Ready to take your networking to the next level of success?
There are two practices that are the cornerstone to success in getting to know who you know:
- Use social media to earn a face to face meeting
- Thank them and follow-up
Use social media to deepen the connection
Use online and offline networking in tandem to develop and grow your connections. Relationship building is nurtured with time. The more time invested the more opportunity to get to know each other. Learning about each others goals, accomplishments, objectives and interests is a solid way to discover a common frame of reference and generate a stronger bond.
Through social, online interactions you are provided the opportunity to share your common frames of reference and to also sample each others character and competence.
Any of us can sound wonderful in short bursts and interactions. It’s that continued interaction and consistency that develops a level of trust that will strengthen the connection with this person and thus develop your network.
- Who in your social network lists would you like to meet face to face?
- Who have you developed rapport and trust with already that you would like to spend some face to face time with?
Use social to get to know their interests, what they value, who they are and who they influence or connect with, too.
Ask yourself:
- Is this someone that you would like to know better?
- Do they value you and you them?
Online networking provides you (and your connection) the opportunity to gain confidence in each other. And, used to augment you offline networking and relationship building it will help you in becoming more adept about communicating in different formats and provide the trust level needed to even know your contact better.
If you use social site networking to build deeper relationships with fewer people, it will also develop your influence. Then, use face time to take your relationship to the next level.
Thank them and follow up
When someone has taken the time to take an online relationship and meet face to face, then do thank them. Even a simple handwritten note can go a long way in developing the relationship.
Most importantly it’s time to follow-up on what you agreed to or promised in your face to face meeting? Or, even ways you can help.
When you met face to face, they might have asked for something or you may have agreed to do or send something – be sure to follow-through. You want to be trusted that what you say is what you’ll do.
Also, when you meet take the time to really listen, to get to know them. The purpose of your face-to-face meeting is to deepen your relationship, to “finally meet” and to get to know each other. It’s not to sell something. Spend most of your time listening and getting to know them.
As you do that, there will be something that’s on their mind. It could be a challenge or problem they’re trying to solve or it could be something they need assistance with.
If you can help them or do something that would be helpful to something they value, that will exponentially accelerate the development of your relationship.
For this week:
- Identify two people that are connections in one of your social sites and invite them for coffee, lunch or to meet face to face in an upcoming conference.
- Write a thank you note to someone you met face-to-face with in the last couple of weeks.
Post when you’ve done that below. And, please share you stories of what’s worked for you in developing your online and offline connections.
