Networking 101: How to Not Lose Friends While Promoting Your Student Business

There are too many adages that talk about how you realize who your true friends are when you are down.

But there are almost none about how you treat your friends when you reach for the skies. 

The world of business is challenging in every manner. A quick search on the internet will reveal that many entrepreneurs lose their friends on the way to launching their business. And in some cases, they regret it. But as a founder, you are often caught up between what is right for your start-up and what is right for your relationships. 

Networking in college can be somewhat tricky. How you do this can influence your career goals or hinder them. So we have some tips on how you can network wisely in college. 

Double Up the Efforts 

The key here is to make sure you have enough time for your friends when they need you as well. This means that sometimes you have to rely on https://essayhub.com for essay writing help and make sure you have some time slots for your friends. 

What you can do is combine the other essential activities such as studying, or eating a group effort, and use the time to catch up with your friends. 

Engaging and Energizing Conversations 

It might sound pretty straightforward, but in reality, it is not easy to master. When you are discussing business with others, you want to make them energized and attended to. To do that, you should make them feel prioritized. 

This requires you to research the person and their interests as well. Be it a professor, an alumni member, or even your friend, be thoughtful of your conversation. More importantly, be considerate of their time. It would also be best to stay away from obvious questions that Google can find answers to. Instead, focus on the exclusive advice they can offer you. 

Take Advantage of Uniqueness

Every person around you has something unique to bring to the conversation. However, the best ones are those who offer massive value for you even in the very short time of the conversation. For instance, sometimes you come across a 500-word blog post that offers more information to you than 4000-words articles. The same applies to people as well. 

You need to identify people in a position of leverage who can help you out the most. Even if the conversation feels one-sided, someone in a leveraged position can offer you considerable incentives in return. Find people who have faced similar challenges among your friends, whose goals align with yours. 

Schedule Check-Ins 

You might think that fixing appointments to meet your friends is ridiculous. But when you have numerous other engagements, these scheduled hangouts will be extremely helpful. It does not mean you have to deal with them professionally. Rather, that you should include these dates in your calendar and give them the same respect.

If need be, also add reminders to send out messages and texts. Make sure that you follow their important life events and follow-up on them as well. Sometimes even sending a birthday wish or enquiring about how their day went could make a lot of difference. 

Use Social Media to Your Advantage 

Today, friends are no longer the ones whom you meet every day. It is likely that you have strong bonds with your online mates. Social media is a game-changer to find and connect with people of all backgrounds. 

Do not hesitate to network and market through social media. With platforms like LinkedIn, now the professional accomplishments and interests of everyone are available publicly. Better yet, these tools also allow you to find like-minded people who can steer you in the right direction. 

If you do not know where to start, reach out to alumni first. This also includes the senior friends you had in college. 

Ask for Introductions 

Students often tend to act alone to prove to the world what they can accomplish. Yet, if you can widen your mindset a bit, you might find a treasure trove among your friends. While you can turn to external sources like reading something from Dan Chaon (https://danchaon.com), the extraordinary help from people around you is the most valuable contribution. 

Do not hesitate to reach out to your friends for help. Some might have mates in high places or know someone who does. Talk to your friends about your ambitions, and you never know, someone might be looking for a partner. 

The Bottom Line: Include Friends in Accomplishments 

Did you find an interested investor? Or did you manage to get an appointment with a venture capitalist? Did you get positive feedback on your prototype? 

Every small milestone matters when you are starting your business. And these are all excuses to celebrate. Though you don't throw parties, these are occasions to share with your friends. 

When you share your journey with your friends, they will be there for you, be it to celebrate or console. While it might seem that you need to give your undivided attention to your business, your friends might be the key to your success. 

They might be able to help you handle academics and cover for you in several instances. Remember that without your friends on your side, even success could mean loneliness.