How deep is your network?
Marjan A. Manzil and Dr. Ivan R. Misner
You have a lot of contacts, but how well do you really know them?
Strengthen the relationships you already have and you’ll grow a strong
network you can always depend on.
Recently someone we barely knew contacted us and asked if we would
promote his business within our networking organisation. We considered
this person a business associate, but definitely not someone we knew
very well.
That request made us think about how many people assume that if
they’ve met you, they can ask for something that only a close associate
would be willing to do so.
Master networkers know that having a good contact doesn’t necessarily
make someone a good connection. Having run an international networking
organisation for more than two decades, one of the most important things
we have learned is that it’s not “what you know”, or even “who you
know”. It’s “how well you know them” that really counts in building a
powerful personal network.
This means your network must not only be broad, it must also be deep.
Unfortunately, we believe most people focus on the broad aspect more
than the deep aspect. In other words, they concentrate on making more
and more contacts hoping to find that one special person who’ll solve
their business needs this month.
When developing a reliable and effective network, it’s very important
to keep depth in mind as much as breadth! What do we mean by this? When
you need to rely on others to help you out (promote your programme to
their client base or cross market your products), it’s critical that
you’ve done the work of strengthening your connections well in advance
of your need.
When you’re considering asking someone in your personal network for a
favour, ask yourself if they’re a ‘contact’ or a ‘connection’. In this
context, a contact is someone you know, but with whom you haven’t fully
established a strong relationship.
On the other hand, a connection is someone who knows you and trusts
you because you’ve taken the time to establish credibility with them.
Unrealistic expectations of your network come from trying to ‘use’
your network for support that your contacts might not feel you deserve,
or feel they have no obligation to provide. You really do have to earn
the loyalty and engagement of your referral sources. You want your
network to have very deep roots.
Huge, tall and lush eucalyptus trees that topple over fairly easily
in heavy winds almost every year. When they’re uprooted and blown over
by the wind, you can see that their root system is broad and wide, but
not very deep at all. Don’t let this happen to you! The following are
some tangible ways to deepen the roots of your network:
Build quality relationships
Take the time necessary to deepen the relationships between you and
your referral sources. We’re all so driven and pressed for time; but in
order to deepen your networking relationship, you must make the time to
go beyond the normal business interactions with those from whom you want
to be able to ask for support. Invite them to appropriate social
functions, backyard barbecues and sporting events.
Get to know these key people outside of the business environment
whenever possible. The more of a friendship you can count between you,
the more expectations you can both have from each other’s networking
efforts.
There are the tried-and-true places to network, such as referral
groups (BNI), networking mixers, social events and online networks. We
talk about several different types of networks that you should consider
in our article, “Want to join a networking group?”
Remember, however, that it’s not enough to just show up; you must
establish credibility with people before you can expect them to help you
in some way. When someone tries to hurry the process, they tend to hurt
relationships not build their business.
This is perhaps the most powerful technique for deepening and
widening your networks. When building a deep network, do the things you
can, to bring business and contacts to your networking partners.
Share pertinent information with them and invite them to business
meetings that’ll position them favourably with others they need to get
to know. Keep in mind that you want to get to the point where your
networking partners know you always have something to give them.
In short, do what it takes to ‘earn’ the help you might need to ask
for down the road. It’s no wonder the most effective and powerful
networking entrepreneurs live by the philosophy that ‘givers gain’.
I hope you’re seeing a trend in each of these points. When deepening
your network, you want to focus on giving to your referral sources. It’s
that tried-and-true analogy of farming versus hunting when building a
business through word of mouth.
Give your time, give your knowledge, and give what your referral
sources need to succeed. As you develop stronger networking skills, it’s
better to put on the farmer’s overalls and cultivate the connections you
need to be able to call in support for programs and products you want to
promote.
We all know the best time to plant an oak tree was 25 years ago;
however, the next best time is right now! It’s never too late to change
your focus and develop business relationships with very deep roots as
well as far-reaching breadth. |