Professional Network Gardening

Overview

Professional networks are a lot like trees and shrubs. They can grow uncontrollably and quickly get out of hand. As such, you may need to manage and control that growth by pruning.

Professional Networks – The Good

If you belong to a social media site designed for business professionals, such as LinkedIn, you know the value of having a strong professional network. In addition to providing opportunities for both personal and professional growth, your network helps you stay in touch with what’s going on in different industries, allows you to stay abreast of current trends in technology, and also helps you develop new clients or promote your business.

One of the greatest benefits of cultivating your professional online network is that it expands your reach by allowing you to see articles and topics posted by people you follow, which in turn greatly expands the type and amount of information you are exposed to, read and learn about. Other advantages include being able to discuss a variety of topics with people all over the world, having people respond to articles you post, and having them contribute to discussions you initiate or questions you ask.

That’s a strong professional network. A good professional network. One that has people learning from, contributing to and sharing with each other. In other words, a well cultivated network.

Professional Networks – The Bad

Unfortunately, there are also some less than desirable attributes that you will run into on a professional networking site. Things like people creating fake profiles, people exhibiting rude, boorish behavior and those promoting extreme viewpoints (on almost any topic). You will also see things like cute animal pictures, family pictures and memes that really don’t belong on a networking site that is supposedly designed for business professionals.

But the biggest issue and primary drawback to this type of professional networking site is the amount of unwanted spam you will receive on a regular basis. This spam typically shows up in the form of people wanting to connect with you and then once you’ve connected, they immediately try to sell you something. Depending on how you’ve configured your profile, you may receive these annoying requests only as messages on the site, but you may also receive them via email or even on your phone.

This is a network that has grown out of control.

Network Gardening

Once you begin experiencing these type of problems, it becomes necessary to start pruning your garden, or perhaps more specifically, your professional network.

Did you know that you should prune your network just like you prune your shrubs? It's true. And while this may seem extreme to some (especially those who describe themselves as being open to accepting any and all network connection requests, regardless of whether there is any value to be gained or given), it’s actually a good practice, as it helps maintain a strong professional network that provides value, both to you and to the members of your network.

Mirriam-Webster defines pruning as "to cut away what is unwanted or superfluous." This is also a great description of what you should eliminate from your professional network. What this means in terms of your network is that there are some people you should either disconnect from, unfollow, or sometimes, in extreme situations, block. Ultimately, the criteria for this decision and level of action will depend on your personal definition of value.

For example, if there are people that always ask you for help but then never respond back when you reach out to them, Disconnect from them. For those who people continuously post non-business-relevant articles or pictures, Unfollow them. And for those people who are always trying to sell you something, Block them.

Those are the ones you should prune.

While some people may think this is harsh, it’s really not. It’s simply good gardening. At the end of the day this is your professional network, so you need to maintain your network so that it provides you with value and is worthwhile to continue.

Remember, the value of your professional network lies both in the value you provide to the other members, as well as the value that you receive from the people in your network. It’s a two-way street. If you don’t provide value to the people in your network, then you may be the one on the receiving end of the pruning shears. Both cultivating it and pruning it are necessary steps that must be taken to maintain a healthy professional network.

Summary

Trimming the deadwood and lopping off some of the uncontrolled growth is an essential part of good gardening. The same thing applies to your professional network. Without the necessary pruning, your professional network may grow so large that it gets out of control and no longer provides value, so don’t be afraid to trim when and where needed.

© 2019 – Richard Hatheway, Catalyst Strategic Marketing

All rights reserved.

The Importance of Professional Business Communications

Overview

In today’s world, business communications are a fact of life. They’re critical to getting the message out about you, your business, your products or services. As such, they need to be considered just as much as, and in some ways more, than all of your other marketing communications. But sadly, many marketers still don’t seem to understand that you only get one chance to make a first impression.

Informality Rules, But Does That Make It Right?

Hey John!

How many LinkedIn invitations, cold contact letters, phone calls or emails from businesses you don’t know and people you've never met do you receive on a weekly basis that all start with a similar salutation like that? More importantly, since when do business communications start with the word "Hey"?

Hey? Really?

By beginning a communication to a potential prospect or customer in that manner, the writer of these communications presumes a level of informality. Yet just based on my own experience (and yours as well, I’d bet), I've never heard of these people or their companies. That means when I receive a communication like this, I’m more likely to ignore it or delete it than read it.

Is that really the first impression they want to make?

What happened to beginning an email or message with a more formal business opening, such as "Dear Mr. Smith", followed by a brief sentence or two introducing themselves and/or their company?

Is that structure no longer used?

Communication Has Changed, But Has It Really?

In today’s world of instantaneous social media, text messages, tweets, and even email, it now seems to be deemed unprofessional to write and speak correctly. The general consensus seems to be that as communication styles have “evolved”, informality now rules and “reflects the way that people actually communicate today.”

That may be true, but is that really a good thing? Especially when you're trying to make an initial contact with someone?

If I receive an email or message that starts like that, I automatically delete it. This means all that effort on the part of the sender is wasted, since I have no interest in reading or hearing their message. Why? Because it’s obvious that the marketer who sent it doesn’t know me or my business. Instead, that person believes this veneer of casual informality will work to win me over and make me want to connect with them, do business with them, or at least listen to them.

Wrong.

Informality in the workplace is fine, once a relationship has been developed over a period of time. However, trying to make a new contact and begin a new relationship without taking time to communicate professionally sets a bad precedent. Is that really how you and your business want to be seen?

There’s an old saying that says, “You only get one chance to make a first impression.” Even in today’s world that saying holds true.

All Communication Represents You and Your Business

As with any form of marketing, to be effective, your message has to get through. If your emails aren’t opened or your calls aren’t returned, you’ve failed. If they’re not opened or returned because your communication style was too informal, you’ve failed. You’re only successful if your communication prompts a positive action on the part of the recipient.

If that is the case, shouldn’t you as a marketing professional want to take the time necessary to communicate professionally and correctly? Don’t you want to present your business in the best possible light? Especially if you’re trying to develop a new customer or relationship?

Remember, any and all communications you send are a reflection of you and your business. In fact, they’re often the first contact a potential customer has with your business. That means they’re literally a virtual representation of who you are, what your business does, or the value your business can provide. If your communication is not received or responded to, then your business doesn’t exist. Or at least, not in the eyes of the potential customer.

If you want to be taken seriously, you need to present a professional image, especially in your communications.

Remember, first impressions really do count.

Summary

Hey! Remember, don’t start your business communications with the word “hey.”

First impressions still count, and regardless of the medium, a professional image should be presented and maintained at all times. This means communicating with your customers, potential customers, and those with whom you want to build a new relationship in a professional manner.

Or at least until a level of familiarity and trust has been established that will allow you to communicate more informally.

By doing so, you will help yourself and your business.

© 2019 – Richard Hatheway, Catalyst Strategic Marketing

All rights reserved.