The Confident Networker: How to network your way to career

and business successHeather Townsend

Author of ‘The FT Guide To Business Networking’‘The Go-To Expert’ and co-author of ‘How to make partner and still have a life’

Credibility x (Visibility + Personal

Brand + Social capital)

What are the ingredients for

success as a networker?

Credibility x (Visibility + Personal

Brand + Social capital)

However, the rise of online

networking has made your personal brand more important than it was 5-10 years ago

Google (and LinkedIn) have

conditioned us to expect that we

can find THE expert to help us with our problem

This means that…

It is no longer about the contents of your little black book…

You have to do more than just get your

name out there

It is also not now about kissing enough frogs

It’s getting very difficult now to keep your personal and professional life completely separate

This means you now need to have different skills and think

differently to generate success via your network

How is YOUR personal brand helping you be more memorable ?

Does your personal brand make you as memorable as a pink car?

Or are you trying to be all things To all people and the equivalent of a silver car?

Values

Beliefs

Drivers

InterestsKnowledge

Behaviours

Skills

Image

Reputation

Reputation

What makes up your personal brand?

These are internal to us and not often

visible to the outside world

Our values, beliefs and

drivers heavily influence our

choices around these

This is driven by others’ perceptions of us, and heavily influenced by

how we choose to externally communicate our behaviours, image,

knowledge, interests and skills

Skills

Reputation

However far too many of us only tell the on-line world about our skills, qualification and knowledge

Decide on your goals

Audit your network and networking activities

Find the right people for your network

Strengthen your relationships

Maintain your relationships

Your 5-step process to building your networking strategy

When you think about your networking activities, think FITTER

Who are your networking ‘A-listers’?

A-listers are people who can help you shortcut your way to your goal – they may be clients, referrers, highly influential people

Remember, to find, build and nurture your relationships. Not just collect contacts.

From chapter 14 of The FT Guide To

Business Networking

Relationships only tend to truly ‘pay out’ when they are at these levels

Visibility: How are you keeping visible to the people who matter in your network?

What is your routine to regularly stay in touch with the people that matter to you?

How to avoid cultural bear traps

Avoid jargon

Check for understanding Don’t assume ‘yes’ means ‘yes’

Eliminate slang or colloquialisms

Observe and adapt

Find topics everyone can relate to

To go into more detail, buy your copy of The FT Guide To Business Networking

Award-winning and best-selling book on

networking. Now on its 2nd edition and been translated into 5 different languages.

1st edition has over 110 5-star views on Amazon

Available from Amazon and all good book stores

Get In Touch• heather@heathertownsend.co.uk

• www.linkedin.com/in/heathertownsend

• @heathertowns

• www.gotoexpert.co.uk

• www.howtomakepartner.co.uk