10 Ways To Build Connections and Why They’re Important

1. Participate in your industry. …
2. Be outgoing. …
3. Establish multiple styles of contact. …
4. Find commonalities. …
5. Provide value. …
6. Show your gratitude. …
7. Publish your work. …
8. Develop an online presence.

Building Connections: How to Be A Relationship Ninja | Rosan Auyeung-Chen | TEDxSFU

Why is it important to build connections?

Building connections is important because it makes you more versatile. You have a support system of people you can turn to when things get tough so they can help you find solutions or in any other way. This network could therefore increase your chance of upward mobility and job security. If you lose your job, for instance, you can get in touch with people in your network to find out about job openings or make connections with people they know in your industry.

What does it mean to build connections?

When you become emotionally connected to someone, you are building connections. Although you may develop both personal and professional relationships, both can advance your career Through connections, you can take advantage of the assistance that is provided to you and provide support to others when they need it. These connections establish a win-win situation whereby expanding your network also makes you more useful and effective in work-related situations.

Benefits of building connections

You may observe the many advantages of growing your professional network as you do so. The following are some of the main justifications for working to forge more and stronger relationships:

New job opportunities

Making contacts in the industry is a great way to discover new job opportunities. These people can inform you of job openings, including those for internal company positions that are not advertised publicly. They can offer recommendations or act as references for you as a candidate, which is helpful when applying for jobs.

Mentorship relationships

Strong relationships with seasoned professionals in your field give you the chance to learn and grow. Their expertise in your field benefits you, allowing you to advance in your career while avoiding the mistakes they made. With their assistance, you can advance your knowledge and abilities, which will improve your performance at work.

Increased development

By making new connections, you can learn from them or be inspired by them to further your education and professional development. Attending conferences, workshops, and other professional events, for example, are some of the best ways to expand your network and position you for career advancement. Taking advantage of these chances to develop your abilities and career can demonstrate your dedication to both, which employers frequently appreciate.

Expanded clientele

Building relationships with potential customers is a fantastic way to increase loyalty. Your client is more likely to think favorably of the services you offer when they feel a personal connection with you. They might refer you to their friends and coworkers as a result of their gratitude, which will increase the number of clients you have.

Faster promotion

Developing relationships with more experienced employees at your company can help you get more promotion opportunities. If you already have a good relationship with these people, they are aware of and grateful for what you can do. This information may encourage them to recommend you for a promotion or look for opportunities to advance you within the company.

10 effective ways to build connections

Although connections can arise naturally, there are ways to increase the efficiency of these attempts to create them. When establishing business connections, the following advice can help you forge stronger bonds:

1. Participate in your industry

You can connect with a variety of professionals in your field by joining professional organizations or going to conferences related to your profession. These events offer wonderful chances to network with peers and more experienced business people. Professional associations and conferences frequently host less formal events in addition to formal ones, giving you more chances to form stronger bonds and personal connections.

2. Be outgoing

Even though extroverts may naturally possess this quality, introverts can find opportunities to be outgoing and interact with others. Find activities or occasions that motivate you to socialize with new people. You may still meet people who can contribute to your professional network even if it is unrelated to your job. You can also work on being outgoing in your daily life by encouraging yourself to strike up more conversations with coworkers or make small talk. You’ll feel more at ease using this skill the more you use it.

3. Establish multiple styles of contact

It’s beneficial to establish several channels of communication when connecting with someone. For instance, when meeting someone, you can exchange contact information like phone numbers and emails. This strategy broadens your contact options and can assist you in developing communication preferences. You could call or text each other if you need to communicate about urgent matters, for instance. Afterward, you can use emails to conduct routine relationship maintenance and send each other lighthearted messages or communications.

4. Find commonalities

Finding shared interests or responsibilities with someone else can make it easier to connect with them. These interests can be professional or personal. For instance, you might mention to the hiring manager during a job interview that you went to the same university as them. These similarities can serve as a solid foundation for relationships because they give you both an understanding of one another.

5. Provide value

The best relationships, whether they be personal or professional, have a symbiotic bond where both parties gain from the relationship. One party may feel that the relationship isn’t as genuine as they would like when it becomes unbalanced. When someone offers to help you, make sure they know you’ll be there for them if they need it. This openness fosters a more balanced relationship that demonstrates your sincere regard for and care for one another.

6. Show your gratitude

Expressing gratitude after someone does you a favor is one of the simplest ways to make them feel valued. People are more likely to maintain and strengthen a relationship when they feel valued and appreciated. You can express your gratitude in person, over the phone, via email, or by sending a gift, depending on the circumstance. These actions demonstrate your appreciation for the person’s generosity and your recognition of the value they provided to you.

7. Publish your work

You can use online blogs or trade publications to gain exposure among professionals in your field. You make your work accessible to others to access and share by publishing it. People who read your work and find it valuable or interesting may get in touch with you to express their opinions or connect with you in other ways. While producing an article, video, or other published work may require effort, using this strategy enables you to wait for like-minded people to get in touch with you as opposed to actively seeking them out.

8. Develop an online presence

Creating an online presence is another way to network with other professionals and can include anything from social media sites to a personal website. You can participate in online discussions on social media or in professional groups while following industry blogs or thought leaders on different platforms. These platforms let you discover and distribute resources to help one another and form bonds. Share links to your professional website or social media accounts with others when you can. Through these websites, they can get in touch with you and find out more about you personally and your line of work.

9. Act as a host

Organizing and hosting events can be a great way to connect with people and build relationships. You become a point of contact for people interested in participating when you organize an industry event or found an industry group. They might get in touch with you before or after the event with queries or feedback, letting you build relationships. You can meet people who share your interests by attending events or groups related to your field, which may also open up career opportunities.

10. Check-in with important contacts

You must continue making efforts to keep the relationship going after you establish the initial connection. This strategy may be especially useful for maintaining crucial relationships with clients or mentors. When you check in, you can do anything from sending a quick email to catch up on each other’s lives or talk about job opportunities to including your contacts on your holiday card lists. Making these efforts demonstrates your value to the relationship and keeps you top of mind for them.

Essential components of building connections

Most healthy relationships share a number of characteristics. Knowing these elements can assist you in evaluating and strengthening your relationships with others. Critical components of strong relationships include:

FAQ

How do you build connections with others?

1. Smile. One of the quickest and easiest ways to make a connection with someone is to smile at them.
2. Make Eye Contact. …
3. Schedule Quality Time. …
4. Listen With Your Heart. …
5. Actively Love. …
6. Communicate Consciously. …
7. Dig Deeper. …
8. Be Present and Focused on the Other.

How do you build strong connections?

1. Have open and honest communications. Good communication is essential to healthy relationships, whether it be verbally, in writing, or over the phone.
2. Develop people skills. This means your ability to relate to others.
3. Respect and appreciate others. …
4. Accept support and be supportive. …
5. Be positive.

How do you develop a connection?

1. Go On An Adventure. …
2. Take Time To Have A Conversation. …
3. Ask Open Questions. …
4. Try Being Non-Judgmental. …
5. Do An Activity Together. …
6. Go To A Busy Place. …
7. Be Positive.