Sometimes exactly what you need is right in front of your face and you just can’t see it.

Connor and I spend time travelling and attending network conferences. It’s a big part of what we do.  And it works. Every year, we attend 2-3 big network meetings in Europe, Asia, America, wherever they happen to be. I’ve been doing it for decades. The purpose behind it is two fold, to catch up with the people we know, our clients, partners, and suppliers. And to meet new people and build our network. 

Networking is really what Millennium has been built on. Real relationships, connections and people. So a few weeks back, I sat down and I wondered, “How can I build my network even more?” And a thought popped into my head. “You don’t need more connections Chadd, you just need to take care of the ones you have”. So I took a minute, and I gave that some thought. 

What if, instead of chasing more connections, a bigger network, more followers, I just connected more with the people I already know? I grabbed a pen, and I made a list of everyone I could think of that I could reach out to TODAY to build a better connection with. Do you know how many people were on that list? Thirty-eight… And this was mainly business friends, suppliers and not even customers. Thirty-eight people who already know me, hopefully like me and probably trust me, that I could contact, check in with, build a better connection with, and maybe, just maybe, get a little custom from too or a few referrals at least.

 But I doubt I’m alone. As business owners, we spend so much of our time focused on growing our network and getting new leads that we often overlook the network we’ve already got around us. So do this little exercise too. Sit down, grab a pen and write a list of everyone you know that might be interested in what you have to offer. From your prospects and leads to your accountant, consultants, IT guy, your friends, the people who provide your cars, even your dentist! Make the list, then make contact. You just never know how powerful your existing network already is until you give it a try. 

And if you’ve got any good stories of when your network has come through for you, I’d love to hear them