Connect, Collaborate, Succeed: Elevate Your Career Through Networking

Can one meaningful connection change the trajectory of your career? Ever wondered why successful professionals swear by networking? Curious about the untapped opportunities waiting for you just a handshake away?

In a world driven by connections and opportunities, networking emerges as the key to unlocking doors that lead to success. Coffee chats and networking events have helped me build fruitful and meaningful connections with people in the realm of marketing.?

The Digital Marketing Seminar Series at George Brown College has helped me and my classmates to be introduced to a few amazing marketers in Canada.

Having been steadfast in aspiring to be a Brand Manager, our seminar with Jennifer Stoll , VP of Strategy, Valtech ,?has enabled me to develop the curiosity for a role as a Digital Strategist.?

My takeaways from our conversation?

Well in today's competitive landscape, successful marketing plans require four key practices: crafting engaging communication plans with relatable messaging, incorporating a mix of digital and physical touchpoints, fostering collaboration with diverse stakeholders, and adopting a structured approach. By implementing these practices, marketing strategies can drive success, effectively engage the audience, and achieve desired outcomes.

What are the various means of networking??

There are various ways that you can build your network.

Let me walk you through the Top 3 channels I use to network with people and give you some tips that have personally worked for me, to broaden my knowledge on marketing and being referred for roles. I hope and believe these could help you too.?

LINKEDIN:

It all starts here! (for me)

The steps I take.

- Take up a particular industry such as IT, FMCG, Banking, Finance, etc

- Search for companies in that particular industry

- Take one company at a time

- Search for people in the roles that I am interested in on LinkedIn . For example marketing

- Filter people at the mid-senior level

- Send them a request with a very catchy InMail Message?

- Once you get a response from say 3/10 People, thank those 3 people for accepting your request

- Remember people love talking about themselves

- Set up an informational interview and have 10 questions prepared to know about their experience and roles. But the catch is to ask only 7 questions out of 10. Give the person a brief background about you and express your interest in the role they are currently in.

- use the other 3 questions at 3 different time intervals to follow up to keep the conversation going after the 1st meeting

- Actively look for job openings that fit your interest, experience, and skillset.?

- Do not hesitate to ask for a referral and the next thing you know is when they are either willing to refer you or connect you with someone who could help you out.

Networking events:

To be in a room full of people in your field of interest is nothing short of a gold mine.

I recently attended the event organized by Canadian Marketing Association in collaboration with the SMCC - Sponsorship Marketing Council Canada , summer social event.

Here are the steps you can follow to network with people:

- Read the room and be ready with your phone and use Mr. Google & Ms. LinkedIn effectively

- Have a look around and be able to read people's nametags, and quickly look them up on LinkedIn to understand their role and the company they work for.

- Remember again, people love talking about themselves. Go up to them, introduce yourself, and ask what their role at XXX company entails.

- Give them a reason why you are fascinated by what they do ( be quick on your feet)

- Showcase one strong skill about you that you do the best and tell them why you should be the one to connect with for them to ease their job and how you can be a resource to help drive growth at their company.

- Connect with them on Linkedin and take the conversation ahead from there on.

Cold emailing:

Remember, professionals are consistently looking for ways to rectify workflow discrepancies, achieve their tasks, and drive business growth.?

Cold emailing can help and here are the steps you can use.

Take up a particular industry such as IT, FMCG, Banking, Finance, etc

- Search for companies in that particular industry

- Take one company at a time

- Search for people in the roles that I am interested in eg: Marketing

- Pick out people in mid-senior level

- Use Chrome extensions like Apollo.io to get their work email

- Go through the company profile, products, and services. based on your knowledge, skillset, and relevant research build a case study on how you have a?distinct strategy to help them build and drive positive business growth

- write a catchy subject line: Here are my top 3 ideas to help XXX increase revenue- Clive Emmanuel

- Give them a brief introduction about you and your background and tell them you have come up with a case study to help XXX and request a convenient time to connect with them.

- set up the call and walk them through your findings?

This will help you build a strong relationship with them and showcase your interest, knowledge, and skills.

In conclusion, networking is a powerful tool that can open doors to new opportunities and propel your career forward. Whether it's through LinkedIn, networking events, or cold emailing, building meaningful connections with others in your field can lead to fruitful collaborations, job referrals, and valuable insights. Embrace the art of networking, and you'll find yourself surrounded by a supportive community of professionals who share your passion and drive. So, take the first step, attend that event, send that email, or connect with that inspiring individual on LinkedIn. You never know how one meaningful connection can change the trajectory of your career. Happy networking!