New Year, New Goals
by Judy Austin
So...
what are your resolutions for 2005? Will you lose weight?
Quit smoking? Increase your client roster? Manage your
time better? Everyone needs goals. Without them, one loses
focus and rarely feels a sense of accomplishment. How do you set
goals as they relate to networking?
Begin
by identifying your motivation for networking; are you trying to make
new friends or develop your professional rolodex? Either or some
aspect of both is fine, just know what you want.
Understanding
your motivation will determine which avenues your pursue to expand your
network. Socially, consider forums where you can meet new
people: fundraisers, parties, fitness centers and sporting
events. Take advantage of such opportunities to attend and make a
commitment to yourself - a personal goal - to attend 2 such functions
each month. This will quickly expose you to new people and
enhance your social outlets. Another tactic can be to volunteer
for a cause you are passionate about or offer to serve on a nonprofit
board.
For
those pursuing professional contacts and enhancing your career, goals
can be better defined. Give thought to various avenues for
networking: joining a chamber or professional organization,
attend a trade show or training classes, attend after hours events,
speed-networking and speaking engagements. Each of these opens up
a wealth of possibilities to meet people within your industry.
If
you choose to join an organization, set a goal on how many functions
you will attend each month and how many people you plan to meet.
Numerous opportunities exist for after hours events - for example, set
a goal to attend 3 events per quarter and mix it up between those
offering speed-networking and more standard networking events.
Speaking engagements are one of the most powerful tools to generate
awareness for yourself and demonstrate your expertise. Decide the
number of times you want to speak and which audience you want to
address. Organizations are always looking for dinner or lunch
speakers, so contact those you want to get in front of and tell them
about your desire and availability.
Networking
is more of an art than a science, so set goals for yourself that are
truly SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and
Timely). Never over commit and remember to create a balanced
approach. Networking is a key ingredient in your career and
business development; it should always be enjoyable - so have
fun! Set goals for 2005 and follow thru.
Copyright © 2005 Strategic
Business Network. All rights reserved. You may copy or distribute this article
or any of its contents providing this copyright notice and full information
about contacting the author are attached. Contact Judy by e-mail at
judy@strategicbusinessnetwork.com or by telephone at (615) 474-1952.
