Whether you're looking for a new job, growth opportunities within your current organization, connections to investors, or warm sales leads, strong networking skills are crucial for success. You don't need to have a killer network to begin with; you just have to start with who you know and keep building from there. It's not easy at first, but here are a few steps I've found make for a smoother process:
It's awkward. Get over it. I've heard many friends say, "I'm not a networker, so it's awkward for 
me to reach out to someone for a favor, if we haven't been in touch recently." The bottom line is people like to help more than you realize. I personally enjoy connecting people, and there's no better feeling than knowing that you helped make something happen with a simple introduction.
Make your intentions clear. If you are reaching out to someone you have not connected with in a long time, the worst thing you can do is to say that you were thinking of her recently and then pretend that the request for a favor is a mere coincidence. Make it clear why you are reaching out and how much time you think you'll need from her. Even if it feels disingenuous at first, this will ultimately help nurture the relationship. She will appreciate you being forthcoming.
Make your time count. Even if you only plan to connect for 15 minutes, you need to come prepared. Do as much research as you can on whom you'd like to be connected with, even if it's as broad as industry type or title or as granular as a specific person. The last thing you want is to put the onus on your connection to rack her brain for the right person. The narrower the framework, the better.
Do the grunt work. Once someone is willing to help and you've narrowed your framework, make it as easy as you can for her to make the introduction. Give her all the material she needs so she can do a simple copy-paste into an email, if she needs to. The introduction will likely happen sooner when you provide necessary information up front.
Follow up. Follow up. Follow up. I cannot say enough about the power of the follow-up. I feel this is the number one area for improvement when it comes to networking. If someone agrees to make an introduction for you but does not do it right away, feel free to send a friendly reminder. Sometimes people have the right intentions, and just need a little nudge. (There is a fine line between nudging and being pesky.)
Once the introduction is made, it is important that you follow up with the person who made the intro, letting them know what came out of it, so you continue to nurture this relationship. Personally, if I make an introduction for someone and don't hear back, I wonder if she ended up reaching out. If someone follows up with me, I am more likely to do the favor for that person again.
Most importantly, I hope that my connection follows up with the person I introduced her to. People will notice and remember you if you do, and it's often to your benefit to keep the conversation going.
Gauri Sharma is the CEO of Lab42, a next generation market research firm that creates and fields surveys among social media users, customizes compelling infographics, and compiles insightful research that helps businesses unclutter and prioritize goals. Lab42 provides quality, accurate results with quick turnaround for small businesses and Fortune 500 companies alike. Connect with Gauri on Twitter @gaurisharma.
Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/gaurisharma/2013/02/28/a-force-to-be-networked-with/
