The Love of Networking

If you go to Dr Google and ask about networking, you will get a response such as this.

“Networking is the process of building and maintaining relationships with people to help your career, business, or personal growth.”

It is a skill that is of great benefit to those in business, hoping to make new connections, find new customers or clients, and in recent years it meant taking business cards and brochures to functions to meet people who were possible new clients, supporters and more and promoting your products or services.

When I had my own business or was working for someone else, I made great progress through my ability to network.  It is not a skill that I initially set out to learn, though I did benefit from some training, but it has been a natural ability for me.

Now, though not in business, I still manage to use these skills to meet people. I do believe that it is a skill that is beneficial to everyone in our strange world, to assist them to meet new people, make friends and make their lives happier.

I do carry “business cards” with my name, contact details and some info about me. How many times do you meet someone who wants to keep in contact with you and you have to write your name and info on a bit of paper.  You don’t need to spend money on business cards, though they can be cheap, but if you carefully write your name and phone number and/or email address on some card-like material and keep in your wallet/purse, you are ready to start networking. However, I don’t call it that now. I making friends.

My cards are printed (very cheaply), and under my name, I have the words “Writer, Traveller, Camera Addict, Bamboo Fan, Workshop Presenter.”

If I had one of these cards to someone, there is usually a comment about one of the words on the card!  And a conversation will start.

I do some strange things too! The front of my hair is coloured purple. (I do it myself), and I always wear purple nail polish and find it amazing the number of people who stop me and comment on this.  I help people – if I see anyone in need, or where I feel I can make a difference I will do my best o assist. People remember me because of the colour of my hair.

Making friends can be easier if you are active in the process.  I tend to make more female friends than male (I do have male friends, but I don’t need any more in my life!)

Have you ever been in a Café on your own and discovered there is another lady sitting alone with her tea or coffee?  I will say “Are you waiting for a friend” or “Would you like some company? Me?” – I have made a few friends this way. Long standing ones too – and we laugh about how it came to be.

If you attend an event or function and sit beside someone – whether you or they are alone or not – you can start a conversation.  You never know.  Sometimes you will decide that there’s no need to proceed with this friendship, but others, you may be keen. Be polite, pleasant and see what happens.

Loneliness is a big issue in most countries around the world, and you can choose to hibernate and be bored and boring, lonely and alone, or you can develop skills to make new friends.

Join a local group – research and discover what interests you might wish to pursue.  Go more than once to an event, and keep yourself open to new friendships. Invite new friends to meet you for lunch or coffee – it doesn’t have to be at your home, it can be at a café, club. Find out what you have in common.  It might be a hobby, or a place, or even a travelling companion.

None if this will happen if you don’t take action.  Don’t stay home and be miserable.

Network for friends!! And keep the good ones!

#blogboost