Your professional network plays a huge role in your career success. This is true whether you have your own business or work for a larger company. While a lot of network-building happens naturally through your connections in your office, business events, and even college, actively networking is crucial for career growth.
The Importance of Personal Networking
While some people find it daunting to be in a room filled with people they don’t know, others thrive in those situations. But no matter what type of personality you have, networking is all about making connections and building relationships.
Develop Lasting Relationships
The main reason for networking is to build long-lasting relationships. In the title industry, you could end up meeting title agents and peer groups to share ideas and industry news.
Networking can also help you find a mentor. Mentors provide valuable advice when you need it the most—and good mentors take pride in helping their mentees achieve their goals. Mentors can help in a variety of ways and can even introduce you to their connections to help expand your network.
Growth in Status
Building your network allows you to build your reputation. Having already established your company as an ethical and dependable market leader, being selective of who you connect with is important. Interacting with like-minded companies is the best choice when building your network. Not everyone you associate with will have the same standards.
As your reputation grows, you will establish yourself as a go-to resource for your clients. You can quickly become the first-person people think of for title-related issues, career advice, and more. But to do any of this you must first expand your network and start making new connections.
Where to Network
Many people think of networking as an awkward happy hour meet-up where no one knows anyone. This is rarely the case. Most of the time networking happens naturally between two people. In the title industry, there are a few diverse ways to find common ground and make networking feel more natural.
Title Associations
Joining your state or national title associations are the best ways to expand your network. American Land and Title Association (ALTA) is more than just a resource for those in the title industry, it’s also a place for professionals to meet, network, and discuss hot industry topics. ALTA hosts numerous events and webinars around the country, which allows you to make new connections with other title professionals in many different states and markets.
Joining state-level title associations is a great way to expand your network. These associations help you connect with people who understand the unique challenges in your market.
Events and Conferences
Face-to-face, in-person conversations can be the best method to connect with others. Attending events with other title professionals, lenders, and realtors is a terrific way to expand your network. Making these connections can help you grow your client base and see what types of services your competition offers.
Exhibiting at an event can also be a wonderful way to raise awareness for yourself and your company. At these events, you can network, generate new clients, and build brand recognition. If you choose to sponsor or exhibit at an event, make sure that you choose an event that aligns with your company and your company’s goals.
Today, virtual networking is as important as in-person networking, and LinkedIn is the perfect place to connect with your colleagues. LinkedIn is a professional social media platform that allows people to connect with their colleagues, follow companies, post thoughtful industry insights, and more.
Before you start networking on LinkedIn, make sure your profile is up to date. This should include a professional headshot, current bio, current job and title, volunteering efforts, and network associations. Having a completed profile makes it easier for people to find you when they are networking, and helps LinkedIn present the most relevant content for you.
Get Out There and Go for It!
In the end, being committed to networking is not as daunting as it seems. Practicing your networking skills, understanding where and how to network, and knowing the types of people you want to connect with can help make the process easier. From there, you can make new connections, create new partnerships, and build yourself, your business, and your reputation.