How The Pandemic Changed The World Of Business Networking

Networking is a crucial skill if you want to get ahead in your career or run a successful business. There are always other people in the business world that can help you in some way, and you have lots to offer other people too. Creating mutually beneficial relationships helps everybody move forward.

But if you want to make those connections, you need to get your networking skills right. However, networking has been completely transformed in the last few years due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, a lot of people are still stuck in the old way of doing things and this is harming their chances of getting ahead. 

It’s All About Digital Communication

Before the pandemic, platforms like LinkedIn were already popular for networking. However, when the pandemic forced everybody to stay at home, digital communication became more important than ever. Companies needed to be able to get work done from home, whether that was by using the telephone or email.

In the past, people would go out to networking events and meet colleagues in person. But that was no longer possible so everything was moved online. Although things are opening up, the focus on digital networking is here to stay. That doesn’t just apply to the way that people meet either, it also applies to the way that people share information.

Instead of giving out old-fashioned paper cards, people are networking with digital business cards instead. Presentations can easily be shared on cloud platforms instead of being given in person. The digital tools that we all became more familiar with during the pandemic have made networking a lot more efficient, and that’s a change that is here to stay. Unless you are willing to adopt these new practices, you will soon fall behind. 

Geographical Barriers Are Disappearing

Digital tools have also removed geographical barriers. It is now possible to share information with somebody across the world as easily as you would somebody that lives next door. You can join groups and forums that bring you into contact with people from all over the globe, and it’s also possible for you to collaborate remotely on a project. 

You are no longer limited to meeting people at local business events, you can easily network with people across the globe. 

People Are More Precious With Their Time

One thing that the pandemic did was force people to rethink their priorities. A lot of people are now networking to find new jobs and there is a strong sense that we shouldn’t waste our time because we don’t know what is around the corner. This is evident in the world of networking and people are a lot more precious with their time than they were before.

Networking is about creating mutually beneficial relationships, but it’s also about getting the best value out of your time. People don’t want to go back and forth, they want to get straight to the point and find out what you can do for them. So, be upfront and always keep communications short and to the point. 

If you don’t adapt to the new way of networking, you will find it difficult to keep up in the modern business climate.