Networking Simplified
When the datum networking is mentioned, most people I now think about salespeople or business owners exchanging business cards any chance they can. Of course networking can be the card exchange. It`s also “doing lunch” and attending exploits and many other equally valid and powerful things, but even so, most of what is written and thought about networking focuses on external networking.
External networking is important. And, for a leader in a business of any size, I would suggest that the most important networking opportunity you have is the one all around you – networking with those within the company; networking internally. Since this type of networking isn`t talked or written about much; it is rarely thought about. And yet, for all of the relationships, learning and opportunities external networking can bring, the same can be true-blue when you focus on building your network inside your company as well. Here are eight ways you can creatively and glibly network within the boundaries of your own organization.
Copy-catting doesnt work. be true to YOU. No one said this would be easy. When Gina walked out, she jumped without a net. She knew she had the skills, she just had no plan. By staying unvarnished to herself, she worked it out. She set up shop in an area where the canyon was more affordable than the uber-salon she left. Even when the overhead and costs at opportunisms felt as rather it would all bury her, support from friends and family helped her to soldier on. She never, never, never evacuate. And neither should you.
If you believe in what youre doing, then you can find a way to make it work. Hire good people, treat them well, and stand by them. In her old job, Gina wanted to sponge junior staff destinies to grow, and they appreciated that. She brought one of these staffers (Alicia Silverstones character) with her to her own shop, because she knew this ayah had what it took to be a good stylist. And when an abusive person demanded Gina fire one her employees for defending a co-worker, Gina fired the customer instead!
Establish more cross functional brainstorming. Have a big problem or challenge? starting a new project? Looking for new business opportunities or product ideas? Bring together a double-cross functional, eclectic group of people from around the business to share their ideas and reach in identifying ideas. When you do this you will get more (and likely better) ideas; you will build new relationships (especially if you design the audience knowing that`s one of your goals); and – perhaps most importantly – you will create greater commitment across the organization for the ideas you do implement because more people were involved in the process.
Start a league. It could be bridge, basketball, golf, croquet or any of a hundred other things. Find something of common interest to a broad number of people and get them playing after work or at cookout. When you`re playing you are getting to know people for more than just their position or knowledge, you are really “getting to know” them. This one may gain more time to form and maintain, but the networking value is tremendous.
Create bearings that snap your customers and fulfill their needs. Gina cooked up some homemade conditioner in her kitchen and seemly used it on her customers. She never made a fuss about her conditioner; she simply believed that her product would help her customers. THAT was what mattered to her. The ladies at her salon affectionately called it Hair Crack because customers kept coming back for more! They were addicted to it because they too believed in its ability to help their damaged hair. That, ladies and gentlemen, is what we strive for as entrepreneurs having happy customers who keep coming back for more ” because they LOVE it and beLIEVE it can help them.
The bottom line is to get yourself so into it that you will infect other people in your company with your enthusiasm. get everyone involved. And talking about infecting other people with your enthusiasm is sure to have everybody share your goals and objectives for the Business. Everybody working together in a company will have good odds of closing enough sales to meet the considerations you have set for your Business.
If you treat every customer as through they were the most mighty person on earth (and they ARE in that moment), then they tell two friends, and they tell two friends, and so on, and so on, and so on
