How to Make the Most of Networking

How to Make the Most of Networking For most of us, networking isnt our favorite thing. Its more of a must do than a want to. Networking is boring and can be absolutely terrifying. Meeting strangers at stuffy events where you wish a cocktail or three could be downed isnt exactly fun.The problem is networking is an absolute must in todays business world. You have to network to get ahead in todays business climate. If you cannot build a network, you cannot achieve your highest possible level of success.  Luckily, networking isnt just business cards and small talk these days. Things like LinkedIn profile development and more social media sites play a huge role. So heres how to make the most of your  networking efforts: It Goes Both Ways When youre flexing your networking  muscles, make sure to remember that it goes both ways. You need to introduce yourself, talk about your company and more. So does the individual youre speaking with. Make sure you give the other person time to explain their business and what they do. Nobody likes a selfish networker.   Get Your Mingle On Instead of networking at stuffy events filled with equally stuffy people, try combining this mandatory activity with things you actually like doing. Join a yoga or cooking class. Find a professionals golf group. Get on Groupon and see if anything strikes your fancy. Everyone is a potential client, and everyone is easier to talk to in a social situation. Networking isnt all about your LinkedIn profiles and email signature.   Find Your Focus You cant network and build a relationship with every single person you know right now. Its mentally, physically, and emotionally impossible. So when deciding who to reach out to, think about who you could help and who could help you. Think back to your past about people who have built an extensive network and could possibly offer an important introduction.   Smooth Talking to Second Not base! Get your mind off all that. Were talking about securing a second meeting with a potentially  valuable asset to your network. As you work the room at a networking event and meet someone who could be valuable to you, work to build a connection with the individual and then suggest a second meeting before getting contact information. Stay Socializing   Networking in person is great. Keeping your executive bio on hand is important. However, times have changed. These days focusing on LinkedIn profile development may be more important than any of the other factors on this list. There are more movers and shakers on LinkedIn than youll ever find at a networking event.  Just remember: when making connections on LinkedIn, you need to build relationships online and then take them offline, if possible.  One face-to-face meeting with an influencer from the best business social media site could mean more to your career than you could ever imagine.