Welcome to the 4th edition of North Star Blueprints! In this weekly newsletter, we embark on a journey of personal and professional growth, offering observations, strategies, and inspiration to help you navigate life’s challenges and reach new heights of success. This edition will provide a summary of the daily insights I posted throughout the week, packed with valuable tips, thought-provoking ideas, and actionable advice designed to empower you on your path to build a stronger network and more meaningful relationships.
March 11: Don’t Forget Your Clients
As we start this new week, I want to remind you and emphasize the importance of regular client check-ins. Regardless of your industry, services, or products, maintaining strong client relationships is pivotal for sustained success in any business endeavor.
Whether through a brief phone call, a text, or a thoughtful email – consistent communication demonstrates dedication and fosters trust. It allows you to stay connected to the changing needs of your clients, stay informed on their evolving strategies and team structures, and it also gives you a chance to get them up to speed on any development in your world.
Clients are an extension of your team, they are the reason you went into business and are still in business, and just like you are often too busy (or sometimes hesitant) to reach out first, even if they have an urgent need of your help.
Let’s prioritize these check-ins and nurture those client connections. Go ahead and reach out to these couple clients you’ve been meaning to for a while now, the impact on your business can be truly transformative.
March 12: They Key to Lasting Connections
“Relationships are living things – they require tending. Like plants, they flourish when they are cared for” – Daphne Rose Kingma
We all understand the importance of maintaining relationships, whether personal or professional, but we often seem to forget the most important part of it – actually maintaining the relationships!
Your network, your connections, your relationship, all require consistent effort and attention in order to thrive and develop. It’s about building trust, loyalty, and mutual respect. It’s about making the other person feel valued, appreciated, and remembered.
It’s not just about the big gestures; it’s about the small, thoughtful actions that demonstrate your genuine interest and care. Consistency is key – regular check-ins, thoughtful messages, and spending quality time with them, all contribute to maintaining meaningful relationships.
Here is a simple yet powerful approach I follow with my network: I have an ongoing tracker that lists all individuals in my immediate network, the last time I interacted with them, something noteworthy from that interaction, a general list of key details they mentioned in the past (e.g., their favourite sports team), and any significant milestones (e.g., birthdays). This helps me to create a meaningful connection with each individual, stay informed of what’s important to them, outline interesting points for myself, and stay consistent with my follow-ups.
You’d be surprised – sometimes remembering trivial facts about a person (e.g. their pet’s name) can go a long way in strengthening your bond with that individual.
March 13: Don’t Forget to Follow Up!
Making new connections is just the beginning, the real magic happens in the follow-up. A simple note sent shortly after meeting someone new shows that they have captivated your interest and tells that person that they are more than just a transaction to you, they have real value.
After meeting someone for the first time, make sure to follow up promptly with a personalized email or message. Reference your conversation, ideally reminding them of the moment that sparked your connection. Be friendly and professional, and let them know that you would be interested to stay in touch.
After that, make sure to remember yesterday’s insight of maintaining the relationship. Stay in touch periodically, share resources, and offer assistance. By keeping the connection alive, you increase the chances of turning it into a valuable relationship.
Networking isn’t just about collecting contacts; it’s about fostering relationships that can benefit both parties. So, take the initiative to follow up, nurture those connections, and watch them grow into fruitful collaborations.
March 14: Becoming a Superconnector
Have you ever met someone who just seems to know everyone? They’re able to quickly connect the dots and give you the name of the exact person you’re looking for, while also knowing all the recent stories about that individual. Their network is vast, their connections are solid, and their ability to link you with other people is instantaneous – they are Superconnectors.
A Superconnector is an individual who excels at building and maintaining genuine, mutually beneficial relationships, leveraging their extensive network to connect people and create value without expecting immediate returns. But, it’s not just about having a vast network, it’s about leveraging those connections to create value for others.
So, how can you become a Superconnector? Start by actively listening and understanding the needs of those in your network, stay up to date on their major developments, be willing to make introductions and connect individuals with each other, consistently meet new people and reconnect with old ones, and most importantly – enjoy the process of building a community and contributing to our global village.
Check this interesting article that illustrates how to become a superconnector.
March 15: Never Eat Alone
To wrap up this week’s posts on networking I want to recommend the book “Never Eat Alone” by Keith Ferrazi. I read it many years ago and still revisit it once in a while to remind myself of the power of social capital. The book offers various strategies and techniques to network effectively in both professional and personal spheres, which I still use on a daily basis. To quickly summarize some key themes for you:
𝟭. Generosity and loyalty are foundational to effective networking, focusing on how you can help others rather than what you can gain.
𝟮. Building relationships over time without keeping score, understanding that relationships are long-term investments that require consistent effort.
𝟯. Prioritizing quality over quantity in networking interactions, engaging in meaningful conversations and activities that foster genuine connections.
𝟰. Identifying and engaging with super-connectors who have extensive networks and can facilitate valuable connections.
𝟱. Developing a strong personal brand and surrounding yourself with successful mentors and peers to accelerate growth and learning.
Your network makes you who you are, it gives you opportunities, challenges, and experiences that would not have found otherwise. But just like anything else in life, a strong network requires attention and time to build and maintain so make sure you properly invest in it.
Thank you for joining me on this journey of growth and discovery. I hope these insights illuminate your path forward as you pursue your aspirations with purpose and determination. See you in next week’s edition!
