• Your family: parents, spouse, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, other relatives and their networks.
• Your friends, neighbors, former neighbors, and their networks.
• Your former classmates and their parents, teachers, guidance and career counselors, alumni, fraternity and sorority members, and their networks.
• Your present and former professional and trade association, board of directors, staff and their networks.
• Your lawyer, accountant, doctors, dentists, clergy, insurance agents, bankers, and their networks.
• Your plumber, painter, electrician, hairdresser, dry cleaner, other service workers, and their networks
• Your local librarian, public officials, and their networks.
• The store owners and salespeople in the stores you frequent and their networks.
• Any clubs, club members, and enthusiasts who share your personal interests and hobbies and their networks.

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Means To Connect
You need to initiate the network process. You will find that you have to go to people; they will not automatically come to you. Begin to introduce yourself and initiate a conversation. Following are some of the ways to make these connections:

• Join a professional organization and be active in it!
• Attend seminars and professional development programs. Introduce yourself to others and get a list of attendees and speakers. Keep in touch with them.
• Get involved with your alumni association.
• Keep in touch with college professors.

Steps To Developing A Network
Develop a tracking process of your network. There is no specific way that this should be done. It is a personal decision, but keep track of your contacts! Here are some steps in developing a network:

• Create a system for tracking your connections that is easy to update. You may choose a Rolodex file or a computer software program. Track the contact’s name, organization, position title, address, work and home phone numbers.
• Always carry and use business cards. Make it a habit to collect business cards and file them.
• Clip articles of interest and send them, with a short note, to your contacts.
• Meet your contacts for breakfast, lunch, coffee, drinks, etc. on a regular basis. 
• Recommend and exchange resources. Pass along books and brochures with pertinent information.
• Introduce your different contacts to each other and let others know you are interested in meeting people.
• When looking for information, request recommendations as introductions from your contacts. 
• Follow-up appropriately and express appreciation. Send thank you notes, small gifts or take contacts to lunch.
• Keep your eyes and ears open to your new contacts’ news. Send notes of congratulations for promotions, new jobs, etc. Send notes of encouragement and sympathy when appropriate.

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Nurturing Your Network
Once you have developed a network, nurture it. Remember the following:

• Follow up with your contacts.
• When attending functions, act like the host not a guest. Make people feel comfortable.
• Be willing to give as well as receive. It’s part of paying your dues.
• Streamline your network. You should periodically review your files and remove contacts who are no longer productive. 
• Create a network that is a support system. Willingly help your contacts and do not be afraid to ask your contacts for help. You do not, however, need to develop your business contacts into best friends.

Do not think of networking as using people. It is a smart way for business people to operate. You will definitely get information much faster.

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