Netintegrity Blog

Let’s keep it real. If you’re in the real estate business, you’re in the people business. To that end, networking is one of the pillars of success. As the old adage indicates, “It’s not what you know, but who you know.” This certainly rings true in the property management industry. You can have all the skills, knowledge and experience in the world, but if you don’t have connections with the right individuals, you’ll never really reach your fullest potential. If your networking ability leaves much to be desired, here are a few expert tips.

Relationships are essential in business. An organization must create a team that is reliable, they must ally with partners that are supportive, and foster loyalty with customers. Creating these relationships with key players is essential to the success of property management company. You can’t manage properties with a customer, you can’t serve customers without a team, and you can’t build your service without partners. No matter how you look at it, there is no situation where it is not important to develop and strengthen relationships.

Here are 5 ways to create longevity in your business relationships.

The purpose of professional networking is to build business relationships within the parameters of your industry. In-person networking has stood its ground despite the growing popularity of social networks that facilitate professional networking online like LinkedIn.

Professionals agree that networking has a vital role to play in business, an Oxford study found that 5%-20% of new customers come from trade shows. Despite the value it can offer, many people turn down the opportunity to network because of fear or discomfort. While feeling intimidated by networking is common, it can be avoided by changing your mindset and putting less pressure on yourself. Instead of focusing solely on coming away with a long list of contacts, try to make a few meaningful connections. The key to connection when you’re networking, is conversation.