How I stay connected

There are many logical reasons for why you need to be networking, whether job hunting, seeking growth opportunities within your current organization, or making connections with clients, customers, investors, or prospects. In today’s wired, fast-paced business world, strong networking skills are crucial for your success and that of your organization. Before I scare you off, keep in mind that you don’t need to have a broad network to start, you just have to begin with who you know and build from there.

While I was on vacation my wife asked me how I stay connected to the market, clients, prospects, employees, and peers. It was clear that she was seeing my routine up close and personal, as we were in close proximity on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship (I had nowhere to hide). Her question made me reflect and I realized that I’m now on networking autopilot, so I really had to stop and think about how to answer her. Without realizing it, I have created a rather effective networking routine using technology.

So what’s my routine?

1. I start my day early and typically get to the office by 7:15, after a stop at StarBucks. I order using the mobile app, so I am not in the store more than 30 seconds.

2. I scan my email to assure no urgencies popped up overnight – if so, I handle them first.

3. After firing up NPR on Alexa, to get my dose of current affairs, I settle into a comfy “cow chair” and open up my laptop. I never start my business day by sitting behind my desk.

4. I scan my Google Calendar first so I feel I have control of the day. Whatever meetings I have, often stimulate some networking or engagement triggers.

5. Next, I open Salesforce and review the “Chatter” function. This tells me who within the company is engaging whom. This gives me a chance to engage employees, ask some questions and encourage their own engagement with clients and prospects. This also allows me to tag others, which turns the feed into a collaborative conversation. The Salesforce feed really helps me focus my networking efforts.

6. I check my Twitter feed, DMs and pop out a few tweets relevant to the space we are in. I want to show I am connected to the industry and abreast of trends. I’ll seek out a few people to personally engage, and typically do so with a small group of market influencers in banking and fintech. By the way, I use Sprout Social for feed management and maintain lists of clients, prospects, media , nd employees, to make life easier.

7. LinkedIn has become very important to me. I check the inbox and my feed. The feed not only offers me important insight, but gives me a chance to respond to posts. This engagement has served me well. Several of us at Geezeo now use LinkedIn Sales Navigator, which helps practically force one-on-one engagement.

8. If I see client or industry news of value to the rest of our team, I share it immediately. In essence, I have become a news broadcaster for the rest of our management teams.

By 8:15 or so, I am usually ready to start my regular course of business. I try to avoid any meeting prior to 8:30.

In the evening, starting around 8 PM or so, I jump back into some evening networking, but on a more personal level. I dedicate no more than hour to looking for ways to personally engage clients on instagram and Facebook, and try to keep up with clients and friends. I’ll also take a final glance at any in-bound, late-in-day emails, that I may need to address early the next day.

Over time this process evolved and I don’t believe I consciously developed this routine. Those that know me, understand that I am a people person, and genuinely enjoy engaging with people. I’m not suggesting that you too must be in order to be successful, however, I do believe setting aside specific times to engage your audience in personal, relevant ways will open a variety of opportunities for you and your organization.