Cast Your Net and Make That ‘Net’ Work

Are you casting your net wide enough? Although there are plenty of ways to build a network, one of the ways I love to look at it is like fishing. 

Building a network, and hopefully a quality one, can be done in different ways, at in person events, industry conferences, in staff meetings, team building and training days as well as online with LinkedIn and social media.

Much like the many different species of fish and shellfish, I have access to a pool, in this case an ocean, of contacts. I have a net or a rod that we can cast in either a random or specific way. Surfcasting from the beach only gets you so far. If I cast a net or rod at sea, my catch could be greater.  

What bait and lures would I use? How do I approach people I’d like to be in contact with? Where do they hang out? What do I say that will entice them? How do I hook them in?

Then I cast and wait. Patience is required (and not something I am particularly good at) so it is a great time to reflect on the types of people I do and don't want. My net is trawling the ocean, my ocean of contacts. When the time is right, I bring up the net, potentially with a big haul, surveying the catch with loads of different categories of fish, my pool of contacts. 

At this stage I sort through and eliminate anything I don’t want (seaweed, undersized fish, stingrays). For me, they’re often people I meet who only want to sell, sell, sell. They haven’t taken the time to get to know me and have either thrust a business card my way or asked to connect online and then immediately sent me mass and constant sales emails afterwards.

Prioritising who we want to get to know more and engage with further is the next step (desired fish). This is the ‘catch’ moment when we choose to connect further, create synergies and form alliances. Like choosing a favourite or preferred types of fish, we are drawn to people who are good to be around, positive, are cheerleaders, motivators and visionaries. 

Building a quality network, even in business, is about developing core relationships and mutually beneficial partnerships. Getting that combo right does take time but if you invest that time you will have relationships for life. (My business is proof of that. 85% of my clients and associates are now good friends). While some people take great pleasure in receiving, cooking and eating fish (end result), many more enjoy the process of fishing (the journey).