Keith Ferrazzi is a Relationship Maven. He has built a career on his ability to connect with others. In his new book, Never Eat Alone, there is a chapter entitled, "Connecting With Connectors." He discusses seven professions (restaurateurs, fundraisers, politicians, headhunters, lobbyists, public relations professionals, and journalists) where there are large proportions of "super-connectors". Super-connectors are persons who seem to know everybody, and who everybody seems to know in return.
Super-connectors can be found in every profession, however Ferrazzi postulates that they congregate in the seven professions by virtue of the fact that these professions require the innate abilities of the super-connector. Although it may seem obvious, the other profession where super-connectors should congregate is...Financial Advisors.
Finding the super-connectors in the seven professions is not that difficult. For example, executive search consultants and PR professionals have national organizations...the Association of Executive Search Consultants, www.aesc.org, and the Public Relations Society of America, www.prsa.org, respectively. Lobbyists congregate in state capitols. I'll have more on how to contact lobbyists in future columns. Connecting with journalists should be self-evident as well. Identify those journalists that are covering the "beats" where you have an interest (not necessarily in business either). Don't forgot the journalists who write for the local newsweeklies. On politicians, start with your local representatives. If you support their politics, get involved in their campaign. Connected restaurateurs can be found in surprising places. I have found a plumber, contractor, and CPA from my local coffee shop/bakery around the corner. Fundraisers (development directors) are another interesting case. Pick a non-profit organization that you support (arts, special interest, etc.), and establish a connection with the Director of Development.
By definition, super-connectors have connections to hundreds, or thousands, of others. You don't need too many strong connections with super-connectors to increase the size of your Rolodex in exponential terms.
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