A major key to business networking success in building a powerful business network is diversity.

What’s the key to business networking success?  Common lore says that we know between 200 and 300 people.  That seems like plenty of people to know in your network.  Why would you want to grow that number?  Won’t it be hard to keep up with even more people?  Don’t they know two hundred plus people and so on and so on?

Most of us hang out with people that think the same way or have like perspectives on life, have similar interests, hobbies, level of education, age, race, professional status, kids in the same grades, etc…

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The idea here is to step outside your comfort zone to meet people who are different from you to increase your business networking success.  By meeting and getting to know a variety of people, you expose yourself and your business to people you would not otherwise have met.  It also can help you learn new perspectives on life and be more open minded.  This must have been how the Village People band got together  🙂

This approach also helps you find those super valuable “connectors” or “lynchpins”.  A lynchpin is a person with a variety of interests that makes them part of several networks, or a new term I just made up “clique connectors”.  These people can tremendously accelerate your business networking efficiency and effectiveness.

You may be shy or uncomfortable with reaching out to new people, but this will go away with practice, so just feel the fear and go for it anyways!  Just think back to how you felt on your first day of work or school or even your first date and how comfortable you are now …

You never know who someone might know, so leave your biases at home and be friendly and network with new folks starting today.

Homework:  To build your business networking success, find a new networking mixer or event  this month and reach out and meet someone you normally wouldn’t approach – set up a meeting to have coffee and get to know them and their network better

Here’s a tremendous book with 50 fantastic Business Networking Success tips:

Jim Kaspari

Summit Business Marketing

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