Everyone knows that having a lively and supportive professional network can help you get ahead. However, to build one, you need to know the best way to go about it. It might take some effort, but you will be glad that you took the time to develop relationships that can further your career.
Improve existing relationships
You don’t need to only focus on developing new relationships when building a professional network. You can also choose to improve the connections you already have in your life. This is a great choice if you’re busy and running out of time, but it’s important not to forget about these existing connections either. The more people you know in a wide variety of different social circles, the more likely you are to find a professional match for whatever it is that you’re looking for.
Share your expertise
Another great way to build your professional network is by sharing your expertise. There are plenty of different ways that you can do this, whether it’s through traditional lectures or seminars, blogging on your own website or other people’s blogs, writing an ebook about the subject, recording a video series for YouTube, posting tutorials on sites like QuickTuts+, or going on forums and offering advice. This is a great way to make yourself stand out from others in your field, as well as building a reputation for yourself.
Reach out to clients and co-workers
When you’re looking to build your professional network, it’s important to remember that you need to be proactive. You can’t just sit back and wait for the right people to come along – you need to go out and find them yourself. One way to do this is by reaching out to clients and co-workers who are already established in your field. You can form connections with them through online or in-person networking events or even by visiting conferences where they’re speaking or already attending.
If you’re speaking to clients, consider using a customer communication management system to respond quicker and more efficiently. That way, your clients will continue to be impressed by your service and will be more likely to stay with you. That, in turn, helps your professional network by building a stronger portfolio of people you can rely on for positive testimony.
Stay ahead in your field
Another great idea for building a better professional network is to stay ahead of the curve in your field. One way to do this is through seminars or online courses, where experts in particular fields can share their knowledge with people who are interested in learning from them. Sometimes these experts have been so busy with work that they haven’t had much time to keep up with things like Twitter or blogging, so you can stand out to them by bringing them up to speed on the advantages of these methods.
Use social media
Another way to build your professional network is by using social media. People are increasingly turning to this for everything, so it’s a great place to show off what you know and how good you are at doing the job that you do. However, it can be tough to use these accounts without getting distracted by other tweets or posts. Social media management tools like Hootsuite make it possible for you to schedule your Tweets and Facebook posts ahead of time, so you don’t have to spend any time on this once you’re up and running. This makes it easier than ever to build a better professional network without having to sacrifice precious time.
