The Power of Networking: How the People you Know Can Make all the Difference
“Networking is not collecting contacts. It's about planting relationships.” With every person you meet and form a connection with, your network grows. It is no longer just about who you know but about who they know too. It can be as simple as requesting a coffee chat with someone whose career inspires you or attending a seminar, or a series of digital marketing seminars as is my case. With every conversation, every discussion, every session, I am continually convinced that digital marketing is the next step on the winding road that is my marketing journey, and my career options seem to be endless.
“Networking is not collecting contacts. It’s about planting relationships.”
Over the last few months, I have had the opportunity, thanks to Wendy Greenwood, to hear from some incredible people in the digital marketing space about their career paths and how they came to land in their current roles. While some had linear career paths, most didn’t. They have what I would call winding career paths that have allowed them to work in a variety of industries, in different roles that have allowed them to learn and develop new skills along the way. Their different roles gave them the opportunity to become adaptable, resilient and ultimately grow their network.
As incredible as these speakers were, it’s difficult for me to pinpoint one that inspired me the most, but what I can share are a few tips I learned along the way.
A useful network must be managed in order to maintain its value through strong and consistent contact and relationships as responsibilities can evolve.
Stay active on LinkedIn through engagement as well as consistent posting as this will allow you to reach your entire LinkedIn community, grow your audience and help you further develop your personal brand as an industry expert thereby attracting the attention of many and keeping them up to date on your career trajectory.
Networking takes time and effort and therefore requires that a certain amount of time be devoted to staying in touch with your network. The time you invest will vary based on your current role and future goals.
The depth of your connection and conversation while networking in-person can have a larger impact than virtual networking due to the ease of the medium. However stronger networking can be supplemented through contact during events whether social or professional, or industry specific events.
Virtual networking allows you to expand your global reach and identify your second connections and allows you to engage with them in the comfort of your own home or office and on your own terms.
As my final networking tip, I believe in the value of being authentic in how you present yourself as your network will consist of people who know you very well to others you may only know you in passing.
Bill Gates once said, “The internet is becoming the town square for the global village of tomorrow.” When I think about my own town square, I think of LinkedIn and how I use the platform to stay connected with my network, to reach out to people I haven’t yet had the opportunity to meet and stay in touch with new connections. LinkedIn is my social network of choice when it comes to connecting with and maintaining my network. Through its messaging capabilities, I have the ability to message as well as have video call meetings with my close connections to keep in touch. With continuous comments, engagement and posts, I can stay top of mind with my network in a passive way. I’ve found it’s important to know how to leverage LinkedIn’s direct and indirect networking capabilities to strengthen your current professional relationships and develop new ones.
Ultimately, networking involves the use of multiple mediums and methods. They may not all work the same way for one person, and it is only through active engagement and perseverance that one can find the networking tool that works best for them, noting that this type of engagement will change over time as one moves up into different positions, different roles, different companies and even different provinces or countries. Needless to say, the digital medium allows you to customize your engagement through your personal journey. Whether LinkedIn or another platform of your choice, there is an ease in networking virtually. As such, one must stay up to date on constantly evolving technologies at our disposal and ensure the platform we choose as our network hub is the best platform for one to be on, as well as the platform most in use by your network and the industry you find yourself in.
According to Sallie Krawcheck, “networking is the no.1 unwritten rule of success in business.” As I am currently approaching the next crossroads of my career, I’m looking to my network for inspiration and conversations. They have introduced me to people who can offer some insight and guidance, while connecting me with people I haven’t yet had the opportunity to meet. I am curious to see where my network takes me. After all, it isn’t just about who you know, but about who they know too.
