Every time you have a conversation with someone, you are networking. Every time you read a book or magazine, believe it or not, you are networking. Every time you send an email, you are networking. The question is: are you doing it randomly, or with your objectives in mind? Like the desire to be helpful, for instance. 

If you’re interested in people, they will feel it. You must be prepared to listen to those you’d like to get on board with you. There’s nothing more annoying than talking to someone who is only interested in their own needs. When you listen with interest, you build trust. 

Networking is essentially a way of sharing information between two people. By reading this article, you are networking. You’re learning something, and chances are you’ll pass this information on to someone else in one way or another.

Instead of asking yourself, “What do I have to gain by connecting with this person?” you could ask, “How can I be helpful to this person?” I bet you’ll have more success.