Networking OR 'NET - WORK IN'
Tristan Griffiths
Removing overwhelm from social media, content creation, livestreaming & social audio!
There are very few business owners or marketers that I have met who do not understand the importance of networking and the connections we make both intentionally and serendipitously. However today I want to ask you are you just networking for the sake of networking, or are you focused on a specific outcome and therefore seeing better results?
Whilst many people invest time effort energy and even finance into joining networking groups, attending meetings and even logging onto video conferencing software in order to better connect with those both in their industry and potential customers, I wonder how many people have a very effective outcome to this, based on their approach.
?As with all blogs within this series, this draws upon my own thoughts, musings and insights, and today it dawned on me that with an effective strategy networking produces results, but only after putting the WORK IN!
You could say that you the the result (NET outcome) comes only after putting the WORK IN!?
So the ‘NET WORK IN’ – is the outcomes of the time, effort, energy & finance or ‘work’ you invested into the networking opportunities!!?
If you have ever looked at a payslip you will likely know the difference between GROSS pay and NET figures being the things taken out?before receiving the pay due to you….
‘Gross pay is what employees earn before taxes, benefits and other payroll deductions are withheld from their wages.?The amount remaining after all withholdings are accounted for is net pay or take-home pay.’
I would argue that the NET results that you get from networking, come only after you have put in the time effort, energy and investment, both financially and through relationship building in order to have built enough?TRUST EQUITY?to get those outcomes!?
By now I am sure we have all heard the importance of not pitching and selling when networking, but instead building relationships and looking at a longer term strategy.??
I can speak from experience into the fact that this has proven to be a very effective strategy when networking. However, we shouldn’t only build relationships in order to get the desired outcome, sometimes we will achieve things that we did not even envisage, or could not have imagined would have been presented, simply because we did the right thing!
If you have followed me for any length of time, you will know how much I talk about trust equity, and its importance to any business owner or marketer. If you are new to my content, welcome aboard and let me explain…
TRUST EQUITY IS….
The currency of trust, which can be traded in, or transferred once built up.
For example, if you have built enough?trust equity?with a potential customer or client, they are likely to make the informed decision to do business with you and therefore financially invest in your business or brand. The transfer of?trust equity?comes by way of introductions and referrals, once you have developed relationships where people have enough trust equity in you to feel confident referring your products and services to those closest around them.
Hopefully now you understand it,?trust equity?will be a focus, and driving force within your business or brand, and this will be encompassed in your marketing strategy, relationship building and all aspects of your business throughout your team.
‘Know, like and trust’
...is a phrase that is used all too often when training individuals and team around how to build effective relationships both were networking and when serving customers and clients. But ultimately it is the?trust equity?that really counts, as this is the point at which they are prepared to invest, commit or refer.
I think about your networking journey, and the strategy you have had going into any physical, digital or hybrid networking environment;?
After reading and considering my insights amusing is around this topic, I want nothing more than for you to walk away and directly into another networking, where are you are empowered to make the right choices and take the right action to get a better NET outcome.
Why am I calling this a NET outcome?
Because ultimately you have to put things in, and therefore it cost you in time, effort, energy and possibly finance in order to work towards those outcomes. When you do it right, trust me it will be a lot of fun along the way and you’ll make a lot of new friends and connections as well.
?Never underestimate the people in the room who are not an obvious customer or client, after all you don’t know who they have in their network who may be your absolute ideal customer. Dismissing spending time getting to know them, or understanding a little more about them could be severely detrimental to your business.
Not only because you restrict any access to potential within their network, but believe me when I say other people in the ‘room’ will notice how you treat other people, and it could have the opposite effect to being efficient and effective in moving toward your outcomes.
Ultimately it is important to treat everyone with the same level of compassion, respect and politeness. After all, we don’t know what anyone is going through at any point in time.
领英推荐
As I have spoken about already within this blog series, kindness and compassion are important, as what we see both publicly and in social media, are always applied with heavy filters and people may be struggling below the surface.
#BeKind –?Not because it is fashionable, popular or for any particular outcome other than it is the right thing to do!?
Tristan Griffiths AKA @ImTristanG
You may also have heard the phrase...
'Your network is your net worth'
...another phrase that leans into the importance of those you have invested time connecting with, and building relationships with.
Networking is only as effective as the amount of input you have across the various different types mentioned above, however it can take only small changes to vastly improve the outcome based on the compound effect over a period of time.
Applying an effective networking strategy that you regularly review will ultimately increase and improve the outcome of your NET WORK IN as a result!?
I would love to know what your most effective networking communities and groups are, and what you love most about them?
In summary, remember that the amount of?NET WORK IN?you get when you go?NETWORKING?is down to the time, effort and energy you put into building relationships, developing?trust equity, and ultimately being a pleasant and approachable human being to those around you.?
This does not just apply in person, but also in the digital and hybrid spheres of networking.??
Applying this principle effectively will help to generate you more business leads, introductions, and ultimately affect your bottom line for more than you may have ever thought possible.?
If you are looking for any help around understanding this further, my inbox is open and I would be more than happy to discuss this with you and to help you build a strategy that really delivers for your business or brand.
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If you have thoughts or insights around this topic I would love to hear them down in the comment section, as always I am a strong believer that we can all learn from one another, and this is not a one-way broadcast, but an invite to a conversation around an important topic!
Thanks for taking the time to read?#ImTristanGInsights??
My aim in 2022 is the publish a blog around my thoughts and insights every single day throughout the year.
You’ll be able to find these in ALL these places;?
So as I always say in my live streams, please do connect with me wherever you most like to spend time!?
Thanks again for your time & sharing your thoughts…?
Tristan Griffiths?AKA?#ImTristanG
PREVIOUS 2022 #ImTristanGInsights
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3 年Another really resonant article, Tristan. I really love the concept of netgiving rather than networking. It's especially come in to its own since March 2020 and shines brightly.