Professional contacts can provide valuable knowledge. The latest jobs, industry innovations, news, and events are communicated via social media and staying informed requires staying involved. Knowing that a skilled employee is available for work can help an employer’s staffing strategy. A competitor’s new policy, revealed by an industry contact, might be one that you would like to emulate in your organization.
New professional contacts should be well-chosen. Quantity does not trump quality. Industry and network groups that an individual participates in should be a top industry knowledge source and should offer an opportunity to share business experiences and acquired knowledge. The Guardian provides advice on how to approach potential new contacts in an appropriate way:
- Slow down. Take the opportunity to chat with the people you come into contact with each day such as staff, suppliers, even competitors. Be approachable and genuinely interested in others; you will be surprised what you discover and the common interests that you might have.
- Join industry networks on sites such as LinkedIn and keep ahead of upcoming conferences and events. Attend those that are relevant to your area of business or attend the sessions that appeal to you. Represent your organization and introduce yourself to people during social events.
- Participate in social media networking groups that are relevant to your business. Offer advice if you can and ask for it if you need it. Start a conversation on Twitter and you may see interesting contributions from other industry specialists. Respond to other posters and contribute to discussions and chat rooms
- Post articles and micro videos that you find interesting on a company Facebook site or other platform and develop a reputation as an expert in your field. You may develop followers on Twitter. Regular blogs may increase your organization’s visibility and pull visitor’s to your website.
- Post articles and videos of your experiences that you think others could learn from. Solicit advice and case studies from others but remember to maintain the confidentiality of those with whom you communicate. Respect and trust is vital in building relationships and even potential partnerships.
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