8 Significant Ways to Develop and Maintain Professional Networks

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People that we know can sometimes be the main sources of opportunity for our business or work. If we want to optimize the chance that we have for success, then building the network that we have can be one of the things that we do. Therefore, it is better that we know how to develop and maintain professional networks that we have.

A professional network is something that can be built naturally during the progression of our work. The people that we have met in the past during our years at work are those who have done some tasks with us or at least we have met and talked with them frequently so we can count on them as a part of the network that we have.

Hence, most of us seem to already have some kind of professional network without us trying too much for it. However, if we want to allocate some of our attention to develop and maintain professional networks, then we should take a look at the ways outside the natural relationship building that we have done. There can be some advantages for us too if we decide to do this.

Wide and Deep: The Objectives from the Activities to Develop and Maintain Professional Networks

When we want to put in the effort to develop and maintain professional networks, then we want it to be a wide and deep network for us.

Wide means that we know many people professionally and deep means we have an excellent relationship with most of them. It can be pretty hard to have that kind of network because of the time that we need to spend to be able to nurture that.

However, if we are able to do it, then the benefits that we have can be great. The people that we know should not be reluctant to share the opportunities that they got the info of if they see that the opportunities are relevant to us. It will also be much easier for us to ask questions that we have related to the problems that we get at our work. They might even offer their help to our problems if they think that we need it. Our progress to success may become even smoother by the advantages that we have from the people that we know close professionally. We can help each other significantly to succeed in the work that we are in.

Read also: Maintain Positive Attitude at Work

The Top Tips to Develop and Maintain Professional Networks

Have you tried to develop and maintain professional networks that you have?

If you have not or if you are in the constant process of doing it, then these tips might be able to help you.

Say Something in Annual Special Days
Days like Christmas or New Year are the days when people usually say something to the others that they know. Message some greetings to the people that you know on these special days can help to develop and maintain professional networks that you have

Join and Be Active in Related Professional Forums and Groups
There are many groups and forums which are built and maintained by the people who have the same background or passion. Try to find the ones that are relevant to you, join them, and be active in the groups and forums to develop and maintain professional networks that you have

Come to the Event of People that You Want to Build Professional Network With
Probably there are some experts or famous people in your work area that you want to know more about. People like these are sometimes invited to speaking engagements so if you want to introduce yourself to them, then search for the info and come to the events where they are in to have the chance to build professional relationship with them

Try to Be in the Offline Meeting Events as Often as Possible
Your work groups usually have some kinds of meeting occasions where the objective is to let the people in the group know each other more. These kinds of occasions can be important to develop and maintain professional networks so you should try to come too if you have the chance

Use LinkedIn Networking Feature
In LinkedIn, you are able to know whether a person that you have not known about is second or third or more in your network circle (second means the person has an acquaintance with someone that you know, third means the person has an acquaintance with someone and that someone knows someone that you know, and so on). If you want to leverage the power of your network, then you may want to try to take advantage of this feature by asking for someone that you know to introduce you to the person that you want to know more about

Do Not Just Interact When You Need Some Help and Try to Help Them When They Need It
If you just interact with a person when you need his/her help, then he/she most probably thinks that your interaction is not genuine and worth it to be replied. Interact with them occasionally when it is appropriate and try to help them too during their need for help. That way, people should be more eager to build a relationship with you and ready to help you when you really need it

Be Genuine
Do not be someone other than yourself as people usually hate it when they know that someone put another face when he/she is with them. Be yourself and try to always be positive with who you are whenever you try to build a relationship with someone

Celebrate Special Occasions
There are happy times which are special to people in their life such as their marriage, their birthday, or their big success of something and sad times like the death of someone they love or a big failure that they experience in work. Try to be there to send some appropriate message according to the occasions to the people that you already know or come to them to interact with them directly so you can develop and maintain professional networks with them

So, have you decided to develop and maintain professional networks that you have? Try to implement these tips and hopefully you can be successful in building a strong professional network that you enjoy yourself in!

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