Power networking doesn’t bring results if you’re meeting just anyone. You need to identify key ‘prospects’ that can benefit you and find out where you have an opportunity to meet them. Who do you want to have in your network? You need to identify these individuals and go out and find them.

Who You Already Know

A good place to start is by listing the people who are already in your network. Even if you haven’t purposely gone out to start a network, you surely know many people who can help you. Once you start writing down names, you may be surprised.

For each person, write down:

• How you know them
• What they’ve done for you in the past
• What you’ve done for them in the past
• How you will continue interacting with them and keep this connection alive

Who You Want to Know

Next, list the kinds of people you want to connect with. Start by looking at the skills you need in order to reach your goals. Who has these skills or can help you otherwise connect with what you need?

Like a marketer identifying their target market, you should include every detail possible and create individual profiles. These should include demographic information, skill sets, and psychological factors, such as how they feel about your common passion.

In listing the types of people you want to meet, you should also include power players and influencers. These are people that have strong networks and knowing them would bring you a great deal of benefit.

How to Connect

Connecting with the people you’ve identified is simple. Find the places your prospects hang out. These will be your networking venues where you’ll meet people and tell your story.

When meeting people, focus on how meeting you can help them. Focus on the benefit or value you offer them. If you’re networking for a charity, it’s clear what you get out of it – funding. But focus on what the donor gets – a feeling that they’re making a positive change in the world. If you’re networking to land a job, focus on the value a manager gets when he or she hires you.

Finding Your Prospects

Look for the individuals you’ve identified both online and off. Where do they go to meet people and network? Where would they go to find you? What groups or organizations do they belong to? Where do they go to relax and just hang out?

Look for local industry-specific groups. You can find these groups by researching online. These can be formal networking events like conferences where like-minded people connect, or they can be informal gatherings where you have an opportunity to meet people.

Once you locate your target prospects, make a networking opportunity happen. Decide on a day when you’ll attend a networking event and put it on your calendar. Before you attend the actual event, do some research and find out who will be there. This helps you identify exactly who you’re going to meet and prepare your story and questions.