Networking within your community and among other professionals is essential to your bottom-line success as a New York event planner. Who you know, who you help, and how you contribute will have a direct impact on your ability to grow as a planner and scale your business. So, how can you improve to make the most of your networking opportunities and build a strategic community of resources and connections? Consider these insights and build a winning strategy for networking success in 2023.
1. Every Member Has a Voice
The core element of any networking community is its members. Everyone has a voice, and everyone contributes value. To cultivate your network, seek out those voices and values ongoing. Encourage connection and participation, and be mindful of using your own voice to promote your value in those circles, too.
2. Curating New and Existing Relationships
Any networking group is susceptible to turnover. Business professionals will come and go, usually based on their perceptions of value the community offers. To ensure success within your networking circles, be diligent about curating new working relationships with others. Additionally, continue to connect and grow relationships with those you already know. Make an effort to reach out whenever possible to inquire about what others are excited about or experiencing, and you’ll always be a positive force for community growth.
3. Build a Common Ground Foundation
Your networking community will be made up of unique members who bring vastly different perspectives and skills. Celebrate those differences ongoing. But it’s also important to remember that your group will come together on common ground. So, find those common goals, success objectives, and challenges to form a strong foundation. Just as you need a “why” statement for your own event planning business, find your “why” statement for your networking community and encourage others to participate in support of those common goals.
4. Be Accessible and Promote Availability
When you’re networking, remember that you need to be accessible and available beyond the luncheon or networking event. Make valuable connections and then follow up to make it easy for others to reach you for relationship-building outside of the specific networking engagement. This also means prioritizing networking with colleagues for meetings, responding to communication, and providing support.
5. Always Be Learning
A community of networking professionals will become loyal to the engagement and continue to evolve and grow as long as there is always something new to learn. Even if you’re the key figure driving your network, you’ve never truly “arrived.” Be a student with your networking group and demonstrate the importance of learning to others.
6. Be a Giver
Some people will come into your community with the goal of finding new clients. They’ll work a room and ask for business. And once they feel they’ve squeezed every lead out of the moment, they’ll disconnect or leave. Another key element of successful networking involves being just as much of a giver as you are a receiver. Sure, you’re looking for new connections that generate new business. But others will be more apt to provide you with leads, insights, and client introductions if you’re actively giving back and providing support and interest to others.
Make sure you have a strategic plan to embrace and improve your networking communities. These connections are essential for your event planning business.
Get on the waitlist now for The Event Planner Expo 2023 to make sure you get in the room at the biggest networking event and events industry conference of the year!
