How to Build a Killer Investor’s Network
Missed Our Last Workshop?
A Sneak Peek At What Happened…
Networking is one of the keys to success in the real estate industry. But it’s a struggle for so many of us!
Networking can be a struggle because we don’t have a good understanding of the science of effective networking building. We go to random events, wasting time and effort and often enduring social awkwardness because we don’t know how to network effectively.
Without giving away everything that happened at the workshop (including networking), here are a few do’s and don’ts:
– Do attend activities that allow you to have regular contact with people (recurring meet-ups, BNI breakfasts, etc). Networking is more like farming than hunting. You’re building a network, so the more you see the people in your network, the more you’ll be top-of-mind, and the deeper your relationships will become.
– Do attend events with an objective in mind. Who do you want to talk to? How many people would you like to connect to? Who do you want to meet? Otherwise, it’s too easy to spend the evening talking to the same 3 people.
– Do think of other people. When you meet someone new, keep in mind how you can be of use. Ask yourself: how can I add value for this person? Who can I connect them with? How can we help each other? This prevents you from being in sales-pitch mode.
– Do attend smaller, focused events. It’s better to be in a room with ten useful connections, than in a room with one hundred tourists.
– Don’t be afraid to ask potential mentors or peers for a 15-minute Skype call, a lunch or coffee with the phrase: “I admire what you’ve done. Would you have a few minutes to tell me how you did it?” You’ll be surprised how far a little flattery will get you!
– Don’t assume that once you’ve made a connection it will “stay warm”. There is a science to maintaining your network with scheduled phone calls, newsletters, emails and so on. There are some great podcasts on this topic. Schedule time to maintain your network so you remain top of mind.
– Don’t be afraid to use social media. LinkedIn and Facebook are obvious ways of connecting with people, whether peers, clients or potential mentors. There is also a new Tinder-like app called Shapr that will connect you with people who have similar interests and want to grow their network.
In Real Estate and in life, your social capital (or network) has a direct impact on your financial outcomes. Whatever the current state of your personal- and professional networks, there is always room to improve.
Did I leave anything out? Got any favourite networking tips or techniques?
Leave your comments below.
Looking to grow your network? Hope to see you at our next networking event!
Photo by Matthew Hamilton on Unsplash
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Photo by Aleksi Tappura on Unsplash
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