Nurturing your Network: The skill you should develop in 2023

Admittedly, that may sound like a contradiction when we are being routinely advised by the Government to self-isolate and form bubbles, but the truth is there has never been a better time to browse our network and rediscover our appreciation for the relationships that we’ve spent so much time building over the years. And while the principle of valuing our network is certainly an apt one when talking about our own social lives, it is equally resonant in a professional context.

It is very easy to forget that our own business is not the only one that has experienced profound disruption over the past 10 months. After all, when the news is flooded with stories about companies dealing with cost cuts, redundancies and furlough schemes, we go into self-preservation mode: suddenly, all we think about is keeping our own business afloat. But while it is worth acknowledging that our peers and partners are facing the same challenges as we are, it is still not enough; if we truly wish to value or network of contacts, we must also nurture them.

Put simply, if business networking is about building relationships, then nurturing our networks is all about investing in them. With face-to-face contact significantly limited for the foreseeable future, making good use of the digital and social tools at our disposal to engage with an extended group of like-minded professionals provides an opportunity to share knowledge, insight and advice on how to tackle the challenges we’re all currently facing.

Yes, nurturing a professional network takes time and commitment, but it’s worth the investment. There is no guarantee that the effort will be rewarded, but it is likely to drive positive sentiment towards your brand. In the most positive scenarios, building and maintaining the right connections can pave the way for collaborative projects, resulting in meaningful, mutually beneficial relationships.

With the global pandemic forcing a growing number of businesses to start operating remotely, how do you connect with your clients if you can’t meet them and what is your business doing to nurture those relationships?

Going back to our roots

There are only so many times you can email, call or text, so implementing an “offline” discussion will not only make your relationship stronger but let those in your network know you are thinking about them and that you care. To do this, we need to go back and re-familiarise ourselves with more traditional methods.