At the executive level, you are always burdened with the task of trying to get more people to know you so that one day they might be able to help you. In other words, you’re faced with the job of having to build your executive network. Nothing wrong with this in theory, but sometimes the job can get a bit tedious, especially when you feel that you’ve used up all of your options.
Well now’s the time to get some fresh ideas to help you continue to build that network. So let’s look at some unique ways of getting this done.
Create Your Own Networking Group
Often times, we think that the only real way to grow our network is to join an existing networking group. But we forget that we could also build our own.
One great benefit of starting your own group is that you get to have control over when it gets together and what activities you will take part in. Also, it can center more specifically around your interests, thus guaranteeing you will feel passionate about it.
If you want to start your own group, you could create a strictly-online environment to include people from out of town, only work with your offline contacts, or mix it up a bit. By taking this route, you give yourself the opportunity to not only create more networking opportunities for yourself, but many others.
Bond with Online Contacts Offline
Sometimes people don’t realize that they’re online networking contacts are real people, especially if they meet them online. But they are very real and able to make a significant difference in your career if you let them. A good way to make the best use of your online contacts is to make them a part of your offline networking circle. This way, you have a face to place with the name and they do as well.
So how can you get this done if you are living in different cities? You could consider having a nice lunch meeting if you take a trip out to their city. If this is not likely to happen, you could even find out what activities they take part in outside of work to see where you have common ground. If you both love to ski, for instance, maybe you could schedule yearly ski trips on the same weekend and at the same resort to make sure you connect.
Create Exciting Business Cards
One way to get noticed is to create exciting business cards – some that tell a little bit more of your story with a unique flair. This means, instead of creating the standard business card with bland text on a white background, consider trying different colors that reflect your personality and brand. You could also include your picture on the card so people won’t forget your face after they meet you. And consider having yours cut into a unique shape – one that prompts people to ask questions yet still is able to fit neatly into a wallet or business card rolodex.
When building your executive network, don’t simply rely on the “tried and true” to get the best results. If you step out of your box and try unique options, you could see your network grow faster than ever.
