Oftentimes people tell me they have NO time to network. They’re working full time. They have kids. They made too many commitments already, how can they make any more?

If you’ve got five minutes, you have time to network. Here are some quick tips, excerpted from my book, Rock Your Network^®

1. Combine networking with things you already do. Take five minutes before activities to rehearse your new sound bite, and if it’s an event, plan who you’d like to speak with and why.
   a) If it’s your first event, sometimes you can get a roster of attendees or at least a list of speakers.
   b) If you’re in line at the grocery store, instead of reading The Enquirer headline, network.
   c) If you’re at a child’s soccer game, network with fellow parents.
2. Send thank-you notes. An attitude of gratitude goes a long way in rebuilding your network.
3. Provide a genuine compliment. “Nice shoes,” is OK. Better is, “Diane, great post on the e-forum. I really liked the thoughtful way you addressed the issue of the “best of” list. You turned the negative direction to a positive and provided some great tips to help other members get on the list.”
   Notice how the compliment is specific, rather than general, pointing to a specific action Diane took and how the writer felt about it.
4. Send your praises. Take a few minutes and send a congratulatory note to people in your network. [When you get LinkedIn updates, who’s been promoted? Who’s updated his or her profile? Who got a new job? Super easy to take a minute and send a congratulatory email.]
5. Send an article of interest. Yes, a link to a great blog post does count. You know your good friend is always on the lookout for great marketing tips, you spotted a relevant tweet, send a copy. You’re reading The Business Journal, spotted an article you know a friend would love, rip it out and snail mail it. You want people to remember you when they need your services so they refer you.

These quick tips take less than five minutes to do. They help ensure your network is there for you when you need it. You’ve got to fuel your network to fire it up!™

©2009 – 2011 | Wendy Terwelp | All rights reserved.