The document discusses the importance of networking and personal branding. It outlines the main benefits of networking as referrals, relationships, and leads. Weak ties are important for spreading ideas and accessing distant networks. Effective networking involves creating new connections, maintaining your network over time, and strategic networking by focusing on mutual benefits and giving before taking.

1. Networking and
Personal Branding
By Robin low

2. networking
• Networking is the process of intentionally
meeting people, making contacts, and forming
relationships in hopes of gaining access to such
business-related benefits as career advice, job
leads, business referrals, useful information and
ideas, and emotional support.
• It’s more than just socializing and making friends

3. benefits of networking
• Three main benefits of networking: referrals,
relationships, and leads.
• Networking also increases visibility.
• Visibility creates opportunity.
• It is the number one business building tool.

4. value
• Why do people want to know you?
• What value(s) can you provide?
• What can you contribute to the relationship?
• What are the shared competencies?
• What makes you unique?

5. weak ties
• (acquaintances; not our close friends and
family) offer resources and perspectives we do
not tend to get from our closest friends.
• Weak ties tend to add diversity to our life
while networks of strong ties ate classically
homogeneous.

6. weak ties
• Weak ties are great for spreading ideas quickly
(especially bridging weak ties which help ideas
move from one network to the next)
• Weak ties are great for helping ideas reach distant
targets (far outside our network of strong ties)
• Weak ties are great for episodic information flows
• Weak ties support innovation by helping ideas flow
from one discipline or network to an entirely
different one.

7. favors
• What is the right way to ask for a favor?
• Do you need to earn it?
• What’s earning the right to ask for a favor and
to do business.

8. being professional
• It is not right to judge a person you don’t
know by their looks.
• Get to know them before you make any
judgments.
There are only tow kinds of people
– those we know and those do not know yet

9. networking done right
“It’s not who you know but who knows you that
matters”

10. create new connections
• Be social, go to events and meet people.
• Do not be shy or have low self esteem, believe
in yourself.
• When you go to networking events, seminars,
tradeshows, alumni gatherings, etc., prepare a
1 minute pitch to pitch yourself.
• It is about getting to know people, and finding
ways to help them.

11. build social capital
• Be a resource.
• Organize events.
• Volunteer and hold positions in clubs.
• Mentor someone.
• Join or start a cause.

12. maintain your network
• Have a schedule of maintaining your network.
• If you visit a country, check to see if you have
people in your network to meet.
• Send birthday greetings.
• Comment and respond to questions on social
networks.

13. strategic networking
• Earn the right to ask for favors
• Do not be a “taker”
• Strong bonds for formed with mutual benefits.
• Earn the right to do business.
• Focus on win-win situations.
• Give before taking.

14. For more information and tips, please visit
http://www.facebook.com/socialhub
and
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