This will ensure your articles have an actual impact. How: Repeating information from other websites won’t give your audience what they need. Let us know if you’d like to come by for a coffee. Clear Spring Business Analysis LLC - All rights reserved. Everyone has a network, but is yours actually helping the people you connect with--and you? Our goal is to give freelance consultants the opportunity to meet like-minded peers, discuss opportunities in the digital space, and learn more about how to strengthen their independent brand. Your goal is to stay top of their mind, which you can do through referring interesting job opportunities. This could come in handy, should they (or any of their connections) be looking for a consultant in the future. Who knows – this might turn into a valuable lead! But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. An approach from a stranger will seem like spam, so even doing this occasionally can slowly tarnish your professional brand. Building a professional network of clients and contacts for your business involves how you relate to people. Members, who are called contacts or connections, can share information which may include, but is not limited to, job leads. Don't go right into a sales pitch. Next to that, consider becoming a member of a local chamber of commerce, industry association or volunteer on the board for a charity – all these actions can act as a direct lane to new leads. When people in your network get stronger, you get stronger. If you don't have a connection in common but you really want to reach out to someone, LinkedIn InMails offer a gentler approach. Online networks are one of the easiest ways to manage your connections. Networking is an art very few people master. Victor Hoong is the co-founder of Riverflex. If you’re considering taking the leap into an independent career, get started building your network ahead of your career transition, so that you will be up to speed right away. Having worked with you for quite some time, they are aware of the skills and value you can add to teams. How to build a professional network as an independent consultant by Victor Hoong on 16 Oct 2019. However, when done for the right reasons--and in the right way--networking can be the difference between working hard and working smart. Developing a professional network includes awareness of people who interact with your business, having a positive attitude about people, communicating effectively with people, and doing the things that build strong relationships. That's why I recently talked with Diana Kucer, director of global product marketing for LinkedIn (and therefore perfectly placed to know all about building stronger business relationships), to find out ways you can work smarter, not harder, at building the network you need. Whether you met at an industry event or your kid's Little League game, once you've established the need to connect, do so in a timely fashion. social selling is the primary way to get noticed, your profile should market you beautifully. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Connecting with other professionals, be it ex-colleagues, freelancers or clients, is as easy as sending a personal message. One more tip: Take a little time, but no more than 24 hours, since pulling the trigger too quickly can seem hasty or even aggressive. What happens when you want to connect with a decision maker at one of your prospect companies but haven't had the opportunity to meet? Instead, leverage your network to see if you know someone in common, and then ask for an introduction. For details, please review our, protecting and building your business analysis career, 36 Alternative Job Titles for Business Analysts, How to Get Started as a BA Even if You Have No Formal Experience, What Experience “Counts” as Business Analyst Experience? To be successful, a strong network is often key. The connections you make are core to your business, especially online, where social selling is the primary way to get noticed. It’s not all about coffee drinking – how can your connections bring value to your independent brand? These platforms make it quite easy to connect to people and to have conversations. Pushing content alone, doesn’t work – liking and commenting on relevant posts from others increases your own visibility. So be sure your content is current and your profile is written with prospects and customers in mind and not as a résumé.