Networking as we know, involve people as the only asset for thought and informations. Upon building of personal, social and white collar contacts, effective networking is a shock absorbing pillion to ride your business.
The simple principle of fostering relationship by amalgamation with clients, partners and potential prospects that we are familiar with has underwent turmoil in this pandemic situation. Being experiencing isolation, the same networking demand more amplification and attention day by day.
Whether we rely on phonetic, text, sending e mails or conducting virtual conferences/ meetings has gained momentum than it was in pre-pandemic scenario.
So, let us have a glance about how can we nourish our network through building existing and new relationships in this turbulent time.
1) Constructing a direct and adjacent network: Here, you can set a close network of allied professional people both as as a formal ( a conference) or informal(dance party after the conference) way.This should be done upon mutual business/work interests.
2) Be Proactive: Make your contacts/clients/partners/customers realise that you really think and care about them by expressing simple friendly gestures irrespective of their responses.
3) Break the formula: Don’t be too formal or rigid in your interactions. Outreaching in a casual proactive manner can give more dividends even in post pandemic time. Some simple light touches by saying hello, welcome or sharing articles of common interest can create positive outcomes in the networking.
4) Use the tools: With comfortable respite, use tools like linked in but don’t use the auto-texting feature rather use your own words to touch the soft corners for effective trust building to nurture the network. Virtual assembly platforms like zoom, webex, meet, team can be utilized in optimum ways.
5) Push on with attentiveness: Since we have variable responders in a stressful chaotic situation, it is unlikely to get positive response from all the contacts. Hence, it is imperative to extend empathy along the network to relieve stress and to implant the feelings that every one works for themselves as well as for others too.
At the outset, in the pandemic and post pandemic era, one has to kept in mind that this is the time to come out of the cocoon, think out of the box of ready made formulas. It is the time to apply your own attitude, confidence and inclinations. Alongside, one can apply the above tips to build and nurture one’s networking domain for better business.