Wednesday Weapons - How will your network help you win the war?

Written on 3:09 PM by J

How will your network help you win the war?

Sometimes building a business can feel like a series of battles. Constant battles with your social life, battles with your time, battles with your money, battles with your education. All the battles to win the war. The war of inspiring, helping, and bettering the lives of as many people as possible, while being able to retire at 25 in the process. In essence, the war is ensuring your business touches the masses. Networking is one of the weapons that you use to help in winning the war.

We’ve been fortunate enough to meet and speak with some of the most influential people in the world. We’re able to reach out to have questions answered and alliances formed. Today, Brian was on a on a search for an answer to a question regarding, who will host this blog. Brian hopped on Twitter and tweeted Monica O’brien and I got busy on my Blackberry emailing Jun Loayza (unless you’ve notice they are a few constants throughout our blog, a relationship built awesome additions to our network). Monica and Jun both informed us that Bluehost would be the most lucrative for our blog.

The great aspect is that we have never met either of them…yet. I am a passionate person to person meet and greeter. I just want to stress there is no excuse for anyone to not network. There are so many tools online now that you can find the people under the rocks who don’t know these tools exist!

Tonight I’m headed out to College Park to meet and greet hipster Mickey Factz, who graced a cover of XXL Magazine. I was introduced to him via email. He introduced me to The Cool Kids at the end of last year and I had the opportunity to meet Q-Tip (yes, A Tribe Called Quest Q-Tip!). Networking does not just exist in business, but also in pleasure.

I would like to share with you, 7 keys to networking I’ve learned:

1) Be enthusiastic – you want to bring someone on board to support your endeavor or whatever you want to do you have to get them excited about it. Enthusiasm is contagious and thankfully there is not remedy…That’s for you Dr. Odihi

2) Decide who you want to meet and network with – whether at a business function, on Twitter, or at a pool party. Pick a person and focus your mind on meeting them.

3) Don’t overthink the introduction – this brings about stuttering or wordy written messages/emails. When you’re calm the right words will flow out of your mouth like gravy on potatoes (I haven’t had dinner yet)

4) Be empathetic and genuine – put yourselves in their shoes. For example: if it’s an executive and you see they are working the room, quickly, state your name and exchange business cards. Contact him within the week and remind him who you are and where you met him. Yes it is possible to be empathetic online…I just did it. (I knew that was one of the things you may be wondering). People respond to people who genuinely care. “Brown nosing” may get you the response to your introduction, but being genuine builds the relationship

5) Keep in touch – this is something many do not do…until they need something. Then the person called on feels used and is reluctant to return your call or email next time. A simple “How are you?” works wonders!!!!

6) Educate yourself in many aspects of life – you have to be able to relate with people. Brian and I always say, “We are able to hold a conversation with any one about any topic” that is because we stay conscious of the world we live in

7) Don’t burn bridges – stop and analyze what you’re about to say or write if it may destroy what you have built don’t say or write it! Sometimes it is better to just let things roll off your shoulder…THERE ARE GREATER THINGS IN STORE, TRUST ME

I would like to thank fellow blogger and someone in my network, Andrew Stuhl, for inspiring this blog. We spoke via email in regards to networking earlier in the day.

Let me know if you need help gaining more cavalry to win the war!

How will your network help you win the war?

-J