Brenda Eckstein International

Strategy, Leadership, Integral Coaching and Communication consulting

Expand Your Network

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Expand your personal network by improving the quality of relationships within your existing network, and also by adding new contacts in a purposeful manner.

Personal networks are dynamic and constantly changing.  Most people would like to expand their networks and at the same time maintain quality and integrity.  In order to do this, you need to pay attention to all the aspects of building your network.  These include improving your skills, identifying your network, organising and updating the information and sustaining relationships.  On this firm foundation you can then build an even stronger and more effective network.

We often underestimate the value of ‘harnessing the power of collective networking’.  I thank one of my current clients for emphasising this aspect and wording it so well.  A forthcoming blog will provide ideas for symbiotically tapping in to other team-members expertise in networking.

Exercise
How can you improve the quality of existing relationships within your network?

List your top 20 customers.  What action are you going to take in order to sustain each relationship?  Are you going to phone them for a chat, meet with them, entertain them, send them an article of interest, or simply send them a message? 

Set definite goals for each customer and implement the process of building positive relationships.

Which areas of your network need to be improved?  With which categories of people would you like to build relationships?  (For example, people in similar positions in other businesses?)

Take action.  Build strong networks, keep them alive and you will benefit.

Let People Know What Your Needs Are

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In networking, so often we forget to tell others what we need.  For example, if we are looking for a secretary with special skills, we should remember to tell others in our network what you are looking for. At one of my sessions, during an exercise which I conduct, a person mentioned that he needed indigenous plants for a new section of his garden.  The person he was talking to happened to have a friend who was clearing indigenous plants from his garden.  After the session, the ‘middle-man’ introduced the two men to each other.  The giver was pleased that he wouldn’t have to discard his excess plants and that someone could make good use of them.  The recipient was delighted that he could get plants that were difficult to obtain.  The ‘middle-man’ celebrated the success of his ‘networking’ initiative.  All three felt good about the outcome.  What are your needs at present? For example, do you need to buy a second-hand bicycle?  Would you like to know where to take clients for an excellent lunch?  If you are new in town, do you wish to know about networking events? Step 1:  Write down a list of needs - the type that others might help you meet. Step 2:  Next to each, write the name of someone in your network who could possibly give you the information you require, or suggest how you could go about finding it. Step 3:  Take action.  Contact the relevant people.

Ten Tips To Help You Become The ‘Person Of Choice’

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BEI successfully provides training in helping people ‘move up the ladder’.  Apply the ‘Ten tips’ illustrated below in your work and personal lives and you will increase your chances of being ‘the person of choice.’ (These were developed through the consolidation of input from various groups of participants in Brenda Eckstein International workshops.)
  1. Develop your competitive advantage Firstly identify your unique talents.  What are you able to offer that few others can?  Then develop these talents so that you cement a competitive advantage.  See how you can match your competitive advantage with the needs of the other person or the organisation. 
  2. Build positive ongoing relationships We all prefer to deal with people we know and trust. Use your conversation skills to help build positive relationships, and then actively sustain those relationships.  Treat networking as a process and not as a transaction.  Promote yourself, maximise your influence.
  3. Communicate effectively Get your point across effectively by first being sure what you wish to communicate.  Then convey it clearly in the most appropriate, effective and efficient manner. Check that your message has been perceived and understood correctly.
  4. Become an expert listener Become valued as an ‘expert’ listener so that others know they can depend on you to understand and follow through on instructions correctly.  Active listening will help you to process and remember facts and also enable you to be more empathetic.
  5. Be reliable Build up a history of following through on expectations and on your promises by completing all assignments efficiently and effectively.  Consistently meet or exceed people’s expectations of you.  People need to know that they can depend on you.  Make sure your performance is always exemplary.
  6. Exercise professionalism Be professional in all your behaviour.  This includes being punctual, respecting other people, their privacy and their time.  Present a professional image in all your actions and in your appearance.
  7. Recognise and optimise opportunities Actively look for ways in which you can be of assistance to others.  Find areas where you can help solve problems.    Also look for opportunities to pursue activities that you really enjoy or are good at.  Maximise those opportunities.
  8. Be approachable, friendly and yet polite Make sure that people find it easy to approach you to ask for help, or to share ideas.  Be friendly and easy work with.  Be respectful and polite.
  9. Practise honest and ethical behaviour Show that you are a person of integrity and that you can at all times be relied on to actively promote and practise honesty.  Be ethical in all that you do.  Do not tolerate complacency in this area.  Do the right thing.
  10. Be properly informed Have the correct facts ‘at your fingertips’. Consciously make an effort to learn all you can about your job and the functions of all with whom you interact.  Research and learn as much as possible about your product and services, your company, its competitors and the industry.

Use Business Cards As A Source Of Conversation

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More information on personal networking can be found in ‘Networking Tactics:  a guide to achieving success through personal networking ’ and ‘ABCs of Effective Networking:  fifty-two ways to achieve success’.  Brenda Eckstein is the author of these books and presents training programmes, workshops and talks on personal networking. 

Personal networking is a process and not a transaction.  It involves making contacts and building relationships.  Quality conversation is an important part of this process.

Business cards are an excellent source of conversation.   Often, when given a card, the recipient hardly looks at the card before putting it in his (or her) pocket. In doing this, the person has lost an opportunity to engage in quality conversation which could lead to the building of positive relationships.

This is how you use the card as a conversation tool: 

  • Look at how the person’s name is spelled and you can comment on that.  Seeing the name written will help you remember the person’s name.  
  • The business or company name could lead to an interesting conversation on the business and the way it operates.
  • The job title will help you to show interest in what the person does, and also makes it easier to see how this person could fit into your network.
  • The address tells you where the business is situated and can be another ‘hook’ on which to build conversation.
  • The logo has special significance.  Ask questions.
  • Consider how the colours used link to the corporate or business identity.  This provides more information and that is interesting, too.

In addition, showing interest in their business cards impresses people and helps you to remember them.

Next time someone hands you a business card, immediately study it carefully and use aspects of the information to enrich your conversation.  Comment on the details and ask ‘open’ questions.

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Phone:+27 (0)33 342 5432
Fax:+27 (0)86 5188 205
Mobile:+27 (0)82 499 3311
E-mail:brenda@strategy-leadership.com

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