During this time of uncertainty, we must learn to adapt to maintain a competitive edge. No, we may not be able to get out and attend community events, happy hours, and town hall meetings, but there are many things that we can do from the comfort of our own couch that will help keep you connected and your pipeline full.
Contact clients/colleagues that you haven’t heard from in a while
Take a daily or weekly break from your work to send notes to former clients/colleagues just to reach out and see how they’re doing. Recently, I had an old colleague reach out just to chat for a few minutes to catch up; nothing business related. It’s a difficult and challenging time for everyone, so just a simple “Hey, how are you?” can make the difference and can help build a platform for sales down the road.
Use LinkedIn to your advantage
Build your self-value by expanding your repertoire. Reach out to people via LinkedIn and set up informational interviews with people who possess different skills than you. Taking 10-15 minutes to learn something new can pay off in spades in the future. This can be a bit daunting at first, but you’d be surprised how receptive people are to sharing what they know! If you’re intimidated, start by asking mutual connections to make a “warm” introduction and go from there.
Take part in a virtual networking event
These can be found in your local communities or on a national scale. I’ve taken part in many different sessions, ranging from virtual lunch and learns to half-day panel discussions. This is not only a way to keep evolving and learning new things, but gives you a chance to meet people you never would have met. For someone like me that is not the most confident in public speaking, I use it as an opportunity to sharpen those skills and get out of my comfort zone. I was invited to a virtual networking event by a client. It was so refreshing to meet people that I would have never met otherwise; sharing best practices, brainstorming ideas, and building new relationships.
Beef up your digital presence
Take time and go through your LinkedIn and other social platforms to manicure and prune your information. Furthermore, don’t be afraid to write a blog (or two) in fields that you have expertise in. Publishing blogs, if only to your own social media outlets, will give you a voice and may give someone a chance to learn something from you.
Remember to stay in touch (visually) with those you work closely with
Getting out and meeting new people is wonderful, but don’t forget to take care of those who you work with daily. Working from home can be challenging and segmented, so make sure to schedule time, at least once a week, to host a video call with your colleagues. You don’t even need to discuss work; you could make it a Friday happy hour call. At Moxē, the agency that I work for, we have a Monday morning Zoom call that lasts an hour or so. It details what everyone on our team is working on for the week. I also take time throughout the week to reach out individually to colleagues just to see how I can help and keep communication lines open.
It’s important to keep moving forward during uncertain times and my hope is that you can use some or all of these five tips to continue to improve yourself.
