eTip: Leverage the Resources in Your Network
The resources your networking contacts have are available to you, if you creatively ask for them and wisely use them. The resources you have should be available to your networking contacts too. Be open to letting your networking contacts utilize them. Here are two examples on how to leverage the same resource.
EXAMPLE 1:
In order to accomplish one of your goals, you need to join a specific membership organization whose members are people you wish to add to your network or wish to "prospect" the membership for potential clients. One of your networking contacts is a member of the specific organization. Membership costs one thousand dollars annually. Asking your networking contact to host you as his/her guest may get you in the door once or twice. You would like to attend more of the meetings and events, but cannot justify paying the one thousand dollar annual fee this year. How you can you leverage this resource?
Answer:
To gain access to every meeting and event, ask your networking contact to let you share half the membership cost, and make you his/her permanent "date" to every event the membership organization hosts, co-hosts and/or sponsors.
The partnership can work if you have no issues with:
- your name not appearing in the membership directory
- not being able to list your membership on your written "bio", C.V., or resume
Make a list of all the benefits both you and your networking contact will gain by forming such a partnership. The list becomes your sales pitch. Invite your networking contact to dinner. Present your win-win opportunity over a very nice dinner. You pay for dinner. Ask your networking contact to make a decision within a week. If he/she agrees to your partnership opportunity, write a simple contract outlining the responsibilities both you and your networking contact will abide by.
EXAMPLE 2:
You belong to a membership organization whose membership fees are going to increase significantly this year. You like to attend the monthly meetings and networking events. But you don't do much networking with the members anymore and the cost justification is becoming more expensive. You really don't want to drop your membership, but you cannot justify paying much more for membership. How can you leverage this resource?
Answer:
Consider sharing your membership with one of your networking contacts. This person can become your permanent "date" to every meeting and event the membership organization hosts or sponsors. Preferably, this person should greatly benefit from exposure to the networking opportunities and the membership constituents.
Consider propositioning the following people in your network:
- the owner of a newly started business
- an independent contractor
- someone looking to make a career move
- someone new to the geographical location
The partnership can work if the prospective person has no issues with:
- their name not appearing in the membership directory
- not being able to list their membership on their written "bio", C.V., or resume
Make a list of all the benefits both you and your networking contact will gain by forming such a partnership. The list becomes your sales pitch. Invite your networking contact to dinner. Present your win-win opportunity over a very nice dinner. You pay for dinner. Ask your networking contact to make a decision within a week. If he/she agrees to your partnership opportunity, write a simple contract outlining the responsibilities both you and your networking contact will abide by.
Leveraging the resources in your network - your own or others' - is not difficult. It takes some creativity and should always involve a win-win opportunity for everyone involved.
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