Networking for Rookies : The A,B,C's

It is no secret that in life, “who you know” matters in both personal and professional betterment. Access to the right “who” for any given situation largely depends on the diversity of one’s network. Most people attribute "networking success" to an outgoing personality, I'd like to challenge that notion because while I have never been described as shy, building a diverse network PHYSICALLY, can be exhausting and often requires a little bravery. Part of the ROI from networking is the sheer opportunity to step outside your comfort zone.

2019 was my heaviest networking year to date having joined the Steering Committee of two professional organizations among other added commitments like focused women's breakfasts, and taking on a High School mentor role through the Financial Women's Association. Even the most social of butterflies can get burned out by “networking” if the gain isn’t measurable. There are, after all, only so many coffee slots in any given week...

How then, can we make sure our valuable networking time yields an “ROI?” After my hefty schedule this year (4 national conferences, 31 networking Happy Hours or Breakfasts, 3 hosted Lunch & Learns, 1 international trade show, and one panel participation later,) I have learned there are three main components to maximizing my networking time.  This is my barometer when it comes to saying "yes" to networking involvement. Behold (insert metaphoric drum-roll here): The A, B, C’s of Achieving Networking ROI.

A-   “Activity isn’t just Physical- Leverage LinkedIn” While social interaction is one of the main reasons for Networking, it is important to note that “activity” counts on social platforms. Especially living in NY, in person meetings can pose logistical challenges and add scheduling complexity. A video meeting, phone call or email can be just as powerful when networking and less intrusive on your time. 

I find that because I enjoy reading in the morning, emailing relevant articles or sharing them with my LinkedIn Network takes little to no effort and speaks volumes about my commitment to a contact, group or topic. There are tools that can make the job easier; I've even automated some of my social activity...shh...don't tell.

At the end of the day, the purpose of “networking” is to nurture your network, the channels used are up to you and if shyness or time-constraints are issues, LinkedIn will be a great friend. As long as a Rookie Networker is weaving in occasional social events or one-on-ones, attending 4 Physical Networking Events a year is a solid beginning. The trick to preparing a successful Networking Program for yourself, is to start with a realistic allotment of time and a purposeful goal. 

I have been asked several times this year how I go about picking my networking events. The ultimate goal is to join a group and get involved in a more meaningful way by becoming a committee member of some kind, but I firmly suggest you should start with LinkedIn to narrow the scope of possible events or groups to check out. Start by typing in a topic of interest to you or of relevance to your profession:

For example, you might have heard about Robotic Process Automation (RPA) but feel silly that you are the only one in the office who can’t explain it. In this case, perhaps you begin by searching “RPA Events NYC” and begin following the groups or individuals who post events about RPA. Hashtags are also great ways to search for relevant new networking opportunities: Type ‘#RPA’ into the Search Field in LinkedIn and you’ll find content, people and companies all associated to the topic. Follow them.

Leveraging Social Media and email to keep in touch with your network and prospecting new contacts with similar interests, is a great way to maximize your reach while staying safely behind your smart phone or laptop. It is a basic baby step and there is tons of content about how to make a great LinkedIn profile.

B-  “Balance your Branding” I didn’t realize the importance of connecting our “real life” to our “social media life” until my current employer hired a Social Media/Content Strategist earlier this year. I fail as a millennial because I didn’t even have an active Twitter account nor did I see the value in matching my written voice and personal blogging, to my business goals and objectives. What a fool I was!

 In my case, writing comes naturally so I began to develop my voice by bravely venturing out on LinkedIn and finding articles posted by people I admired and simply commenting on them. As I built up my gusto, and began to really learn the content to which I was participating in, I developed my social media voice and decided that an authentic, witty tone was the best way to match the real Paula with the Social Media Paula. So how does online branding tie back to networking in real life?

It's simple. By posting articles you hope to connect with people on or events you plan on attending like this Workforce of the Future event I attended, you are essentially ringing a reminder bell to your online network. You are saying that you have interest in that topic, those events or ideas. By implementing a hashtag, you begin grouping the interests into buckets and the process becomes industrialized. After three months of consistently participating on LinkedIn and Twitter, tweaking my external brand along the way, I began to receive InMails inviting me to networking events, Meetups and Webinars where like-minded people would be. 

People began to ask to take a #networkingspotlight selfie with me and before I knew it, it was another piece of the Paula Brand: REALLY awful photos of VERY cool humans (+P)

The effort to find a networking group dissipated and my social media engine began to do the networking for me. Today, I probably find 80% of the networking events I participate in and attend via LinkedIn. It saves me time and is an efficient way to balance your brand without attending every single networking event you google in your area- keep in mind, as you develop your Social Media presence, there are pitfalls to watch for, too.

C- “Consistency is Key” The frequency of your participation both online and in person must be consistent. I suggest your time allotment should be evaluated at the beginning- a good rule of thumb is to consider one event a quarter as a “networking beginner.” The last thing you want is to over-commit then never show up again...

Ultimately, the goal is to increase participation until you are consistently networking once a month (remember this can be online, via webinar or in person.) What this also allows for in your personal branding, is a touchpoint by announcing where you’ll be to your social media network- the networking process again, becomes industrialized like a well-oiled machine. 

Studies show that timing of emails, calls and posts in relationship development is key to building trust with the recipient(s). It helps buyers, peers and colleagues get to know each other in a predictable way -Forbes

Another important component to networking is becoming a consistent fixture within a group so as to be known by key players in the group. This way, should you come across the need for an introduction, interview or even an investment banker- your network might now afford you the proper introductions.

It goes back to the importance of diversification of your network and the consistent brand balancing. Think of networking like a savings account, you have to continue to pad your investment so the day you need to cash in, you have enough for a significant withdrawal. Introductions are not made lightly.

In summary, while these A, B, C’s provide a starting framework for how to approach a balanced networking program, it is also important to comment on what NOT to do. The worst thing one can do is fall prey to what I call “opportunistic networking” aka I need a job NOW. That self-serving agenda can be sniffed out from a mile away, but it’s an easy trap to fall into. When you work a full time job and have been in that role for a long time- it is human nature to become complacent or reallocate networking energy on other priorities. It only takes showing your face once a quarter to avoid appearing opportunistic.

Conversely, the BEST way to approach networking, is to see where you can consistently GIVE to an organization or group within the time constraints your boundaries allow. That’s where you’ll truly realize the ROI of Networking both monetarily and soulfully. I am in sales so it may seem that by default my interest in networking is self-serving. To that I will add another anecdote: my biggest career lead to date came after making an introduction from one General Counsel to a new Investment Banker at an event I was dreading attending...

As I think through these observations, I am smiling to myself knowing that some of the relationships I have developed in 2019 may not be in my pipeline, but they are Paula fans and allies which is as good as gold to me.

At the end of the day, the purpose of networking is simple. It is to connect with common interests in another for the betterment of those around us, so that one day, when the need is ours, there will be a plentiful well to draw from. (And that intro you are after won't be so awkward...)