-part of the N4L Series; celebrating Learning at Work Week-
It’s my great pleasure to introduce Alison Persson…
About Alison
Hi, I am Alison Persson, a property investor and a property mentor. I have been networking since 1995 and have learn a lot from being part of various networking groups.
Alison on Twitter | Alison on LinkedIn
What networked for learning means to me
Every networking situation online or face to face can be a constant source of learning.
Networking allows as all to find out more information about each other that can lead to collaborating on a project, or an introduction to a suitable business / individual. You never know where a conversation can lead you to now or in the future.
The more we connect with others the more they learn about us and gain a greater understanding about how we work and the product / service we provide. When others learn who or what you are looking for they can better connect you and we can better connect others.
Networking can provide a “safe area” to problem solve and discuss with others how they may have managed a similar situation. Friendly questioning can spark new ideas and help with business development. Every networking experience will either generate a new idea, provide new information or a different perspective.
It’s a great way of keeping up to date too. I attend a mixture of networking events and am part of various online networking groups. There are different reasons why I am part of each networking group. Not one networking group can provide everything. Certain networking groups have a strong educational function and this is beneficial for me in keeping up to date. Other networking groups help me manage my businesses.
Networking can help you personally as well as with your business. E.g. when I was looking for a new car I got in touch with a person I had met through networking. Over a period of six months I had learnt of his trustworthy and reliable reputation and so when I had a need (car) I just phoned him and he sourced my new car.
The over-riding factor for me when thinking about “Networking for Learning” is to make sure the environment (face to face or online) suits me and is supportive and allows me to be true to myself.
My personal learning insights
I have changed how I present myself on my business Facebook Page and LinkedIn Page through guidance from my online business mentor.
Social media is an important part of networking and the real me and my knowledge was not coming across on Facebook and LinkedIn. I am increasingly using my own photos, writing more frequent posts and sharing more about me and how I work. I now have far more followers and more importantly I have increased interaction via comments and sharing of my posts.
My profile / reputation has greatly increased and this is having a positive impact on my businesses. I will continue to analyse the changes I have made and the effect on my businesses. I have plans for videos and regular blogs, that will give a greater insight into me and how I work with clients.
Career Energiser 
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