You’ve got your ‘why’ – or call it your passion or goal or ambition or whatever – and maybe, just maybe you even have your how and what. BUT, have you given any thought to connecting it to the people who believe in YOU (and your why)? Without them, achieving your ‘why’ just got a whole lot harder.
May I suggest (’cause you know I am going to anyway) that you do the following:
- Write down your ‘why’ on the top of a page
- Below it write down the names of people you’ve shared your ‘why’ with
- Then below that list, think about the people who you should have shared your ‘why’ with by now
- Now write down the names of people who you can only dream about sharing your ‘why’ with
Once you have these names listed (or the titles, or types or descriptions of people who should know all about you and your ‘why’) comes the work part of networking. No, not working the room, or crafting ONE perfect email pitch – rather, the work of figuring out the best way to reach each person individually. Yes, personalization. Customization. No two people are the same, so why would you envision sending them the same communication?
Seriously. SKIP the generic networking advice (i.e. emailing to invite someone to coffee). Generic advice is disconnected from your “why” and more importantly from the people who you’re sharing your “why” with.
Everyone in your network – and who has the potential to come into your network – matters. Show them they matter, really matter, to you by sending considered communications, engaging with them in the ways they connect – because then, and only then, will they be receptive to hearing your ‘why’.
