1. Start a network
If you must grow a network, first, get involved. It is not enough to think about it, all you need to do is get started. To become influential at anything, you’ve got to dig for information. You may start by reading any and everything you can lay your hands on out there. Next is to commence networking with people in the niche you have chosen. You become ardent at it by writing about it, speaking about it, attending events on it and gradually becoming the voice of the expertise in the niche. The network grows from there.
2. Become active on Social Media
These days, nearly everyone is on social media. These media provide simple platforms for 24/7 social interactions with people around the world. Now, that’s great for networking! With social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest, it is easy for you to reach many people beyond the natural niche of your products/services. With the ease of sharing photos and information on these platforms, building a network can occur real quickly.
3. Volunteer to serve
This is one easy way to get noticed by others. By volunteering some hours of your time to serve an organization working on a cause you really care about, you get to work closely with other people with whom you can form a network. Working with others as volunteers provides you a very valuable opportunity to meet people who care about similar things but most likely work in different industries. Great opportunity to grow a network develops from there.
4. Connect with an experienced networker
Experienced networkers always have traits you can benefit from. It pays therefore to seek them out in a crowd and make their acquaintance. If in a gathering you do join in a conversation with such persons, other people may naturally be drawn into such conversations. One great way to gain valuable knowledge, meet new people and build a network thereafter.
5. Join a business organization
When you join a business organization, you can easily build relationships and networks. With business groups like Rotary International, YMCA and many others which regularly bring together business leaders from diverse markets, you get to meet many vibrant people with a lot of ideas suitable for a network. Meeting with them regularly helps to grow the network pretty quickly.
6. Use alumni networks
Many successful business leaders attest to the fact that old school Alumni chapters are a great way to stay connected and network outside your own company and niche. Because these chapters often include graduates from different majors, they provide the forums to have fun and to learn from people you don't normally interact with. It is one great way to meet new people and to build valuable networks.
7. Consult Venture Capitalists
Venture Capitalists are always business persons who are very familiar with the business environment they operate in. For that reason, consulting them for information about the business environment is a very smart thing to do. Many of them always have a wide portfolio of companies they work with. As such, they can at will connect you with entrepreneurs at different companies and ventures who you might not otherwise meet. Now that’s really great for building a network!
8. Host events
If you want to grow a network quickly, it is smart to occasionally host events rather than attend other events always. By inviting more people outside the niche of your industry to your events, you get the opportunity to meet, talk to and interact with such people. As the host of an event, you and your space are natural focal points for your guests. That attention provides the leverage for you to get to know them very well. A network naturally grows from there.
