There is no doubt that effective communication and gathering of many new contacts is a good way to benefit you or your business.
However, you are required to re-evaluate those relationships and communications from time to time and update your communication plan.
The importance of review and evaluation
It is essential to review your networking from time to time to ascertain its current value and the future potential it offers.
Regularly assessing your networks ensures that the communications are relevant to your current business situation or career goals.
In such an assessment, be careful not to dismiss important factors while focusing on what is easy to measure.
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Get advice from network contacts
Online communication statistics are an example of this. You may be relieved to have a large number of connections on LinkedIn, hundreds of followers on Twitter, and a lot of friends on Facebook.
But what matters is the quality of the interactions as expressed by the comments and responses to your contributions on these platforms and ultimately the real results that result from them.
It's also important to remember that networks change over time, as do the personal and business goals of you and those you communicate with.
As a result, some relationships become more productive or more beneficial over time than others. It can be difficult to decide which relationships to dedicate your time and resources to.
Analyzing your networking relationships in this way may be awkward at first, but you are determining who values your expertise and who are most valuable to you.
This analysis ensures mutual value creation that supports an effective network. A positive strategic approach allows you to realize the best possible opportunities for your business growth and professional needs.
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How do you benefit from your network?
We conclude this article with the opinions of some people just like you, who are people who are actively interested in networking to help them achieve professional or business goals while helping others.
What advice can they give from their experience and approach to communication:
I think it's about being clear about your networking goals. Who are the people we want to meet? How many people will you need to meet to enable you to achieve your personal and business goals? You have to be positive and look forward to meeting people. Most people are really cool. Sometimes, you may meet people who are not, but they are usually in the minority, not the majority.
I think communication is best viewed as a long-term approach. Pushing yourself to build some great connections the first day you decide to start the networking process, I think, is a pretty tough start. So, as a long-term strategy, think about how to maintain physical contact with these people.
Once you have identified the contacts and shared the relevant details, how will you re-establish a connection later?
My advice is to go ahead without expectations. If it works, that's great. And if it doesn't work, that's great too.
You have to go through the experiment without thinking beforehand and believe that any outcome will be of benefit to you in your future career. And so you can make everything relevant.
As you know, you may be present at a networking event and it comes to your mind that you will gain nothing from it.
But look more deeply. Is there someone you can connect with from a different sector who can give you different opinions and ideas? Is there someone who can give you advice on blogging or anything that might interest you? There is always something useful and interesting.
It's all about what you offer, and how much value you can get out of it. The advice I would give is not to be too urgent with your request. Don't rush, don't lie, and be honest with yourself. Show your true personality and you will succeed.
And what a great piece of advice. Remember that the more networking opportunities you engage with, the more diverse your network will become, but always make sure to stay true to your personal and professional goals.
Make sure you evaluate your network periodically. Maintaining relevant relationships in your network will ensure its effectiveness.
Summary
Ultimately, you are seeking to collaborate with like-minded business and professionals. Be open and honest, share opportunities and learn from others.
Follow these simple steps and soon you will have a successful network that will benefit you in your business or profession.