You’ve done the work of preparing and reaching out to your existing and new connections, however this is just the start. At the beginning of this course, you learned that networking takes patience. Now it’s time to put some systems in place to grow and nurture your network.

Remember, although you’re putting structured systems in place, it’s important to make sure you are warm and personal when growing your network. Nobody likes to feel like they are part of a calculated strategy.

Develop a System

Developing a system to track the progression of your new relationships will remind you of essential follow-ups, help you establish the next best steps, and avoid any mistakes when it comes to remembering information about contacts.

Here are some ways you can develop a system for growing your network:

• Put together your main list of connections. Taking a little time to organize information about who you’ve met and important details about them will enable you to put together a much more focused network growth strategy.
• Order your connections by importance to you. Go back to your networking goals and assign priority to those who are most likely to help you achieve them. As we covered previously, don’t discount anyone yet – just assign them a lower priority.
• Include the date you first connected and what you discussed. Include the date you first connected and what you discussed – When you’re following up with a new contact, use this information in communication to remind them who you are, and to continue the conversation where appropriate.
• Include essential information about them. List the things or people you have in common. Add extra information that you can use at a later date to leave a memorable impression; i.e. birthdays, work anniversaries, etc.
• Include any of your other contacts you think they would benefit from an introduction to. Remember, networking is a two-way street and by sharing your contacts, your connections are more willing to share theirs.
• Include any ways you think you might be of assistance to them. And, if you’re hoping to collaborate in the future, make a note of how you’d like to do that.
• Include dated reminders of when to reconnect. Again, networking is all about growing connections, and you can’t do that if you don’t follow up.

Create a Process

Put together a plan to continually find new contacts and to continue to build relationships with existing ones. The best part about regularly checking in with your contacts is that when you do need a favor, it comes from a natural place, not just an ‘ask’.

Start by identifying the process you’ll use to continue your networking efforts. One easy process is to create a weekly event on your calendar that reminds you to network.

If you plan to directly network with specific people, add about ten names of the people that you want to connect with, whether new or existing. Make sure you include a note for yourself about who they are and your reason for wanting to connect. If there is someone you want to connect with more than once a week, create a recurring event solely for that person.

If you’re networking indirectly or in social media groups, remember that the people who are most effective visit their top groups daily and look for questions they can answer. One of the big benefits of networking through social media is that it doesn’t take a lot of time, and you can do it whenever you have free time.

Don’t forget, while following a system is helpful, there are times that you may want to spontaneously reach out and that’s okay too.

Grow Your Network

“Your network is your net worth. How do you value your network? Well if you don’t value it, cultivate it, nurture it, it becomes worthless. If you do value it, it becomes priceless.” – Robert G. Allen

Reflect on Your Process. Take time to reflect and check in with how your social media networking is going. Evaluate the system you’ve put in place, and ask yourself: “What have you been doing that has worked in connecting with new people? What hasn’t?”

Seek New Opportunities. Look for opportunities to meet with online contacts in person to further relationships. And in the reverse, make sure that whenever you meet new people offline, reach out to connect with them on social media too. Always send a quick ‘thank you’ to new connections.

Routinely Touch Base. Develop a consistent process of following-up through email, message, or telephone to nurture relationships. You’ll soon get a feel for the sweet spot for reaching out – too little and you’ll risk being forgotten, too much and you could start to get annoying. It’s also okay if you don’t want to nurture all relationships, sometimes you just don’t click with someone.

Be Natural. Networking should be natural, not forced. Keep it simple and don’t overcomplicate things. It’s okay to send a simple hello and let people know you are thinking about them. Reach out during holidays, birthdays, work anniversaries and other occasions, good or bad.

Be Inclusive. Grow your network by including your connections in events you’re attending, whether in-person or online. You can also add them to a group you host. This makes it easy for you to find common ground and create regular engagement by knowing what they’re up to.

Summary

Social Media Networking is an ideal way to build meaningful connections that will help you reach your goals. Although it can seem overwhelming at first, you’re likely already using social media to network without even realizing it. Surely there’s been a time where you’ve asked for feedback via social media or shared a helpful business-related article to your followers – that’s Social Media Networking in action!

The golden rule with Social Media Networking is to “use good judgement.” This means that you want to provide more value than you take, be respectful and appropriate, and always put your best foot forward.

As you’ve learned, Social Media Networking is an effective way to make new connections and nurture existing connections. Perhaps the most important takeaway is that it’s important to have a strong network in place before you need it.