In this episode of Network Effect, host Brian Colburn unpacks the essence of building influence within your professional network. Learn how trust, credibility, and expertise are the foundations of becoming a thought leader and a go-to authority in your field. Discover actionable strategies for creating a consistent personal brand, fostering meaningful relationships, and leveraging your presence to unlock opportunities. Whether it's making introductions, sharing resources, or celebrating others, this episode empowers you to use your influence to transform relationships into lasting professional growth.
Subscribe & Share
Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share with someone who could benefit from these insights. Let’s keep growing together!
Host Bio:
Brian Colburn is the Founder of Sitch Radio and B. Colburn Coaching. He specializes in helping individuals and businesses build strong networks and achieve professional success. His podcasting and digital media expertise amplifies his coaching strategies, empowering creators to reach their full potential.
Transcribed by Descript*
Good morning, everybody. And welcome back to Network Effect where I help you transform relationships into opportunities.
I'm your host, Brian Colburn.
Today, we're tackling a topic that can set you apart in any professional setting, building influence within your network.
Influence. Isn't just about being the loudest voice in the room or having the most followers on LinkedIn. It's about becoming a trusted authority, someone, your network contacts for advice, guidance, and connections.
When you're influential, you don't just participate in conversations. You lead them. Opportunities come to you. Referrals happen naturally, and your presence has a lasting impact.
In today's episode, we'll cover what influence means in the context of networking, how to position yourself as a go-to person in your field. Practical strategies to build trust and credibility and lastly, how do you use your influence to benefit your network and foster growth?
By the end of this episode, you'll know how to amplify your voice in presence, making your network more robust and dynamic.
Let's dive in.
Let's start with what influence means in networking. Influences about more than just being well-connected it's about having the credibility trust in authority that make people value your perspective. In a professional context, influence often stems from three key factors.
Number one, your expertise, the unique knowledge or skills you bring to the table.
Number two, your character. How reliable, ethical, and authentic you are.
And number three, your presence, how effectively you engage with and contribute to your network.
When you're influential people, don't just see you as another connection.
They see you as someone who adds value and that's the kind of energy that attracts opportunities.
How do you position yourself as a go-to person in your field?
Here's some practical steps.
Number one, share your expertise regularly. Whether through LinkedIn posts, industry blogs, webinars, or speaking engagements. May get a habit to share your knowledge, the more visible your expertise, the more people will see you as a resource.
Number two. Be consistent with your message. Your brand should reflect a clear and consistent message about who you are and what you stand for. If you're known as the problem solving leader or the go-to marketer for startups, make sure all your communications reinforce that identity.
Number three, engage in industry discussion.
Join forums, comment on relevant articles and participate in online or in-person industry events. Don't just consume content. Be a part of the conversation. Thoughtful contributions can help establish you as a leader.
And number four. Be generous with your knowledge. People are likelier to trust. And remember you, if you freely share insights, tips, or tools, your influence naturally grows when you're known as someone who helps others without expecting anything in return.
Positioning yourself as a thought leader. Isn't about self promotion. It's about being genuinely helpful, invisible in your expertise.
Now that you're working on position yourself.
Let's talk about building trust and credibility actual influence isn't possible without them.
Here's how you can establish and strengthen trust within your network.
Follow through on commitments. If you say you're going to do something, do it. Reliability is one of the fastest ways to build trust.
Be transparent, authenticity matters. Whether admitting you don't know something or being upfront about your intentions, transparency helps people feel they can trust you.
Number three, listen, more than you speak.
Being influential isn't about dominating conversation. It's about listening, understanding others' needs and responding thoughtfully. Active listening makes people feel valued and respected.
And lastly, highlight others, shine a spotlight on people in your network by sharing their content. Celebrating their achievements or connecting them with others. When you lift others, you create a ripple effect of trust and Goodwill.
Building trust takes time. But your influence grows exponentially when people see you as credible and reliable .
Finally, let's discuss using your influence to benefit your network.
Actual influence. Isn't just about what it does for you, it's about what it enables you to do for others.
Here are a few ways to use your influence to foster growth within your network.
Number one make introductions that matter connect people who can genuinely benefit from knowing each other, whether it's potential collaborators, mentors, or clients, these introductions can be game changers.
Number two share opportunities. If you hear about a job opening a conference or a project that could benefit someone in your network. Pass it along. People remember those who opened doors for them.
Number three. Be a resource for problem solving. Offer to help solve challenges, your connections face, whether brainstorming ideas, offering advice, or providing tools, people are more likely to turn to you when you're a problem solver.
And number four advocate for others. Use your platform to amplify the voice of others in your network. Whether endorsing someone's skills or sharing their work, advocacy strengthens bonds and fosters mutual growth.
When you use your influence to help others succeed, you create a network that thrives on collaboration and mutual respect.
So let's recap. Today's key takeaways.
Influence in networking comes from your expertise, character, and presence. It's about trust and value, not self promotion.
Position yourself as a go-to person by sharing your knowledge, staying consistent with your message and engaging in meaningful discussions.
Build trust and credibility by following through on commitments, listening actively and celebrating the success of others.
Use your influence to benefit your network, make introductions. Share opportunities and advocate for those around you.
Building influences a journey, not a destination with patients, authenticity and consistent effort. You'll create a network where your voice carries weight and your presence creates opportunities for everyone.
Next time, we'll explore a topic that compliments influenced perfectly. Navigating power dynamics in networking.
In episode 17, we'll dive into how to approach relationships with people in positions of authority. Influence or power and maintain confidence and authenticity when networking with high level professionals.
Whether you seek mentorship partnership or career opportunities, this episode will give you the tools to network effectively with decision-makers.
Thanks for joining me today on network effect, where I help you transform relationships into opportunities. If you find value in these episodes, don't forget to subscribe, leave a review and share the podcast with someone who may benefit.
Until next time, keep connecting, keep growing, and remember that your influence is the most valuable currency in your network.
Links
Follow Us:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briancolburn/
Twitter: https://x.com/CoachBColburn
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bcoolburn
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bcolburncoaching/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BColburnCoaching
Facebook Groups:
"Team Hustle" https://www.facebook.com/groups/theteamhustle
Book a 1-on-1 - https://calendly.com/briancolburn/30-minute-meet-greet
Share this post