Networking. We hear it over and over as the best way to get ahead in business. And I totally agree! Networking is about tapping into connections you have to help you get a job, land a client or score a big project you’ve had your eye on for a while.

Maybe you have a phobia of networking events? I completely understand that a fear of networking can be hard to overcome. However, I can’t stress how important it is for you to force yourself to go beyond the people in your immediate circle. After all, the quality of your relationship networks is critical to the ongoing success of your business.

Ever since starting out in the business world, I consider everyone I talk to, whether in person (IRL) or on the inter-webs, an opportunity to network with! It helps that I’m naturally an extrovert in life (winner!), but an important rule I live by is to always maintain relationships with your acquaintances and never burn bridges! Seriously though – you never know where an old acquaintance from college you haven’t seen in years might be in life. They may be super successful and think of you when an opportunity arises. But they may not think of you if you didn’t commit to maintaining a relationship with them. A few words to think about…

The good news is that you don’t have to be a smooth operator or an extrovert to be successful at networking. Nope! You just need to use the right strategies. I’ve made your life easier by pulling together my top 3 tips that I believe are crucial in learning how to nail networking.

1. Know WHY you are networking and the driving force behind it. Think about the types of relationships you’re looking to build on and make a list.

2. WHERE those people you want to connect with will be and WHEN. Make a list of events you’re going to attend and stick to the plan.

3. Find out WHO could introduce you to the people you’d love to build relationships with. Make a plan to ask them for an introduction. Map it out!

So, there you have it – networking isn’t about just exchanging business cards, it’s about making true connections with people. Do you have some tried and true tips on how to network like a pro? Be a part of the discussion and share them below.