Three Stages in Building a Professional Network

Regardless of how professional and technically talented you are – networking is the fuel to entrepreneurial success. In addition to new learnings, networking will help you understand more about your authority. This is very important if you really want to rule. Many a time, the sound of a network can remind you of bad experiences and moments. A good percentage doesn’t know where to begin. Building genuine relationships has so much art and science behind it.

In this post, let’s understand more about the stages of building a strong network.

Stage One

Even before you consider networking, you need to get rid of the terms “work” and “tiresome” from your life. Approaching a dozen people on behalf of your business is not easy. You need to put on a happy face. The best results of networking are seen only when you are honest. This is so much more than exchanging business information. Regardless of whom you are trying to contact, you need to consider them as a friend. Don’t think of them as business partners or rivals. They need to become dearer, and important. Keep the conversations light, and healthy. This way, the relationship will last for a longer period of time.

Stage Two

The next phase is all about identifying your destination. Engaging in tasks for the sake of completing them will never be useful. Remember the old analog: A fully gassed car without a destination? It is important for you to identify a goal, and prepare for it. Your final destination must be a working protocol towards the goal. In this process, you need to incorporate networking. Everything about this process has to be documented. For example, keep an account of the people you meet, your discussions, and outcomes. By the end of the day, you will be fascinated to see how deep your networking abilities are.

Stage three

Networking is never a short-term process. Instead, your contacts need to be maintained for years, if not decades. This is how businesses and entrepreneurs grow. A good network can push you forward, and enlighten you to go beyond norms. Yet, you cannot plan ahead of time without firm goals. To resolve this issue, talk to mentors who have years of experience. Once again, this is a test of your networking abilities. When you engage in discussions with mentors, you will be able to draw a map – and a pretty good one.