Before you actually start networking, you need to identify exactly who you want to connect with. Every connection you make should lead you to new connections. The whole purpose of networking is to engage with others to share information and make connections.

“Networking is more about ‘farming’ than ‘hunting’. It’s about cultivating relationships.” – Dr. Ivan Misner, BNI

Prepare to Connect

Create a plan for how you will start networking. By doing so, you will be better equipped to make meaningful connections and you’ll save yourself time in the long run. Being prepared pays off.

Identify Who You Want to Connect With

It’s a good idea to start by making a list of who you want to connect with. Your connections will either be existing (people you know) or new (people you want to know).

When you’re making a list of people to connect with, it’s important not to discount anyone. Maybe there’s a contact who doesn’t seem like a meaningful addition to your network, but before you rule them out, think about what connections they might be able to introduce you to. Maybe they have a connection that is just the person you need to meet.

Some Ideas of Who to Connect with Are:

• Past or present co-workers, colleagues, managers, employees, etc.
• Alumni and past or present teachers
• Past or present clients or customers
• Mentors or coaches
• People you’ve met offline and want to connect with
• Industry peers
• Service providers & suppliers
• Friends and family
• People you can help
• Influencers and leaders
• People who you want on your side

Refine Your List

Now that you have a list of possible connections, refine your list to make sure it supports your social media networking goals. For example, if your goal is to learn about different industries, connecting with former colleagues in your same line of work probably isn’t the best use of your time.

One way to refine your list is to rank each of your connections. Whichever connection you deem most relevant to your social networking goals should be ranked the highest. This will help you know which connections to start focusing on.

Create Templates for Reaching Out

Creating content that you can use to personalize and connect with each person individually will save you time – why reinvent the wheel each time you reach out to someone?

Regardless of the reason you are reaching out, there are core guidelines you should follow to help ensure you receive a response.

Create Templates for Reaching Out

Creating content that you can use to personalize and connect with each person individually will save you time – why reinvent the wheel each time you reach out to someone?

Regardless of the reason you are reaching out, there are core guidelines you should follow to help ensure you receive a response.

Always include the following any time you’re directly contacting someone:

• Start out with how you know the person. It could be that you’re in the same social media group, that you follow them, that you’re a customer, or that someone who referred you, etc.
• Build rapport. For example, you love their content, noticed they had a question about x, you both serve the same market, etc.
• Get right to the point of the message. Some ideas are: you were hoping they could introduce you to x, you have some content that will help them, you have an idea for something they might be interested in, etc.
• Include a ‘call to action’ for what you’d like them to do next. You could say, “Let’s set up a time to talk”, “Can you tell me who to talk to?”, “Can I send you more information?” etc.
• End with a proper sign off. One example is, “Looking forward to talking more.”

For example:

 “Hi Susan, we met recently in the Social Media Mastermind group. I really loved the post you shared about how to become a successful Social Media Manager. I’m managing several social media accounts and could really use a little advice. Do you have a few minutes next week to give some feedback on an account I’ve been working on? I hope to talk soon! Thanks, John”

Common Scenarios

Here are some common scenarios and what you should include when you reach out:

First Contact for Potential Partners

“Hi [name], I’ve been a follower of your [insert where you follow them] and have been impressed by [insert what you like best that’s related to your business]. Since my business is about [insert your value proposition], I think there’s a great potential for us to partner on a venture. My [what you bring to the table] combined with your [what they bring that’s a good fit] could be a terrific combination for a joint venture that [potential benefits]. If you’re at all interested, when is a good time we could talk?”

First Contact for Potential Referrers

“Hi [name], I am a big fan of [give them a compliment about the content they produce and how you know them]. One of my biggest goals is [insert your social media networking goal]. I would appreciate it if you could help connect me with [be specific with who you’d like to be connected with and why]. Could you please help me by making an introduction?”

Information Relating to Your Business

“Hi [name], because I work so closely with [insert your target client/industry], I noticed that [add what business-related action you noticed and how it relates to your business]. I thought you might be interested in [insert information that relates to their business]. Let’s set up some time to talk so I can share all the details. How does [specific day and time] sound? And, if you’re not the right person to talk to, who should I reach out to?”

Information Relating to You Personally

“Hi [name], I noticed we share an interest about [insert passion or interest]. So, I thought I’d reach out and let you know that I’d love to find out more about you and your experience with [insert specific area]. Looking forward to connecting!”

Invitation of an Introduction to Another Contact

“Hi [name], how are you doing? I hope all is well. A friend of mine, [contact name], is working on [insert project] and you both share interests like [insert commonalities]. I thought you would benefit from knowing each other so I’m introducing you here. So [insert name], meet [connection name]! Let me know if I can provide any more assistance.”

Invitation of Assistance

“Hi [name], I saw your question in the group [group name] and I had some ideas to help you: [list ideas]. I hope my ideas are helpful and if you’d like to talk more about them, I’d be happy to.”

Start Networking

Now that you’ve done the prep work, it’s time to make contact and start networking. To start, you’ll apply both your direct and indirect tactics.

Direct Tactics

Start building your social media network through direct tactics. Use your refined contact list to send a personal message to the people you’d most like to connect with. Use the templates you’ve prepared and customize each message. 

Remember, direct tactics are best used for existing connections: people you already know, have met before, follow you, or who are directly referred to you.

Indirect Tactics

One of the biggest benefits to using indirect tactics is that you can often reach a larger audience than by using direct tactics which typically target one person at a time.

Follow ideal connections, pages, and influencers

This is different than requesting someone to be your connection. Think of ‘following’ as a one-way street: you can see their content, but they can’t see yours. By following someone, you might gain a potential connection if they decide to follow you back. You can also follow business pages to gain insights into the industry or to see what their customers are saying.

Post to your feed

Share your original content with your connections. Include a call-to-action, such as asking your connections to share their opinions on the topic. This way, you’re engaging with your connections and they might even share your post, expanding your reach and the potential for you to grow your network through new connections.

Some ideas for posting to your feed:

• Post a status update to let others know what you’re up to
• Post a photo of your day or of something that relates to your industry
• Post a question to encourage people to comment
• Create and post a poll
• Live stream or upload video to your feed
• Share others’ content
• Share a funny meme or joke (in good taste)

Join groups

Participate in groups where the people you want to connect with ‘hang out’, whether that’s groups related to your industry or groups your clients/customers participate in.

Networking in groups is all about helping others and, through that help, demonstrating your expertise. For example, if someone asks a question that you know the answer to, you could record a quick screen share video to answer it.

Use these tips for networking in groups:

• Don’t join too many groups. Pick 1-5 targeted groups that support your networking goal.
• Participate consistently. Post or comment at least 1-2 times per week, per group.
• Don’t sell or self-promote. People will contact you if they see value in what you know, but you’ll turn them off if you self-promote.
• Don’t be sneaky. Follow the group rules and don’t offer your services outside of the group.
• Pay attention. Avoid being repetitive and don’t ask or share the same content as others in the group. And, if you notice people are always asking similar questions, take initiative and position yourself as an expert by providing a solution.

Networking Tips

Whether you use direct or indirect tactics, follow these tips for successful networking:

• Make sure any interaction you make is non-promotional, and that you’re offering something of benefit to the person you’re reaching out to.
• Keep everything professional. Remember to represent yourself in a professional way while still being likeable.
• Don’t make it all about yourself. Networking is a two-way street and you should give as much as you take.
• Follow up and reconnect with your connections to build strong relationships.