I feel like I’d be doing you a disservice if I kept talking about networking on the blog but never really talked about the four laws at a high level.

A law is a rule that you shouldn’t break and if you do, you suffer from the consequences.

If you’re going to commit to building your brand or business with networking, you need to internalize these four laws and make it part of your daily, weekly and monthly routine.

If you're going to commit to building your brand or business with networking, you need to internalize these four laws and make it part of your daily, weekly and monthly routine. Click To Tweet

Most of my posts are usually 2000+ word monsters, but this one is going to be shorter than usual because I’ve already laid out the details in some of the related posts.

This is just a high level overview to help you understand the strategy of networking.

As a disclaimer, I can’t take credit for these four laws…

They come from the Millionaire Real Estate Agent by Gary Keller, which is basically like a textbook for how to build a million dollar real estate business.

The more I’ve learned and internalized this concept, the more I realized these four laws can apply to any industry, whether online or offline.

Let’s get started.

Law #1. Build A Database

If you’re going to start building your network, you’ll need to have a place to keep all of your people.

If you’re going to start building your network, you’ll need to have a place to keep all of your people. Click To Tweet

… and no, keeping your contacts in your phone isn’t going to be enough.

I mean sure, if you like feeling overwhelmed and stressed out, do that.

However, if you want to make it easy, you’re going to need to have a place to keep your contacts and keep your records of your contacts.

I know this part isn’t sexy but it’s INCREDIBLY important that you set it up right from the beginning.

Contactually is the “google” of my contacts where if I run into someone I haven’t seen in awhile, I can pull up their contact and recall every single conversation we’ve ever had.

If you’re an online entrepreneur or blogger, your “database building” is going to probably look different than mine and will probably look more like segmenting, tagging and automations in your email service provider like ConvertKit*

Law #2. Feed It Everyday

Listen up.

If you’re in a business that you’re trying to grow, you need to focus on finding more leads.

You can absolutely generate more business from your existing clients but at some point, you’re going to burn them out and you’re either going to need to find new leads or get referrals from your old clients.

You can absolutely generate more business from your existing clients but at some point, you're going to burn them out and you're either going to need to find new leads or get referrals from your old clients. Click To Tweet

Whichever route you decide to go, your business will not succeed if you don’t have enough leads.

This law should never, ever be broken.

That means, if you go to work one day and don’t feed your database, you didn’t do your job that day.

That means, if you go to work one day and don't feed your database, you didn't do your job that day. Click To Tweet

I grow my network with events (MEB’s workshops and open houses), attending events and social media (soon to be adding Facebook ads).

Whichever way you decide to grow your network, you should definitely plan to feed it into an email list where #3 becomes way easier:

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Also, this seems overwhelming to some people, so I wanted to make sure I touched on how I maintain my own network on a daily basis:

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Law #3. Communicate With It Systematically

My whole approach to networking is totally focused on building genuine relationships.

However, I don’t want to make my brain work too hard and I don’t want to burn out.

My whole approach to networking is totally focused on building genuine relationships. However, I don’t want to make my brain work too hard and I don’t want to burn out. Click To Tweet

With that in mind, the key is systematic communications.

I could go on for CENTURIES about systematic communications and luckily, I already have in GREAT detail in these posts:

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Law #4. Service The Business That Comes Your Way

While this might sound obvious, it’s essential that we talk about it.

My first broker was spending soooo much money on marketing and leads and he was getting the business, but his reviews were GOD AWFUL because he’d basically forget about his clients once he got them.

He was like “hit it and quit it”, except with clients.

You know I’m alllll about systems so this should be done in a systematic way as well.

My follow-up systems were created to make sure that my clients are educated about every step of the process so once they are ready to make a move, the process is super simple.

They’re stress free because they know what to expect and when they’re stress free, my life is easier too.

Once we go under contract, I have a transaction coordinator to make sure our dates and deadlines stay on track so that nothing falls through the cracks.

You don’t necessarily need to hire help to deal with your clients, but you should have some sort of system in place to make sure that every client gets the same experience.

You don't necessarily need to hire help to deal with your clients, but you should have some sort of system in place to make sure that every client gets the same experience. Click To Tweet