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people you want to
connect with. There is a lot of leverage in this approach if
done correctly. For that reason I call it leverage networking.
How it works:
Rather than connecting
with the CEO of IBM, for example, you would try to connect
with someone who’s clients are CEO’s of Fortune 500 companies.
This approach can work when you are looking for business or a
job. If you are doing a marketing job search in the
entertainment space find someone who works with marketing
executives in that space.
Building the relationship-- It takes time & trust:
Unlike traditional
networking, where you often have one objective in mind with
the individual you are pursuing, leverage networking is much
more involved. It is much more relationship oriented since you
are asking someone to open up his or her Rolodex to you.
Remember when you spend a lifetime building strong
relationships you are not going to just turn them over to just
anyone. Therefore, leverage networking takes more than a call
asking someone to give you a name. It takes time, face-to-face
contact and gradual building of trust. Given the time it takes
to build these relationships, don’t focus on more than five or
six network partners. If you can connect with this many
relationships you will have built a tremendously powerful
network.
Identify the right type of person to leverage:
Leverage networking takes time, trust and a good amount of
work on your part. Therefore, it is crucial you target people
who can really help. There are people out there who have a lot
of contacts, but they may not be at the right level, in the
right industry or function to help you. Leverage networking
only works well if you can target people with:
1)
Common target clients or strong relationships with your
target audience. Industry alone is not enough.
2)
Common target clients or strong relationships that also
work in the same functional group you are targeting or at a
high enough level that functional groups do not matter. The
level of relationship is just as important as the relationship
itself.
3)
Interest that does not compete with yours. If you are
looking for a job in entertainment marketing, do not target
someone else who is doing the same even if they have a great
Rolodex.
Who
are these people?
Great! You know what you
want, but where do you find these networking partners?
Typically, partner level individuals in the professional
services space such as consultants, lawyers, accountants,
recruiters and bankers who can be very specialized and build
their business on relationships are great prospects. Likewise,
senior sales professionals and national accounts managers are
great if they are selling to your audience and level.
Your
Approach – Making it work in practice:
In practice, where do you
find networking partners? Networking events, conferences and
industry functions are great. Another source is through a
professional services person you know, but who does not fit
your target profile. Ask your lawyer or accountant if they
know lawyers or accountants in your space. They will. Ask
someone from a target company for names of good sales and
account people they work with. They will have some.
Once you find a potential
networking partner, confirm you have a good match. Make sure
you are direct and identify whom they can connect you with.
Just ask them what type of companies they work with and at
what level.
All long term
relationship go both ways so once you have identified a
prospect start the relationship on a positive note by helping
them in some way. Then follow up with them on a regular basis.
Before long you will see the results of your work. |
