Creating a network of people is to develop business relationships with professionals, employees, or potential customers in business life to mutually benefit each other. In short, it is the expansion of the business network and the step towards acquiring a suitable environment for the business area. The fundamental purpose of creating a network of people is to introduce yourself and your business to other people and customers in business life and to add these people to your reference list. Creating a network of people is significant and essential in many industries, especially in the construction industry today, because for architects and designers, creating a network of people means continuity of designs and keeping them up to date. Therefore, architects and designers must get knowledge of how to create a network of people.
The most important is that architects and designers must be aware that creating a network of people has many advantages. First of all, you have the opportunity to meet many people from your design area or other areas during your network of people’s efforts. Thus, you may make these people your potential new customers. In addition, you may create an environment where you may make business deals to do joint projects with these people. Secondly, you get the chance to introduce your brand to many people from your design area or other areas. Thus, people from many different design areas may be aware of your work. Don’t forget that it is valuable for your design to have interdisciplinary relationships with other design areas. Thirdly, you master the subject of your design area and other design areas, and you get up-to-date knowledge about your design area. Thus, you may have the opportunity to learn new knowledge, experience something new, and be more productive, thanks to creating a network of people. You may also share your own experiences with others and get tips on business life by listening to the experiences of others.
In conclusion, creating a network of people has many positive aspects for architects and designers. Therefore, architects and designers must learn how to reach a correct network of people or behave in these areas. We prepared the main four tips for creating a network of people for architects and designers with this purpose. These are attending professional events, developing communication skills, collaboration and knowledge sharing, and following social networks regularly. We hope that these tips will be a guide for architects and designers to networking effectively.
1. Attending Professional Events | Network of People
Attending professional events, which present highly efficient knowledge of your design area, and meeting correct people there has a significant role in creating a network of people. Therefore, attending professional events where you think you can meet the right people in your design area is beneficial. Next, you should learn the purpose and importance of professional events beforehand. Thus, you get tips on the interests of potential participants. This learning helps you to make strategies for meeting the right people in the event. Finally, you may find out in advance who will be attending the event and set a few goals for yourself, and so you are open to making new connections. In the meantime, don’t forget that not every event may allow you to meet the right people and may not be suitable for creating a network of people. Even so, it is wrong to say that attending professional events irrelevant to your design areas is unbeneficial. You may witness many experience stories that you may get inspired by.
2. Developing Communication Skills
Face-to-face meetings are more preferred in a long-term business partnership, although social media supply powerful communication areas. Face-to-face meetings make people feel secure. Developing communication skills is very significant in face-to-face meetings, too. Therefore, architects and designers who want to create a network of people should have communication skills, containing several skills working in harmony. These skills are nonverbal and verbal communication and active listening. Using body language and tone of voice effectively is significant for nonverbal communication. This use leads to looking confident and maintaining an assertive posture. Many good communicators advise in verbal communication and active listening that people ask different questions about the subject to people with whom to network. This situation ensures showing your interest in the subject to them. Moreover, these skills also provide architects and designers with expressing themselves effectively in personal life, besides professional life.
3. Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing
Collaboration and knowledge sharing is significant for architects and designers that it creates an environment where design develops and provides approachable design. There are a few ways of collaboration and knowledge sharing. The one way is that you should allow other people to witness the design process transparently. Thus, you can make your designs reach different people. It means that your work will improve continuously with people who have various disciplines, interests, ideas, etc. The other way is that you should get in the habit of receiving feedback effectively. Receiving feedback should contain people with the potential to create a network of people, such as customers and designers. Because well-made critique allows you to get to know people with whom your ideas match, besides developing designs, and this increases your chances of collaborating.
4. Following Social Networks Regularly | Network of People
Another tip to create a network of people is following social networks regularly. Following social networks regularly facilitates creating a network of people. Social networks provide architects and designers with the opportunity to meet people from various disciplines, too. Thus you may use social networks to tell your ideas to them, get ideas from many people in different parts of the world, and contract to make a business deal with them. In addition to this, you may attend many workshops online and even organize a workshop yourself to create a network of people. Moreover, you may write about your interests, architecture, design, etc., and share it all with people in different parts of the world. In brief, social networks present many opportunities for architects and designers to create a network of people.
Reference List
- Online sources
NCARB – National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. 2021. 5 Networking Tips for Aspiring Architects. [online] Available at: <https://www.ncarb.org/blog/5-networking-tips-aspiring-architects> [Accessed 23 September 2021].
- [online] Available at: <https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-improve-your-communication-skills#why-is-effective-communication-important> [Accessed 23 September 2021].
Journal. 2021. Young Architect Guide: How to Network Like a Pro – Architizer Journal. [online] Available at: <https://architizer.com/blog/practice/details/young-architect-guide-how-to-network/> [Accessed 23 September 2021].
Phase. 2021. The Importance Of Sharing Knowledge. [online] Available at: <https://phase.com/magazine/the-importance-of-sharing-knowledge/> [Accessed 23 September 2021].
- Images/visual mediums
[Image 1] Network of People. Available at: https://www.istockphoto.com/tr/foto%C4%9Fraf/k%C3%BCresel-ileti%C5%9Fim-a%C4%9F%C4%B1-kavram%C4%B1-d%C3%BCnya-%C3%A7ap%C4%B1nda-i%C5%9F-%C3%A7e%C5%9Fitlilik-gm1181557961-331437924 [Accessed 24 Sept. 2021].
[Image 2] Network of People. Available at: https://www.istockphoto.com/tr/foto%C4%9Fraf/ai-kavram%C4%B1-gm916376336-252160676 [Accessed 24 Sept. 2021].
[Image 3] Attending Professional Events. Available at: https://www.istockphoto.com/tr/foto%C4%9Fraf/konu%C5%9Fmac%C4%B1-bilimsel-i%C5%9F-konferans%C4%B1-hakk%C4%B1nda-sunum-yap%C4%B1yor-gm1175031702-327034042 [Accessed 24 Sept. 2021].
[Image 4] Developing Communication Skills. Available at: https://www.istockphoto.com/tr/foto%C4%9Fraf/finansal-raporlara-bakan-icra-m%C3%BCd%C3%BCrleri-gm1182280267-331924919 [Accessed 24 Sept. 2021].
[Image 5] Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing. Available at: https://www.istockphoto.com/tr/foto%C4%9Fraf/ba%C5%9Far%C4%B1l%C4%B1-bir-i%C5%9F-toplant%C4%B1s%C4%B1nda-%C3%A7e%C5%9Fitli-grup-gm1203933926-346219328 [Accessed 24 Sept. 2021].
[Image 6] Following Social Networks Regularly. Available at: https://www.istockphoto.com/tr/foto%C4%9Fraf/macbook-pro-retina-with-linkedin-home-page-on-the-screen-gm502558337-43931106 [Accessed 24 Sept. 2021].
