Build A Killer Network

Tip #6: Build Your Contacts
by Jennifer Kushell, co-founder YSN.com

Having a great network of friends and contacts can totally change how happy and successful you are. When you’re in trouble, struggling, or experiencing a rough patch, your network will be there to help you get through it.

Check out 5 great tips on how to build your network from our speaking tour with American Express.

A few ground rules for savvy networking:
- Realize your life will get more interesting as you expand your network.
- Have fun.
- Don’t always have an agenda.
- Make it a point to meet interesting people everywhere you go.
- Make sure you surround yourself with successful people. Collect a broad mix of great mentors along the way who can teach you about a variety of areas.
- Keep a list of people you want to meet (or the types of people i.e. entrepreneurs, doctors, MBA grads, non profit leaders) and share it with your more connected friends who may be able to refer you to people in their networks.

Always try to help others whenever you can. Just do it because it’s good to do it. Wonderful things do sometimes come back to grace you too. Allow me to explain.

In the Podcast of our book Secrets of the Young & Successful we spoke about How to Meet Anyone.

Here are the audio links in two sections:
Manage Your Network

As you start to meet more and more people, the biggest piece of advice we can offer is to make sure you capture all of their critical contact info right away, keep it in one place, and make sure it’s digital. Then keep it up to date and back it all up regularly.

Spend the time and money (if you can) to invest in a simple online database, PDA (personal digital assistant) or mobile device that can hold all the information you collect on your contacts (from name to birthday, cell, city/state…whatever is most appropriate).

Then make sure you stay in touch, taking good care of your people and treating them well. Check out our tips on how to Create Your Own Networking Event. Make sure you take care of your network too, and show them ongoing love and attention. We've got some tips on that too with our blog post on how to Keep Those Contacts.

Meet Powerful and Influential People

In every business, industry and society, there’s a group of people who are considered the power players -- the movers and shakers. They make the decisions that affect hundreds, thousands, sometimes millions of lives. Having access to them can get you a voice in their circles. Building relationships with them can get you in the game and make you a part of the action. Getting to almost anyone you want to meet is possible, you just need to know a few secrets, and a new perspective on the whole thing -- what we like to call the House on the Hill (audio podcast).

When you finally get the chance to meet someone really great, make sure you don’t blow it! Check out our top 5 tips (from TONS of experience!) on how NOT to miss another opportunity.

And whatever you do, don’t forget the gatekeepers!