Community Building Tips

I used to be awful at networking. Then I discovered creative ways to add value that allowed me to connect with influencers, CEOs, and entrepreneurs. Here are 10 of my favorites: 1. Share a piece of their advice with your team, friends, or class (then tell them what you did). 2. Ask them for advice, then take action on it and follow up with your results. 3. Share recommendations for a common personal interest. 4. Consistently engage with their content on social media. 5. Offer to have them come speak to your team or class. 6. Write a valuable comment or post and tag them in it. 7. Ask to interview them for a blog post or podcast. 8. Write a recommendation for them on LinkedIn. 9. Make a mutually beneficial introduction. 10. Compliment them on a career change. The best part? Anyone can use these. No experience required.

Building a relationship > Blindly networking Quality is always better than quantity while networking. And how do you focus on quality? ✨ - Carefully pick the people you reach out to. - When they add you to your network, follow up with them. - Introduce yourself. Share how they can add value to your career. - Be very specific on what topic you need help on. - When you ask, think of the things you can give to them. - If you’re scheduling a call, set a clear agenda for the call. - After the call, make sure you send a thank you message. - Follow up every 3-6 months with updates. And, do you know how you can stand out? Give before you ask! 💡 When I was meeting a Senior PM who also happened to be content creator, I offered to design her LinkedIn banner. She did not expect this and I bet she still remembers me. 💡 One of the Group PMs I was meeting was starting out with content on Youtube so when we met we talked about product management but when he asked about content creation - I shared my content creation experience with him. Most of the times we think we won’t be able to add value to someone senior to us. But all of us have unique capabilities that can add value to others. So focus on adding 10 people to you network who will vouch for you uncountable times instead of 100 people who will not add any value. Hope this helps! In the next post, let’s talk about things to do on a networking call. #career #students #networking #linkedin

"I've never seen one like this" they said at LinkedIn when handing the below network map to me about 5 months before my retirement from the Army The colors are grouped by industry, location, role, veteran status, recruiters And I was VERY #intentional about growing my network You see...I learned at a job fair that I lacked industry knowledge & relationships (being told "no" 41 times in a row does that to you 😅) And so I 1 - kind of figured out what I wanted to do 2 - did some gap analysis on where I needed relationships 3 - conducted advanced searches to find people I had something (anything) in common with from those specific groups (colors on the map) 4 - sent them connection requests with a personal note Every Single Day Some didn't answer But all the ones on the map did And tucked away in that map are the conversations that led to my first and second post-military jobs But these connections also had something in common with me, so many engaged on my content...and helped me become a 2x Top Voice And brought the relationships that enabled me to create HireMilitary #quinnsights Look #Consistency is the key to LinkedIn success (there isn't an easy button) Consistently updating your profile (including updating pictures so we recognize you) Consistently posting content (so we know who the heck you are or what you do) -and- Consistently grow your network with people that care about the 💩 you talk about or things you work on My 5-10 minute recommendation to build social capital on LinkedIn? Send 10x connection requests every day Comment on 5+ posts Post 2-3x a week Thoughts? Questions? Did you do something similar?

It’s crazy that just two years ago I was an associate with the Vikings & just starting my sports career. I hope I can share some advice on here that can be helpful to those looking to get internships or just get into the sports business in general. (Disclaimer: this is from MY personal experience & perspective & might not work for everyone). My advice today is: copy & paste won’t win the race. Here’s what I mean by that: I know at some point, someone gave you a template for you to plug and play when you are reaching out. Here’s why you should NOT use it: 1. We can tell it is a template. I promise you we notice and plug & play doesn’t create results in our industry. 2. We are human beings and we would like to be treated as such versus treated as someone you would like to use to “pick their brain” (whatever that means). 3. It usually lacks authenticity, intentionality, and attention to detail. I couldn’t tell you the number of messages I have received where it is obvious the person has no idea what I do and, honestly, I don’t know if they even care to which is disheartening. 4. The sports industry is really busy, especially right now. If most folks are going to respond, it’s going to be with someone trying to build a relationship. Here’s what you should do instead: 1. Less sometimes is more. Sending out 100 cold messages is probably not a better method than reaching out to 10 people that relate to you or your career goals in some way (job function, schooling, identities, etc). 2. Be SPECIFIC in your ask. Saying you want to “hear about someone’s experience” is extremely vague. What EXACTLY do you want out of your interaction/relationship with this person (it should be more than just get a job because at the end of the day you have to do that yourself). Narrow it down to 2-3 specific things you would like to talk to them about. 4. Be PERSONABLE. Dont be afraid to make a joke. Share things about yourself. Find a connection that goes beyond just a similar field of interest. Explain why you reached out to them specifically. Again, this person is more than their job. I hope this helps at least one person!

I had a moment the other week where I gave a literal "elevator pitch." On-site with a big account, and a 6-figure deal in my pipeline. (Sidenote: it's always worth the travel to go see a big account.) I spent the day meeting with VP Sales, RevOps, Enablement, a whole group. But the one key person I hadn't yet met was their CRO. Until I was on my way to catch an Uber back to the airport, and he steps into the elevator. (He has no clue who I am or why I'm there at this point.) I say hi, he says hi. Then I mention he's built a sharp team, and I got a chance to meet them all. So naturally, he asks the old, "So what do you do?" question. This is my favorite way to answer that, with a simple framework you can use for your own "elevator pitch." (It's still comical to me we were in an actual elevator.) ______ (1) You know how ___________? ^ setup the situation / problem you focus on. (2) Well, you’re probably doing X, and it works really well. But it can’t Y. ^ you want them to feel like, "Oh man, you're so right" after sharing this. (3) So we let you do X and Y. How are you thinking about this? ^ you did a good job here if you get some version of "tell me more" after, and personally, I like ending with a question. _____ For me, that sounded like: (1) You know how buying teams have to sell you to their own execs, when your reps aren't in the room? (2) Well, you already have a Value Team writing business cases to help buyers in $1M+ deals, which works. But it's hard to scale downmarket. (3) So we let Commercial / MM reps generate these, with exec summaries not just ROI models. Which means you get the win rate you do upmarket — in a process that keeps pace with higher velocity deals. How are you thinking about business cases in MM? _____ Works just as well outside of an elevator too. Give it a shot this week.

When we started HireSweet, I had zero LinkedIn presence. 8 years later and after a lot of testing and iterating, LinkedIn drives ~30-50% of our leads & revenue. Lately, I've been getting a ton of questions about our learnings. So, here it is - the founder-led LinkedIn playbook I've been giving to anyone who asks 👇 1. Start with the lowest hanging fruit: invitations to connect. They work (30-50% conversion rate) and they allow you to control the direction in which your network grows. Start with 2nd degree connections in your target audience, based in your area. Surprisingly no personalized notes will yield +80% more connections! Free users can send ~50 per week. Paid users ~150 per week. Hit that quota every single week, or lose it forever. 2. Optimize your profile. Clear headline, nice picture (I would avoid AI-generated), and a detailed company description. Use the "featured" section, include a nice call to action and illustrations. 3. Enjoy the process, listen to your audience, build relationships. Play the long game. Build a real sense of community. Don't be pushy, nurture people over time with posts, so they come to you when they're ready. 4. When reaching out to cold prospects, add value. Send a guide, white paper, or video that helps your prospects succeed in their job. Personalize. 5. Post 3-5 times per week, high-quality posts. Turn on Creator Mode, get a paid LinkedIn account, and add a "Visit my website" button to your profile. 6. Best times to post: mornings on Monday to Friday, as people are getting to work (8-9AM) or heading to lunch (12PM). 7. Create a process to help you generate posts. Examples: What have you learned recently? What unique industry beliefs do you hold? What do you often find yourself explaining to clients or new hires? 8. Don't come up with 5 new ideas per week. Find 1-2 good ideas and repurpose them as text, images, videos, and polls. 9. Posts perform better in that order: - Polls (+100% vs text) - do one per week - Text + relevant picture (ideally a selfie - I don't really do this myself but it works) (+50% vs text) - Text with no picture - Videos (about the same as text but more time-consuming) - External links --> Avoid them 10. For text posts, open with a strong hook, focus on readability, keep it simple (one key idea per post), and end with a question to make it simple to engage. 11. LinkedIn Live is the most underrated LinkedIn feature. Each attendee can invite up to 1,000 people per week (!!) - as long as they're 1st degree connections. Do more LinkedIn Lives! 12. It's rather easy to get a "Top Industry Voice" badge. Go to the Collaborative Article page, pick a relevant topic, and leave 3 valuable comments per day. This is how I got my badge within a week. Now it's your turn - do you agree/disagree with this recipe? What are your top LinkedIn tips for founders? 👇 (If you made it this far, feel free to bookmark this post to revisit it later!)

Networking changed my life. I made friends I wouldn't have met otherwise, built business partnerships that bring us millions, and landed book deals I never imagined. Here’s my 5-step system to network better: Step 1: Make Two Strategic Lists List 1: People you already know who you want to deepen relationships with: • Friends of friends you'd like to know better • The VIP in your office you see at holiday parties • That colleague you want to move from professional to friendship List 2: People you want to meet (can be specific names or types) • "The sales director at X company" • "Someone in renewable energy" • "A startup founder in my city" Being specific makes it infinitely easier to take action.  ____ 2. Schedule a “Connection Hour.” Every week, I block one hour just for relationships. For me, it’s Tuesday happy hour. I fill that time slot with: • A new contact • A coffee catch-up • A LinkedIn message to someone on my list Without time on the calendar, connection never happens. ____ Step 3: Ask Goal-Oriented Questions Stop asking "How's work?". Start asking questions that spark deeper conversations: • "What gets you up in the morning?" • "What goals are you working on this year?" • "What's the biggest project you're excited about?" These questions make people think deeper, give you something memorable to follow up on, and transform small talk into real connection. ____ Step 4: Adopt the "Offer Mentality" Flip the script from "What can I get?" to "What can I offer?". Simple ways to help: • Write a LinkedIn recommendation • Share a relevant article or opportunity • Introduce them to someone in their target industry • Send vacation recommendations if they're planning a trip The more I give, the more trust I build - and the more people want to stay connected. ____ Step 5: Follow Up Like Your Grandmother Remember when grandmothers used to mail newspaper clippings they thought you'd find interesting? Do the digital version. Powerful follow-up strategies: • Send relevant articles • Forward interesting links • Send birthday messages • Write LinkedIn recommendations • Share opportunities you think they'd love I’ve shared these 5 steps with hundreds of people, and they’ve seen real results. Now it’s your turn.

Are your networking convos going nowhere?  Then, you are likely not asking the right questions at the end of the chat. So let me fix this for ya. Here are my favorite end-of-chit-chat questions to make sure you keep the new connections moving forward. ⭐ Expanding Your Network: "Based on our conversation, who else would you recommend I speak with to gain further insights into this field?" ⭐ Gaining Deeper Industry Insight: "Are there any groups, associations, or forums you think I should join to connect with other professionals in this field?" ⭐ Understanding Company Culture: "Who in your organization has been pivotal to your understanding of the company culture, and might they be open to a discussion?" ⭐ Exploring Opportunities: "In your opinion, which companies or teams are doing exciting work in this space that I should explore further?" ⭐ Finding Mentors and Advisors: "I'm interested in finding a mentor in the field. Is there someone whose career path you admire and who might be open to a mentorship conversation?" ⭐ Learning About Roles and Functions: "Which colleagues of yours have taken interesting paths or roles that you think I could learn from?" ⭐ Asking for Introductions: "Would you be comfortable introducing me to anyone in your network who you think could provide additional perspective on my job search?" ⭐ Keeping the Conversation Going: "What events or meetups would you suggest I attend to meet like-minded professionals in this industry?" ⭐ Following Industry Developments: "Are there any upcoming industry events or webinars that you think would be beneficial for someone in my position to attend?" ⭐ Staying in Touch: "How can I best keep in touch with you as I continue exploring this field and potentially seek your advice again in the future?" So...will you use these banging questions in your next networking chat? Then drop a "YEAH" Lil Jon style in the comments below. #networking #networkingtips

this week is the old girls club 2nd birthday. I promised myself I'd work on it for two years, then decide whether to keep going. this is the transparency post I promised you and myself at this milestone. 📍 current state: - 1,258 members paying $10/mo or $100/year, avg 450 active users/day - 3.5% monthly churn, 89.2% free trial > paid member conversion rate - 268k messages sent, 90% in public channels - 2,413 newsletter subscribers with a 71% open rate - 5,801 brand page linkedin followers ⚙️ software stack: Slack for primary community hub of conversation Memberful for member subscription management Disco for member onboarding, member directory and resource hub Mercury for business banking, paying contractors etc. beehiiv for newsletter management Waves for message archiving & library Luma for event management Common Room for community analytics (will link unlinked companies in comments - LinkedIn why am I limited to your top 8 results for a company name for tagging?? cc Shyvee) 🧠 a few learnings on building community: - building community is f*&cking hard. it's nuanced and complicated. humans are complicated! I could go on for days listing the questions that have no answers. - OGC worked because I built something I needed. I didn't build it with the intention of building a business - I built it because I was lonely. I was exhausted. I needed help. By building something to save myself, I built something that stood out in the market because others needed saving too. - most virtual spaces are really exhausting. they feel like walking into a room where people are yelling about their accomplishments without you asking. we need more spaces where it's okay to be on a journey, not to have reached a destination. - allow your community to build with you. ask for ideas, over communicate, try lots of things, shut them down quickly if and when they don't work. - communities are built on value exchange, and the magic formula is when members are motivated to give value in exchange for receiving value. ✨ why does it matter? as someone who is almost solely motivated by impact, all the stats in the world wouldn't matter without impact. these are the real reasons I intend to keep building: "Someone in OGC hired me to lead partnerships for one of her clients where she's the fractional CMO" "OGC really and I mean REALLY showed up for me when I was spiraling one night about my anxiety around having kids." "I'm now advising two OGC-founded companies and am an angel investor in one." "I started a coaching community with a former OGCer (150+ coaches worldwide!)" "I'm inspired each day by the badassery that is happening in this group. As a solopreneur, I really feel the community" 🥂 to many more years to come.

Networking changed my life. It helped me secure my first big consulting deal that let me quit my full-time job. Here's how to build relationships on LinkedIn (the right way): Networking can either make or break your career. Do it wrong: You’ll ruin your reputation. Do it right: You’ll have people speaking well of you when you’re not around. Here’s how to network like a pro: 1) Be genuine People can sense fakeness from a mile away. Instead, speak with them to get to know them. Not just because you want something. Besides… There’s no point in building relationships with people you don’t like. 2) Be a friend We want to feel cared for. Reach out once every 3 months to see how they’re doing. • Offer help • Schedule a coffee chat • Ask about their recent trip Don’t build connections. Build friendships. 3) Change your intent Turn your “I want this” mindset into a “I want to help” mindset. Start conversations without trying to sell something. But because you want to help them. Stop asking. Start giving. 4) Think long term It doesn't matter if they can’t help you now. In the long run… …you’ll be able to reach out when you need it. Be there for them now. They’ll be there for you later. That’s a real relationship. 5) Don’t ask for immediate favors This is where most screw up. They’ve barely met someone and immediately: • Ask for a job • Request a resume review • Or want some other big favor You wouldn’t do this to a stranger on the street. Why do it on LinkedIn? 6) Be mutually beneficial Start by building foundations. When/if it makes sense, think of how you can collaborate. Just like in business… This isn’t a one-way street. I help you. You help me. That’s how the world works. 7) Create on LinkedIn You never know who’s watching. Share your thoughts on the feed daily. And give people a glimpse into what you’re doing. You may not realize it… But others are going through the same as you. One of them might just come back with a life-changing opportunity. P.s. - What's one more tip you'd recommend for people networking on LinkedIn? Thanks for reading. Enjoyed this post? Follow Jordan Nelson And share it with your audience.