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Your Bucket Lists: Networking with Purpose

Guest post by: Jim Dryburgh

Article Overview: We all need to create three bucket lists in order to truly network with purpose. The first bucket contains a list of all your current connections. Ask yourself the following questions about the people on this list: Who are they? What have you done for them? What have they done for you? What are you going to do to keep them?

Your Bucket Lists: Networking with Purpose

We all need to create three bucket lists in order to truly network with purpose. The first bucket contains a list of all your current connections. We are all connected to far more people than we realize. If you were to take 10 minutes and write a list of past and current work colleagues, industry contacts, friends, family and social acquaintances, you'll likely be surprised at how long a list you have.

Ask yourself the following questions about the people on this list:

• Who are they?
• What have you done for them?
• What have they done for you?
• What are you going to do to keep them?

Your next list is people you want to make connections with soon. Ask yourself the following questions about these people:

• Who are they?
• What can you do to attract them?
• What do you want from them?
• How will you connect with them?

The final list is people you hope to connect with in the future. Ask yourself the following questions about the people in this bucket:

• Who are they?
• What can you do to attract them?
• What do you want from them?
• How will you get in front of them?
• How will you connect with them?

The thing to keep in mind as you answer these questions for each name in each bucket is that the more you do for them, the more they will do for you. The more you do for them, the more important you will be in their life. The more likely they will be to take your call. The more likely they will be to meet with you. Why? Because you have brought them value in the past. So the emphasis has to be on what you can do for them... NOT what they can do for you.

Value Based Networking is all about your willingness to give value first. It's the process of creating and actively maintaining relationships where you can help others achieve their goals and they can help you achieve yours. Value Based Networking involves determining your networking purpose, defining possible contacts, developing a plan of action and committing the time and energy necessary to produce meaningful results.

Now take your top ten contacts, maybe five from bucket one, three from bucket two and two from bucket three, and write one action item next to each name with a deadline to complete that action within the month. The action can be just about anything - send them an email, write them a letter, give them a call, or set up a lunch or meeting. Ask them about a trip they took recently or a conference they attended; send them an article or book you think they would enjoy; introduce them to a contact of yours. But whatever it is, focus on providing value to them.

If you do this each and every month, you'll have made 120 meaningful value based connections over the next year. Now that's meaningful!

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Article Tags: management roles and responsibilities, networking, onboarding process, value based networking, work life balance definition, work life programs
Referred by: http://www.MichelePW.com



Related Forum Posts
Re: Make Friends...Literally BUILD them! - I agree! Networking is definitely the key word here. What does everyone feel about the different Networking platforms out there? Twitter Facebook LinkedIn what are some others?
Marketing 2012 - I am interested in what works for you in 2012, Social Networking, Search Engine traffic, Blogs, Articles, Forums, what? This is a quote from a 2009 Topic "Twitter, Social Networking, What is your Method? From my experience, social networking traffic (Twitter included) also converts at a far lower rate than search engine traffic. Evan Is this still true, or do you use something that gives us better returns and conversions
Removing Toxix People - Sometimes its those closest too us that want to hold us back. Not intentionally but more like a case of Crabs in the Bucket. What I do, when I cant oust myself from it, is to just not talk about what I am working on around those people. Why hold up your 'baby' to people who are going to tell you all the things wrong with it? I then, and this is the really important part, make sure I have other people, supporters etc. that will boost me up. These people come in all shapes and sizes, from my neighbour who is a retired brand manager at GM to my little sister who happens to run a daycare while studying to be an RCMP officer! ;0) I think Jesus said it something like this, dont cast your pearls before swine. :0)
Re: How can a social networking site make serious money? - Hi There, It is quite interesting, that some Social Networking do produce an income. I think testimonials are always a benefit to share. See one below: This Social Network has changed my life! Every night is a Friday night and everyday is a Saturday!! Because of it, I have been able to leave the workforce 10 years early.It has given me back my life. Many of us would like to retire early. I am sure there are many more. The point is of focusing with great determination. The ongoing challenge is to stay focussed and not be sidetracked into a newer scheme or so. Also I have read, during this financial turmoil, more people turn to Social Networking for various reasons.
Re: Make Friends...Literally BUILD them! - [quote="burnsrunner":1zobscwk]I agree! Networking is definitely the key word here. What does everyone feel about the different Networking platforms out there? Twitter Facebook LinkedIn what are some others?[/quote:1zobscwk] I am on Twitter and Linkedin, have not joined Facebook yet as my time is fairly limited and one needs a lot of time to devote to all these various networking platforms. Unless you do this full time (the networking I mean). MichelleJ


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