Blog | Innovative Business Networking - Page 4

David Meltzer, Entrepreneur, CEO and Founder, Sports 1 Marketing

There are three things that set any business person apart from the rest of the pack.

1. The energy she carries.
2. The situational knowledge she has.
3. How she leverages relationship capital, not only of herself but of others.

Many young professionals have a shortage of experience or situational knowledge; they also lack a huge network of relationship capital. Having this capital is all a variable of time, nothing else. But, by putting an effort into networking, anyone can accelerate her success. This is where the energy that you carry comes into play. Relationship capital is an immensely valuable part of business success. And one of the best ways to build this asset is to put your energy, intention and attention on networking. Energy makes it, quote-unquote "network," meaning the energy that you carry is what makes your connections work.

Energetic first steps

The first step when you have identified an event, a place or a situation where you can network is simply to put yourself into the right frame of mind. First, think of yourself as an equal. You mustn't think of yourself as separate, inferior or even superior. Don't fall victim to your ego! Envision yourself on a level playing field. If you don't have the right energy before you step into a networking or connection situation, then you must shift your energy. I can't tell you how many times that I've entered a room of my own family where I've felt separate, inferior or superior. And it always tends to make situations worse. This is why we must first have our energy aligned and be connected as one. You must feel like you belong, especially if you're younger and you don't have many relationships that you can leverage. If you don't carry the right energy when networking, you will not be very successful.

Bring your value

When you walk into a room, you want people to feel and know that you provide value, and can be of service. Also that you're radically humble and can ask for help. I want the energy that I carry to utilize the 100/20 Rule: Everyone who speaks with me or meets me knows that I'm giving much more value than I'm asking for. Networking will be easier if you have a simplified approach to your interactions or connections. Once you have the right energy, make sure you maintain eye contact, smile and always have at least one question to ask.

Second, that emotion

When formulating your question, remember that people "buy" on emotion for logical reasons. Therefore, it's a good idea to connect emotionally. Emotion is energy in motion. There are numerous ways to establish an emotional connection from the outset. You can share a passion for a sports team, for the place where you grew up or the community you serve. If you both have children, you can talk about their school activities. Or anything that's important to you, and in common with the other person. Finally, when networking, be "more interested than interesting." Simply put: Find out what they know, rather than showing off what you know. A key part of networking is making sure you have a simple system in place to keep track of the people you meet. That way you can easily keep in touch with them and deepen your emotional connection. Exchange contact numbers on the spot by having them call your mobile phone with theirs. In the same day you meet them, send an invitation to connect on LinkedIn. At home, or in your office, do not file business cards alphabetically. Rather, put them in order of importance -- or strongest influence -- or in the order of generating most to least ROI. And keep them in plain sight on your desk as a reminder to follow up. Remember when putting together your system: The universe loves simple.

Making new relationships ... indirectly

One of the best ways to build new relationships is a bit counterintuitive in that you do not interact directly. I learned this from my mentor, Leigh Steinberg, when we were recruiting athletes at his sports agency. We utilized spheres of influence. In other words, we leveraged the connection someone else had to the people we wanted to meet. It's an organic and authentic way to meet an important person you can't just pick up the phone and call. What many people fail to realize is that having an individual who's more than one degree of separation from your target prospect can be more effective than you actually pitching your target. This is because now you have an unbiased, credible referral source who is aligned with your vision.

Network and thrive

When you can effectively connect without the ego's need of being separate, inferior or superior, you leverage more than just your situational knowledge, you include others' as well. Not only can your relationship capital, and that of your mentors, help to accelerate your networking (and career) but utilizing the spheres of influence can, too. Most importantly, make a point to connect emotionally, then develop a process or system to continue to connect to those people emotionally. For example, if you connected on both of your kids' school activities, you can check in once in a while to inquire about their progress. When you effectively connect to others and provide value, you can easily connect to what inspires both of you. If you bring the right energy to your networking and connect to goodness, you'll exponentially experience more success and happiness.

Kelly Main, FitSmallBusiness.com

Need to build your professional network? Scrap the old-school networking platforms like LinkedIn and go with something far more avant-garde—like a hookup app. Apps like Hinge and Tinder aren’t exactly synonymous with career advancement, but with approximately 34 million Americans using dating or social networking apps, there are bound to be some in the mix who are better professional connections than romantic ones. No wonder, then, that an increasing number of users are signing on to pursue professional growth—not personal desire. To see just what surprising business and career growth opportunities exist in the digital ether, we researched unconventional networking channels that can help you make smart money moves. The digital platforms we compiled met these baseline criteria:

• Not business-specific: None of the social platforms on the list is primarily designed for business use.
• Available for free: Each platform had to be available for free with no subscriber limitations (i.e., no invitation or special code required).
• 1 million and over user base: Our inclusions all have a user base of at least 1 million members.
• Available nationwide: Every app or social platform is accessible across the U.S.
• Of general interest: None of our chosen platforms is niche-specific, opening them up to users of all backgrounds and interests.

1. Reddit

What it’s designed for: User-generated social news Number of users: Estimated 234 million Reddit is one of the world’s largest forums, with over 234 million users. It was designed as a news-sharing platform, though it now covers nearly any topic you could imagine and has subforums, or Subreddits, dedicated to specific topics. In fact, there are over 138,000 active Subreddit communities. This means that people are networking based on shared interests and opinions, leading to professional connections for many users.

2. TikTok

What it’s designed for: Short-form video sharing Number of users: Estimated 80 million TikTok is a short-form video app where users share creative video clips with the world, building communities and connections in the process. It’s similar to Facebook and Instagram, but it tends to be more playful. These videos have more personality than more polished clips on other social platforms; people feel like they get to know users by following their accounts and regularly tuning in to watch their vids. This engagement can lead to larger followings on other social networks, too, making it a good overall networking app for business-minded folk.

3. Foursquare

What it’s designed for: Local business search and discovery Number of users: Estimated 50 million Foursquare is an online business directory that gives users the ability to virtually check-in to local places. You can also leave reviews of businesses, but to do so, users must have a Foursquare profile. Once set up, they can connect with others based on mutual likes of local hot spots. These shared interests have been known to spark meetups and happy hours that result in new business connections and job opportunities.

4. Mix (formerly StumbleUpon)

What it’s designed for: Discovering unique and interesting things online Number of users: Estimated 40 million Mix, formerly StumbleUpon, is a website used to discover unique and interesting things online—from mind-blowing studies to jaw-dropping architecture and design. It gives businesses a way to be discovered by submitting samples of their work or educational resources (as a supplement to content marketing blogs), but it also gives users the opportunity to follow and collaborate with these businesses. The result is often new professional connections that might not otherwise have been possible.

5. Meetup

What it’s designed for: Organizing online groups and in-person social events Number of users: Estimated 35 million Meetup is a platform for finding online and local groups, mostly for social purposes. Joining a runners’ group or chess club isn’t the end-all of the platform, though; people are using it to make real professional connections. Why? Well, people like to do business with those they like—and people with whom they have interests in common. Turns out that wine club might land you more than just new drinking buddies.

6. WeHeartIt

What it’s designed for: Sharing inspiring images Number of users: Estimated 30 million WeHeartIt is a photo-sharing social network. It’s similar to Pinterest, though it is lesser known and, therefore, less saturated with users and content. Still, it’s a great platform for businesses that want to generate interest in their products and connect with similar business types. Browsing and following other accounts might just inspire new product or marketing ideas.

7. Fitbit App

What it’s designed for: Fitness and health tracking Number of users: Estimated 25 million Fitbit—the watch that tracks activity—also has a robust, engaged community of over 25 million people. In this community, people share their fitness journeys with others while making friends and sparking inspiration. The community is remarkably tight-knit—in large part because members share a common goal, resulting in meaningful connections. While often personal, these connections have also been known to benefit member careers and further professional goals.

8. Goodreads

What it’s designed for: Connecting readers and sharing book reviews Number of users: Estimated 25 million Goodreads is the world’s largest book recommendation site. While it’s long been a networking platform for authors, it’s become a great place to rub elbows with fellow book enthusiasts as well. Users share opinions and recommendations on books and build a network of contacts with similar interests, which often include professional writer contacts. For budding authors, these connections can lead to agent representation and, if they’re lucky, publication of their work.

9. Whisper

What it’s designed for: Anonymously sharing secrets publicly Number of users: Estimated 20 million Generally, secrets are reserved for our most trusted friends. Whisper, however, is a secret sharing app where people can share their deepest, darkest secrets with the world anonymously—sort of. You can choose to stay anonymous (using a screen name), but that doesn’t mean you can’t connect with others. You can actually follow other anonymous users and, if both parties are interested, meet up for a face-to-face chat. While many users stick to personal topics, these can intersect with professional concerns and desires. Such revelations have been known to intrigue some Whisper-using employers looking for top (honest) talent.

10. Couchsurfing

What it’s designed for: Hospitality and home sharing Number of users: Estimated 14 million Sleeping on a stranger’s couch—or inviting one to sleep on yours—might sound like the premise of a horror film, but 14 million people attest otherwise. Trust is a major element in business and it’s also at the heart of offering or accepting a stranger’s accommodation. Even if you have no interest in sharing your home, Couchsurfing can be a great way for travel-weary business folks to connect with like-minded, trustworthy professionals in cities across the globe.

11. AncestryDNA

What it’s designed for: DNA tests and ancestry information Number of users: Estimated 10 million AncestryDNA, a provider of at-home DNA kits, can unveil the details of your ancestral heritage. But it does more than that; when users take the DNA test, they are required to create an online profile so they can receive their results. User profiles include a section of other, potentially related users with contact information. While this information has led to the reuniting of some families, it’s also paved the way for new business ideas; after all, people are most likely to do business with friends and family.

12. Hinge

What it’s designed for: Dating and relationships Number of users: Estimated 3.8 million Romantic relationships aren’t the only thing catching fire on dating apps like Hinge (recently acquired by the parent company of notorious hookup app Tinder). Professional networking is happening among the 3.8 million users, too. This is in part because online dating platforms are very character-driven, though Hinge adds some interesting information to user profiles—employers and job titles. Why? Well, talking about your job is a good way to break the ice. Not so single? Try using Bumble Biz instead—a cousin to the celebrated dating app, Bumble. It’s specifically designed for professional networking, so you can focus on swiping through contacts who might be able to help you achieve your career goals—instead of your #relationshipgoals.

Methodology

We based the ranking of the 12 most surprising platforms for business networking on five categories.

Not Designed for Business Networking

To qualify, the social network’s primary purpose could not be for business networking. This includes platforms such as LinkedIn, AngelList, and Gust, which are designed for professional and career-related use. This also included social networking platforms such as Facebook and Bumble that were not designed for business use, but have services created for businesses and professional networking.

Available for Free

To make our list, the social networking platform had to be available for free. It also had to be available to the public, without subscriber limitations, and with no invitation or special code required.

Minimum User Base of 1 Million

All social networks had to have a minimum user base of 1 million. This shows that the social network is well-established and has a large enough user base to provide a good deal of professional networking potential.

Available Nationwide

Social networks typically start in a specific city and expand to other cities before growing into a nationwide network. However, platforms focused on one location limit the user base; to avoid this, we sought social networks that are available nationwide.

General Interest Platform

To make our list, each social networking platform had to be of general interest. There are thousands of niche social networks, and while niche networks can be a highly effective way of networking, they are not necessarily relevant to a larger audience.

Bottom Line: Surprising Platforms for Professional Networking

We may think our social networking apps are all fun and games, but it turns out they have incredible business potential. Led by character-first millennials, digital devotees are starting to use non-mainstream platforms to generate business ideas, build their professional networks, and uncover new job opportunities. If you’re looking for some new connections, browse our list of networking apps above and build out your professional Rolodex.