Rise with RPC: Tips for developing your insurance network

The session, led by Samantha Ridgewell, was a treasure trove of advice, aimed at enhancing our networking prowess in today’s hybrid work landscape. To hear about our next "Rise with RPC" event please sign up here.

Here’s a distilled version of the top tips shared, each designed to be an actionable takeaway to apply in your professional journey.

1. Embrace PIE for career advancement

• Performance: Excel in your role; it's the foundation.
• Image: Cultivate your personal brand; ensure it reflects how you wish to be perceived.
• Exposure: Make yourself known; visibility within your professional circle is crucial.

This framework underscores the essence of being recognised for opportunities.

2. Expand your comfort zone gradually

View nervousness as an indicator of growth opportunities. Stretch your comfort zone by embracing new challenges, starting small to gradually increase your confidence and capabilities. For example, try putting yourself forward to speak during internal meetings, giving you the confidence to excel when taking on client presentations.

3. Tailor your networking approach

• Extroverts: Leverage your energy from interactions to make new connections.
• Introverts: Utilise your reflective nature to engage in meaningful conversations, even if it means taking time to recharge afterwards.

Strategies for initiators and receivers

• Initiators: Make eye contact and approach with confidence.
• Receivers: Position yourself strategically (e.g., near food or coffee) to be approachable and initiate conversations with a smile.

4. Balance wide and deep networks

Cultivate a wide network for breadth and a deep network for meaningful, supportive relationships. Both are vital for professional growth and personal satisfaction.

5. Master conversational threading

Enhance interactions by finding common ground quickly. Use open-ended questions and share stories to make conversations richer and more engaging. The joy of this is that people will only ask you a handful of questions at events, which means that you can even prepare your answers to an extent.

6. Utilise LinkedIn effectively

Most people don't like posting on LinkedIn as they don't like the idea of self-promoting, this means that the bar is actually set incredibly low. Increase your visibility with regular posts, even simple updates can significantly broaden your exposure, much more than you would be able to at a networking event.

The aim is to post monthly, remembering to always include pictures to make it visually exciting.

7. Networking preparations and follow-up

Before the event, familiarise yourself with attendees and plan your attire for confidence and comfort. If you are nervous about not knowing anyone, arrive early as the hosts are there to welcome you and introduce you to people. Follow up with new connections promptly, utilising LinkedIn or traditional methods like business cards.

8. Reading body language

Learn to read the room by observing body language, particularly the direction of feet, to identify open groups or individuals for initiating conversations.

These tips, derived from the insights shared by Samantha Ridgewell, are designed to be straightforward and actionable, allowing you to implement them easily into your networking strategy.

As we look forward to our next event, we hope these tips will empower you to build and strengthen your professional network, opening doors to new opportunities and collaborations. We hope to see you at our next Rise with RPC event!