Working Your Way into the Right Networks

Have you ever noticed that the people that you would most like to network with are some of the busiest people out there?

They’re busy for a reason. They have power, influence and large-scale responsibilities. As a result, they can provide avenues for opportunity, which is what makes them valuable to network with in the first place.

They’re also busy maintaining their own networks. Influential people receive an endless stream of e-mail, phone calls, social media connections and comments on their blogs -- often to the point where they hire an assistant to screen for them. Consequently, many of the invitations that they receive to network go unanswered. Not because they’re discourteous, but because they’re spending what time they have with the people they already know.

Busy people are unlikely to reply back to you just because you’ve contacted them. That’s why it’s a good idea to set yourself apart from the masses and provide a good reason to receive a response from them when you’re trying to build yourself into their networks.

One way you can do this is to make yourself memorable. Suppose you’re approaching a keynote speaker at an international conference. You shake hands, introduce yourself, make an appreciative comment on the keynote address and pass along your business card. Of all the delegates attending, how many hundreds do you think have done exactly the same thing? Are you likely to be remembered among them?

Make sure you are. Rather than being fawning and complimentary, express genuine interest. Ask a relevant question that you know the speaker will be interested in and engage him or her in a brief discussion. After the conference, follow up. Not with an e-mail, but with a hand-written note inside a blank ‘thank-you’ card. Mention that it would be pleasant to talk further and suggest the possibility of getting together for lunch or a social drink.

Up front, offer your new contact genuine friendship rather than neediness. Yes, this person may be a valuable contact for you, but you must also appear to be a worthwhile contact for them.

After all, networking isn’t only about getting to know the right people. It’s also about getting the right people to know you.