It’s confirmed. My closet, my bookshelves, a collection of notebooks full of notes from conferences and seminars, and a binder full of business cards have a lot in common. What’s more, they have a lot to teach us about being a more resourceful – and intentional – networker. 

Let me explain.

Ever heard the term “mining”? Of course you have. But I don’t mean the literal definition: the extraction of valued gems and minerals from the earth via digging,  picking, and other methods.  

Close, though. 

Let’s get metaphorical and define mining as the process of sifting through that which you already have in order to rediscover the buried treasure that’s been there all along – but has likely been forgotten, underutilized, or neglected.

For example, when I have a special event coming up, it would certainly be fun to go shopping for a new party dress. But it’s also likely I already have something perfect for the occasion in my closet. I just need to take a moment to look – and perhaps get a little creative with accessorizing. 

Similarly, let’s say I’m searching for facts, quotes, or other ideas for a presentation, workshop, article, or blog. I could buy yet another book filled with wisdom.  But what if I just browsed through the books or notebooks I already have?  There are tons of great ideas in there!

Finally, I could focus on adding more people to my network; going to more events and such. But what if I spent even five minutes sifting through the binder I’ve filled with business cards from past events?  I could easily discover a handful of people with whom I could reconnect and have rich, rewarding visits.

Get the picture? In this era of conspicuous consumption and our desire to continually search for what’s new and strive for more-more-more, it can pay off to refocus and redirect the search closer to home.

Where could you do a little mining and take advantage of the many riches and resources right there in your world, under your nose, and at your fingertips?
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Big news!  I’ve just released the follow up book to The Intentional Networker and it’s available on Amazon on Kindle. It’s called The Intentional Networker Collection: More Powerful Strategies for Attracting Relationships, Referrals & Results in Business.  Get your copy for just $3.99 and add even more ideas, inspiration, strategies, and tips to your networking toolbox.  (And guess what? It was a mining project!)