When we think about our networks, we tend to think about the people already in them.

Who do I know?

Who could introduce me?

Who haven't I spoken to lately?

But there's another question I think is much more interesting.

Who is missing?

Not which famous person should you add on LinkedIn. Not who has the biggest audience. And not simply who might buy something from you tomorrow.

Who is missing from the network you need to build the business and life you actually want?

That question changes networking from an activity into a strategy.

I've never been convinced that most people need a bigger network. Many of us already know hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people. We've worked in different companies, joined organisations, attended conferences, met clients, connected on LinkedIn, volunteered, played sport, raised families and lived lives.

We know people.

The more useful question is whether we know the right mix of people for where we're trying to go next.

When I think strategically about a network, there are five groups I'm particularly interested in.

Competitors. Yes, competitors. People who do something similar to you can be an extraordinary source of knowledge, collaboration, opportunity and even referrals. Not every client is right for every business, and competitors often understand your world better than almost anyone else.

Collaborators. These are the people whose work complements yours. You may serve similar clients from different angles, create opportunities together or simply become better because you're sharing ideas and resources.

People who recommend you. These are the people who understand what you do, trust you to do it well and are in a position to put your name into conversations when you're not in the room.

People you can recommend. I think this group gets overlooked far too often. A strong network isn't built entirely around who can help you. Knowing brilliant people you can confidently recommend makes you valuable to everyone around you.

And finally, your target market. The people and organisations you ultimately want to serve. Not necessarily because you're going to sell to them at the next networking event, but because understanding and building genuine relationships within your target market matters.

Now take something you want to achieve in the next 12 to 24 months and look at those five groups again.

Where are the gaps?

Perhaps you know plenty of potential clients but very few people who can recommend you.

Maybe you've built wonderful relationships with collaborators but have avoided your competitors because you've always thought of them purely as competition.

Perhaps you have a strong network of people who help you, but you haven't invested enough in knowing people you can recommend in return.

Or perhaps your network is strong... for the business you had five years ago.

That's an interesting one.

As our goals change, the network around those goals may need to change too. Moving into a new market, developing a new service, growing a team, becoming a speaker, expanding internationally or changing direction altogether can create relationship gaps we don't notice if we only keep networking with the same people in the same rooms.

And identifying a gap doesn't necessarily mean you need to meet somebody new.

The person you need may already be there.

A former colleague may now work in the market you're trying to enter. A client may know exactly the person you've been hoping to meet. A competitor may become a collaborator. Someone you've known socially for years may have experience you've never thought to ask about.

Sometimes strategic networking isn't about adding another person to your contacts.

It's about seeing the people already there differently.

So take one goal that matters to you and put it at the top of a page. Then look at your competitors, collaborators, people who recommend you, people you can recommend and your target market.

Who is already there?

And... who is missing?

Happy Connecting!

WLC