The Future of Networking? (AI)m for the Best. Tw(IRL) for the Rest.

AI (Artificial Intelligence), virtual networking, and personal branding will dominate networking in years to come. But watch for a pivot in IRL (In Real Life) to evolve connections into relationships.

Feb 16, 2024

These days, there’s plenty to be excited about if you’re a networker.

Cutting-edge tools, dynamic platforms, and game-changing methods for connecting are blazing new trails in the business networking landscape.

Not convinced?

Check out this new text-to-video tool called Sora released this week by OpenAI:

All you need to do is type in a short text and in minutes you get a 60-second video of anything your mind can imagine.

Forget the woolly mammoth and monsters you see in the video for a moment.

Imagine telling your story in an exciting and dynamic video to connect with your audience.

Or announcing the launch of your new product or service to thousands of people.

No actors.

No animators.

No equipment.

All done within minutes.

Artificial Intelligence

Like it or not, AI is here to stay.

If you’re not networking with AI right now, you’re really missing the boat.

Nevertheless, many professionals still ask, “How can AI help me network?”

Let’s look at some ways…

Search for Connections - Artificial Intelligence will analyze your profile, content, and network. It will then suggest potential contacts that match your criteria.
Personalize Messages - AI will help find new contacts by capturing their attention and interest with engaging content.
Track and Manage Relationships - AI will remind you to follow up or update connections based on their postings, announcements, or achievements.
Measure and Analyze Data - AI will measure your performance and activity and provide you with fresh insights. It will then make suggestions on how to improve your results.
Explore New Possibilities - AI will expose you to different industries, markets, and professions. It will introduce you to people who have different backgrounds and experiences that will add value to your network.

Virtual Networking

Professionals are finally catching on to the huge benefits of virtual networking.

One friend told me that two years ago he maxed out his face-to-face, one-on-one meetings at 40 - 50 per year because of the limited number of members in his weekly business networking group.

This past year, he quit his networking group and tripled his face-to-face meetings to 137.

How?

He setup in-person meetings by attending virtual events, using a networking app, and connecting virtually through LinkedIn.

Personal Branding

People like to do business with a professional, not a company.

People like to communicate with a person, not through voicemail.

People like to develop relationships with a human being, not a bot.

Clients, partners, and business associates will remember how you made them feel and will forget what you did for them.

Personal branding is more important than ever.

IRL Networking

As networking evolves, some things never change.

Most long-term, professional relationships still begin and grow with face-to-face networking and in-person meetings.

People connect with people. They want to be seen and heard.
Sure, the future of networking and technology is exciting.
But do you really want to do business with an avatar or hologram?

The younger generation, especially, will pivot when they realize that deep and genuine relationships are developed in normal, everyday life and not in the digital lives they lead online.

Many young professionals believe that the best relationships are made on popular platforms using tools like Tinder’s swiping app, Facebook/Instagram friend requests, or LinkedIn’s invitations to connect.

I disagree.

These platforms are used as tools to connect.

People still need the in-person and one-on-one interactions to build relationships.

You swiped right on my profile?

Let’s meetup for coffee.

You sent me a friend request?

Let’s catchup at the next reunion or get-together.

You want to invite me to connect on LinkedIn?

Great! Let’s sit down to discuss partnering.

Embrace the future of networking.

Leverage the present.

And learn from the past.

Are you interested in discussing networking strategies, connecting with professionals, and sharing valuable tips? Participate in our weekly virtual networking events for new, exciting, and sometimes unconventional ways to network.

There is no cost to participate.

NEXT NETWORKING EVENT: February 21st, 2024, 12:00 - 1:00PM EST

The Week’s Topic: Using AI for Strategic Networking (15 mins)

Live Networking: Connecting Participants with Zoom Advanced Polls (45 mins)

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