Our work with entrepreneurs has made it clear: Networking is one of the key ways to open doors for opportunities. For you to gain these opportunities, you need to of course be working before you start networking.

Performance is a key in effective network — you have to be able to show results in the past. It’s pretty impossible to network effectively if you have nothing to share about your work and the results you have achieved. Be prepared with testimonials and stories about your work.

One thing many entrepreneurs share with us is the importance of asking for work.

Networking is a great way to meet, connect with, and stay in touch with people. At some point, though, you have ask for work if you are going to stay in business. If you don’t make it clear that you are looking for work — for projects, for new clients or customers — people might assume you have all the business you need or want.

Here at ISM, we are all involved in projects, but are also all looking for the next engagement, and networking globally as we do, has been fascinating. We’ve come to understand that asking for work is just one piece of the puzzle — HOW you ask for it is another, sometimes sensitive aspect.

It’s important to understand how different ways of asking for work might be interpreted. For example, “We’re looking for more work/projects/clients” could be taken as begging for work. “We’re quite busy right now but have an opening for one additional project” implies something completely different.

BEFORE YOU GO

We see our blogs as opportunities for dialogue. Please share your thoughts as comments.

• Promote the results you have achieved in the past as you network in the present.

• Share what you’re currently working on while asking for additional work.

• What have you done to keep working while you network?

#networking, #entrepreneurship, #FarisAlami