Don’t Wait for Opportunities
There are those who sit around waiting for opportunities to come to them. Occasionally, one gets lucky – but luck is all it is. We are all lucky at some point in life, but the problem with relying on luck is that we have no control when it comes and how it helps. The clear majority of us cannot and should not rely on luck to make our way in life. We should take control and make our own luck.
Last week when we looked at identifying target audiences, we encouraged you to take time to understand the problems a business or client faces. This week, we want to expand on that and look at how you can build relationships. While opportunities can arise from various sources, we cannot ignore the fact many come from our connections.
Remember the “monkeysphere” we mentioned last week? If someone is asked to recommend a person for a job, they will often show bias to friends. This bias is why companies make an effort to try and connect with people on a personal level. Staff are trained to address you by your first name. Algorithms try to identify what products or services are relevant to you. Marketing materials attempt to imply a bond between consumer and supplier. Similar logic applies in business. If you are not making friends, you are not creating opportunities.
Create Opportunities
How do you create opportunities? There was a time when taking out a golf club membership was considered to be a necessity in business. Today, however, we have a few more options. For example, have you ever looked at local business events? You might be surprised just how many big and small events take place near to you every month. Google them, or check the local newspaper. Many towns even have specific clubs for small business owners or local entrepreneurs.
Find the events that fit with what you want to achieve. Some of these events will be casual gatherings, whereas others will be more formal events with guest speakers. Try to attend a variety of events and be prepared to do some networking. Look for opportunities to build a relationship with other people, especially those in similar fields.
Since the same people often attend these events, being seen at them gets you noticed. Even without speaking to someone, you are communicating with them that you are serious about your work. Being perceived in this way can encourage others to want to get to know you. Every connection you make is a potential opportunity, especially if you take the time to build the relationship.
Get Social
Another way to build relationships is via social media. Twitter can be a great way of reaching and engaging with influencers in your field. While many of the most followed Twitter users rarely check their engagements due to sheer volume, their actual followers will. Responding to tweets with a thoughtful response can attract people to you. LinkedIn is another way to engage with potential influencers. However, be aware that some people prefer to keep their circles to people they know.
Identifying what engages others on social media can also be very useful. If the influencers you follow regularly tweet about specific topics, tweeting or writing blog posts about the same subject can attract attention. Remember, influencers are so because they influence the conversation; they are the Thought Leaders we have discussed previously.
Where possible, whether it be on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook or another social network, try and respond with a comment instead of simply liking the post. When your goal is to build your connections to create further opportunities, a like is meaningless. Few people bother to check who else has liked a post. Sometimes you do just genuinely ‘like’ a post or update and have nothing further to contribute, and that is fine. It does not say anything bad about you, but if you could say something, you are missing an exposure opportunity by not saying it.
Stay Rational
A final word of warning about social media: everything you publish on the Internet is cached and logged forever. Those with a habit of engaging in highly charged political discussions, or tweeting inebriated insults towards fans of a rival football club may want to start a new profile and rethink their behaviour. Even a deleted tweet can come back to haunt you.
Whichever way you choose to begin building your circles, keep active and consistent. You want to position yourself as a reliable, rational and regular voice in your field. The more people that begin to take notice of you, and the more relationships you can build, the better the chances that opportunities will start to come your way.
