How to Make Friendships That Turn Into Great Business Contacts

College provides a great opportunity to network with friends who might be good future business contacts. Of course, if the friendship is going to last that long, you also have to genuinely like each other.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Introduce yourself to others often and ask their names.
2. Find out what people do. Specifically, what are their majors and minors, what do they read, are they members of any organizations, do they play sports, where do they hope to live and work once they graduate, and what do their parents do?
3. Make mental or even actual notes about your friends and acquaintances so you can best relate to them in areas of mutual interest.
4. Talk about business often. If you let people know that you have an active interest in business, they will be more likely to share ideas and contacts with you.
5. Stay in contact with people regularly after graduation. A short e-mail, note or phone call is easy and effective.
6. Offer favors without expectations, and the courtesy will usually be returned.

Tips & Warnings

• Call on friends for fun more often than business, and you'll find the business will eventually come around.
• Few people like someone who pretends to be a friend but only calls when they want something. Such relationships are doomed because of a lack of reciprocity.