One of the most important parts of business, especially today, is networking. With the internet at its peak, and communication in many mediums as easy as a touch of a button, it is more important than ever for people to be good networkers.
Networking is important because it opens doors. Nowadays, contacting professionals in your field is as easy as can be online. However, people tend to be afraid still to reach out. ‘What if I sound stupid?’ some people think. Well, at least you sound something, because without ever trying to open the door, you can only guess what is behind it.
A person who excels at networking has one trait. They return phone calls, emails, or any other forms of communication, even when they don’t want to. How many times have you received a message from someone and you thought why on earth is this person calling me? It could be someone you have not spoken to in awhile or a person you do not like. It could be anyone about anything. It is still important to return the call.
For example, I had a friend from high school give me a call about three months ago. Now, I haven’t spoke regularly to this person in 10 years. They call every once in a blue moon about recreational activities. Well, three months ago, I was driving home from a tough day at the office. The phone rang, and I checked the ID. I had the same thought as before, ‘What on earth could this guy possibly want?’ I put down the phone, then thought better of it. I took a deep breath and answered the phone. ‘Heeeeey, what’s up man?’
This phone call, which I seriously thought of ignoring, was about fantasy football. The guy was calling me about a league. I was not interested, but in passing he asked how is my mortgage business doing. I responded that the business was getting crazy, but luckily I had another business that does websites & video.
Well, low & behold, before you know it, my friend flipped out. He had been looking for someone to redo his company’s website. He was basically telling me the job is mine, after I only showed him one site. Fast forward three months, I now have an extremely satisfied customer, another piece of work to show in a brand new field, and of course, some profit as well.
I could have very easily skipped that phone call. I could have been lazy, said to myself it was a tough day, and just moved on. However, when someone is trying to communicate with you, it is important to keep those lines open. Shutting doors in life just closes opportunities, especially today. Skipping that phone call would have cost me more than I could have ever imagined. How was I to know my friend needed a website, or even had his own company? On the flip side, how was he to know I had my new business when he picked up the phone to call me?
But we both picked up the phone, and we both opened up a new business relationship. I know it can be tough sometimes returning those emails, phone calls, or texts. Just try to remember, that each one presents its own unique opportunity for you. And no matter what you think, you never really know what that opportunity is.
