Solopreneur Sally was struggling. Despite her increasing awareness of the importance of networking, the demand for always-on connectivity was becoming too much.
First, there was the relentless stream of social content to create and respond to. Then, there were the real-time and on-demand events – lunch-hour webinars, podcast communities, and industry conferences. For a business owner without a marketing budget, these seemed like golden opportunities… until it all started feeling like a big blur.
Sound familiar? As formats and the need for networking evolve faster than ever, salaried and self-led professionals are feeling the pressure.
Plan to succeed in digital-first networking
While personal branding can be the key to professional success, does it make sense to draw a line on when and how you’ll Always Be Branding?
Absolutely. Instead of going all out and getting burnt out, protect your networking aura with just the right amount of “No’s”. But in a world of opportunities, how can you possibly say no to networking?
First, take a breath. Then, make a plan.
7 strategies to win digital-first networking
While you might not be a solopreneur or a business owner, creating a strategic plan to help build your professional network can be an important step forward. Nobody can do it all, but by taking steps to maximize the benefits you’re looking for today can help to keep you moving in the right direction without becoming overwhelmed.
1. Have a goal or two in mind
A digital-first networking environment allows you infinite possibilities. This demands you have a short and long-term networking goal. For instance, as a stealth start-up founder, your immediate networking goal might be finding the right angel investor. Your long-term networking goal may be potential clients.
Similarly, if you are a medical professional, your primary focus might be knowledge sharing. Your long-term goal may be connecting with caregivers serving global, marginal communities.
Knowing why you want to network is important. A deviation from the traditional approach to networking, it allows you to distinguish between casual, social networking and active, high-value networking.
2. Seek relevant interactions
Yes, networking is about meeting new professionals without specific expectations. But when it involves doom scrolling, the rules change. Resist the urge to engage one-on-one with every one of your 11 webinar guests across multiple channels. Instead, aim to forge high-affinity connections. Even if you send/accept networking requests outside of our immediate circle, wait before you interact.
Eventually, you will discover which connections are worth your energy. This isn’t to say those professionals aren’t successful; you both may have little to offer each other during the current phase of your careers. This approach is also effective in getting past a sea of professionals to find your best collaborators, faster.
3. Craft an authentic approach
Think new age networking is easier for everyone, especially introverts? Think again. An offshoot of cancel culture is calling out professionals for their behavior on public networking forums. This new, woke environment demands you to bring the real, authentic you to networking ecosystems. Should you feel compelled to divulge business details or unpopular opinions? Absolutely not.
Only, as always was the case, niceties alone don’t translate into effective networking. On the other hand, speaking truths, offering genuine tips, and introducing relevant folks to one another can help. Unlike the pre-internet days when you could do this sparingly and make it seem a big deal, consistency is your superpower in the digital-first reality. Use it responsibly. At the end of the day, we all want to network with leaders, not self-promoters.
4. Don’t compromise on social (media) etiquette
Shoddy and networking haven’t gone together ever, and for a reason. It breaks down trust, a critical currency. While social media may tempt us to request a connection with Elon Musk and Jack Ma, there is plenty to lose in such pursuits. When we let go of standard networking etiquette, we lose two things – respect and energy.
Be audacious in your networking requests. Not annoying. This isn’t just limited to professionals on social networking platforms. Even when you make new connections at events or meetings, build an acquaintance first.
None of us can see the value in random networking requests from attendees who sat next to us for hours like a log. At the same time, when inundated with requests that don’t make the cut, be polite. Be mindful of the fact that snarky comments or ghosting can be mental health triggers for many folks.
5. Maintain and optimize your network judiciously
It’s only human to ask your network for favors when you’re going through a challenging time or want to scale on opportunities. Do so without being pesky. When you reach out repeatedly to individuals in your network, it can be awkward and energy-zapping for them. It also devalues how they perceive your strengths in the long run. Instead, maintain some elbow room.
Be frequent and modular in putting out what’s on your mind to your network without spamming people. This may be original content, links, event invites, or reposts. This allows professionals to choose when they want to engage with you, and on a subject that interests them.
6. Bring your whole self to the party
A big (long-due) transformation on the networking scene is the embrace of diversity and inclusion. Quit worrying about putting a front when making introductions; even worse, no one has to craft personal anecdotes to be well-accepted into a network. If anything, the reverse is true.
While bias may impact your chances of networking with specific individuals, in most scenarios, you are better off without their support. Remember what we said about seeking relevant interactions? Always know that those who resonate with your purpose will be the strongest pillars of your network. This means owning who you are, including your weaknesses. At the end of the day, the connections that matter most are with those people and communities that really get the real you.
7. Take breaks from networking
Networking is work. Hard work at that. You bring intent to interactions, memorize faces and names, and often, go out of your way to help others. Acknowledging this is half the battle won. While back in the day it came with a calendar and a clock, digital-first networking guilt trips you to be relentless. Resist.
Allow yourself to deprioritize networking every now and then. Put out a little note on your social network and at the end of your email if you must. When you get past the initial FOMO, you can accomplish mindful networking and say goodbye to doom-scrolling fatigue.
Networking not working? Work it out!
The best strategies for authentic professional networking help you to achieve your most important goals while building on your interests and strengths. It can be challenging to put yourself out there in a seemingly vast and complicated professional world — especially in the semi-anonymity of digital platforms — but the benefits are real.
Remember to start with clear priorities and success measures. What are you hoping to achieve and how long are you willing to try to get there? Setting deadlines for yourself to re-evaluate and adjust your strategies can help give you a sense of progress and (hopefully!) accomplishment, too.
As you consider how to succeed in professional networking online, remember what’s worked for you in “real life” as well. Are you someone who benefits from real-time connections or asynchronous check-ins? Do you prefer deeper connections with one or two individual mentors or do you prefer groups? Remember that effective networking for solopreneurs and small business owners is different than for recent graduates or career-changing senior professionals. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, but we’re all better off when we can learn from each other.
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