Building a network and fostering community is essential for personal and professional growth. Many people underestimate the power of their network and the potential for mutual help and support. In this article, we will take a closer look at one my favorite ways to build a bigger network and the impact it has had on our community and business.
As a co-owner of Blogzine Academy, I firmly believe that your network is your biggest asset. That's why we host a monthly network chat open to both our members and non-members, to help them realize the potential of their connections. I am very happy to share our strategy and some other insights, so that you can learn from this.
Bringing People Together
The objective of our network chat is to bring people together and help them understand the value of their network. Most people underestimate how many people they actually know and how much they could help someone else or get help just by talking openly to others. By bringing people together and encouraging them to share their experiences, we can help individuals realize the potential of their network and build stronger connections.
We invite our members to the network chat through personal training sessions and weekly newsletters. Non-members receive invitations through our social media channels and weekly newsletters. We also offer free invitations to some non-members to encourage participation.
Positive Participation
During the chat, participants are encouraged to present themselves with an elevator pitch so that others can learn about their background and interests. We also ask everyone to come prepared with queries about specific topics or areas where they need help. This structured format helps to ensure that everyone has a chance to participate and benefit from the chat.
Our network chats are not all business, though. We also incorporate fun and personal elements, such as a tasting of food or drinks, to break the ice. We believe that building relationships and connecting on a personal level is just as important as discussing professional matters. By providing a structured but relaxed atmosphere, we create an environment that is conducive to building relationships and connections.
Creating that safe space for discussion is essential to the success of our network chat. We aim to make it a personal and inclusive environment, but with a clear direction and script to follow. By including everyone and making it a safe place to discuss anything, we build a community that is supportive and loyal.
Immediate Help and Feedback
The network chat has tangible benefits for both the participants and our business. During the chat, everyone gets immediate help with their queries and receives valuable feedback and advice from other participants., including names of people, links to sites, or other answers they can use. This helps participants achieve their goals and build their networks. For our business, the network chat serves as a way to showcase the value of becoming a member of our platform.
Challenges, Opportunities and Success
One of the biggest challenges we face is convincing people of the value of the network chat. Some people have had bad experiences with other group chats outside of our platform and are hesitant to participate. To address this, we offer free invitations to some non-members to encourage sign-ups.
We measure the success of our network chat through feedback from members, attendance rates, and new sign-ups. We also track the queries during the chat to follow up with participants afterward and encourage further connections. The feedback we receive from our members after each chat is overwhelmingly positive. Our platform has also gained new members thanks to the positive experiences people have had during the network chats.
I hope liked this case study about how we approach our network chat and community building. Stay tuned for more tips and insights.