Premium Member Tory Archbold shares the power of committing to three coffee dates a week and its influence on building your global network.
Two decades ago, my dream was to create a business based on my values of passion, integrity and delivery, a business that would attract the world’s top performing retail brands into my portfolio.
I started with no money, experience or influential black book of contacts. I didn’t even know how to write a press release. What I did start with was the self belief I could make it happen. My dedication to attracting the right people into my network is what resulted in Torstar’s formidable reputation and partnerships with the world’s leading retail brands.
By understanding the power of three coffee dates a week, I established a global network of referrals that secured top-performing clients Zara, Nespresso, Shopbop, Seafolly and more recently Victoria’s Secret and Drew Barrymore’s Flower Beauty.
The Powerful Steps Coffee Challenge formula will empower you – anyone can follow these simple tips and thrive.
Before you start reaching out to your network, your personal brand must reflect who you are and it must align with the people you want to attract. Your LinkedIn and social media presence matters. You cannot attract influential individuals when your LinkedIn photo is you sipping on a martini. This isn’t Bumble. As your brand and career evolve, you need to update this content to reflect where you’re at in life. Personal brand positioning is key to your success – it works as a super attractor.
Here are six tips for building your global network.
1. Coffee Not Lunch
The power of face-to-face connection will build your network. Stop hiding behind emails and social media. People like to see who they’re dealing with and connect in person. They want to know you’re willing to take the time and effort to get to know them.
Networking over coffee is the most inexpensive way to make connections—a coffee date for two is less than $10 anywhere in the world. Making a lasting impression as $10 is the best deal you will ever make for yourself.
2. Believe In Yourself
The most powerful thing you can do in life is to believe in yourself. Some of my first calls when I started TORSTAR were to the most respected journalists in Australia. I remember people saying, ‘Tory who?’ and hanging up on me. I never gave up because I believed in the power of what I was creating. I knew these people would call me when I had something powerful for them to write about and they did. It’s how I built my network.
When you’re aligned with your true purpose, you’ll attract the right people into your life. My coffee date connections have been instrumental to creating Powerful Steps, a motivational leadership platform that empowers, inspires and encourages people to step into their true power. Through Powerful Steps, I have been able to empower women in business to make significant leaps and bounds in their professional and personal lives. My message is clear because I believe in what I am creating.
3. The Power of Your Network
The most powerful step is to understand who’s already in your network. The next step is to target three people a week to build your network and invite them for a coffee date. Choose someone you know, someone in your professional network and someone outside of your comfort zone.
When I started Torstar, I chose to connect with professionals that would enable my business to deliver on projects we were engaged to promote. I ensured the topic was relevant and started cold calling people and meeting them for coffee. Today I connect over social media platforms and networking events – the result is the same. People love connecting if they can see a relationship forming for mutual benefit.
Stay front of mind and stay relevant. Meet new people and be open to new opportunities. Most importantly, trust and enjoy the process.
4. The Power of Connecting
Consider people who’ll shape your professional and personal life goals—they need to fit your future, not your past— don’t be afraid to aim high and be prepared for a YES!!
Pick up the phone. leverage email, LinkedIn, or request an introduction from a mutual contact (this gives you immediate credibility). It’s how the best professional connections are made.
Make a list of who you’d like to meet and start connecting. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Vibrate at the level you wish to be at, and you’ll attract like-minded people.
5. Don’t Waste Your Time & Energy
Show contacts you’re a valued network connection by following up. Engage and interact with them on social media platforms, share their work and attend their events. Following up, staying connected and supporting their brand will make sure you’re not forgotten.
After your coffee date, send a quick, simple email saying, “Thank you for your time, let’s do _____ together! Let me connect you to _____.”
You have both invested your time and energy – make it work for you both by becoming a leading communicator people remember.
6. Embrace Your Network
Building a global network is never about you. Know what projects your contacts are working across. Have a strong industry understanding. Congratulate them on their wins. A simple birthday wish or link to relevant industry news will keep you front of mind. Help them succeed.
P.S. Remember, when you meet people from LinkedIn, they may not look like their profile photo. But you will, because you know all about the power of personal brand positioning. That reminds me, I probably need to update mine – it’s a year old!
Tory Archbold is the founder of leadership platform Powerful Steps, and PR & Brand Communications Agency, Torstar. Tory is a motivational speaker that works with brands nation-wide and talks about the power of connection and three coffee dates a week can build your global tribe.
