourself some credibility. Ask for suggestions, this makes the other person feel like an expert and makes you come off as an open-minded person. Find a reason to follow up. This one can go in many ways. This builds a presence for yourself, secures a connection, helps you see what their company does that works, and more. Always say thank you. Be thankful to everyone that you meet. There are so many reasons why you should thank everyone you meet but an important thing to remember is that you can always learn something from them.

Remember, networking is an investment in your business. The stronger your connections, the more success you will bring to your business. Networking can be intimidating at first but don't worry, you got this!