Lara Nieberding

Who recommended: Lynne Waymon

What I am reading: Make Your Contacts Count (Networking Know-How For Business and Career Success) by Anne Baber and Lynne Waymon

Where in the book: page 15

Why I am reading: Learning how to network. Cause believe me, I have no CLUE!

Which quote: “If you find that you were stymied by a majority of the statements, you may decide to start at the beginning of this book and read straight through to the end.”

How this quote adjusted my thinking: I will read the book from cover to cover instead of jumping from chapter to chapter. I completed all the assessments in Chapter 1 and my networking skills are below average. “Being Strategic” and “Observing Netiquette” are the areas where I need the most improvement. Almost every answer of mine was in the 20% – rarely range.

Let us see…

When “Observing Netiquette”

I rarely discover reasons to hand out my business  card.

I rarely figure out a way to give my business card. However, I frequently figure out a way to get someone’s business card.

Sometimes I am able to sense when I can talk about what I can offer.

Rarely am I comfortable joining a group of people who are already talking.

I always consciously work at talking only about 50% of the time.

I frequently find interesting ways to say thank you when someone gives me a resource or referral.

If a contact doe not reciprocate, I rarely am able to skillfully and tactfully point out how she can help me.

When “Being Strategic”

I rarely have a strategic plan for my networking efforts in each organization I belong to.

Sometimes I will join an organization because of my strategic business/career development plan.

(Now this assessment questions was a real eye opener. I do not even have a business plan – never mind it being strategic or developmental.)

Frequently before I attend an event, I will think of specific resources/tips/trends I have to offer people I will see there.

Rarely do I initiate a networking meeting.

Rarely do I let people know the types of problems I can solve, so they refer exactly the right kinds of opportunities to me.

Rarely am I comfortable telling my contacts what I want or need.

Looks like I have some goals established for myself!

Who recommended: Lynne Waymon

What I am reading: Make Your Contacts Count (Networking Know-How For Business and Career Success) by Anne Baber and Lynne Waymon

Where in the book: page 8

Why I am reading: Learning how to network. Cause believe me, I have no CLUE!

Which quote: “You have limited hours and dollars to spend in the marketplace, and – without a plan – you’ll sink down into aimless activity that doesn’t amount to anything.”

How this quote adjusted my thinking:

This is my starting point. I feel like I am engaging in aimless activity. Honestly, I am not sure what I have to show for it. I am reading Make Your Contacts Count so I can develop a plan for more productive or meaningful networking. Having a plan will make my progress towards my goal happen in larger steps instead of the baby steps I am taking now.

After giving this a lot of thought, I decided to take you on my journey to improve my networking skills. I am new to the virtual assistant profession. I have plenty of business experience. This is my first time being a business owner. On the various association discussion boards the most consistent advice seasoned virtual assistants give the newer virtual assistants is network, network, network. I have a vague idea of what “networking” means. However, I lack the technique and skill to actually network.

Welcome to the launch of my networking improvement journey.

Several months ago Lynne Waymon was the presenter at an online seminar I attended. She is so knowledgeable. Her examples, her way of speaking, her demeanor were inspirational. She opened my eyes to the truth about networking. Immediately I bought her book Make Your Contacts Count.

Everyone can afford to brush up on their networking skills.

Grab your copy and read along. You can watch me stumble, blunder and succeed as I learn how to network. Cause let me tell you – I have no CLUE what I am doing!!!