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You want to develop your network but don't dare to take the initiative? Talk with strangers seems insurmountable to you? Do you hate seminars and run away from cocktails? Discover in this article how to build robust and lasting professional relationships, whatever your temperament and goals are. A valuable tool to make yourself known, recognize and boost your career.

One suggestion is to have brief conversations with few people during the event and then look for meetings for a more relaxed atmosphere. 

How to build a professional network from scratch?

Every week, I invite you to another "must-see" business event that will surely be full of talented people that could influence my company. I know I should attend, but it's annoying. Very often, I end up standing in a corner, clinging to the only person I know, feeling guilty about not taking advantage of the situation.

Recently, I attended a breakfast for women, which was held in a huge cellar near a pier. I went through the door and picked up the label with my name to face a room of 1200 women dressed in many colors and with lots of energy. It seemed like everyone was having fun.

And now that? Do I know anyone? If I stay here alone will people think I'm weird? I felt a tightness in my chest.

I suspect that many of us have an unfortunate time at these events, but few admit it. Everyone smiles and walks around the place shaking hands, laughing and exchanging business cards. But the truth is, some of us feel uncomfortable, and we approach people who talk, not knowing if we should participate in a group or move away.

How To Build A Powerful Professional Network

That's me. I have created a robust work network and have convinced Google, eBay, Twitter and Facebook leaders to support my emerging venture so they could assume that I am an expert in socializing. But the truth is that I am introverted and have had problems with professional socialization for years. I'd rather be at home reading a book.

However, I recognize the importance of this type of activity, so I strive for it... mainly because some casual encounters at events have become relationships that have made all the difference for my business. I like to do things well. That's why I have developed techniques that help me establish relationships and improve, or even enjoy, the process of cultivating contacts. If you also have problems with these situations, here are some ideas that could be helpful.

Have brief conversations with many people

I find it difficult to establish lasting connections in events. Instead, I try to have short conversations with as many people as possible and make sure I have your contact information so I can follow up later.

If I see someone I want to talk to, kindly approach me and say, "Sorry to interrupt, but such and such a person told me that I should know you. I have to go in a bit, and I just wanted your business card to contact you later. " It's hard enough for people to say no when you say something like that.

After the event, I contact them, and I agree to go to lunch or have a cup of coffee. That is an environment in which I feel much more comfortable.

Concentrate on what you do well

Although large informal groups seem to me to be a challenge, I know that I'm doing well with formal presentations and one-person talks. Instead of worrying about my inability to be charming at events with large groups, I focus on my more natural ability to talk to one person and do it openly. If you're excellent at chatting with a person, that's all you need to create a professional network.

It is about establishing a few close relationships

Some people have hundreds or thousands of people in their professional network. In addition to social networks, where I do not know most of the people I'm supposed to be connected with, I would say that my nearby network of work includes about fifteen people, but all of them are special. Every year, I know about one to three individuals who turn out to be fabulous. It's never about what a person can do for me, but to realize that I have found someone who can teach me something valuable. Almost all the right things that have come to me come from one of these fifteen people.

Introverts have different strengths. I spent years thinking it should be different, speak louder, be more funny, more extroverted. Now I recognize the need to be grateful for the talents I do have.

Regardless of your profession, networking is the critical key to accelerating success. It's efficient for educating directly from persons you meet and improving the authority of your business. 
For many entrepreneurs, networking may taste bad. Young entrepreneurs are not sure where to get started to join a networking community. 

It's not what you know but who you know. This applies in particular in an increasingly competitive business environment where healthy relationships can directly impact your profitability.

Entrepreneurs rarely devote sufficient time to networking. Some even consider going for coffee with a business relationship as a waste of time. Establishing a mutually beneficial business network should be a priority for any business owner.

You must have to see this as an investment and not as a cost. Relationships are tremendously important and extremely useful. Strong business relationships can lead to new clients, improved management skills and the discovery of new ideas.

Here are few networking strategies to help entrepreneurs improve their communication skill. 

1. Plan

A common mistake is to improvise when it comes to networking. You should not participate in an unexpected event. You must have expected to attend and have a particular purpose - for example, get three meetings with potential clients.

At the beginning of the year, when preparing a business plan, entrepreneurs should also consider their networking strategy and ask questions such as: 

• Who can I meet on a regular basis?
• With whom can I do business this year? 

OK! At the end of the year, assess how well you have achieved your goals and how your relationships with members of your network have helped your business.

2. Find where to start

A possible rule is to ask you what kinds of activities your peers are participating in. Workshops, conferences and trade shows provide excellent opportunities for new knowledge and business development.

Consulting your local chamber of commerce's business calendar is another source of ideas for events you may be involved in.

3. Don't be shy

Participating in networking activities makes people feel uncomfortable because they feel they are in the middle of a party where they don't know anyone. They can reassure themselves that this is true for all the other participants.

Some reminders when participating in a networking event:

• Bring your business cards.
• Look after your appearance, because people will watch you from afar. The first impression counts a lot.
• Prepare a few good sentences to introduce yourself and describe your business. This will be particularly helpful if you are nervous about meeting people for the first time.
• Spending your time with people you know is a trap to avoid. Make an effort to talk to new people.
• Focus on things what you can do for others and not the other way around.
• Avoid aggressive selling. Interest in what others do. Ask questions.
• Don't grab people. Remember that everyone is there for the same reason as you: create contacts.
• At the end of a conversation, ask the caller for permission to relaunch the discussion, explaining why.

4. Build relationships with connectors

Better to have ten mutually beneficial relationships in your database than a hundred casual contacts.

Take the time and trouble to build trust with connectors and influencers in your industry. They are the ones, who make things happen. Cultivate these links and do not take them for granted.

5. Be active in social networks

The social media such as LinkedIn and Facebook can be great networking tools, but entrepreneurs should not ignore the power of face to face interaction. Combining both is an excellent way to build trust.
Also read: 3 Bad Communication Habits You Need to Break Immediately

6. Get out of your comfort zone

Creating ties with peers within your industry is the first step in a networking strategy, but you do not have to stop there.

Entrepreneurs often have a narrow vision because they are very focused on their own business. Meeting people from outside your industry can bring a new perspective to your business. 

Today, much of the communication happens online. Due to the vast amount of electronic exchanges, it's hard to create a perfect message every time you communicate.

However, some communicative habits can effectively alienate your audience and detract from the effectiveness of your communication, says consultant Dorri Olds. The expert has worked with numerous companies, helping them to create websites and dominate social networks. Olds works alongside his clients to 'cure' them of these three afflictions:

1. Deafness of tone

E-mail, in particular, is not known for its ability to communicate a tone, so it is easy for messages to be misunderstood. Sending a direct and short response can save you time, but it could also be sharp and abrupt for the receiver. Although you do not have to fill out emoticon messages, you should check your email, your posts, your tweets, and text messages before you 'send' it to make sure you are not unintentionally hacking.

You can soften your direct responses with a greeting (such as "Hello" or "What a pleasure to hear from you") and sign with a "thank you" or "greetings." Although this may make you write a little more, something so simple can prevent your message from being misunderstood and causing feelings or inconvenience.

2. Promotional Disease

"Some people think we're more interested in what they do than we really are," says Olds. If your tweets or your posts are dealt with you all the time, you are likely to bother your audience and eventually stop you from following and responding.

Olds recommends following a one-to-six promotion ratio to other content (only one promotional post or tweet for every six you submit). Also, when using email, make sure you're offering something of value to the recipient, such as an offer or good content.

The expert also advises using your platforms to promote others and help them build their fan base, results or share publications with interesting content for your audience. If your email signature is seven or eight lines, no one will read it. Cut it and leave the essentials: one or two messages about you. This will make communication more efficient.

3. Negative mental state

No one wants to hear people complaining or self-pitying in these media. If you do this type of communication regularly, you could be affecting your image. At the same time, Olds does not think you should be too personal in your posts. If you are authentic and share your feelings about a particular topic, you will become more accessible, and people will have a better perception of who you are. That is why it is important the way you position yourself on the internet.

"Why would you publish that you are desperate to attract new clients or that you are wasting your time in the office because you hate your job?" Think about what you are publishing. Do you want your customers to read it? If not, do not put it on the internet.

When you have the opportunity to network, do you handle it well or is it a big failure? To take advantage of the benefits of interacting with other people, you must prepare yourself, be yourself and learn to listen. 

Although online networking has dominated the last ten years in many ways, private networking (conferences, conventions, workshops, fairs, etc.) is still the best way to meet and interact with colleagues, potential partners, and mentors. If you are new to the networking scene and want to learn how to master it, avoid these five common mistakes of entrepreneurs:

Be too pushy. 

If you enter an event with the attitude of a used car salesman, you will immediately drive everyone around. Yes, you want to end up being known at the end of the day, but not by being an arrogant or annoying person.

To avoid this image, ask questions about the other person instead of just making affirmations about your business. Take the time to listen and do not just wait for your turn to speak. With this strategy, you will be perceived as interesting. And do not worry, they'll ask you if you do.

Focus only on big fish. 

Clearly, there are people at the events that everyone wants to talk about, like the speaker, the full pocket investor or the successful entrepreneur. But there are others with which it is also worth interacting, so stop chasing only the big names.

Better, circulate and discover people with interesting and useful information and also be fun. Eventually, you'll get a chance to talk to the big boys, but you never know if the shy man in the corner is a hidden gem

Try too much to impress. 

Do you feel minuscule in the dough? Many people try to compensate for this feeling by presenting themselves as more important than they are. It is tempting to boost your resume and boast of future successes, but the odds are that you will discover the truth, which will make you look like someone unreliable and rather silly.

This could cost you the opportunity to get mentors or other benefits. The conclusion: Be yourself. You will gain more respect and make more real connections.

Stay silent. 

It can be overwhelming to be surrounded by other entrepreneurs, some of whom are much further away than you. Do not let that fact stop you from showing yourself and talking to people.

If you've never attended an event like these, start small. Approach someone who is also alone and say something like, "Is this the first time you visit?" The answer does not matter; the goal is to start a conversation. In few seconds you will know if the person is attractive or not. If it is not, make up a casual excuse and move on. There are likely to be more guys like you who do not know how to do networking and who appreciate being approached.

But a warning: although I mentioned that you should not only contact the big fish, do not stick to the thin ones either. You need to have the courage to engage in other conversations, but you will never maximize the benefits of networking.

Not being prepared. 

So far we have not discussed the purpose of networking, which is to help grow your business. Sooner or later someone will ask you what you do or what your business is. Take advantage of your chance to shine. Practice your elevator pitch, have business cards on hand and be prepared to answer any questions.

You could show your enthusiasm and go deeper if your response was positive. Make sure you are reciprocal and ask about your business. The best kind of networking is a real exchange between two people who can benefit from sharing information, ideas, and resources.

As you perform more networking activities, you will build your comfort, and the right behavior will come naturally. Then, you can get the most benefit from networking: the opportunities to talk to smart people, interesting and passionate about the companies they are creating.  

Often neglected by SMEs in times of crisis, communication is indispensable to ensure customer loyalty and win new ones. Now that the economic signals are again positive, it is the right time to reorganize this feature! How to make a communication plan? 5 tips to guide you!

What is a communication plan?

The communication plan is a business plan that helps coordinate and streamline the communication strategy through actions to be taken (during the year usually) specifying the objectives, targets, deadlines and that the means employed.

These actions are intended primarily to enhance the expertise and know-how of the company to increase sales in the short term, by establishing a conversation with customers, prospects and partners. They also serve to raise awareness of the company to the public or to change its image to expand its business beyond its current environment.
Also read: Building an Internal Social Media Network for Employees

Our advice to make a communication plan

1) Choose a strategic position

Start by making a diagnosis of past communication and impact (strengths, weaknesses) actions in recent years. Then start thinking with managers to determine the major challenges your company is facing, as well as your ambitions and plans for the future. Based on this preliminary analysis, it will be possible to define the strategic positioning of the communication plan. Feel free to compare the ads of your competitors for you to know the culture of your area and determine what works best at the moment.
Also read: How to Make a Social Media Marketing Plan

2) Set goals to achieve

your business objectives must be consistent with the resources available and prioritized according to their priority level: the loyalty of existing customers, prospecting potential buyers, the conquest of new markets, public information, etc. Planned short and medium term, they must be measurable to evaluate the effectiveness of the plan with specific indicators: the amount of turnover, number of visits, shopping conversion rate, the percentage of new customers or your company's awareness level.

3) Identify the preferred public

The communication plan must convey "good message" to the "public good". For this, you must identify your target heart of (your main customers) and your overall target all potential members including buyers of the same age group or professional category and prescribes trend likely to recommend your products and services. Formulated according to their needs and expectations, the messages will include a promise of communication designed to capture their attention, distinguish yourself from the competition, make them want to try the product / service, and encourage them to take action.

4) Plan communication plan

Communication activities can be organized throughout the year or be a piecemeal approach following a change of season or a product launch. Set a schedule indicating the start date and duration of action, and assign tasks between the personnel involved. The plan may also provide in advance a procedure in exceptional circumstances that will push your business to react in the short term: the reorganization or acquisition of the company, a crisis situation.

5) Use all available tools

A wide range of tools at your disposal to carry out your communication plan. Beyond traditional media such as regional newspapers and billboards on street furniture, SMEs have completed their digital transformation also use the tools offered by the digital marketing (website Shopping, blogs, social networks, emails, trade links) to reach a large audience at a lower cost.

Check out: Twitter Marketing Strategies for Small Business
If You found this article helpful, please consider to share on social media, so many other people may get helped. 

I enjoy social media as much as the next person but I must occasionally “adult” and  venture out into the real world and actually meet people. I realize it’s a foreign concept and against new societal norms but it’s valuable to make real connections with our peers, so network we must.


This post is for my introverts. An introvert is defined as a person whose energy is depleted after interacting in a group or crowd. An extrovert walks away from parties and social gatherings feeling rebooted and re-energized. The term introvert has been mistaken for “shy” but that’s not what it means. Introverts are  also seen as having bad social skills but that couldn’t be further from the truth. We just differ in the way we communicate.

In a previous job, the company I worked for lauded extroverts. They put them on a pedestal. The company felt as though extroverts were better suited for the job and more in alignment with the values of the company. As an introvert, I felt the stigma of being branded with an “I” on my forehead. I still believe they had separate feasts for the extroverts that introverts weren’t invited to.

People who know me in real life refuse to believe that I’m an introvert. I can be the life of the party and I can get pretty loud in the right setting. A former coworker even told me that I must’ve “failed the Myers-Brigg test” when I scored as an INFP. My social media channels also don’t exhibit any signs of introversion, however, as I get older I become slightly more of an ambivert. An ambivert is someone who can switch between the two worlds .

I am a self-diagnosed social media junkie. The best part about social media is that I can do it from home in the comfort of my bed in pj’s, unlike peer-to-peer networking. Both are necessary to succeed either in the corporate world or as entrepreneurs.

I’ve learned a few things in the last 8 years of working in corporate America and as an entrepreneur that have helped me work a room with more confidence.
Here are 5 tips to network like a boss while introverting (I made that up btw).

1. Purpose of Attending – Before you attend a networking event or meeting you should have a purpose in mind. Is your goal to meet specific people? Is the group or meeting in alignment with your current values and mission? You should ask yourself these questions as not to waste your time or anyone else’s. That may sound harsh but your time may be better served elsewhere if it doesn’t line up. It may be tempting to RSVP to every event that comes calling but I would advise against it. Introverts should save energy for the functions we most want to attend.

2. Do Your Research – I always research organizations and events beforehand. What is the sole function of the organization? Is it a referral network or non-profit event? Some organizations even list the members right on their website. At the very least, you will find board members and those in leadership positions. It would be beneficial to know who they are and their roles. You should also take note of the group members’ occupations and hobbies, if listed, as a way to engage in (non-awkward) conversation. If you know a member or an attendee, have them make introductions. Most introverts struggle with this not because they are shy or can’t communicate but because they are out of their element.

3. Be Prepared – I’m a pretty prepared person by nature but I have been off my game before. It happens to the best of us. Just as recently as yesterday I attended a meeting for the 1^st time and didn’t take enough business cards. There were over 50 people in attendance and maybe only half received business cards. Fail! Out of those 25 people, surely 2 could have used my services. I have since put a fresh stack of business cards in my car. Being prepared will relieve some anxiety and boost your confidence in any setting.

4. Know Your Elevator Pitch – This falls under the umbrella of #3 but it’s important enough to stand on its own. The elevator pitch can be nerve-wracking for anyone but especially for an introvert. If you are attending an event for the first time, you can count on people asking who you are and what you do. It shouldn’t come as a surprise. The best way to get around this is to practice, practice, practice. Keep it short and sweet. Write down the 2-3 key points you want the attendees to remember. Maintain good eye contact and posture. Kill it.

5. Force Yourself To Network – I made a promise to myself when I did my SMART goals this year that I would attend at least 2 networking events each month as a part of my professional development. As an introvert, it’s a great way to get out of my comfort zone and hold myself accountable. I will search for 2 meaningful or beneficial events or meetings each month and step away from the computer. Now that I work from home it’s more important than ever to meet new people and engage in a real way.

I hope these pointers resonated with those of you who are introverts. I know networking can be intimidating or overwhelming but it doesn’t have to be that way. My goal for this year is to continue to push myself to new levels by making connections with people who are in similar realms as I am. The people you meet and things you learn are invaluable for personal and professional development.

Are you an introvert or extrovert? Do you enjoy networking events or stay away?