Ah, networking. Love it or hate it, developing relationships with other people in your industry plays an important part in scaling your business.

Networking allows you to:

• Connect with other industry experts and form relationships with potential new partners.
• Find new customers and clients. 
• Open yourself to bigger and better opportunities. 

But the art of networking can be a tough nut to crack. The more introverted among us (no shame!) can find networking challenging and exhausting. And even the most naturally charismatic people in the room can find that winging it at networking events doesn’t produce the same results each and every time.

So, how do you ensure that your networking attempts actually lead to helpful connections and authentic partnerships?

Trainual certified consultant Adi Klevit of Business Success Consulting Group has the answer: Systemize your networking strategy. In a special webinar with Trainual partner manager Joe Corcione, Adi talked about how turning your networking efforts into a repeatable process can help you connect with more people in an authentic way. Here are her tips for building a system that will transform your networking strategy:

Can a networking process ruin human connection?

At the beginning of the session, Joe wanted to touch on the biggest concern surrounding a systemized approach to networking: How do you keep the human element of connection when you have to follow a system?

“When you systemize something, it actually allows you to be more creative,” Adi said. “And [then you can] concentrate on what matters — building the relationship.”

If you have a process for getting something done — whether it’s writing a blog, posting on social media, or connecting with people at networking events — you have a series of steps you need to complete. And because you don’t have to waste energy worrying about what you need to do next, you can concentrate on the most important aspects of your task.

For a blog or social media, that could be something like the creative way you want to present your content. For networking, it’s the focus you have on developing a relationship with someone in an authentic manner.

Because when you already have a system for which networking events to visit, how to prepare beforehand, and when to follow up after, all you have to think about is the person in front of you. You want a systemized strategy for networking so you can have a structure that allows you to be fully present in those relationships.

Without the system, you won’t be able to execute your plans. And in Adi’s words: “The execution itself is the creativity.”

The power of consistency in networking

Consistency is a term that comes up almost every time systemization and processes are discussed. However, the word might not immediately come to mind when talking about networking — but Adi thinks it should.

“Think about the last keynote speaker you really liked — what were the aspects or elements that made you attracted to them?” Adi asked. “It’s the personality, the content, but also how it was presented.”

Presentation is important in making a good impression, especially when it comes to business. Think about it: When you have representatives from two businesses in front of you — one who’s prepared for all your questions and the other who’s hemming and hawing with every sentence — you’re going to go with the one who definitely did the prep work beforehand, right?

When you’re prepared, you can provide the same, practiced experience every time. And not only that, but having a consistent system in place allows you to notice when something isn’t working so you can adjust it. Let’s look back at that keynote speaker example: If there’s a moment in your presentation when the audience is staring at you blankly, it means you’re not conveying your message in an engaging way. Thank goodness you’ve got a system in place — you already know exactly when and what you need to change.

It’s the same with networking. When you have a process in place, you can deliver consistent results every time. And when you notice that something's off about your system, you can easily jump into your strategic process and make changes.

Practice makes perfect.

Not everyone feels comfortable networking — homebodies unite! — but this is where consistency saves the day. A natural consequence of a consistent process is repeatability, which means that the more you perform the process, the more practice you’re getting.

And the more you practice this systemized approach to networking, the more comfortable you’ll feel with networking overall. Which is incredibly beneficial, considering that you want to come off as an authentic personality versus a stiff robot who’s repeating a sales pitch.

“You’re not at a networking event to sell. You’re there to be yourself, to be authentic, and to make connections.”
<blockquoteauthor>Adi Klevit, co-founder of Business Success Consulting Group<blockquoteauthor>

🔥 Tip: Before you walk into any networking event, remind yourself of your purpose there and how you want to present yourself. It lets you refocus on what you want out of the event and review your systemized strategy.

How do you actually systemize your networking strategy?

Here are Adi’s three actionable steps for systemizing your networking strategy:

1. Define your target market and figure out where to find those connections.

“This is Marketing 101,” Adi shared. “Determine who you want to communicate with.”

In other words, who are you trying to service and/or sell your products to? What problem are you trying to solve?

Your target audience and prospective customer base are going to determine where you network. Because if you service business owners with $5M to $10M in revenue, you don’t want to attend conferences for solopreneurs — they’re not part of your target market and forming connections there would most likely be a waste of your time.

Once you’ve defined your target market, it’s time to do your research. Find out which networking events and groups service the same clientele. These could include:

• Trade associations.
• Mastermind or executive groups.
• Conferences, conventions, and sales events.

You can find them online, through LinkedIn, or via your current connections. Ask your fellow industry professionals where they like to go for networking opportunities. Just remember: These groups are not a one-size-fits-all kind of deal. You’ll want to determine if the group is a good fit for you. What value can you get from attending or joining? And can you contribute to the group’s success as an active participant?

2. Determine which groups to join and systemize your follow-up process.

How many events you’ll attend or groups you’ll join depends on your availability. Adi herself chooses different groups for different purposes, like referrals, professional development, community, and advocacy.

If you’re short on free time, choose one group and concentrate on building relationships there. Incorporate those events and activities into your schedule and build a process for following up when you meet new people. That could look like adding them to your CRM or contact management system, signing them up for your newsletter, or establishing a schedule for check-ups via LinkedIn, Zoom calls, or in-person coffee dates.

3. Utilize key metrics to measure the effectiveness of your networking strategy.

Now, the big question: How do you know that your networking strategy is working? And the best answer: Use metrics to gauge if your current networking groups are working for you.

Those measurables can include the number of connections you’ve made in the group, how many business transactions you’ve completed in your network, or how expansive your network has become. If you feel like you’re continuing to get good value from your participation, then it’s probably a good idea to keep networking there. But it’s okay if the group is no longer a good fit.

“A colleague once told me, ‘A relationship can be [good] for a minute, a season, or a lifetime,’” Adi said.

Basically, your relationship with a group might be good for a season of your business — but if the value isn’t there anymore, then it’s possible that you just outgrew the relationship. The important part is being able to evaluate when that happens.

“Always challenge yourself to network up,” Adi said. “If you feel too comfortable, it might be time to move up to the next level.”

Networking is an essential part of growing your business and developing your own professional career. And whether you find the act challenging, exciting, or somewhere in between, having a systemized process is only going to make your life a whole lot simpler.