Creating an Effective Networking Plan

Networking doesn’t have to be awkward or overwhelming—it just needs a plan!

In this episode, I’m diving into how to create a networking strategy that feels authentic and actually works.  I’ll share why having a clear plan is the secret to building meaningful connections, staying consistent, and making the most out of your networking efforts.

You’ll learn:

• Why aimless networking is a waste of time (and how to fix it).
• The key components of a networking plan that works for you.
• How to personalize your follow-ups so they actually lead to results (and not just another ghosted email).
• Simple tools to keep track of warm leads and never let opportunities slip through the cracks.

Plus, I’ll introduce you to my Networking Planner — a game-changing tool to help you stay organized and intentional with your networking efforts. This planner has everything you need to track events, connections, and follow-ups, so you can network with confidence and ease.

Ready to take the stress and overwhelm out of networking?

Tune in now, and let’s build a plan that helps you grow your business, one genuine connection at a time!

Links & References:

Download my free Networking Planner here!

Join us at our next PWR Virtual Speed Networking Event!

For even deeper connections, check out the Powerful Women Rising Community!

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1. Buy me a coffee to show your appreciation!
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4. Share it with a friend!

Connect with Me, Your Host Melissa Snow!

Melissa Snow is a Business Relationship Strategist dedicated to empowering women in entrepreneurship. She founded the Powerful Women Rising Community, which provides female business owners with essential support and resources for business growth. Melissa's other mission is to revolutionize networking, promoting authenticity and genuine connections over sleazy sales tactics. She lives in Colorado Springs with her two dogs, three cats, and any number of foster kittens. She loves iced coffee, true crime, Taylor Swift, and buying books she’ll never read.

Instagram: https://instagram.com/powerfulwomenrising
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@powerfulwomenrising

Chapters

• 0:04 Empower Your Networking With a Plan
• 5:56 Maximizing Networking Efforts Through Planning

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:04

Welcome to Powerful Women Rising, a podcast for female entrepreneurs ready to do business their way. Grab your coffee and join host Melissa Snow, business relationship strategist and founder of the Powerful Women Rising community, as she interviews industry experts and shares insights on strategy, marketing, mindset and more. Here you'll find the tools, strategies and inspiration you need to feel empowered, take bold action in your business and keep rising.

Speaker 2: 0:35

Hey everybody, welcome back to another episode of the Powerful Women Rising Podcast. I'm your host, melissa Snow. If we haven't met yet, hi, it's me. Hi, I am not the problem, I'm the host. My name is Melissa Snow.

Speaker 2: 0:52

I am a business relationship strategist, I am a networking expert, but I'm all about networking without the sleaze. I'm all about helping you figure out how to network effectively to grow your business, but doing it in a way that feels true to you. And that is a really important part of what I do. Because I think sometimes when people hear me say that I'm a networking expert, they assume that I'm like really good at schmoozing, that I'm like very outgoing, a total people person, very polished, put together and like love to work the room, and that could not be farther from the truth. I actually get really stressed out in those kinds of situations. I do not enjoy the networking events where there's no structure and you just go in and like have a drink and chat with whoever. You have to start your own conversations with random people, like that is not the vibe. I'm actually kind of awkward, I'm an introvert and I still manage to make networking work for me. So if I can do it, you can do it too. I think I said in the last interview I was talking about something and I was like listen, my shirt is on backwards half the time, like I don't even know what's going on. So I all that is to say that you can learn to network effectively without having to be someone that you're not. If you are an outgoing extrovert who loves talking to strangers, you can find a way to network that works for you, and if you are not, you can also find a way to network that works for you. And if you are not, you can also find a way to network that works for you, and that is what I'm here to help you do.

Speaker 2: 2:30

I am also the founder of the Powerful Women Rising community, which is an online community for female entrepreneurs, where you get to grow your business with other amazing female entrepreneurs and you get to network with them in a way that doesn't add more work to your plate. We do co-working calls together. We do mastermind calls together, where you really get to tap into the collective wisdom of the group and there is a lot of it and all of these different types of calls are designed to help you kill two birds with one stone. You're getting your work done. You're getting your work done. You're getting your questions answered, you are brainstorming and coming up with new ideas, figuring out how to overcome your challenges, and while you're doing all of those things, you are connecting deeper and deeper with the other women in the group, so you are becoming each other's support system. You're becoming each other's best referral partners. You're becoming each other's power partners partners. You're becoming each other's power partners and collaborative partners, and there's so much magic that happens inside that community. So if that is of interest to you, definitely click on the show notes and check it out. We would love to have you join us.

Speaker 2: 3:37

All right, let's dig into today's episode, which is all about creating a networking plan, which doesn't sound super exciting, but it's actually really important, because if you don't have a plan, as with anything in business, you don't really know where you're going. It's kind of like I used to say the same thing when I was a dating and relationship coach to my clients about having a plan, and, while that doesn't really sound sexy and being intentional, isn't really like what we're excited about when it comes to dating. If you don't have a plan, it's basically like getting in the car and starting to drive but not actually knowing where you're going, and you may find some really cool places to stop along the way. They may be totally worth your time. You might be like, oh my gosh, that was so great, I'm so glad I found that museum, but you're also probably going to waste a lot of time and a lot of gas going to places that you never really wanted to be. That is true with dating and it is true with networking.

Speaker 2: 4:40

So today we are going to talk about how to transform your approach to networking by creating a networking plan, and this is kind of a follow-up to the episode that I did a couple weeks ago about evaluating your networking efforts from last year. So if you haven't listened to that one yet, definitely check that one out after this. But today we're talking about moving forward with intention and accountability and really having a game plan that is going to make your networking not only more consistent but also more impactful. This is how you're going to avoid getting to June and being like, oh man, I really intended to network more this year. Or spending your whole year being like man, I really need to start networking, I really need to network more. I really need to network more. I really need to find somewhere to network. And then months and months and months go by and you're still not networking and your business isn't growing and you can't figure out why. So quick heads up. I have created an amazing networking planner that you can download on my website and it's going to make everything that we're talking about today a million times easier. We're going to talk more about that later, but if you are already sold, go grab it at powerfulwomanrisingcom slash planner.

Speaker 2: 5:56

Otherwise, let's get into it. First, let's talk about why you need a networking plan. I want you to ask yourself this how intentional are you with your networking efforts right now? Be honest about that. And when I say how intentional are you, what I'm talking about is how much are you winging it? How much are you just showing up to random events, collecting business cards, forgetting to follow up, having really good intentions that you're not actually following through on? Maybe you are joined a group that you don't attend consistently or you're not getting as much out of it as you could. You're leaving opportunities and money on the table by not being intentional.

Speaker 2: 6:40

So having a plan isn't just about staying organized, but it's also about showing up with purpose, when you know exactly which events you're attending, why you're attending them, who you're hoping to meet and how you are going to follow up with those people. This is how you're going to make the most of your time and your effort, and, if you're anything like me, time is something that you are constantly trying to figure out how to get more of, so let's not waste it by throwing spaghetti up against a wall and hoping that it sticks. Creating a networking plan is going to help you be accountable for your efforts, because if it's on the calendar, if it's on paper, it's real. It's going to help you stay consistent, so that you're not just networking in bursts when you're desperate for leads or have some free time, and it's going to help you follow up more effectively, which is where the real magic happens, and what I hear over and over and over again from people about their biggest struggle with networking is that follow-up, and I'm going to help you with that today.

Speaker 2: 7:40

So what is a networking plan? What does it look like? It's not just about scheduling events and knowing where you're going, although that is important. It's also about creating a system that keeps you intentional and organized with what you're doing. So this is part of why I designed that networking planner to include a few key sections. First is an event tracker. This is a space to write down all the networking events that you're planning to attend for the month. Why is this important? Why can't I just figure it out as I go? Because when you commit to events in advance, you are less likely to flake out on them or to procrastinate. Plus, it helps you balance your time and energy. You know what you're doing, you know how spread out or not spread out it is, so you can allocate and save your time and energy accordingly. This is what's going to keep you from getting to the end of every month and being like shoot, I really meant to network more, shoot, I really meant to go to that event this week or this month. This is how you hold yourself accountable and make sure that you do the things that you want to do, because you know they're going to grow your business.

Speaker 2: 8:46

The planner also includes a connection tracker. This is where, after every event, you write down who you met, where you met them and any important details that you want to remember. And this might seem like overkill, but I'm telling you, being able to personalize your follow-ups is going to change the game. If you think about it, would you rather get a generic hey, it was really great to meet you at that fill in the blank with the event. I'd really love to connect and learn more about your business. Like that's so boring and I don't even remember who you are and I'm not actually convinced that you want to connect with me. I'm thinking maybe you just sent this email to literally everyone who was there, as opposed to getting an email that says hi, melissa, it was so great to chat with you about networking and how you've used it to grow your business. I really loved your perspective on networking like a human and not like a salesy weirdo. I would love to connect with you more and learn more about how you've been able to leverage networking to grow your business.

Speaker 2: 9:53

That little bit of personalization can be the difference between building a relationship and getting ghosted. If you think about it in terms of dating, which I love these analogies any of you who have ever done online dating know exactly what I'm talking about. This is the difference between someone who sends a message that shows they've actually looked at your profile and like internalized what you've said about who you are and what you're looking for, and they've gotten a little creative so that you know, hey, he's actually paying attention to you or hey, she actually noticed that. This is something that you're into, as opposed to the people who send the same message to the same person over and over and over. Right? He copies and pastes to every single woman. Hey, beautiful, your profile is really interesting. Would love to get to know you more. Like, okay, bro, I'm over it.

Speaker 2: 10:48

It works the same way when it comes to follow up with networking, and then the planner also includes a space to track your warm leads. So this is the section where you keep track of people that you've already connected with. You've met them previously. You've done that initial follow up, but you know you need to do more to keep that relationship going, to keep yourself top of mind with that person, to make sure that you are moving the relationship along. So it could be scheduling a coffee chat, could be sending them a resource that you promised, or just checking in with them, engaging them on social media. This is the way that you make sure that no one slips through the cracks.

Speaker 2: 11:27

Networking isn't about collecting as many business cards as possible. I don't know how many times I have said that on this podcast. It's really about building relationships, and relationships take time and consistency. And you guessed it follow-up. Following up doesn't have to be weird or salesy. In fact, it shouldn't be weird or salesy. The best follow-ups are the ones that feel genuine and personal, and that's why keeping track of those important details about people that you meet is really important. It shows that you're paying attention and that you actually care about them and not just what they can do for you. And this is also why keeping track of those warm leads is so important, because you don't want to waste your time on that first follow-up.

Speaker 2: 12:08

If you're not going to keep the relationship going, there's no point right. And if you've listened to some of my prior episodes, you know I'm not saying that you have to connect once, twice, three times, 10 times with every single person that you meet. You don't have to put every single person that you meet on this planner, but if there's somebody that you connect with that you think I really vibe with her, I really like her, I could learn something from her, we could collaborate together. If there's some reason that you want to get to know this person better, put them on the list If you connect with them that first time and you're like, okay, maybe that's not really what I thought it was going to be, they don't have to go to the warm lead section. Go to the warm lead section, but every time you decide you want to get to know this person a little bit more and a little bit more. That's when you keep them moving into those warm lead section.

Speaker 2: 13:00

Consistency is another big deal. In case you haven't noticed, if you only show up to one event every six months, you're probably not building momentum or relationships with that group of people. You're basically just starting over every time. So having a plan like this is how you can stay active in the right circles and keep your name top of mind with those people. Using that planner makes all of this super easy.

Speaker 2: 13:27

You start by thinking about what your goals are. Think about what you want to achieve this month, because your goals with networking might change depending on the month. There might be some months where you're really looking for potential clients and referrals. There might be some months where you're looking for people to collaborate with. Maybe there's a month that you're really just looking for people who can help you revamp your website and take it to the next level. Or you're looking for mentors, or you're looking for friends, or you're just looking for people that you like being around because it's boring and it's lonely. So decide what your goals are and then let those goals guide your decisions for the month.

Speaker 2: 14:07

Use that event tracker to map out which events you'll attend so that you don't overwhelm yourself. Focus on quality over quantity. Just because there's four spaces doesn't mean you have to attend an event every single week. If it's a month where you have a little bit more capacity, maybe you can attend five events. If it's a month where you have a little bit less capacity, prioritize two events. Maybe this isn't the month that you try something new, but it is the month that you make sure that you show up to those events or that group that you've been participating in consistently for the last five or six months. Look for events that align with your goals and values and prioritize those, and then, after each event, take five minutes to jot down the people that you met, that you want to follow up with and any key details. This is gonna save you so much time and so much brain power when it comes to following up and then, at the end of each week, check your warm leads tracker and schedule your follow-ups. This is where the planner really pays off, because you're keeping the momentum going with people who are already interested in you and what you do.

Speaker 2: 15:13

All right, so there you have it. That is the what, why and how of creating a networking plan. Use the networking planner if it is helpful for you. If it's not, find a way that works for you, as long as you remember that the key to successful networking isn't just showing up Although this planner is going to help you do that but it is really about being intentional and consistent and personalizing your efforts, and the best way to do that is to use a system that keeps you organized and accountable, whatever that system is.

Speaker 2: 15:45

If you're ready to take your networking to the next level and you want to try my networking planner, even just as somewhere to start, go to the website wwwpowerfulwomenrisingcom slash planner and grab it. It's free, it's easy to use and it's going to make all of this so much simpler. Plus, it's a great way to start the year off on the right foot. All right, friends, thanks for tuning in to another episode of Powerful Women Rising. If you found this episode helpful, share it with a fellow entrepreneur who could use a little boost in their networking efforts. As always, I would love to hear your thoughts, so drop me a message on Instagram or leave a review Until next time.

Speaker 1: 16:39

That's a wrap on this week's episode of Powerful Women Rising. Thanks for hanging out with us. Until next time, in a way that feels real and true to them. Want to keep the party going? Check out the show notes for details on our next virtual speed networking event, or join us in the powerful Women Rising community Until next time. Remember that building a business your way is the best way.