5 Ways to Build Your Network if You Work Remotely - The Muse

5 Ways to Build Your Network if You Work Remotely - The Muse5 Ways to Build Your Network if You Work RemotelyWorking from home can be awesome you have mora freedom and flexibility, you dont have to commute, and lets be real- an occasional conference call in your PJs certainly isnt terrible. Ive been working from home for the past three years- and for the most part, I love it. But when youre doing the bulk of your work from an at-home office, your day-to-day routine isnt exactly ripe with opportunities for meeting new people. And no matter who you are- introvert or extrovert, geschftliches miteinander owner or corporate worker, in the peak of your career or just starting out- thats crucial for your career (and your sanity). If youre a freelancer or remote team member who wants to connect with new people, you have to create those opportunities for yourself. So what, exactly, could you be doing to build your network- and skyrocket your career in the process?1. Look for Opportunities to Offer ValuePeople like people who help them. So if you establish yourself as a person who adds real value, you automatically endear yourself to people. And the best part? You can do all that value-adding from the comfort of your own home.Look for ways to help, to support, or to make valuable connections for people in your network. Notice people on your LinkedIn or industry Facebook group struggling to get design work done for their business? Shoot over a list of your favorite DIY design tools. Know someone whos having trouble hiring a new assistant? Send over a helpful article on how to hire a virtual team. Have two clients you think would work well together? Put them in touch. People like people who help them. So if you establish yourself as a person who adds real value, you automatically endear yourself to people.The key to success with this tip? Be genuine Dont just look to help people in the hopes theyll help you down the line. If you come from a self-serving place, people will pick up on that- and wont want to connect with you. Instead, make a list of people you want to help and, if the opportunity presents itself, jump on it.If you want to take the whole adding value thing to the next level (and reap the rewards), try hosting a lunch and learn at a local co-working spot (which- bonus- is probably full of other people who work remotely). Whether youre a virtual assistant who helps organize peoples businesses, a marketing manager who works remotely for a larger company, or a freelance writer (like me), you have a unique set of skills, talents, and experience that others can benefit from. Lunch and learns give you a chance to help while also showcasing your expertise- which can help turn some of those new connections into new business opportunities.2. Use the Media to Establish Yourself as an Expert (and Drive Connections)Getting your name, company, or project mentioned in the media is a great way to establish yourself as a thought leader in your space and drive relevant connections that can not only increase your social network but also give your career a healthy boost. These days, you can usually contribute your expertise from wherever you are (like your home office)- and use it to develop contacts around the world.Sign up as a source on Help A Reporter Out (HARO) and be on the lookout for opportunities that might be a fit (for example, if youre an expert in a specific field or youve had a particular experience you can speak to). Just make koranvers to only reach out when you can speak from a place of authority for example, if a writer is putting together a piece on digital nomads building sustainable businesses while traveling the world but you do the bulk of your work from your home office? Probably not a great match.Every time I get mentioned in the media, my LinkedIn gets flooded by people looking to network with me. Its pretty cool, relatively simple, and offers a lot of juice for the squeeze.Kari DePhillipsKari DePhillips, own er of The Content Factory and host of the Workationing podcast, has used HARO to get quoted or featured in Fast Company, NBC News, and Thrive, and found that its done wonders for building her network. Every time I get mentioned in the media, my LinkedIn gets flooded by people looking to network with me, she says. Its pretty cool, relatively simple, and offers a lot of juice for the squeeze. Bottom line? The mora you get your name out there, the more people will see it- and the more your network will grow.3. Get Your Slack OnSure, you can leverage traditional networking groups to connect with people. But if you work remotely, one of the best networking tools in your arsenal is one youre probably already using- Slack.Slack is one of the best ways for teams- whether thats an in-house team, a remote team, or a freelancer and client- to communicate and collaborate. But its also a great way for people who work remotely to build their networks, find new and exciting projects, and connect w ith potential new colleagues, clients, and friends. Slack has been a great tool for me to meet people in my field and network with them, says Sireesha Narumanchi, blogger and founder of Crowdworknews.com. Having a dedicated channel like mycity in Slack and having meetups with people in the saatkorn field can create many future career growth opportunities and collaborations. Having a dedicated channel like mycity in Slack and having meetups with people in the saatkorn field can create many future career growth opportunities and collaborations.Sireesha NarumanchiSearch for Slack communities that cater to the kind of people you want to add to your network, such as industry- and location-specific groups (for example, the Portland chapter of AIGA, The Professional Association For Design, has a Slack channel for Portland-based designers where they can chat and share local design-related events). Want to build your network with other people who understand the blessing/curse that is being a freelancer? Request to join popular freelance Slack communities, like Workfrom or freelance. The point is, theres a Slack community for everything and everyone (seriously, just do a Google search)- and for those who work remotely, its the perfect way to build a network of like-minded people. And who knows? Those Slack conversations could turn into IRL connections or lead to your next big break.4. Start a PodcastPodcasts are having a serious moment. And theyre good for more than entertaining you during a long drive or a workout- they can be a great way to connect with people in your industry. Ive been able to build an incredible network through my Sales Success Stories Podcast where I interview active, quota carrying, individual contributor sales professionals who are either 1- or at least in the top 1%- of performers at their companies, says Scott Ingram, who, in addition to the podcast, works from home in an outside sales role.Hosting someone on a podcast also sets the stage for a deeper, more personal connection than youd find at, say, a networking event. Some of these people I might have been able to connect with at an industry event, but in that scenario, Id be lucky to get more than a few minutes with them, says Ingram. The podcast allows me to be proactive and have deep conversations that are often over an hour that just wouldnt have been possible otherwise.The podcast allows me to be proactive and have deep conversations that are often over an hour that just wouldnt have been possible otherwise.Scott IngramNow, granted- starting a podcast is definitely a lot more labor intensive than sending someone a helpful article or joining a Slack community. But if podcasting is something youre genuinely interested in- and if youre willing to put in the work to develop and market your show (because lets be real, who wants to be on a podcast no one listens to?)- it can be an incredibly valuable networking tool. A podcast can give you the opportunity to interview in teresting people and get your name out there in your industry- which can lead to more opportunities down the road. And because you dont have to be in the same place (or even the same time zone) as your guest, you can manage the entire process from your home office.Interested in exploring podcasting? Read this article about starting a podcast on top of a full-time job and check out this list of podcasting resources and tools to get an idea of what youll need to get started.5. Pursue the Hobbies You LoveThe best networks are built organically- so if you spend time pursuing your hobbies (whether theyre work-related or not), they can help you build the strongest (and most authentic) connections. I play intramural sports throughout the season which allows me to meet new friends not only personally but professionally as well, says India Lott, founder of the web development company Gray Sole Media. It is a great, non-structured way of getting to know people that also happen to have profess ional careers. I play intramural sports throughout the season which allows me to meet new friends not only personally but professionally as well. It is a great, non-structured way of getting to know people that also happen to have professional careers.India LottFor me, making my passions and hobbies a priority has made the experience of working from home less lonely (I can only talk to my dog for so long), and its been a complete gamechanger when it comes to making new connections- many of which have led to new opportunities. For example, one of my serious passions? Meditation. And while I never planned to use meditation as a way to find clients, I ended up meeting someone at a meditation group who works in an industry I write about- and she referred a ton of new business my way. The point is, when you spend time doing what you love, it puts you in touch with other people who love what you love, too- and building a network of like-minded people is not only essential from a social pe rspective, but it can also boost your career. Its a win-winWorking remotely certainly presents some challenges in terms of connecting with new people. But with a little creativity and effort (and a willingness to think outside of the box), you can build just as strong of a network as you could in a more traditional office setting- or maybe even stronger You can do it (mostly) from the comfort of your own home and yes, on some days, even in your pajamas.