I recently went to an Inspired Entrepreneur evening organised by the best selling author Nick Williams. Screw Work – Let’s Play author John Williams was speaking about how we can choose to see work as play if we follow what we are good at and enjoy. I caught up with him afterwards and asked him about portfolio careers.

Gosh thats not easy to say! Brilliant new app( big nod to Geek in Disguise). This will save you time, effort, money and probably help world peace. Well maybe not the world peace bit but I have been doing a bit of pruning lately of who I am connected to in my social networks. This is a quick and easy way to figure out who to hang on to and who to ditch. It may also encourage you to find some new thinkers who will encourage and inspire you……

We have posted on this before simply because if consultancy or self employment is part of your portfolio career than being able to remember people’s names is a crucial prerequisite to successful networking. I was stimulated by a recent posting from Keith Ferrazzi in which he lists 5 tips for doing this. In summary:

• make a conscious decision that you are going to remember names
• picture their name written across their forehead
• if you don’t hear the name properly when introduced ask again
• repeat the name whenever you can; introduce the person to someone else
• use word or picture association – one of Tony Buzan’s tips from years ago.

Sorry – what was your name again?

Nicholas Christakis gave a fascinating account of how our social networks can significantly affect our behaviour in a recent TED talk.

Andy Lopata is always good value on networking tips. After all networking is his business! I liked these simple tips that he recorded earlier this year for the Business Channel.

A fascinating new ebook is downloadable from Seth’s blog but as you are reading this you can do it from here. He has organised more than seventy big thinkers, each sharing an idea for you to think about as we head into the new year.

Here’s the deal: it’s free. Download it here. Or from any of the many sites around the web that are posting it with insightful commentary. Tweet it, email it, post it on your own site. I think it might be fun to make up your own riff and post it on your blog or online profile as well. It’s a good exercise. Can we get this in the hands of 5 million people? You can find an easy to use version on Scribd as well and from wepapers. Please share.

Have fun. Here’s to a year with ideas even bigger than these.

In our book we go on at considerable length about keeping up to date with new technology and we have promised you before that as we come across things that we have found useful we would pass them on to you. In that spirit go to Mashable:The social media guide where you will discover a host of fresh ideas, apps and media alternatives. Just one of them may help you in developing your portfolio career.

In our book we have our own definition of a necessary network/support system but it is always good to get others ideas on this. I came across this list by Tai Goodwin It overlaps quite a lot with ours but has some interesting extras so do have a look.

1. The Mentor: This is the person who has reached the level of success you aspire to have. You can learn from their success as well as their mistakes. Heed their wisdom and experience. This relationship offers a unique perspective because they have known you through several peaks and valleys in your life and watched you evolve.
2. The Coach: The coach is someone who comes in at different times in your life. They help with critical decisions and transitions and offer an objective perspective with no strings attached.
3. The Industry Insider: This is someone in your chosen field who has expert level information or access to it. This person will keep you informed of what’s happening now and what the next big thing is. Invite them to be a sounding board for your next innovative idea.
4. The Trendsetter: This is someone outside of your chosen industry that always has the latest buzz. It can be on any topic that you find interesting. The goal in having this person in your network is to look for those connections that spark innovation via the unconventional. It will also help you keep your conversations interesting.
5. The Connector: This is a person who has access to people, resources and information. As soon as they come across something related to you, they are sending you an email or picking up the phone. Connectors are great at uncovering unique ways to make connections, finding resources and opportunities that most people would over look.
6. The Idealist: This is the person in your network you can dream with. No matter how “out there” your latest idea is, this is the person that will help you brainstorm ways to make it happen. Without judgment, they are focused on helping you flush out your dreams in high definition, even if you don’t have a solid plan yet on how to make it happen.
7. The Realist: On the flip side you still need the person who will help you keep it real. This is the person who will give you the raised eyebrow when your expectations exceed your effort. These are not people who knock down your dreams rather they challenge you to actively make your dream happen.
8. The Visionary: Visionary people inspire you by their journey. They are similar to the Idealist, but the visionary can help you envision an actual plan to reach your goal. One personal encounter with this type of person can powerfully change the direction of your thinking and life.
9. The Partner: You need to have someone who is in a similar place and on a similar path to share with. In fact, partners do a lot of sharing. This is a person you can share the wins and woes with. Partners will also share resources, opportunities and information.
10. The Wanna-be: This is someone you can serve as mentor to. Someone you can help shape and guide based on your experiences. One of the best ways to tell that you understand something is to be able to explain it to someone else. And sometimes, one of the best motivators for pushing through obstacles and hardship is knowing that someone is watching.

Twitter – it delivers trust, speed and brand. Now everything you ever wanted to know about it.

Andy was at the launch of our book at 1 Alfred Place last Thursday and has already published a great review of the book in his newsletter. We have an entire chapter on networking so were fascinated to see his blog last week when he posted the results of a competition through Twitter, Facebook and  his newsletter for people to win tickets to the Entrepreneurs in London event. He invited readers to submit their best networking tip. These are some of the winners.

Getting stuck in conversation with someone when you really want to move on can be difficult to break without appearing rude.

My strategy is to say “Lets network with that group over there”. Move next to them, wait for the intro and then join the conversation.When all talking together I can then make my excuses and move on. I then get to talk to someone else and no-one in the group I’ve just left feels either rebuffed or offended. It works because you never end up leaving someone alone feeling stranded.

Jonathan Wainwright
FCG Consultancy Ltd

I like to write notes on the back of a contacts card in front of them before we part. I think it shows a level of commitment and interest in them and what they do. People remember you for that, as they will undoubtably be swapping many cards on a networking night, this marks out the experience for them.

Asif Mirza

A good tip for someone who is new to networking and is shy and reserved (just like me) !! and is not comfortable with approaching people/groups is to get to the event nice and early before anyone else and then the first person to arrive will go to you!

Steve Short
Comedy and Close Up Magic