At Mediaspace Solutions we understand the significance of networking. This starts from the top down. Our CEO, Scott Jagodzinski, has obtained all of his jobs through networking and was also able to have breakfast with Steve Nash as a special treat for his son on their trip to Arizona.
Networking is our main mode of recruiting and we fill most of our positions through recommendations from current employees and people in their networks. This helps us maintain our culture and find great employees. These things don’t happen by chance. Scott Jagodzinski wasn’t able to meet Steve Nash, because he is luckier than the rest of us. He was able to connect with Nash because he set out to find a way to meet Steve Nash. Jagodzinski knew he would be in Arizona and contacted his friend who lived in that area asking if any of them knew Nash. No one did, but his friend knew someone who was the architect for Nash’s house. It all started with asking, and in the end he was able to make this happen.
It’s important to maintain your relationships; you shouldn’t just be contacting people when you need something. You need to add value to your relationships, if you know someone is looking for something offer it before they ask.
At Mediaspace Solutions, we maintain our relationships through quarterly pub events. We invite local business owners and leaders to join us for cocktails and appetizers. It’s a great chance to catch up and provides opportunities for all attendees to increase their network. The key with this type of event is not to have everyone pitch their business or sell their products. That is a mistake some people make when attending networking events.
You don’t want be a networking jerk.
Don’t just focus on the short term gain, think about the long term. When you meet new people, it’s important to ask a lot of questions and take the role as a listener. You will learn a lot about this person and make it more enjoyable for them as most people like to talk about themselves. If you know who you are meeting before hand, it is also wise to do a bit of research. Look them up on Google them or find them on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter. It’s also important to be familiar with current events or what’s happening in the industries of the people you are meeting with. This helps carry the conversations and eliminate the uncomfortable silence. Additionally, keep an open mind when you meet people, don’t be judgmental.
We have close relationships with our clients as well. All of our clients matter to us no matter how big or small or how long they have been working with us. If we see or find anything relevant to them, we forward that information on to them. Mediaspace makes sure all the information we provide adds value. It helps create a positive association about us and keeps us top of mind. Because of the strength of the relationships we have with our clients, they have referred us to other clients and informed us of some great business opportunities within their organizations as well.
Social media is a great networking tool to help you maintain your contacts, but don’t rely on this as your only way of maintaining relationships. Take a more proactive approach and focus on the long term relationship you can develop.
