In business, your network is one of your most valuable assets. It can open doors to new opportunities, provide mentorship, foster learning, and even help grow your client base through referrals. But it’s not just about collecting contacts; the key is maintaining strong, meaningful relationships over time. How good are you at this skill? Do you think about your approach? Do you allocate regular time to it? The more senior you get, the important you realise this is.
Why Your Network Matters
- Opportunities: Many business opportunities come through relationships, not cold calls. You want to be there when they appear so keep in regular touch with your network.
- Knowledge Sharing: A diverse network gives you access to fresh insights and expertise.
- Referrals: Strong connections can lead to client referrals and partnerships.
- Support: Your network can offer emotional and practical support in tough times.
Tips to Stay Connected
- Provide Value First: Share useful content, offer help, or make introductions regularly to strengthen your relationships. What can you give? I can now offer a lot more than when I started in business, whether that is an introduction to a new client, an invitation to a great event or advice or guidance to make me a person of value and usefulness to a contact.
- Use Social Media Thoughtfully: Stay engaged by interacting with your network’s posts, sharing relevant articles, and celebrating their wins. When you post something, having your network like, comment or reshare is hugely important and shows they value you. I am not expecting everyone to like every post but if they are frequently liking other people’s and not yours, it might signify an issue.
- Host or Attend Events: Virtual coffee chats or webinars help deepen connections but to make proper impact, special events. Lunches, dinners, or unique events. Give them a chance to shine and be the centre of attention too, and they will value you highly for the opportunity.
- Be Consistent: Regular check-ins, even just once a quarter, keep your relationships alive and for important contacts, weekly, monthly or bimonthly are critical. It can be sending an article, sharing a joke or inviting to an event.
- Personalise Interactions: Tailor your messages to show genuine interest in your contacts’ lives and successes. In the world of frequent outbound messages from email systems, it’s refreshing to get an authentic message and if you really value your network, keep things as personal as possible.
Building a network is important, but keeping it thriving is vital to your success. By staying engaged and offering value, personalising the approach and having some fun with them along the way, you’ll ensure your network remains a source of growth and opportunity for years to come.
I recently gave a talk to a room full of young professionals from leading real estate agency Knight Frank. They knew the importance of the topic but welcomed tips and suggestions to improve in this area. If you are highly skilled at this subject, be open to sharing and teaching others. You never know what might happen as a result.