I don’t know about you, but I often need some inspiration to get on with doing whatever needs doing. And networking is no different. So, here are 51 inspirational networking quotes that will (hopefully) inspire and excite you to get stuck into building an awesome network for yourself.
“Giving connects two people, the giver and the receiver, and this connection gives birth to a new sense of belonging.”
“Networking is the No. 1 unwritten rule of success in business.”
“Networking is not about just connecting people. It’s about connecting people with people, people with ideas, and people with opportunities.”
and
“Networking means the act of exchanging information with people who can help you professionally.”
Michele Jennae
“All the time and effort put into networking can be all for naught if there is no follow-through. The same goes for sales. And leadership. And well, everything.”
and
“It’s great to spend time at a networking event with someone you know and like. But that’s not what you’re there for. Your goal is to expand your network by meeting new people.”
Beth Ramsay
“Networking is by far the most important aspect of business school. The classroom is a distant second.”
Jay Devivo
“Networking is a lot like nutrition and fitness: we know what to do, the hard part is making it a top priority.”
Herminia Ibarra
“Networking that matters is helping people achieve their goals.”
“Everyone should build their network before they need it.”
“The currency of real networking is not greed but generosity.”
“If you’re not networking, you’re not working.”
Denis Waitley
“The way of the world is meeting people through other people.”
Robert Kerrigan
“Pulling a good network together takes effort, sincerity and time.”
Alan Collins
“Networking is an investment in your business. It takes time and when done correctly can yield great results for years to come.”
Diane Helbig
“The single greatest ‘people skill’ is a highly developed & authentic interest in the other person.”
and
“The successful networkers I know, the ones receiving tons of referrals and feeling truly happy about themselves, continually put the other person’s needs ahead of their own.”
and
“Networking is simply the cultivating of mutually beneficial, give and take, win-win relationships. It works best, however, when emphasizing the “give” part.”
“It’s all about people. It’s about networking and being nice to people and not burning any bridges.”
Mike Davidson
“Networking is a verb. You build a network by actively networking.”
Unknown
“Instead of better glasses, your network gives you better eyes.”
Ronald Burt
“Networking is an enrichment program, not an entitlement program.”
and
“Respect of people is the cornerstone of communication and networking.”
“The richest people in the world look for and build networks, everyone else looks for work. Marinate on that for a minute.”
and
“The richest people in the world look for and build networks, everyone else looks for work.”
and
“If you want to go somewhere, it is best to find someone who has already been there.”
“Your network is your net worth.”
and
“In our global, networked economy, you can’t allow your social capital to lie dormant. Reinvest.”
and
“The new form of networking is not about climbing a ladder to success; it’s about collaboration, cocreation, partnerships, and long-term values-based relationships.”
“You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”
and
“If people like you they’ll listen to you, but if they trust you they’ll do business with you.”
“You can close more business in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get people interested in you.”
“My Golden Rule of Networking is simple: Don’t keep score.”
Harvey Mackay
“Know where you want to go and make sure the right people know about it.”
Meredith Mahoney
“Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.”
Brene Brown
“’Networking is marketing. Marketing yourself, your uniqueness, what you stand for.”
Christine Comaford-Lynch
“Networking is an essential part of building wealth.”
Armstrong Williams
“Success isn’t about how much money you make; it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.”
Michelle Obama
“If you want 1 year of prosperity, grow grain. If you want 10 years of prosperity, grow trees. If you want 100 years of prosperity, grow people.”
Chinese Proverb
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others.”
African Proverb
“Networking with integrity creates a greater willingness of all parties to be part of a human conduit to serve as energy and resource to one another. Sometimes you will give more than you receive and sometimes you will get back more than you give. It’s not about keeping score.”
Chris London
“Network selectively ‘ You never know when someone might say yes’ is marketing for dummies. Take the time to build a profile of your ideal customers, and target your networking activities to reach them. Speak to those who are already predisposed to want what you offer. Almost any profile is better than anyone with a pulse”
Steve Pavlina
“Networking is more about farming than it is about hunting.”
“What makes networking work is that it sets up win-win situations in which all parties involved get to take something home. Networking is a sharing process. Until you understand that, you won’t have much of a network.”
Earl G. Graves, Sr.
“The true value of networking doesn’t come from how many people we can meet but rather how many people we can introduce to others.”
“To be successful, you have to be able to relate to people; they have to be satisfied with your personality to be able to do business with you and to build a relationship with mutual trust.”
George Ross
“A really important part of networking is actually about what you bring to the table-not just what you want to get out of it. Contribution is a big part of networking success.”
Gina Romero
“Those that win in networking give first, give generously, and give often.”
Unknown
“Too many individuals network with the purpose of accomplishing an immediate goal. That’s not networking, that’s selling.”
Unknown
“The size of your network doesn’t matter – it is the quality of your network that counts.”
Unknown
“Networking is about making meaningful, lasting connections that lead to one-to-one relationships.”
Unknown
“Ask not what your network can do for you. Ask what you can do for your network.”
Greg Bahlmann
Conclusion
It’s also amazing to me to see how effectively the inspirational quotes listed above embody the quintessential elements of networking. They embody the very nature of networking and its importance, especially in our increasingly socially disconnected world. Regularly reading through a list of insights like the one above will not only inspire you but also help you understand just why you are (or should be) working at building your network. And that’s just as important.
