Your network can be the most valuable asset in your professional toolkit. While skills and expertise are critical, it’s often your relationships that open doors to new opportunities. Recently, a webinar hosted by Revsity brought together industry experts Damilola Aluede and Tereigh Ozakpo, who shared practical and relatable insights on how to build and leverage professional networks. Whether you’re just starting your tech sales journey or looking to accelerate your career, their takeaways can help you navigate the highly competitive tech landscape across Africa.
Understanding the Essence of Networking
Networking isn’t just about exchanging business cards or adding connections on LinkedIn. According to Damilola Aluede, an experienced sales professional, networking is about creating meaningful relationships. “Networking is simply building relationships. It’s about making connections that are genuine and offer mutual value—whether that’s advice, support, or opportunities.”
This message is especially relevant in many African countries where personal relationships often play a pivotal role in business dealings. In fast-evolving tech hubs like Lagos, Nairobi, Cape Town, and Accra, the ability to build and maintain a network can be a key differentiator. Your next deal, job opportunity, or collaboration might come from someone you connected with years ago.
Overcoming Networking Challenges
For many young professionals, particularly introverts or those new to the workforce, networking can feel overwhelming. Tereigh shared a relatable story from his early career, during his MBA at Lagos Business School. Like many of us, he found himself standing in the corner at his first networking event, unsure how to approach people. His experience highlights a common fear that many young professionals across Africa face—how do you break the ice without feeling awkward or out of place?
Tereigh offered some practical advice on how to overcome these challenges:
- Create a strong connection with yourself: Before you can connect with others, you need to know your own value and what you bring to the table.
- Don’t take rejection personally: Not every conversation will lead to a meaningful connection, and that’s okay. Keep going.
- Challenge bad vibes and assumptions: Often, we create barriers in our heads. Don’t let your preconceptions about someone stop you from introducing yourself.
- Avoid judgments: Approach each person with an open mind—you never know where a conversation might lead.
In Africa’s diverse and often fast-moving tech industry, these tips are crucial. You might be navigating a room filled with professionals from different backgrounds, but everyone shares the same drive to succeed. Understanding that networking is a process of building, not just collecting, relationships will keep you on the right track.
Leveraging Internal and External Networking
While most people think of networking as something you do outside the office, internal networking—building relationships within your own organisation—can be just as important, if not more so.
Damilola shared a powerful insight: “All the jobs I’ve gotten in the past nine years were referrals from past colleagues.” This shows how internal networking can shape your career. It’s not just about impressing your boss or clients; your colleagues and peers could one day refer you for your dream job or collaborate with you on a major project.
This is especially true in African companies, where relationships within the workplace often transcend office walls. By being a supportive and collaborative colleague, you’re not only making your current role easier—you’re also laying the foundation for future opportunities.
If you want to build these skills, Revsity offers free GTM courses in sales, marketing, and more—with a 100% job guarantee to help you land your next opportunity.
Practical Networking Strategies
Both speakers highlighted some practical strategies to enhance your networking efforts:
- Do Your Research: Before attending events or reaching out to someone online, take time to learn about their background, interests, or work. Understanding who they are will help you start a more engaging conversation. In today’s digital age, platforms like LinkedIn make this easy.
- Find Common Ground: The best conversations are often those that start with a shared interest or experience. Whether it’s a common industry challenge or admiration for a specific tech innovation, use these as icebreakers. Tereigh, for example, leveraged shared industry insights to strike up a conversation with a high-level executive at an event, and it turned into a long-lasting professional relationship.
- Follow Up: Networking doesn’t end when the conversation does. After meeting someone, send a follow-up message to thank them for their time and to continue the conversation. This is key to building lasting connections, especially in a region where face-to-face interactions may not happen as frequently.
- Offer Value First: Networking is not about what you can gain from someone, but what you can offer them. Whether it’s sharing an interesting article, making an introduction, or offering insight on a mutual challenge, being helpful first builds rapport and trust.
Looking for more ways to grow your network? Consider joining the Revsity community, where GTM professionals from across Africa exchange insights and opportunities in sales, marketing, customer success, and more.
Networking is a Long-Term Investment
One of the most significant lessons from the webinar is that networking is a long-term investment. You may not reap the benefits immediately, but over time, the seeds you plant can grow into significant career opportunities. As Damilola put it, “Networking is planting seeds for future growth.”
This is especially important in Africa, where the tech industry is growing rapidly but remains interconnected. The relationships you form today could help you land a major deal or a leadership role down the road. By focusing on building strong, genuine relationships over time, you position yourself for long-term success.
Moving Forward: The Importance of Authenticity
As you apply these insights, one key takeaway stands out: authenticity is crucial. In African business cultures, people value genuine relationships built on trust and mutual respect. Networking isn’t about collecting business cards or LinkedIn connections—it’s about creating a web of meaningful relationships that are mutually beneficial.
Whether you’re attending a tech event in Lagos, Johannesburg, or Cairo, or simply networking with colleagues in your office, remember to approach each interaction as an opportunity to learn, share, and grow. This authentic approach to networking will help you build a stronger foundation for your career in tech sales.
What’s Next?
Networking isn’t just a one-time activity; it’s a skill that takes time to develop. Start small—reach out to a colleague you haven’t spoken to in a while, or introduce yourself to someone new at the next industry event. Remember, each interaction is an opportunity to build something bigger.
