I met Hayley on Southampton Row in London. We stood close to several bright stars full of fairy lights. We started with the purpose of Hayley’s work. She mentioned that many great professionals are shy. So they don’t put themselves out there enough. And they never achieve their full potential. So let’s learn more about how we can change that.
Discovering Networking
Before she graduated from the University of the Arts London, the university noticed Hayley. Her task was to produce promotional social media videos for university events. Then she decided to post about the activity on LinkedIn. Her social network grew and started bringing more people to the events. Hayley then coached students on how to post genuine content on LinkedIn.
To this day, she approaches networking as a serious activity. But she doesn’t think it should be transactional. Hayley believes that connecting is about helping each other. From my experience, getting 40 salespeople in one room is cringeworthy. Everyone is trying to sell, and no one is there to buy. So let’s explore what healthy networking looks like.
Hayley thinks that in many networking situations, the worst is them saying no. She extrapolated this to other connections. That’s the framework she used to connect with fellow exchange students in Denmark. She uses the same thinking when connecting to busy professionals. When they don’t respond to a follow-up message, it could be because they are busy. It doesn’t mean you give up.
Intentional Networking
Hayley has a straightforward but intentional process of connecting. She says no to jumping around the room and connecting with strangers on LinkedIn. Instead, she speaks to many. Afterwards, she connects on LinkedIn by scanning the in-app QR code. In a single event, she aims to connect with around thirty people! That means that in a year she has got a thousand connections.
Afterwards, she sends a quick message to the new connection. Meeting up for a coffee is not always the next move. Often, a meeting with no agenda is worthless. So instead, Hayley suggests meeting them at an event they organise or attend. This way, you can save their time and still build the connection. If you invest your energy but notice no returns over time, Hayley suggests moving on.
Professional Networking
Now Hayley consults professionals who want to step out of their comfort zone. She starts by discovering the beliefs that the person grew up with until the age of seven. For example, one of her clients believed that she was too much. Hayley untangles these thoughts so that professionals can reach their full potential. Later, she asks her clients to record their own affirmation audio. And then they have to listen to that recording daily.
Here is what she suggests for an average busy professional. One linkedin video and one in-person networking event per week. If you are not yet comfortable with video, she can support you with practice. And what if you feel uneasy about networking? Hayley can find you one and bring you to it.
Learn more about Hayley at https://www.hayleyleejones.co.uk or contact her via hayleyjonesmontoya@gmail.com