Building your professional network in 3 simple steps: Prepare for your meeting

CMA recently worked with James A. Canada, the Managing Partner, President and CEO of Alliance Technologies, LLC. James offered some excellent tips on how you can build your professional network in 3 simple steps. This is the first blog post in the series of three. Each step will be described in detail in each blog post. 

Networking isn’t just about finding people who can do things for you. It should be a reciprocal relationship. You should think about networking differently; you should give as much as you get.

Ideally you want to continue to build your network. So when you do connect with others, be sure to ask them to connect you with like-minded individuals who can help you reach your goals. You can also offer to do the same for them.

You never know when you could meet a great network connection. Because of this, you should always be ready and prepared to network. This means that you should always have your business card on hand.

Scheduling a meeting with your new connection is a great next step. Be sure to let the connection know that you’re interested in helping them in some way. Then, you can set up a meeting. Pick a location that is convenient for the other person. Also, provide them with a variety of available dates. Pick a location that is ideal for business discussion. Coffee shops seem to work well. Be sure to get the contact’s cell phone number in the event that they can’t make the meeting and need to reschedule. Finally, after your initial meeting, always send an email thanking the connection for their time. This simple tip can help to grow your referrals over time.

Preparation before your meeting is extremely important. One of the best things you can do to prepare for your meeting is to research the person you will be meeting. Get to know as much about them as possible. LinkedIn is a great resource to look up information about someone. You can learn about their education, professional goals, and interests. The more you know about the person, the more assistance you can be to them, which can subsequently lead to more connections, potential clients, and paid projects for you.

This week’s blog has prepared you for the meeting. Next week’s blog will give valuable insight into how to carry out your meeting so that it is mutually beneficial to both parties.