A Practical 10 Step Guide To Networking
When I first started networking⌠I hated it. I had no idea what I was doing. I felt like an imposter. Part of that was just my natural introversion, but part of it was just not understanding the practical ins and outs of the practice.
So in the interest of helping you avoid that learning curve, here is how I would start if I had to start again from zero.
This is a practical guide, but one piece of mindset advice: the whole point is to build trust and build relationships. This isnât a game or a mechanical process - youâre talking to real people and building a real reputation. So be yourself! Be nice! And donât stress⌠if you have that mindset, itâs really hard to screw this up.
1. Set a goal, or donât
Are you enthusiastic about this idea? Then let that enthusiasm carry you. Donât set rigid â5 calls a weekâ goals yet. Donât systematize it. Just do it.
Are you⌠less than enthusiastic about this idea? Then set a goal. 1 call a week is a great place to start.
2. Make a list
Make a list of all the people in your personal and professional life who you think are already part of your network. Your close friends donât count, nor do your current coworkers. Former colleagues, acquaintences, people you met at events, even people youâve never met in real life but have had some touchpoint with virtually.
If you have an active-ish LinkedIn, go through your connections to make this process easier.
Put all the names in a spreadsheet, and then pick five people you want to start with. Just go with your gut here, it doesnât really matter. People you think you could have a pleasant conversation with.
3. Start with video
Unless youâre an extrovert who likes going out to events, I wouldnât recommend starting this way. Itâs much harder to learn the skill of networking when youâre nervous about how you look. You canât have a good conversation if you donât know what to do with your hands.
Start with video calls. You can control your environment. It doesnât matter if you forget to put on deoderant.
4. Have a âscriptâ
You should know your answser in advance to questions like âwhat do you doâ or âtell me about yourself.â
It shouldnât be a long-winded info-dump or a snappy sales pitch. Just natural answers to those kinds of questions that you donât need to think about in the moment.
- What do you do?
- Tell me about yourself
- What kind of opportunities are you looking for?
- Is there anything I can do for you?
You will notice yourself answering the same questions over and over - just have an answer in advance!
This is the basis of authentic personal branding.
5. Record your calls
Get Fathom or some other call transcription service and have it join your calls. Very few people mind, and itâs enlightening watching yourself talk. Youâll pick up on verbal habits, mannerisms, and other aspects of your own conversational ability that you can either lean into or correct.
6. Only ask questions
You shouldnât have an agenda. Youâre not trying to get a job or make a sale. Youâre not pitching yourself.
People love when other people listen to them. The best way to make a good impression is to not talk at all - just ask questions.
Eventually the other person will ask you something⌠go ahead and answer, but turn the conversation back to them as soon as you can. The person asking questions is the one guiding the conversation, and part of the skill of networking is guiding conversations. So practice it, and make a good impression at the same time.
7. Ask for intros
Okay, so you do have an agenda, but itâs not nefarious.
You should always end the call by asking for an intro to one or two other people who might be interesting for you to talk to.
People love connecting people. Iâve never not had someone agree to this, and itâs by far the best way to start the networking snowball rolling down the hill.
8. Help people
Try to find ways to help every person you talk to. Maybe you can solve a technical problem for them. Maybe you can point them in the right direction for information or connect them with someone else who might be able to help them more.
You can almost always find a way to help⌠and thatâs the whole point here. Build trust, build relationships. The best way you can do that is by helping.
9. Follow up
The day after your conversation, send an email or a DM to the person you talked to. Just say you appreciated the conversation and would love to stay in touch.
Two or three months after that, send another email or DM to check in and see how theyâre doing. You can set up another chat if you want - however, this is where selectivity comes in. You canât follow up with everyone you talk to, otherwise your calendar will explode. But if you meet someone you got along really well with, or someone who seems likely to have opportunities for you, make an effort to connect on a somewhat regular basis.
10. Set a goal
Once youâve gotten the hang of this process, itâs time to systematize it and set a goal. I like 5 calls per week. Itâs very achievable, it only takes 2.5 hours a week, and it grows your network at a solid clip without overwhelming you.
You can set a different goal⌠1 or 10 or 30. Depends how much time you have and what your goals are. Just make sure you remember that the whole point is to build trust and build relationships, so donât sacrifice quality for quantity.
Thatâs it! Thatâs how you start networking. Itâs not actually hard to do - itâs just hard to start. So start! If you want help, sign up for the newsletter and send me an email. Iâm happy to be your first networking call.