There is a vital necessity for networking in spite of the reputation it has gained from misuse. Finding new friends and linking up with them for our mutual benefit is how I have supported myself since I left the mothership, (Sun Microsystems) back in 2001. When I occasionally used the dreaded word “networking”, it was not unusual to see the beginning of an eye roll or a curl of the lip as “networking” has been downgraded for many people to an exchanging of business cards at job fairs or business mixers.
The truth of the matter is that an independent business person selling directly to customers is always networking whether he delivers music lessons, custom framing, or handling bankruptcies. It is an attitude one creates that makes customers want to refer others to you for services.
It is an attitude that you carry with you of wanting to help others. If you truly want to help others, it shows in your conduct and it prepares you to discuss what you do at the drop of a hat.
When you meet someone, one of the first questions that get asked on both sides is, “What do you do?”
If you are in the business of helping others and making a living by doing that, your first words are to describe what you do in a way that might be attractive to the other person.
If the person picks up on what you have said, you will probably have a chance to discuss some potential business with them. If they don’t pick up on it, let it drop and discuss areas of mutual interest.
If, as in the case of many people in rural communities like Floyd, VA, they have several different professions and you have to ask a few questions to get an idea of what the person is doing in life and what projects he is working on. It usually only takes a few minutes to find out what tasks he is trying to do that you might be able to contribute to.
Once you communicate that you can help him with his computer system, his garden, his kiln, or his website, you will probably find that you have other areas in common and you are on your way to establishing a relationship that will pay dividends for a long time.
In many of these relationships, the exchange is far more valuable than mere money. I helped an artist with his website and he helped me with my firewood. I helped a neighbor with his computer system and he provided me with machinery and services that I could not afford otherwise. In some cases, I did custom framing for neighbors in return for services that I could not get elsewhere.
These exchanges brought us closer and improved our quality of life at the same time. These people also recommended me to others who purchased my services. I looked for opportunities to recommend their services or products to others in turn.
Now that I live in a large city in North Carolina and deliver spiritual counseling sessions online, the opportunities for exchange are different but the same rules apply. I work with clients to improve their lives and I take every opportunity to offer to help them with their businesses and relationships as well as their spiritual welfare. I consider them friends and they respond by recommending me to others who need help with their lives.
In many cases, I follow up with their progress and their problems long after they have received their counseling sessions. I try to ensure that they continue to use the spiritual technology I developed to handle life’s problems as they arise. I find that working with a client for a few months establishes a bond that keeps me informed of their spiritual health and if they run into spiritual difficulties. This lets me send them a short message to let them know I am thinking of them and am willing to help them through whatever they are encountering.
Working with someone spiritually develops a connection that is like the bond of close family members. There is a lingering awareness of their location and their emotional state. You can maintain that connection by continuing your communication with them or you can quietly ignore them if they desire privacy. This is actually no different than working with someone on a project to improve a community as your cooperative efforts forges a bond that lasts for years.
Whether you are helping a neighbor or volunteering to help a community, you are developing trustworthy relationships. If the activity is voluntary, you are building relationships and friendships that are more valuable than you can imagine. In today’s world, we often end up in places where we do not have an established family. Our ability to find new friends and link up with them can determine our state of security as we age. Whether you are a self-employed business owner or are quietly retired, you benefit from having friends to share your life with.
In times of financial and global uncertainty like these, it seems that people are extra careful and want to spend their time with people they know and trust if possible. One can never have too many good friends so you should never stop networking.