Engaging those around you is key for outside support and your business in general, along with networking. Sometimes I feel like the importance of word-of-mouth interactions gets lost in the steps of expanding your social network. Meeting new people is the first step in building relationships and obtaining support. So here are some steps on doing just that:

1.       Introduce yourself. And don’t forget to flash those pearly whites. You’d be surprised how far a “Hi, I’m Lindsay” can go. (Just make sure to use your own name, otherwise they’ll be thinking you’re a five-foot tall U.N.T college student).

2.       Ask questions. Get to know the people you are around, you never know what kind of support you’ll get just by asking a tiny question. Some examples: Where are you from? How did your business start? Where is your company based? These questions allow for tons of feedback!

3.       Connect. Twitter, Facebook, Google +, LinkedIn…oh my! A simple ‘click’ will keep you updated with the particular people you’ve encountered. How easy is that? I recommend Twitter because it’s so easy to reply and share articles or ideas. Twitter is easy to use and remains organized for smooth interactions.

4.       Interact. It’s almost sad how excited I get to see that someone has retweeted what I had to say. So just think how flattered someone would be if you engage them in such ways. A simple comment can go a long way.

5.       Meet up. Grab some coffee, talk about life. Face-to-face meetings are vital for networking and support. And hey, if anything, you’ll have some tasty coffee in your system.

So here’s a challenge for you: meet two new people this week and interact with five you already know. I’ll join in. I mean just think, if one person talks about you, how far can that spread? And what can it do for your goals? So start good rumors about yourself!

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