Top 5 Ways to Leverage Your Network
By: Lauren Marsicano
Insta: @networkingmaverick
Top 5 Ways to Leverage Your Network
You collected business cards, nurtured business relationships, joined business networking groups, and followed up with clients and peers. You’ve worked hard to cultivate a diverse network of interesting, well-connected individuals. But what do you do with it?
If you’ve ever been confused about how to make the most of your network, this article is for you.
1. Get Feedback
Ask your network connections and clients what they think you can improve on. Their feedback might sting sometimes, but it is absolutely crucial. By getting feedback from your clients and connections, you’ll be able to determine how to better your business.
2. Crowdsource Advice
Ask your most trusted networking connections about what they would do with your business if they were in your shoes. By doing so, you’ll learn about potential ventures you could explore from people you respect and trust. Keep in mind that your business is ultimately yours, so feel no pressure to take any suggestions–– just take them into consideration.
3. Refer Others
If you refer business to others in your network, they’re more likely to refer business to you. The lead generation, networking, and referrals group, BNI (Business Networking International), ascribes to the principle of “Givers Gain.” Put simply, “Givers Gain” is the idea that the more you give business to others in your network, the more business you will gain from your network.
You can introduce people to each other via email, or make a strategic introduction that would be mutually beneficial among people in your network. Adding a personal touch to the introductions will make it more likely that the people will do business with each other, and they might even refer business to you.
An easier way to refer others is through social media. Sharing another business’s post in your Instagram story or retweeting another business’s tweet is a great and easy way to refer another business to your customer base. Make sure your business’s social media presence is equally sharable–– if you do so, it’s more likely that other businesses will be willing to share your content with their audiences as well.
4. Pay It Forward
If you’re experienced in your field, offer to mentor someone who has less experience. Share your network with them, give them good advice, and be honest. Your act of kindness could inspire immense success in someone else, and they’ll be more likely to refer you over anyone else in your field. Mentoring is a great way to grow your network in a future-looking way.
5. Ask for Help
If you’ve been maintaining a healthy network by frequently offering your assistance to others and you’re struggling with something, ask for help! People love to help out, and someone always knows someone else who has the perfect solution for you, whether that’s a recommendation for an anniversary dinner or an introduction to the client of your dreams. If you don’t ask for help, you’ll never receive any. The value of a network is in how you use it, so make sure you use it!
Recap
To best leverage your network, follow these 5 tips:
Get feedback
Crowdsource Advice
Refer Others
Pay It Forward
Ask for Help
Figuring out how to best tap into the resources your network has to offer can be difficult, so I hope these tips will help you learn to leverage your network with the greatest success.
As always…
Happy Connecting!