The Importance of networking for entrepreneurs and business people

Richard Branson is one of the most famous entrepreneurs not only in the UK but around the globe. His main skill is networking. He found opportunities, secured the resources necessary and used them for his success.

Whether you are starting your own business or looking for a new job, social capital is built on relationships and relationships is an essential factor. That means that building up a network of diverse people is always helpful for your business or for yourself. Every contact within your network can create a potential possibility of greater opportunities. The more diverse your network is the better and helpful it will be for you.

Erin Portsmouth has got more than 10 years’ experience working in public relations and communications. She is working for the NHS Trafford and is also chair of the CIPR in the North West. Erin says that her entire career has been built up on contacts. She joined the CIPR which is the biggest body of public relations in the UK. She created her own network and had never really had to apply for a job. Erin got recommended by other people and companies and business people got in touch with her.

When you network you need to make sure that it is never simply about getting what you want. It is more about getting what you want and making sure that the people who are important to you get what they want too. You should help people in your network and always think of the long term effect. One day the other person will do you a favour or could help you.

Another important point of networking is that you should not just get in touch with someone when you need something. It is necessary that you maintain your relationship that you have developed.

"You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you." This is what Dale Carnegie has said. And it is true. You need to become genuinely interested in other people.

Another thing to increase is the efficiency of your networking is attending social events and business fairs and other networking meetings. When you attend events like that make sure you are prepared and you know what kind of people you may meet. Your first impression counts. You need to make sure you are self-confident. Show the other person your charisma.

 Never eat alone written by Keith Ferrazzi is a fantastic guide of how to network and tells you other secrets to success.  Keith Ferrazzi says in his book Never eat alone “identify the people in your industries who always seem to be out in front, and use all the relationship skills you've acquired to connect with them. Take them to lunch. Read their newsletters. In fact, read everything you can. Online, there are hundreds of individuals distilling information, analysing it, and making prognostications. These armchair analysts are the eyes and ears of innovation. Now get online and read, read, read. Subscribe to magazines, buy books and talk to the smartest people you can find. Eventually, all this knowledge will build on itself, and you'll start making connections others aren't.”

My advice for you is to start collecting business cards and build your own network. We are living in a fast changing world and you need to be the first one out there and especially useful contacts will make a lot of things easier and possible. So start today and look for social events that you could attend and start building relationships. Maybe one day you have people like Richard Branson in your address book and I guarantee that he has useful advices or can be very helpful for you.