One memorable catchphrase from a commercial from a few years back went: “We are going global… after we go regional.” These words were used to drive home a simple truth when business leaders were often distracted by the overarching trends of globalization. Those times have passed. Globalization is a reality that cannot be ignored, and global networking now defines not only a firm’s potential but also your personal potential. 

Going regional is no easy task, but going global involves more moving parts, a broader distribution infrastructure, and market awareness. 

Social networks are abundant in today’s connected society. Ideas that once took months to cross international borders now do so instantaneously. Finding lucrative positions overseas or drawing upon global talent pools is no longer a hit-or-miss proposition. If a business is to compete effectively in today’s modern marketplace, global networking must be a top priority.

Evidence supporting the primacy of global networking in today’s interconnected world is that the curriculums of many universities have expanded to include this topic. Every institution offering an online MBA degree in today’s business climate would be remiss if it did not devote time to this subject matter. These courses tend to emphasize several key benefits that pertain to networking on a global scale and teach professionals the skills to acquire connections across borders.

Enhancing personal employment opportunities

First and foremost is your personal career. Recruiting professionals will tell you that it would be wise to devote 10% to 15% of your time keeping tabs on your field of expertise (where opportunities are increasing) and expanding your personal network. 

These experts will also tell you that the vast majority of new jobs are found by networking. The stigma no longer exists for moving between several positions in a career. Global networking can assist you in this endeavor, as well as helping freelance and contract professionals to locate exciting opportunities across a variety of international markets. 

Opening more access to an international talent pool

The virtual workplace has also opened new frontiers in hiring remote workers from overseas locations. Locating exceptional talent is no longer confined to a local pool of individuals. Having an international workforce expands daily time schedules and paves the way for future business expansion into new markets.

Building relationships in a new market is essential to adapting product development to fit local demand and cultural perceptions. Contacts in any market also have access to their individual networks, which can bring additional viewpoints and ideas to the table. As online institutions produce new graduates, there is also an immediate pool of individuals fully capable of taking on remote assignments.

Creating more awareness of cultural diversity and new ideas

Innovation is key to corporate survival. Business leaders know this simple fact and that problem-solving is always enhanced by having a diverse and multi-faceted staff. A study by Forbes confirmed this thinking. Nearly 95% of directors polled posited that diversity is important to bringing unique perspectives to board discussions, while contributors to the study offered that a diversified group of employees is more capable of creative thinking due to its varied talent, experiences, and skillsets.

Adapting to a changing marketplace requires teamwork, problem-solving, and communication skills that are enhanced when global networking plays a role in bringing cultural diversity to the workplace. Business leaders are recognizing these benefits.

Learning to connect with an international audience

What works in one market may not always find success in another. Global networking entails the ability to connect with various audiences to determine what will work best. Effective solutions typically involve providing a personal touch so that the customer feels an emotional connection to the product.

Building online communities of customers across national boundaries can create individual groups of brand ambassadors. Global networking in this regard becomes a tool to engage more effectively with a diverse customer base.

Expanding markets, growth, and economic value

Expanding markets lead to expanded growth, but international trade brings a host of benefits to both sides of the import/export equation. Global networking is the catalyst for new international exchange, which brings economic value to where none existed beforehand.

There are also a number of key business trends that are currently enhancing the value of global networking. Working remotely had been a recognized trend before the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, but the global shift to a virtual workforce soon accelerated in acceptability. Recent studies have also confirmed that productivity has increased, along with a decline in overhead costs, which had been the initial expectation.

More networking has also spawned the creation of what has been termed super connectors or influencers, special individuals who have thousands of connections and the ability to leverage a broad network for opportunities, ideas, and the sharing of information. The demands for more advanced social and professional networking platforms are fueling more innovation in this arena, and the need to be agile and adapt to new changes will feed upon these new tools.

It is nothing new to the business world that agility and awareness lead to successful business practices, but global networking is now a key driver in this ever-changing marketplace. To go global is now more than just a cute phrase. It not only requires ever-expanding networks for accessing new ideas, personnel, and the distribution of goods and services, but it also necessitates social and private connections on a scale never before seen. 

Global networking is not only the present – it is the future.