How To Connect With Your Most Perfect Contacts

We don’t operate our businesses in a void so no matter where you are in the success continuum, you’ll always be in search of PEOPLE to help you fulfill certain roles. If you’re just starting out, you’ll want mentors and advisors. Investors are out there as well as people to help you with marketing, manufacturing, operations, etc. Of course you wouldn’t be in business very long if you didn’t have customers.

Here are some strategies I use to constantly put me in the right place at the right time to be able to connect with any “human” resource I may need at any given time. People constantly say “Maria knows everyone.” It’s more like “Maria knows how to MEET anyone”.

1. Regularly create profiles of the contacts you need. Whatever you’re looking for, it really helps to have an idea of the person that can help you get it...not just what “it” is. Most of the time, you’ll find you already KNOW someone that fits your new profile. You just hadn’t yet thought of that person as a resource. I use this technique to help manifest strategic partners, investors, clients, etc.

2. Attend industry events. If you want to meet the movers and shakers of your industry, start attending the same tradeshows and conferences they do.

3. Put it out to your network. Don’t forget to tell the people you know WHO you’re looking for.

4. Hang out where they hang out. I’ve met my investors exactly where I’d thought they’d be--- at fundraising events, out with other investors, at various community events, social and business gatherings.

5. Attend networking functions to meet with the organizers or featured guests. Many people will attend a networking event to meet potential clients but my mission goes a bit beyond that and is usually to create strategic alliances with people who have complimentary talents as well as their own following. Those people can usually get you in front of a much larger group of your ideal “whatever”. So mingle with the participants but also make yourself known to the experts and organizers in attendance.

6. Search for people online or in your local press. If you do a Google search using industry specific terms you’ll find out who the talent is within that industry. This is great if you’re looking for C-level folks and advisors. Once I can associate a name with an expertise I’m looking for, it’s just a matter of tracking that person down. Same goes for a name you read in a newspaper. EX: You’re looking for an advisor in waste management and one day you read about the retirement of the Chairman of the Board of XYZ Waste Management Co. Chances are, THAT’S the person you need to connect with.

7. Use search functions on the Social Networks. Nothing has accelerated my connecting as much as the social networks have. You can pick a few people who are your perfect contacts and easily connect to who they know using the follow functions. In the search boxes, simply put in keywords that describe their industry or what they would be talking about and see who pops up. People are also generally more accessible on the social networks as well.

8. Let them come to you. Consider hosting an event or being part of something bigger that will put you directly in front of the contacts that you would need. This is a great time to support others who are doing similar work as a way to increase your visibility.

9. Meditate on attracting the most perfect contacts. Success does not happen by just working hard you know! I meditate daily and visualize the most perfect people showing up to support my efforts. Usually during that time or shortly afterwards, names will pop into my head or the phone will ring with a perfect opportunity. If you want success that’s more flowing and effortless, that’s a sure way to create it.