Your net worth = your network. 20 Tips to Help Expand Your Network This Decade

We all heard the phrases

'your network is your net worth’

‘your Personal Brand is the sum of you and the people you surround yourself with’.

These’ve been thrown around because most career opportunities at present are made through connections, not job posts online.

If you’re looking to start building your personal brand this new decade, here are 20 easy but effective tips to grow and maintain your network, and keep healthy professional relationships that outlast your career or work tenure.

✔️ Collaborate, don’t compete.

✔️ Do attend functions where you know you’ll meet people you’ll learn a thing or two or tons more from.

✔️ Support your network! Attend events they run, comment about their recent podcast or opinion piece, or simply share their content.

✔️ Keep in touch with colleagues from former jobs or assignments, no matter how little your interaction was in the past

✔️ How many people do you typically meet at networking functions? Up it!

✔️ Practice your personal brand statement - state confidently what you do, for whom you do it, and how you are different from your peers or competitors - in 30 seconds or less!

✔️ When you find a contact who would be perfect for friends or colleagues, connect them to each other immediately (LinkedIn/Facebook)

✔️ Know how to end conversations comfortably when it isn’t quite the right conversation.

✔️ Genuinely smile! It’s free, it’s warm, and it’s welcoming.

✔️ Bring business cards to events. Even better, make your business cards unique and unforgettable.

✔️ When people ask you about what you do for work, tell them HOW you do it - not just your job title

✔️ Be clear when communicating who your ideal contacts would be, so people will remember to refer you when the need arises

✔️ Tell a new connection it would be great to connect online. Ask the person if they’ll mind that you add them, then stay in touch online. Send greetings, congratulations, or any engagement in order. 

✔️ Share links online that you think would interest them, based on what you know about the person

✔️ When following up, provide value before you ask for anything

✔️ Send thank-you cards for business referrals or for career opportunities.

✔️ Bring your best humor forward. Keep conversations light and easy.

✔️ Do follow up with people who were referred to you by someone you know.

✔️ Always return voicemails and e-mails from network contacts.

✔️ Take an active role in at least one professional or philanthropic organization.