Strategic Networking Tool Kit

Strategic
Networking
Toolkit






1

www.paritoshpathak.com

Strategic Networking Tool Kit

About the Toolkit

Note from the Author
Is this Strategic Networking Toolkit going to be the best thing ever
happened to you? Not even close!!

Let me make this absolutely clear, the purpose of this tool kit is to
help you network effectively by putting a system in place. If you are
networking regularly, this tool kit will help you get the basics right, if
you are not networking regularly, it will give you what you need to
get a good start.

Caution 1: This toolkit will work when you work with it and not just
one time, you will need to review it on regular basis. I will leave it on
you to define the regular review period.

Caution 2: The concepts in this toolkit are quite simple, so you run
the risk of thinking that this is too basic and ignore it. If this tool is
still available for Free than the chances of you do so are even higher.
Use the toolkit regularly, even if you think it is basic. It will help you!

The Best Way to work with it
Find yourself an Accountability Partner. An accountability partner
is someone who will also take up the toolkit for the same purpose as
you, i.e. networking effectively. Have regular meetings / phone calls
with you accountability partner with the objective of both ensuring
that the other partner is staying on course of using the toolkit. Make
sure that your accountability partner sings up on the website and
downloads it as it will ensure that when a follow up communication
or an update is sent, he/she also receives it.



The Combo
While the toolkit itself is capable of helping you create a system for
networking effectively, it is best used with the Network For Growth
Workshop. It is highly recommended that you attend the workshop
to make the most from your networking efforts.

Wishing you GREAT networks
Paritosh Pathak
2

www.paritoshpathak.com

Strategic Networking Tool Kit

Index

i.

Establishing My Objectives

iii. Defining My Target Market

iv. My Unique Selling Proposition

v. My Networking Strengths

ii. Setting Up My Goals

vi. My Networking Weaknesses

vii. My Value Proposition

viii. My Networking Time Budget

ix. My Networking Introductions

10

x. My Follow Up Plan

11

xi. My People of Interest

11

xii. Contact Information

13

www.paritoshpathak.com

Strategic Networking Tool Kit

1. Establishing My Objectives
Benefit: Identifying your objectives gives a direction to your networking

Objectives refer to the kind of image you wish to create in the eyes of people you
meet. To Network effectively, you must have two objectives.

(1) Personal
(2) Profession

Personal Objective Always remember that in networking, an individuals
personal image is more important that the professional image. If an individual is
unable to create a good personal image, he / she will struggle in networking.
What is that you want people to think about you as an individual?

(A)




What actions / behaviors will help achieve the personal objective.

(A)




Professional Objectives What is that you want, the people you meet, to think
about you Professionally? What is the professional opinion you want them to
form?

(A)




What actions / behaviors will help create such an opinion?

(A)

www.paritoshpathak.com

Strategic Networking Tool Kit

2. Setting Business Goals

Benefit: Setting business goals helps measure the networking efforts


Business Goal What is the amount of business you would want to generate,
from your networking initiatives?

To achieve this figure, consider you total revenue goal and then looking at how
actively you network set up a realistic goal for yourself. You can even set up a
high revenue goal as long as you are willing network accordingly.

(A)







By when would I like to achieve this goal?


(A)

www.paritoshpathak.com

Strategic Networking Tool Kit

3. Defining My Target Market?

Benefit: Identifying the target market helps network at the right opportunities

Whos there in my target market?
Dont keep the answer generic, be as specific as you can for example Software
development companies, Recruitment firms. Identify as many target markets as
you can



3.1 Target Market -

What benefit do they get from me? What value can I create for them?



3.2 Target Market -

What benefit do they get from me? What value can I create for them?



3.3 Target Market -

What benefit do they get from me? What value can I create for them?



3.4 Target Market -

What benefit do they get from me? What value can I create for them?



3.5 Target Market -

What benefit do they get from me? What value can I create for them?

www.paritoshpathak.com

Strategic Networking Tool Kit

4. My Unique Selling Proposition

Benefit: USP helps differentiates from oneself from the competition.

5. Identifying USP is a very interesting exercise. Often people consider a simple
statement such as We deliver value for our clients time and money to be a USP,
the fact is their competitors could easily claim the same thing. If your
competitors are / can say the same thing, its not your USP. One way to build a
USP is to get your team (which can even include your clients) together and ask
everyone to share their views on your USP, write every answer down (no matter
how silly it might be), once every answer is on the board, strike out the ones that
you believe your competitors could say. Also feel free to get creative and merge
one or more of the ideas on the board.

(A)

































7

www.paritoshpathak.com

Strategic Networking Tool Kit

5. My Networking Strength

Benefit: knowing the strengths helps massively in leveraging them

The value of knowing ones strengths could never be overstated. Take some time
to think and list down what you believe are your strengths when it comes to
networking.

Example: I am comfortable and confident in approaching new people.

(A)






How am I going to leverage my strengths?

6. My Networking Weaknesses
Benefit: knowing the weaknesses enable overcoming them

When it comes to networking, what are my weaknesses?

(A)






What am I going to do to over come my weaknesses?

(A)

www.paritoshpathak.com

Strategic Networking Tool Kit

7. My Value Proposition

Benefit: knowing ones own value proposition helps make one valuable.

An individuals value proposition is defined by how an individual can create
value for others. This is not in terms of business or a service that one provides
commercially rather what can an individual do to help others without expecting
anything in return.

Example: I can help people I like and trust get connected to other good people in
my network

(A)

8. My Networking Time Budget

Benefit: Quantifying time budget keep the networking active.

Networking is not limited to just attending events, it is a regular and on going
activity whether there are events or not. To be effective, set yourself a time
budget: i.e the least number of hours you would invest in networking every
week.

(A)




What can I do to exhaust my networking time budget if there arent any events
coming up?

(A)








9

www.paritoshpathak.com

Strategic Networking Tool Kit

9. My Networking Introductions

Benefit: creating good introduction helps in making good first impressions.

10 Second introduction (approx. 20 words)








30 Second introduction (approx. 60 words)











60 Second introduction (approx. 120 words)





















10

www.paritoshpathak.com

Strategic Networking Tool Kit

10. My Follow Up Plan

Benefit: Follow up plan ensures value return / creating in networking

Creating a good follow up plan is one of the best networking activity that one can
invest into. Networking should not end at the end of the event, one must take
initiative to follow up with people they have met with and follow through on any
commitments made. Create a follow up plan for yourself that describes how you
would follow up with people you have met at networking opportunities.

(A)

11. My People of Interest

Benefit: Allows to keep relations active with good and interesting people.

Networking is not just about meeting good people, it is also about staying
connected with them. Use the sheet on the next page to list down people of
interest with whom you would like to stay connected with. The use this list to
make regular contact with them, be it a phone call, an in person meeting, a coffee
or even a meal.

The idea is to stay connected with good people, you can choose a regular period
to connect with them (weekly, monthly, quarterly).



11

www.paritoshpathak.com

Strategic Networking Tool Kit

Name

Contact #

Email

Contacted

12

www.paritoshpathak.com

Strategic Networking Tool Kit

Feedback / Queries

If you have any feedback or queries regarding

the toolkit, you can reach to you the author,
Paritosh Pathak at the following co-ordinates:

founder@paritoshpathak.com
+91 981 091 2333

To know more on how the networking program

and Paritosh can help you,
please visit

http://paritoshpathak.com/programs/

13

www.paritoshpathak.com