A few years ago I spent eight months working with a renewable energy company which gave me the opportunity to learn a lot about solar photovoltaic technology.
When I finished working with the company I felt like I may never need that knowledge again. But I was wrong.
Some months later I was invited to a breakfast meeting on renewable energy and the French renewable energy company that sponsored the breakfast meeting immediately became my next client because I had substantial industry information to help them find a project that was in-line with their company policies.
As a result of my affiliation with the renewable energy industry I was introduced by another associate to one of the largest dredging companies in the world to look for a renewable energy solution for one of their base stations. I had officially become identified with the renewable energy industry in my country.
About a year after this, a Dutch renewable energy company saw my profile on LinkedIn and got in contact stating that they were coming to South Africa and that they would like to meet with me to discuss their renewable energy business.
"The currency of real
networking is not greed
but generosity."
-- Keith Ferrazzi
During their time in the country I was able to introduce them to two other renewable energy companies.
Some months later the Dutch company contacted me after returning to Holland that they wanted me to speak with another renewable energy company that also needed projects so they introduced me to that company too.
Lesson
Becoming the go-to person for a particular industry can lead to good opportunities within that industry. If you are known in a particular industry you can leverage on that to meet people within that industry. This takes planning as well as positioning.
Tips to Make this Work:
Here are a few tips to plan and position yourself within your chosen industry so that you can meet new clients and build profitable relationships.
Choose a specific industry that you have a passion for so that learning about it can be a breeze rather than a chore. Note that I am a media professional and that I also have a finance background having worked in a financial institution for almost ten years. However, my passion is human and sustainable development, which is why my media productions center on these topics. My dream is also to establish an institution to tackle some of the problems that exist around me through the promotion of sustainable development and human development programs. Renewable Energy falls under sustainable development.
Build contacts within your chosen industry that you can always give to others or use to add value to others whom you seek to build alliances with.
Have your experience or knowledge in the sector properly documented in your professional profile, resume, and online presence. You should be prepared to send it across to anyone who needs it at short notice. Having it properly documented on platforms such as LinkedIn also makes it easy for people to find you when they are looking for someone in that industry to contact.
"I'm convinced that about half of what separates successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance."
-- Steve Jobs
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