3 ideas
Build relationship capital by offering value — introductions, information, favors — before you ever need something in return, so that generosity compounds into a web of people invested in your success. The currency of networking is not transactional exchange but ongoing, unconditional giving that creates reciprocal goodwill over time.
Set concrete goals, list the specific people who can help you reach them, and identify the connectors who can introduce you to those people, then schedule deliberate contact rather than leaving connection to chance. Networking is treated as a goal-driven, planned activity with named targets and tracked follow-up, not spontaneous socializing.
Relationships decay without periodic low-effort contact, so maintain them through frequent, lightweight touches — a quick note, article, or congratulations — spread across many people rather than rare deep interactions. The aim is to stay continuously present in others' awareness before any specific need arises.