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Those who have made it to the top and been successful have never made it there without the help of others. By making friendships and acquaintances in your area of expertise and even just related to your field you can build a valuable network which can help you down the line.

The opportunity to meet new people presents itself several times a day and the idea is to capitalize on this and build your network. The more people you know, the better the chances are you know someone who can help you with your next big project or provide you with advice to get you over that next hump.

To build your network you obviously need to start meeting new people and as I said opportunities to do this happen everyday. On the internet especially, you can find new contacts through email, message boards, and other blogs. If you don’t know where to begin, start with family and friends and build outwards from there.

Once you start your network make sure to keep track of it and all your contacts within. Simply knowing that you have a network will do no good if you can’t identify the particular people who might be able to help you. Create a database to record each new contact, including when and how you met and what their interests or specialties are.

Now that you have a network, make sure to maintain it. If you simply meet new people and then don’t interact with them until you need something, chances are they are less willing to help. Every once in awhile shoot an email off to the contact, just to check in and see how things are; this helps to strengthen the bond.

How will this make you successful? Networking is one of the keys to success because it creates a number of different avenues to travel down when seeking help and you will need help along your road to success. Every person in your network could be a valuable resource down the line, learn to treat them that way. If you build and maintain a proper network, don’t be afraid to ask for help because everyone needs help at some point and nobody knows everything.

A network is give and take. You need to be there to provide people in your network with help as much as they are there to provide you with help. Be sure that you value your network and you will find it to be an invaluable tool on your way to success.

This post was guest blogged by Erik Karey. He has his own blog at ErikKarey.com where he discuses ways to make money online and how to be successful while he works towards his goal of being an internet entrepreneur.