Is it too late for New Years Resolutions?  I’ve known for years the importance of networking and building relationships after all I did work in sales for four years.  However, knowing the importance of something and acting on it are two completely different things.

So starting today I’m going to work on networking and building relationships.  I’m the shy type, but I figure as long as I put this down in words I’ll start changing my actions.

Why Networking And Building Relationships Is Important

There are many reasons, but I just want to point out the thoughts that have been bouncing around in my head.

  • I look at the success of Linkin and think about the connections and relationships made there.  Today’s connection can lead to tomorrows job.
  • I see Joint Ventures all the time.  If I don’t build relationships there will never be a joint venture.
  • I’m not a natural when it comes to building relationships, but I do meet people through friends and sports teams.  Recently I’ve come into contact with three contract jobs and some possible volunteer work.  That’s without trying…imagine the kind of work I could get if I set my mind to building relationships.
  • People you trust are more likely to give you work.  This might be a bad example, but I recently heard that a local school district were bidding for a new payroll system.  Unfortunately, they received a system that didn’t cover there needs and required a lot of work to get working properly.  Why did they choose such a poor fit for their new payroll system?  Someone had built an existing relationship with one of the decision makers and made millions on the sale of their payroll system.
  • Another point I’ve noticed and you can ask this of yourself.  Who gets the job?  The best qualified?   From what I’ve seen the best qualified doesn’t usually get the job, but the person who knows or has a relationship with the boss.

I know there are many other important reasons for building relationships, but for some reason the points listed above have been really standing out in my head.  Please feel free to leave comments and let me know what you think and please add to the list.

How I Plan on Networking And Building Relationships

Offline

  • Just be more friendly with people
  • Work on remembering the names of new people I meet.
  • Engage people in conversation
  • Attend more social outings

Online

  • Blogs – Use a commenting strategy to make a connection with key bloggers.
  • Forums – Respond to relevant posts and add to the conversation and make contact with key members.
  • Websites – Make contact with key website owners

This is a great start, but I also know the importance of organizing and tracking the people you meet.  For now, I’m going to test out Zoho CRM and see if that will suit my needs.  After a thorough testing period I’ll add my thoughts on Zoho CRM.

Anyways, this is just another rant and something I was thinking about today.  Let me know what you think and please add to the conversation and start building a relationship today!

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