Networking for Business

Job Search Tool

Anybody who has ever tried to get a job through the online boards will know that it is a frustrating and thankless task. I was pointed to Indeed.com the other day which seems to be the best solution to the problem.

The Cheater's Guide

For those of you who use LinkedIn here is a pretty complete guide on how to make it work a little harder for you. It's called the LinkedIn Cheater's Guide.

The Power of The Note

Without doubt the best way to cut through the mail clutter and get someone's attention is to send them a hand written note. Once you have a good idea of who your A and B contacts [what's this?] are then begin to contact every person on the A and B list with a hand written note.

Here are some common variations and themes:

“Thank you for your business”

“I’d like to ask for your help”

“I recently changed focus and I’d like to have coffee with you to chat you and ask your advice”

Writing a hand-written note is not something you have to do every week or month but use it to get your contacts attention for special announcements or offers. If you have a big contact list then get your employees, friends, family or interns to help write the letters.

I also recommend a regular stamp. Don't be tempted to have them automatically printed on at the print shop.

Networking 101

The first thing you must do before starting to network is get your contact list in order. Ultimately, networking is all about mining an existing database of contacts and clients by continuously providing value and opportunities for referrals. It is essential to follow these steps in order and build a system that will support these activities.

Using your current database divide your list into 4 categories:

A List: Those clients that will always refer you to others and need little or no encouragement

B List: Those clients that would refer you if asked or prompted

C List: Those new or existing clients that will need more information or time to become A or B List clients.

D List: Delete these because they are a waste of time or are “jerks”. These people never refer you to others and are generally a liability to your company.

The Age of Networking

Without doubt networking has come of age. The huge surge in social and business networking websites is just the tip of the iceberg. On the other end of the scale is the increasingly cluttered advertising space which is driving B2B and B2C purchase decisions further towards trusted networks and word-of-mouth. Combine these trends with the fact that most jobs are found through networking and people are holding jobs for ever decreasing periods before moving on. Clearly, there has never been a better time to be investing in your network and in your social capital.

In order to make it truely work, you need to make it a habitual part of your life. As Tom Peters says, "You have to develop a Rolodex obsession, building and deliberately managing an ever-growing network of professional contacts."