Over the past couple of years, we have been observing hundreds of young entrepreneurs making their way through what we call the leadership transition or the turning point where they take sincere charge of their personal and professional growth. In the process, the biggest shift arrives when they actively start networking and creating a fabric of contacts who will provide support, feedback, insight, resources, and information with every step of their way. Whether you exchange cards at a conclave or connect over social media, the initial hesitation and discomfort are understandable as you want that interaction to be nothing less than perfect.
However, what we must understand and acknowledge is that exchanges and interactions with a diverse array of current and potential prospects are not distractions from your “real work”, but are actually a necessary ingredient for your start up’s success.
Networking in times of pandemic has shifted its means and platforms to a great extent and while we are anticipating greater changes with the advancement of virtual environments like Metaverse, there are countless measures you must take to connect, interact, and build the right relationship with your professional contacts.
1. Understand and reimagine networking
Many start-up owners pride themselves on their ability to observe and stand outside of social conventions as just like their career path, their choices are often individualistic. A lot of them show their disdain towards networking and believe that it is rather unnecessary for their success, and their work shall eventually speak for themselves. However, what they must acknowledge is that stakeholders are more inclined towards superior products that they can attach friendly faces to. All that you need to do is reimagine networking as a way of making interesting friends for the long-term who trust your efforts and vouch for your success.
2. Look for people you truly respect.
In addition to qualms about the process of networking, many entrepreneurs are skeptical about the people involved. You certainly do not have to be a make-shift salesman who is exchanging his business cards with everybody he interacts with at a networking event. A smarter way is to create a “wishlist” of sorts, that clarifies who these people are. A company chief, a thought leader, a field veteran – define clear goals of your business model and look for specific contacts that help you achieve those, one step at a time. Most importantly, it gives you the opportunity to be excited about networking, because the payoff is meeting interesting people who may add value and help you set a course of action moving forward.
3. Analyze your circle before you network
If you live in a large city like Mumbai, sky is the limit when it comes to networking opportunities. However, you must segment your business contacts into circles or groups of people that can be approached in different ways. Of course, the warm and friendly manner in which you communicate with your teammates, cannot be maintained for a potential investor. With targeted communication strategies, you will find ways to build a strong business relationship with your existing stakeholders and effectively approach new, potential prospects. Along with this, identify one or two key conferences per year and concentrate your networking meetings aggressively during that period. To elaborate further, every entrepreneur needs to engage into three elaborate segments of networking –
- Operational
- Personal, and
- Strategic
You can know more about these with a quick internet search and determine your platforms and touch points accordingly.
All in all, other than garnering investors, savvy entrepreneurs must reach out to kindred personas outside of their organizations from time to time and multiply their knowledge. Remember, fruitful interactions with industry leaders are always a lot more valuable than an average self-help book for your character and charisma. Success comes to those who borrow strengths from their connections and focus on building empowering relationships. Ensure that at the heart of your networking strategies are your business ambitious goals and while you are at it, we hope that these pointers assist you to strengthen, enhance and leverage your networks from time to time.