Make A List
A great way to energize your career is to make contact with the key people in your professional network.
Take time to review you contact database and identify the 15 people who are both influential and would immediately take a meeting with you. Look for people who could be good referral sources for both short-term and long term opportunities, and those that are proven to be mutually beneficial friends.
The next step is to email or call them to set up a meeting. Offer to take them to breakfast (or coffee), lunch, or just to stop by their office. Try to set all of these appointments over the next two weeks.
When you meet with these people be honest that you need a boost in your career. Clearly let them know what kinds of opportunities you are looking for, be it advice, sales leads, introductions to new contacts, or job opportunities. If people do not fully understand how they can help you, they will be limited in the value they can provide. It is your responsibility to tell them what you need.
Remember, a real network of professional contacts in not just about you and your desires. Be sure that you also ask the people whom you meet with what you can do for them. Inquire about their business and have them explain about what type of person is their ideal client. Ask them what challenges they face over the next few months. Listen closely and be sure to invest some time over the following days to discover if you have any connections that can benefit the other person and boost their career.
Giving someone a business lead is wonderful, but remember that it is NOT the only way that you can impact their world.
If you only show up on their radar when you need help, then you will be seen as a taker. A taker can only go to the well so many times before they are cut off. However, if you can find ways to assist others then they will enthusiastically return the favor.
You will find after you meet with all 15 of your key contacts that you will be both fired up, and flush with new opportunities and perspective.
Have A Great Day.
thom
1 comment:
Thom,
Excellent idea. I hope your next suggestion is to take a couple weeks to catch up with all the ideas, referrals, and information that will be generated from these meetings.
If these are truly your key people, they will have referrals they haven't given you yet, terrific ideas for building your business more, and questions you'll need to research to answer.
I find that when I get together with people like this, they always have something to contribute, simply because I gave them "permission" to go for it!
Thanks,
Beth
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