Continuing the series begun here

 

Your Network’s WIIFM

A definition-WIIFM: What’s In It For Me

It may be crass, but everyone in your network needs to feel that they benefit by having an association with you.

Do you know what that benefit is?

If not, it's time to think about it. And how you put it into action.

What’s In It For Me is the prime motivating factor for most of the things that each of us do. Yes, there are occasionally the purely altruistic, but let’s be honest, most of the time, when we do something, it is designed to improve something about our own lives.

It may be financial, emotional, or psychological, but usually (and maybe I am too Adam Smith here), it is a selfish reason. That’s not to say others don’t benefit, of course.

There are two ways you can improve the WIIFM for your network

1. make them look good by introducing you to other members of their network
2. make yourself an increasingly valued member of their network.

Let’s look at how you make others look good first.

When you look to your network to help extend the brand that you have created online, you need to ask yourself this question:

Will a member of my network’s value increase to the members of his/her network if I am introduced into that network?

So, if I introduce you to my friend, Bob, will Bob think more highly of me after having met you?

The answer had better be yes or else Bob’s perception of me will suffer.

So, what does this mean?

This means that “hygiene is important.” The way you represent yourself online is a key determinant in how people make an assessment about you (and in what they think about me…if I introduce you.)

That means, if you have a webpage that looks like this:

My value will decrease to my network. They will not think I am serious. They will think I don’t have good judgment and that I associated with sloppy people.

You lose. I lose.

Now, if you have a page that looks like this:

It’s obviously a different story.

Now, I am not just talking about your corporate page, that’s easy. I am talking about your LinkedIn page, Facebook profile, etc.

• Does the page look like you put some effort into it?
• Does it provide details that are interesting?
• Is your personality coming through?
• Is there actionable/clickable information that brings me deeper into your story?

Simply put, does it present you in the way you want to be presented?

That’s the first part of the WIIFM for your network. Make it look like my network is a valuable one to other members of my network.

The second part is to make yourself indispensable.

How do you do this?

Well, the trite answer is “add value.”

The execution for this is “be the connector.”

If you can identify situations where two people in your network would benefit by getting an introduction to each other, you are going to win.

1. someone is looking for an employee and you know someone who could fill it
2. a good friend is moving to a new town and shares a passion for jazz with a friend who lives there
3. a volunteer is looking for an organization and your friend is the exec. director

You probably get a ton of these requests already.

My suggestion. Instead of reading and deleting, spend an extra 5 seconds and think, “hmmm, I may not know someone who can do this job, but I bet so and so would…and pass that along via cc.”

Once your network sees that you are trying to add value by being a connector, they will decide that it is worth their time to stay in touch with you.

Now, that is where you want to be.

Next: the Rhythm and Process of Network Management

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