Professional business networking goes beyond just following people and getting connected to as many people as you can. Business networking is deliberate and when done properly would help you gain access to more experienced executives and professionals in your field and other spheres of life.

The aim of business networking is to help you get support, feedback and advice that would help you shape your career through meaningful relationships you have built over time.

You only network when you need help

One of the biggest mistakes we make is not starting early. A lot of people start networking only when they need something desperately like a job, a recommendation, a verification of some sort or have a specific professional need. You need to be proactive to get this right. Start business networking now when you don’t need help.

You need to build relationships by supporting someone’s opinion or views that align with yours, refer or recommend someone if you can, offer to help if you are capable of doing so, share your values, help someone gain some credibility by verifying them on a skill and much more. Remember, one good turn deserves another. When you sure need help, you won’t have to desperately ask for it, it would be easy.

You avoid people who share your job title

A lot of people assume there is little or nothing new they would learn from another professional in their field. Therefore, they connect only with either higher executives or people in another professional field with the hope that they would learn more valuable lessons that way. While that is great, some of the best ideas usually come from talking with other professionals in your field who share the same daily obstacles as you do.

You’re not prepared for a conversation or a follow up

A lot of people attend seminars, meet new people, get to know their names and end it there. That is poor business networking. When you attend events and meet new people, you should be ready to go beyond the brief introductions of knowing their names. You should be ready to share your views on a subject and start a conversation.

This way you encourage the other person to also share their opinions and there, you have a conversation. Take it a step further and don’t end the conversation at the seminar, do a follow up and check them out on social media to continue the conversation or start new meaningful conversation that would help you grow.

Business Networking Source: https://www.businessmeg.com/business-networking-mistakes-making/