Networking and Business Relationship Strategies Round 2

As the premiere career enhancement
and executive branding company, Cambridge
Who's Who offers its more than 300,000 members effective tools to
become better networkers. Here are some extra tips to make you more visible –
and valuable – to clients and new contacts.

Form relationships with a diverse
group of professionals. Reach out
to as many individuals and organizations of interest as possible. Learn how to
network outside of your comfort zone, which often times involves those who
share a similar cultural, educational or professional background. Interacting
with a variety of individuals will expose you to a wide range of opinions and
experiences. You will broaden your view of the world and improve your critical
thinking skills. Diversifying your network is particularly important as the
economy becomes increasingly global.

Ask open-ended questions. When emailing your contacts, participating in forum
discussions or networking offline, ask open-ended questions. Pose questions
that start with who, what, when, where, why and how as opposed to those that
can be answered with a simple yes or no. This will make your conversation more
engaging and show your contacts that you are interested in them. The more you
learn from them, the more you will benefit from your interactions. Getting to
know them better will also help you to understand how you can best assist them
and how they can support you in your endeavors. You may also discover that you
share outside interests.

Become a powerful resource for
others. Expand your knowledge and build
experience in your area(s) of expertise. Take supplementary classes, attend
conferences, write articles, speak publicly, keep abreast of developments
within your industry and serve as a professional mentor. Do whatever you can to
position yourself as an expert in your field. The Cambridge Who’s Who Resource
Center offers a Contributing Author Program, which is a terrific
place to share your knowledge with others. Articles that are submitted for
publishing on the Resource Center site are also considere for the Cambridge
Who’s Who E-newsletter, Who’s News.

Keep your commitments. Make it a priority to keep your word and complete all of
your tasks. Being reliable will demonstrate that you are invested in your
networking relationship and encourage your contacts to recommend you to others.

Be prompt. When you receive referrals, respond quickly. Your action (or
inaction) will reflect on how effectively you conduct business.