These Are Your Best Networking Activities Right Now

In our previous post on the 3 types of networkers we covered the triad of networking camps:

Fame Networkers, who primarily pursue visibility / reach for their work, brand or cause,
Fortune Networkers, who primarily pursue leads that they can actively convert to customers or clients, and
Fame And (Therefore) Fortune Networkers, who primarily pursue reputation-building and status as a means to customers or clients

As mentioned in the previous post, none of these camps are any better or worse than the other. But since they have different end goals, they need to use different approaches when they engage in networking activities.

So today we’re going to look at the best approaches you can use for whichever camp you’re in.

(Note from Kris: Some of these activities work well with the London Blitz and Campaign Trail strategies in List Explosion. Click here to set your own price in the Karma Store!)

The Best Networking Activities for “Fame Networkers”

Fame Networkers are more interested in visibility and reach than making money, so that’s their currency of choice.

Given that, their networking activities should focus on things that will help them connect with new people who can give them visibility – as well as connecting with people who are already actively giving them publicity.

The best networking activities for Fame and (Therefore) Fortune Networkers should contribute to these goals.

Targeted Examples:

Networking with media. You’ll want to actively work to make connections with people who can feature you in medium-to-large scale platforms. Newspapers and magazines (online and print), news-type blogs or video channels, trade publications, etc. Networking with the publications themselves as well as the reporters / contributors goes a long way here, too.

Networking with superfans. You may have a number of fans who are really picking up what you’re laying down, but there will be a subset of those fans who are already actively telling other people about you. Networking with them and encouraging them to continue doing so can be helpful, as it will positively reinforce them to do more.

Networking with influencers. Publishing platforms aside, there are simply people who are a Big Deal On The Internet or a Big Deal Off Of The Internet. These are people (or organizations) who may have interested in telling their audience about you, sometimes even for a weird reason like showing you as an example of something, or a human interest story. Look for people who actively mention other people / other businesses, and start networking your way towards them.

The Best Networking Activities for “Fortune Networkers”

Fortune Networkers are in the market for people they can make deals with.

They’re not looking to gain fame and reputation, they want to talk to people and make offers to them. Once they know people, they’re more active in direct communication, pitching via email, phone, social media, etc. – and their networking activities should be tuned towards that.

The best networking activities for Fortune Networkers should contribute to these goals.

Targeted Examples:

Networking with client types. Pick a kind of client or customer you have and go network with them, or network in the circles they frequent. Actively go and connect with the people you want to sell with, and open the door to a pitch email or similar. You sell accounting services to small businesses? Start getting connected directly to them.

Networking with “referral” peers. Take the thing you sell, and think of the kinds of things those customers also buy from other people. Network with providers of those other things, and set yourself up for some referrals. Small businesses need logos, so an accountant networking with graphic designers who specialize in logos has an opening for 2-way referrals.

Networking with existing clients. Referrals can be a HUGE source of revenue, if you’ve got a good system in place for asking for referrals. However, asking from a cold start can be awkward and less likely to result in anything. Network more with your existing clients, and that will get easier moving forward.

The Best Networking Activities for “Fame And (Therefore) Fortune Networkers”

Fame and (Therefore) Fortune Networkers are ultimately trying to run a hybrid of the previous two approaches.

Basically, they’re building enough of a reputation that people come to them – so that they have a “warm” audience that is more likely to buy when offers are presented. So their networking activities should be tuned to things that can help them build both reach and reputation.

The best networking activities for Fame and (Therefore) Fortune Networkers should contribute to these goals.

Targeted Examples:

Networking with people who can promote you / give you reach. You may be networking with media outlets like Fame Networkers, but more likely you’ll be networking with peers in your industry, or smaller/medium websites that can give you some exposure. This is where things like guest blogging, appearing on podcasts, doing interviews, or participating in joint ventures come in. Network with these people to get access to their audiences. (This can include networking with people who can be affiliates, too.)

Networking with customer types. If you know what kind of people tend to buy from you, or who are interested in the kind of content you create, go hang out in places that they hang out in. Network there and build up your reputation for expertise and / or product quality, and start schmoozing your way towards increased ubiquity.

Networking with existing customers. Your customers probably know other people who can be customers. Network with people who’ve bought from you, and you can get referrals like the Fortune Networkers do, or you can at least hang out more in their sphere and meet other people like them. (Also? Warm, connected customers tend to say yes to giving you great testimonials, so keep that in mind as well.)

To get faster results from networking, target your activities to your specific goals.

Whichever of these three camps you choose to be in, you don’t want to waste any time, energy or attention doing things that won’t serve the goals of your business. You want to make sure that what you’re doing has a purpose – and more importantly, is likely to succeed.

So look over the examples from your chosen camp and start thinking about how you can start using the advice in this post right now.

Also, take some time this week to think of other activities you can do to make your networking activities targeted moving forward.

Even 10 minutes spent thinking about what would be best for your unique situation can begin changing the course of your business.

And again, take a look at List Explosion in the Karma Store – the Campaign Trail and London Blitz strategies can be a helpful part of your networking strategies.

Next up: Networking Up vs. Networking Out.

Talk to you soon,

Kris
(Catch me on Twitter!)