Networking can seem intimidating, especially when you don’t have a lot of professional connections! However, with creativity, confidence and a little bit of networking wisdom on your side, you can build a network that might one day land you your dream job! Here are our top 5 tips for building your network as a marketing professional:

Think outside the Box

Use social networks. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter are all tools that you can use to connect on a personal level with different people in your industry. Start with making connections with former classmates, professors, supervisors or coworkers as well as current colleagues. Then branch out to the less obvious potential connections: your parents’ friends, neighbors from when you were growing up, or alumni that work at your dream company. Try connecting with people who have the same interests.

Personalize your Requests

LinkedIn includes a pre-filled message but don’t miss this opportunity to include a personalized note with your request. Remind your contacts of how or where you met or any connections you have in common. If you spoke for the first time to someone at an event or tradeshow, for example, say “Hi, it was great meeting you at the SEMA SHOW earlier this year, I look forward to keeping in touch and how to see you at the Off-Road Expo this year! . 

Give (and get) Recommendations and Endorsements

Once you’ve connected with people this is the easiest way to add more substance to your profile. Recommendations serve as testimonials or first-person character references that give your profile more legitimacy. Give recommendations but don’t be afraid to ask if they will do the same in return! Endorsements, on the other hand, are less labor intensive but still add value to your profile. You can add your skills such as “event planning” or “market research” in the Skills & Endorsements section of LinkedIn, where current or previous employers or colleagues can endorse you, meaning they’ve seen first hand that you excel at that particular talent.

Join and Contribute to Professional Groups

There are tons of industry or alumni groups out there that are an invaluable way to develop professional connections and stay on top of industry trends. First join and watch to see how the groups interact and operate then start liking and commenting on posts and articles others link. Contribute by posting relevant resources. Potential employers will be impressed that you are curious and active within your industry. You also have the ability to directly message other participants of your groups even if you’re not otherwise connected. Use this to communicate with other members about an article they posted or an interesting project they’re working on and you can cultivate a future connection.

Don’t Forget to Reconnect

Just because you haven’t spoken to someone in a while doesn’t mean your relationship is finished! It usually just needs to be rekindled and now is the perfect time to concentrate on reaching out to people from your past that you may have lost touch with! Don’t wait to rebuild relationships -- follow these steps to begin reconnecting and strengthening your network.

-Consider who you should reach out to and make a list. Take time to assess the people within different areas of your life such as friends, family, colleagues, or those who share in your favorite hobbies or activities. Then identify people within those areas that you haven’t spoken to in the last few years or those who you may not have initially been close with but now realize how valuable it could be to establish a greater connection with. 

-Assess your value. Consider the value that you could potentially offer each person on your list. 

-Get in touch! Send them an email, give them a call, or connect with them on social media to identify your reason for reaching out. Be honest, personalize your message, and always include your contact information. 

-Follow up!

Not sure where to start? Read our Networking 101 article here!