We have so many opportunities to engage with our networks given the technology we use today. There’s a lot we can do, but how much are we really doing? Without a strategy and plan around how to engage with your networks, you’re going to miss a lot of opportunities. Your strategy could include substantial engagement via multiple channels and platforms, or it could be as simple as calling or connecting with two people a day. As long as there is a plan it doesn’t matter.
Unfortunately most of us don’t have a plan, instead we rely on ‘hope and luck’. Conversations equal opportunities. If you’re not creating conversations with people in a sustained way, you’re not creating opportunities in your network.
It’s essential that the people in your networks are finding you referrals, are creating new and greater levels of exposure, are opening doors for you, and are filling your leads bucket and are effectively operating as a walking billboard for you. That can’t happen unless you are creating conversations, hence the need to put a strategic plan in place.
Whether you have a good network or not, the fact is you have one. It’s now essential to develop a plan to grow it with the right sort of people. By this I mean those who have the ability to buy from you, partner with you and work collaboratively to open doors – 90% of a good network should be made up of people who buy from us, partner with us, and open doors for us, with 10% being made up of our support network. Use this ratio to determine if your network consist of the right people.
Once the right people are in place, the next step is to engage them. You have to create conversations. Reach out, hello. It’s not difficult. If you have a PA, have that person make the initial contact and send out those emails and messages. It’s important not to rely on others to reach out and create conversations with you. They don’t know how to. They don’t even know they should be doing it. It’s 100% up to you.
When you are reaching out, it’s critical to use the right tone and language. When the messaging is correct, the results are far more rapid and you will create plenty of opportunities.
In summary, it’s simply about looking at your network to determine if it’s made up of the right people, and then engaging with them in a structured way.