It’s no secret that networking is essential for anyone who wants to be successful in business. But let’s be honest: most of us don’t like going to industry events and schmoozing with potential clients. It can be uncomfortable, and even downright painful, to put ourselves out there.
So how can we make networking work for us – and actually enjoy it? By becoming a key person of influence in our industry, of course! When you’re a KPI, people are naturally drawn to you. They want to hear what you have to say and they’re eager to collaborate with you. But becoming a KPI doesn’t happen overnight; it takes time, effort, and a whole lot of sincerity.
Here’s how to become a key person of influence in your industry:
Be Genuinely Interested in People
The first step to becoming a KPI is simple: be interested in other people. When you’re genuinely interested in hearing about what someone does and learning about their work, they’ll pick up on it almost immediately. People are naturally drawn to those who make them feel important and understood. Therefore, show an interest in others and they’ll reciprocate.
Ask questions, listen intently, and follow up later with the things you’ve talked about.
Connection requires communication, so make sure you’re always staying in touch. Whether that means sending a quick email after meeting someone at an event or following up with an article or piece of information they mentioned they were interested in. The more you nurture your relationships, the stronger they’ll become.
Be helpful without being pushy
Offer your assistance when it’s clear that someone could use some help, but don’t force it if they don’t seem receptive. The goal is to build trustworthiness and respect, so always keep that in mind when interacting with others.
Establish Yourself as an Expert in Your Field
No one wants to collaborate with someone who doesn’t know what they’re talking about. If you want to be seen as a KPI, you need to establish yourself as an expert in your field. There are several ways you can go about doing this: writing blog posts or articles, giving talks or presentations, teaching courses or workshops. Basically, anything that will showcase your knowledge and expertise. If people see that you know what you’re talking about, they’ll be far more likely to want to work with you.
Publish high-quality content on a regular basis
This will not only help establish you as an expert, but it will also make it easier for people to find you when they’re looking for someone with your particular skillset. And while we’re on the topic of content – Share Other People’s Content, but Only the Good Stuff.
In order for people to respect your opinion, you need to prove that your taste is impeccable—which means sharing only the best content out there. No one wants their feed filled with useless fluff. If you want people to pay attention to what you share, make sure it’s interesting and relevant. This goes for everything from blog posts and articles to infographics and even tweets. Quality over quantity is key here; avoid sharing just for the sake of sharing, because eventually people will catch on and tune out.
When you do share something great that someone else has produced, be sure to give them proper credit. It not only is a good manner, but it also helps get their name (and work) out there. At the end of the day, we all want similar things: recognition for our hard work and success in our field. By promoting other peoples’ content, we create win-win situations where everyone benefits.
Becoming a key person of influence requires dedication and sincerity above all else. By taking the time to get to know people and establishing yourself as an expert in your field, you’ll naturally start to draw people towards you. And before long, networking will become second nature!