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

    In The News:


  • pen paper and inkwell


    cat break through


    A Coaching Book Review

    Win-Win Partnerships ? Be on the Leading Edge with Synergistic... Read More

    Stewie Griffin Depicts the Winter of Spenglers Discontent

    Oswald Spengler predicted a protracted winter in The Decline of... Read More

    Metaphorically Selling

    The Big IdeaA lot of people consider selling a very... Read More

    Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - A Review

    If writing was a religion, it shall be easy to... Read More

    ARTURO EL REY - Book Review

    This large (about 378 pages), fantasy-adventure novel should give best... Read More

    The Road of Silk: Book Review

    "The Road of Silk is an adventure fantasy, with mystical... Read More

    E-books in Your Life

    E-Books are making a big impact in the way we... Read More

    Empowering Teenagers - A Few Clues About Teens And A New Book

    EMPOWERING TEENAGERSFrom a new book: "Adolescence is a difficult period,... Read More

    Blues Clues for Success - AchieveMax® Top Ten Book Review

    Blue's Clues for Success: The 8 Secrets Behind A Phenomenal... Read More

    Marone Memoirs: An Immigrant Story - Review By Amanda Evans

    Marone Memoirs ? An immigrant Story by author Sarah E.... Read More

    Book Summary: Networking For Professional Success

    Book Summary:This article is based on the following book: ... Read More

    Dont Eat This Book by Morgan Spurlock: Lightweight But Convincing Expose of the Fast Food Industry

    For those of you who've been on another planet for... Read More

    Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life - AchieveMax® Top Ten Book Review

    Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life is another book focusing... Read More

    Ferns Dragon - Book Review

    "Fern's Dragon is a wonderfully fun read that stimulates the... Read More

    Twin Falls, Gooding, Jerome, ID, and Regional Economic Outlook for 2005

    Twin Falls Economic Report done by me; Twin Falls, ID... Read More

    Cancer Can be Defeated: Hope, Courage, and a Strong Willpower

    Tony F. Powell is the author of a new book... Read More

    Undercurrent Blues Has A Rhythm of Its Own - Poetry Book Review

    On July 17, 2005 Cahuenga Press released Undercurrent Blues by... Read More

    Book Summary: Effective Networking For Personal Success

    We are all "self-employed" now.Today there is absolutely no job... Read More

    IZEE Growing Up In A Logging Camp: Chapter One

    Chapter OneI was ready to start the fourth grade, the... Read More

    Author Releases Comprehensive Family History Book On The Family of JACKEL, JECKEL, IEKEL, YAKEL

    When the topic of family history comes up, where do... Read More

    Bob the Dragon Slayer - Book Review

    This very fun, exciting, fast-paced, warm novella - Bob the... Read More

    Book review on Finite Capacity Scheduling, Part III

    With this all possible the price could be lowered to... Read More

    Book Excerpt: Give Me a Home Where the Dairy Cows Roam

    When I reached the top of the driveway after getting... Read More

    Book Summary: Good To Great

    Explore what goes into a company's transformation from mediocre to... Read More

    The Rich Jerk - A Study in Anti-Marketing

    I've always been fascinated by "anti-marketing", and how powerful its... Read More

    Star - Book Review

    Tom Peters crafted a moving, educational animal adventure story in... Read More

    Druxel Manor - Book Review

    "Druxel Manor is a stimulating thriller-mystery-romance novel that keeps the... Read More

    The Leadership Challenge - AchieveMax® Top Ten Book Review

    The Leadership Challenge: The Most Trusted Source on Becoming a... Read More

    Media Star Power Book Review

    Media Star Power: ABCs to Successful TV, Radio, Print &... Read More

    Beyond Bodybuilding: Stranger in a Strange Land -- A Book Review

    When America's foremost literary critic, Harold Bloom, professor emeritus at... Read More

    Not Just A Shocking Horror Tale: The Surgeon By Tess Gerritsen

    The Surgeon grabbed me and kept me reading. The suspense... Read More

    Do You Know How to Buy and Read eBooks!

    Now, I know what you're probably thinking, "Reading and eBook... Read More

    Book review on Finite Capacity Scheduling, Part II

    Now add ten more car wash trucks, with the corresponding... Read More