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Look and Act the Part

It is one thing to know how to networking, it is quite another to put yourself in the versed of networking. What is meant here is that you need to look and act the part. Now this is an intuitive statement when it comes to in person networking but for some reason some of this common sense elapses when networking is done through technology.

LOOKS

When attending and even make sure you are appropriately dressed. Dress to impress as the saying goes. But make sure it is appropriate for the event you are attending. You don’t show up in a full blown suite when it is business casual, however that is not to day being a little better dressed than everyone else is a bad thing. Just know what you are getting into before you get into it.

A good rule to follow is if it has a collar, does not have extra pockets, and is not denim it is probably ok.

The same rules of professionalism apply for the online forum. Just because you have the ability to post any picture you want, that does not mean you should. Refrain from posting those less than professional pictures. Everyone has those beach day pictures and the ones from the great party, but they are probably not the image you want to convey to a potential contact or potential employer. And to say you can take them down when you get serious about networking doesn’t work, remember it is the internet and a copy of everything is out there somewhere.

The best policy is to always be professional. A good rule is to not put up any picture you wouldn’t mind reliving at a professional event. But you can take it one step further. There are a variety of web based picture editing services, like PicWash.com, that will edit your photos in any way you want. In fact for those sites you maintain that are meant to be strictly professional portrails of yourself we recommend that you have a professional head shot. These web services can do everything from fix a blemish, add clothing, and even change the background of the picture.

Of the numerous service PicWash is the best, but there are others like fotofix. Whatever service you use it is a good idea to have a professional photo on hand and using PicWash is cheeper than going to photographer. And once you have it you can use it online with any one of the websites you maintain or offline in a resume packet.

BEHAVIOR

Now that you look the part you must act it as well. Most people realize that profanity, belching, and other inapropriate behaviors cannot happen in professional settings. Less obvious, but still in the realm of common sense, are behaviors like excessive drinking and offensive jokes. However there are a few things that are seemingly ok but you as a successful networker probably want to stay away from. While talking about religion and politics, whether local or worldly, can make for an interesting conversation it is not the best approach when you are trying to network with a person or a group of people.

Talk about what you want and go where the conversation takes you, but make sure you keep one thing in mind. Treat each networking encounter like a job interview, because that is what it is. Whether you are looking to do business someone, add them to your network, or actually get a job from them they have to be comfortable with you. The best to get a person comfortable with you is to relate to them, let them see themselves in you. By leading a conversation with a controversial topic makes it harder to relate.

These are important factors of networking, both online and offline. Just because you get behind a keyboard does not mean you can be any less professional or you can start to less than professional conversations in a public forum.

The word is collaborate

The word for this week is collaborate. Listen in as Steve Gonzalez gives insight into why collaboration is important, and why you need to do it. Think about it this way, do what you do best and let someone do what they do best. Together anything is possible. 

 

 

Recommended to Follow on Twitter:

@GaryVee

 

How can I help you?

This is perhaps the most underused phrase in America today. Not in the sense the cashier at the burger joint does not ask you this anymore, but rather when you make a new connection how often do you follow up with “how can I help you, your business, your career”.  It is not because most people are unwilling to help, but rather the question is not something that we think of when shooting a quick note to someone. But we should and need to start thinking this way, because by helping someone or merely offering to do so you will instantly have a stronger relationship with that person. In the end, strong network relationships are what accelerate you during the good times and pull you through the bad times. 

Take a listen in to SpartX Co-Founder Steve Gonzalez address this very issue in his biweekly segment called Just Talking.

 

Marketing You

In today’s economic climate it is more important than ever to not only be thinking about the business you currently work for, but yourself as well. Meaning don’t just network for the company, network for you because today you may need it more. This is why it is important to have both a networking card and a business card. 

But one thing you need, even more so than just a way to network your personal brand, is an ability to know who and what your brand is. Every brand has a mission statement so why should you be any different. Listen in below as SpartX Co-Founder Steve Gonzalez talks about these points and reveals his own personal mission statement. 

 

 

Recommended to follow on Twitter:

     @SarahStanley

     @KrisKolvin

A Network Hack with SpartX

Maintaining a Network

Maintaining the Network you develop is the single most important thing about networking. It is all well and good if you are able to make a network connection, but keeping that connection is something else entirely. To keep your network active and an asset to you takes work, and a lot of it. You cannot just say hi at a conference or networking event, follow up with an email, and expect to be able to call on that person for anything real. You have to develop the relationship and maintain it over years and years. All you have done with saying hi at an event and following up is break the ice, nothing more. So work at it, and do it, because it will benefit you more than anything else you do in the long run.

 

How to Network

It is one thing to realize you need to network, it is another to know how to do that. The key to networking is to have a strategy. Then, like anything else, that strategy will grow and develop over time. But remember you have to start somewhere. 

 

Start Networking Early

 

Since networking is such an important part of life, both personally and professionally, it is crucial to begin networking early. It is like anything else, the more you do it the easier it becomes and the better you get at it. 

That is the idea. To make networking apart of your everyday life, a second nature if you will. And the only way to make this happen is to always network, make it apart of your routine, apart of what you do everyday. 

Unfortunately, this is not something that happens. You yourself probably did not start really networking until after you landed your first job, if you even started then. But I would be willing to bet, by now you understand the value of networking and do it everyday. 

So why don’t schools, professors, or we ourselves teach the future leaders to network?

This is something that needs to be taught, so start teaching it. Teach it to your friends, employees, colleagues, and children. It is a gift that will benefit the lives of those who you share it with. 

Tell them how networking has benefited you, show them the importance of networking, then teach them how to network. Don’t rattle off some technical stuff that you read in some book, explain your technique.

But remember networking is more than just making that first connection or breaking the ice with someone you meet. The hardest part is maintain a network over the months and years after that initial connection is forged. Tell them how to do that

And if you start their networking training early, they will be more successful both personally and professionally than they would have been without it. Because a networking affords you more opportunities, better opportunities, which lead to greater opportunities that lead to success. 

Networking 3.0

Last week SpartX Co-Founders Cutter Mitchell and Steve Gonzalez delivered a seminar on networking in the 21st century. Such networking takes a melding of both online and offline techniques. Realizing this blending of new and real world networking, the seminar is appropriately titled Networking 3.0.

This is a talk the Co-Founders do around the state at all sorts of organizations. The idea is to teach people how to network effectively in the changing climate of today. Take a look.

To request the SpartX Co-Founder to speak at your organization click here, or send an email to concierge@spartx.com.

For additional information about SpartX visit SpartX.com.