how to build your network for life

Building your network for life

Heather TownsendAuthor 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?

From chapter 2 of The FT Guide To Business Networking !

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

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?!

Specific: How is your personal brand helping you be more ‘memorable’?

Reputation

Reputation

Repu

tatio

n ReputationInterests

Knowledge

Behaviours

SkillsImage

Values

Beliefs

Drivers

These are internal !to us and not often

visible to the !outside world !

Our values, !beliefs and !

drivers heavily !influence our !

choices around !these !

What makes up your personal brand? 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!

Reputation

Reputation

Repu

tatio

n Reputation

Knowledge

Skills

How most people turn up

on-line

By only communicating about our skills and professional interests in the on-line world, we struggle to build rapport and engage with prospects, referrers, customers and potential new hires….

But, the online world is the place that many of us via Google and social networking start to build our relationships and find

new jobs and suppliers !

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 !

How are you effectively finding, building and maintaining relationships?

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

From chapter 14 of !The FT Guide To !

Business Networking!

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? !

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 !

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

Get In Touch• heather@heathertownsend.co.uk

• www.linkedin.com/in/heathertownsend

• @heathertowns

• www.joinedupnetworking.com

• www.howtomakepartner.com

• www.venture-now.com