Book Summary: Networking For Professional Success

Book Summary:


This article is based on the following book:
Effective Networking for Professional Success: "How to Make the Most of Your Personal Contacts"
by Rupert Hart, Stirling Books, 1997
ISBN 0 949 142 09 3
125 pages

We are all "self-employed" now.

Today there is absolutely no job security. We are living in an age of corporate downsizing, and freelance consultants, or self-employed workers are growing by the day. Networking is one skill you need to practice to get ahead and survive these uncertain times.

Wisdom in a Nutshell:

  • Networking is essential for both new jobs and business contracts.

  • Effective networking is 12 times more effective than answering advertisements

  • Advertising is becoming ineffective except on a large scale.

  • Networking helps you find hidden opportunities and can set you apart from the competition.

  • An indirect approach is better than a direct one. Use someone you know to introduce you to your target contact. Never go straight to your target without a go-between who will put in a good word for you.

  • You can overcome your natural shyness, your fear of using people, and your fear of rejection.

    The 3 key networking techniques are:

  • Build a network of partners to keep an open eye and ear for new opportunities for You.

  • Reach targeted individuals in two ways: directly or indirectly.

  • Build visibility by raising your profile. Go to every social gathering you possibly can.

    Building your network is an ongoing process. You need to increase your range of contacts constantly.

    Planning your campaign:

  • Define your objective

  • Select the right technique

  • Understand that "deal flow" or your number of prospects must be great in order to bag one new business contract.

  • Identify your target

  • Work out your positioning. This is a short statement of what you are about, what you can offer.

  • Think about what you can do for your network partners in exchange for information and contacts.

    Building Network partners:

  • Talk to everyone you know about opportunities

  • Clarify what network partners can and will do for you

  • Know which contacts to build into network partners

  • Find those friendly network spiders, those types of people who just seem to know everyone.

  • Use the telephone.

    How to grow and refresh your network:

  • Go out of your way to be where people are.

  • Get into the habit of being talkative.

  • Get the contact details of people you meet. Not just exchanging business cards but stapling information like birthdays, anniversaries, hobby clubs, and key information onto their cards.

  • Choose the right method for the right person.

  • Warm up long-cold contacts.

    How to find targeted individuals:

  • Focus on what you want to achieve and how people can help you.

  • Use your network partners to find suitable companies.

  • Gather key information on these companies.

  • Figure out who is the one with the power to hire you.

  • Find people connections and common areas of interest.

    Reaching targets through network partners:

  • Find and persuade the best partner for your targeted individual.

  • Engineer an introduction.

  • Build word-of-mouth exchanges about yourself.

    Reaching targets directly:

  • Decide if you should write a letter or not.

  • Be able to demonstrate your achievements.

  • Have a line ready to get you past the secretary.

  • Act as though you expect to be put through.

  • Be ready to leave a short, persuasive message for the decision-maker.

    Your opening line:

  • Be cheerful, confident and straightforward.

  • Exploit connections and recommendations.

  • Mention common interests.

  • Report news of interest to the target.

  • Wait for a response. Know when to shut up.

  • Write down your opening lines before picking up the phone.

    How to be visible without really trying:

  • Ask a question at a conference.

  • Make a point in a meeting.

  • Write letters to your industry magazine.

  • Introduce yourself to lots of people at an industry show or ball.

  • Buy people a drink at the bar at a lecture.

  • Discuss a book with an industry leader.

  • Wear bright ties.

  • Make people laugh.

  • Have an opinion on everything. (But keep an open mind)

  • Hand out an unusual business card.

  • Recast your CV to be a little different.

  • Take up an unusual hobby. (But not too unusual)

  • Don't overlook using the email and Internet to communicate your cause.

    About The Author

    By: Regine P. Azurin and Yvette Pantilla

    http://www.bizsum.com/freearticle2.htm

    "A Lot Of Great Books....Too Little Time To Read"

    Free Book Summaries Of Latest Bestsellers for Busy Executives and Entrepreneurs

    Mailto:freearticle@bizsum.com

    BusinessSummaries is a BusinessSummaries.com service.

    (c) Copyright 2001-2002, BusinessSummaries.com - Wisdom In A Nutshell

  • More Resources

    Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

    More Book Reviews Information:

    Related Articles

    Free Ebook Offer: The Story of America: Discovery - Article 3
    Quite a lot happened in Europe between 1002AD, when the Vikings hurriedly packed their longships and retreated back to the colder climes of Greenland, and 1492AD, when the Spanish caravels, with Columbus so confident at the helm, accidentally stumbled across the forgotten continent.The period, collectively known as the Renaissance, saw a general revival of interest in intellectual thought.
    Call Me Mommy - Book Review
    Retired police captain, Marshall Frank, has written another excellent read in his latest work, Call Me Mommy. Marshall is definitely a prolific writer - he has authored five books and hundreds of short stories and essays to date.
    The Road of Silk: Book Review
    "The Road of Silk is an adventure fantasy, with mystical and magical elements and a high energy feel to it that any reader will enjoy. Although this novel is written for an adult audience, I believe anyone over the age of 10 could easily become immersed in its pages.
    Profitable Growth Is Everyones Business - A Book Summary
    The days of ruthless downsizing and drastic cost cutting are long gone. Nowadays, companies have realized that the best way to earn profit is only through growth - profitable growth.
    Please Don't Just Do What I Tell You, Do What Needs to Be Done - AchieveMax® Top Ten Book Review
    Please Don't Just Do What I Tell You, Do What Needs to Be Done: Every Employee's Guide to Making Work More Rewarding by Bob NelsonHere's another mini-book, 105 pages, that packs a real wallop in a simple, smart and savvy way. Bob Nelson is the million-copy best-selling author of the 1001 Ways series (1001 Ways To Reward Employees, 1001 Ways To Energize Employees, and 1001 Ways To Take Initiative At Work) and Managing for Dummies.
    Gilleland Poetry: A Book Review
    For me, poetry is often too obtuse and difficult for me to get into. Whether it is the abstract metaphors, or difficult line structure, I end up struggling more than I would like to.
    Inspiration for the Fired Soul
    You're Fired! is a book that tackles the real story's behind these two little words that pack so much punch.This is an Ebook that gets people motivated and inspired to take a different approach to being fired.
    Practice What You Preach - AchieveMax® Top Ten Book Review
    Practice What You Preach: What Managers Must Do to Create a High Achievement Culture by David H. MaisterI can't believe this book title hasn't surfaced until now.
    SitStayFetch - Dog Obedience Training Book Review
    SitStayFetch is one of the most downloaded dog training resources on the net. Is it worth it?
    Pausing To Catch My Breath - Book Review
    "Debra Warren has appropriately titled her book of poetry 'Pausing to Catch My Breath'. The pages depict this mother and grandmother as someone who I would personally love to sit across from at a kitchen table with a huge pot of tea and talk for hours.
    Dark Autumn - Book Review
    "Now this could definitely be a movie! Dark Autumn is fantastic action-packed futuristic thriller that had me riveted for days. The energy was kept very high throughout the book.
    Why They Launched Harry Potter At 12:01 Midnight
    A missionary and his family were forced to camp outside on a hill. They had money with them and were fearful of an attack by roving thieves.
    Putting it on Paper - Book Review
    "Dawn Josephson, author of 14 books, has written a fantastic author resource with her latest book Putting it on Paper - The ground rules for creating promotional pieces that sell books. This book discusses the development and use of contents within a media kit, and other marketing materials.
    Product Review: Affiliate Mistakes Special Report
    In his ebook "Affiliate Mistakes Special Report," Chuck McCullough teaches you how to spot and avoid or correct ten simple, yet costly errors that can seriously damage your efforts to promote affiliate programs successfully. Instead of writing about the broad based generalities of affiliate marketing, Chuck takes you by the hand and teaches you why most affiliates never make a dime in commission.
    A Ghost in Cornwall
    This land is my memories. For two thousand years this valley has been mine alone.
    Be the Captain of Your Lifes Ship
    In his book, "Crossing the Unknown Sea: Work as a Pilgrimage of Identity," author David Whyte explores the concept of work from an internal perspective and how work allows us to become the individuals that we are. He refers to the works of the well-known poet and engraver, William Blake.
    Second Eden Book Review
    "Carlton Austin has crafted a wonderful piece of work in Second Eden - an action-packed suspense thriller with a little romance and some elements of science fiction. Its beautifully designed cover incorporates gorgeous images depicting scenes within the plot and the book is available in both hard and soft cover.
    Twin Falls, Gooding, Jerome, ID, and Regional Economic Outlook for 2005
    Twin Falls Economic Report done by me; Twin Falls, ID has potential for additional car washes, Detail Centers and mobile washing units. Twin Falls has enough water in their reservoirs to make it through the Summer for farmers and agriculture industries.
    HIV-Muscles: This is the Title of a New Book about One Mans Battle with HIV
    Today Lavaine is doing well and able to go about life in a manner which would never have been thought possible in 1986. This was the year which he was diagnosed as HIV+.
    Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - A Review
    If writing was a religion, it shall be easy to deem 'Harry Potter and the half-blood prince' as the penultimate blasphemy, an utmost sacrilege. A book that discredits its own magnitude, it is a joke in the Queens' English that bravely illustrates the argument for its painful ineptitude.