Networking Doesn’t Start With Networking
Hold on! Before you network any harder, do this:
Decide what you want to be known for.
Not everything you can do. The thing you want people to associate with your name.
Make “why you?” easy to answer.
What makes you the right choice beyond experience, credentials and “personalized solutions”?
Give people language they can repeat.
Could someone you've just met explain what you do to the right prospect tomorrow—in one sentence?
Check whether the rest of your brand backs it up.
When someone looks you up after meeting you, your website and LinkedIn should make them think, Yep. That's exactly who I thought she was.
That's the foundation.
It's also exactly what we work on in my 30 day Brand Clarity Intensive—before worrying about posting more, networking more or doing more marketing.
Because the goal isn't simply to meet more people.
It's to make sure the right ones remember why you.
You can go to every networking event in town.
Have great conversations.
Collect connections.
Follow up like a champ.
But none of it works particularly well if people don't know what to remember about you.
Because networking isn't really about meeting people.
It's about building enough trust that someone is willing to hire you, refer you or put your name in a room you're not in.
And trust starts with being understood.
If someone needs three paragraphs to explain what you do, they probably won't refer you.
If your website says one thing, your LinkedIn says another and you describe yourself
differently depending on who's asking, they won't know what to remember.
If you sound like five other people they met that night, they may like you very much.
They just won't think of you later.
Curious how we can make you "the one who...?"
Aliza@RainmakerBrandingAndMarketing.com
(203) 554-5975
