What exactly is networking?
While this information will be applied to business, networking is a practice that can cover a lot of ground. In its simplest form, networking simply means making connections to make exchanges easier. This can be social, personal, professional, or even technical. In the professional setting, networking is getting to know people and businesses, and developing trust and communication to make the process of business easier and more profitable. This usually involves the exchange of “leads”, or referrals to potential customers, between businesses. This can be by formal agreement, as happens in a networking group, or through the development of personal contacts over the course of time. The advantages either way are tremendous for a skilled networker. (See the file on advantages for a better explanation of all that networking can do for you.) The most fundamental act of networking occurs when you give someone a referral or get a referral from someone based on the relationship of trust that has
