As one famous saying goes, “It’s not what you know, it’s whom you know.” For C-level executives, networking is a great way to expand their personal and professional connections, which makes networking a must-have tool for business growth and development nowadays.
However, finding the right place or application to network can be daunting. C-level executives are often extremely busy with their day-to-day responsibilities and may not have much free time to explore which tools and platforms are worth time and effort.
The KITRUM team prepared a helpful list of the best networking tools and applications for C-level executives who want to maximize their networking potential and achieve their business goals. Get ready to expand your networking horizons and take your C-suite connections to the next level – it’s time to buckle up and network like a pro!
#1 Guild
Guild is a mobile-first networking tool that enables users to monetize their professional communities. With over 6,000 communities powered by this app, you can generate new leads, charge members for access, and benefit from community sponsorships.
According to the comment of one of the users, Nishad K., Senior Customer Support Executive, it is one of the best tools to connect and collaborate with people.
¨Guild is one of the convenient messaging platforms to collaborate with people professionally and it is one of the best alternatives to Whatsapp for creating a network.
There are no downsides so far. As a suggestion, they could add more themes and dark modes for a better appearance and interface. It also takes some time to connect with a support team agent.¨ — shares his opinion Nishad K.
Guild’s admin suite allows you to fully manage your groups with customization options, moderation, admin roles, data analytics, and integrations. The platform also offers a global member network similar to LinkedIn, and you can choose to keep your groups private or make them discoverable to grow your community. You also can sync data with CRMs and external sources using Zapier and Guild’s API.
Besides, Guild provides a dedicated Video Room for webinars, AMAs, or casual chats. Among Guild’s clients are Ecoflix, Burlington media group, the Lawyer, and Manchester Metropolitan University.
The platform has no ads, provides branding customization, and offers professional profiles for all users. By selecting the best plan for your needs, you can create branded groups and invite members to connect, communicate, and collaborate.
#2 GroupMe
GroupMe is a networking tool that provides a full-featured chat service with added benefits. The app’s sub-chat topics enable users to organize group chats easily and find conversations quickly.
¨GroupMe is the perfect tool for team collaboration. GroupMe allows our team members to have immediate and constant collaboration during our workday. When we can’t reach our manager, we can reach out to other team members for answers to questions or to help with completing a sale.¨ — shares one of the users, Tony R., a Sales Consultant.
Groupme also offers the option to create polls, post photos, and schedule events. Users can even invite friends through SMS. The app’s easy and private approach allows users to join and share groups without giving out their phone numbers. With GroupMe, users can find groups created by classmates, new friends, or people nearby. Best of all, the app is entirely free and straightforward to use.
#3 Fishbowl
Do you need to get advice on the big decision? Fishbowl is a valuable networking tool for individuals seeking advice. Fishbowl enables users to connect with like-minded people in their profession and fosters constructive conversations.
Fishbowl’s user base includes over 40% of employees from major companies such as Stanford Health Care, Goldman Sachs, Google, Apple, and Netflix. One unique feature of the app is the ability to ask questions anonymously, providing a safe space for users to seek advice.
Users can engage in direct conversations with industry leaders through Fishbowl Live, an audio chat feature, or participate in Fishbowl Q&As, text-based discussions. With daily events and a diverse user base, anyone can find a community to connect with and learn from on Fishbowl.
#4 Meetup
Meetup is a social platform that facilitates the building and connecting local communities based on shared interests. Through Meetup, individuals can expand their social circle, learn new things, receive support, and pursue their passions with like-minded individuals.
Here is one of the comments about the app:
¨It’s tough for me to socialize. Even when I want to, it’s not easy to find what will work. Meetup has given me a chance to connect with people based on mutual interests without feeling forced to socialize more than I want to. I started out with a movie meetup, something I often do alone. I had the option of socializing after too.
Next, I tried a local place where we could play video games and have snacks or drinks. I then found a group that meets up at a coffee shop to get the paperwork done! I had been dreaming of finding something like this, I even tried to place an ad for a buddy prior to the meetup. I haven’t tried to start a meetup but it’s also a possibility here. I found fellow sci-fi lovers too, who knew ?!¨
Regardless of one’s interests, Meetup offers thousands of communities for individuals to connect with others who share their passions, ranging from hiking and reading to networking and skill sharing.
Over 250,000 women gather in Meetup groups worldwide to sharpen their software development skills, 1.5 million photographers worldwide gather locally to share their love of art and nature, and around 6 million adventure seekers worldwide meet in local groups to share new experiences.
With daily events, users can participate in online and in-person events to meet new people and engage in their interests. Creating an account is free, and users can join existing groups, find events, or create their communities.
#5 Hivebrite
Hivebrite is a French startup that provides an all-in-one solution for community managers in over 45 countries. The platform offers a fully-branded and private space for individuals to build their own mini-LinkedIn or Facebook-like community.
Hivebrite caters to numerous users, including students, researchers, entrepreneurs, and volunteers. The platform features best-in-class tools such as live feeds, media sharing, mobile app, analytics, communication tools, memberships, forums, groups, contributions, portfolios, mentoring, and custom notifications.
Hivebrite is highly adaptable to users’ needs and offers powerful search and targeting filters that empower members to connect and collaborate. Users can share their expertise, find mentors, attend virtual or in-person events, collaborate within groups, and discover job and volunteer opportunities.
#6 Lunchclub
Lunchclub is an innovative networking platform that uses AI to match professionals based on specific criteria over video calls. With the pandemic making it more challenging to meet new people, Lunchclub has provided a solution to this issue.
The service matches users at specified times during the week and integrates with Google calendar to automatically schedule a 45-minute video call through Google Meet. Before the call, users receive an email introduction to help them get to know their match.
¨So many interesting and thoughtful people! I’ve taken over fifty meetings on Lunchclub, and have met so many people I wouldn’t have met otherwise! The way they find your matches is magical. I’ve met my leadership coach, built friendships, learned about different cities I want to visit and their lifestyle, and had interesting projects that people work on! I’ve even traveled to Alaska with one of my matches and built a few close friendships from these matches.¨ — says one of the users.
Users can also specify certain characteristics they would like in their match, such as the type of person they want to meet or where their location. These specifications use ¨club points¨, which users can earn by holding meetings or inviting friends to Lunchclub. Users can discuss various topics during the call, such as business ideas or career paths. The platform is available on both mobile and desktop devices.
#7 Teamblind
Do you want to find out certain information without exposing yourself? Are you shy to discuss some questions like salary with your colleagues?
Then Teamblind is an excellent choice for you!
Teamblind is an anonymous community platform for professionals, primarily designed for tech workers. It enables employees to communicate with each other anonymously and discuss various work-related topics, such as salary, job satisfaction, workplace culture, and other issues that they might not feel comfortable discussing openly.
Teamblind provides a platform for employees to share their experiences, offer advice and support to one another, and get answers to questions that they might not be able to ask their colleagues or managers. It also allows users to participate in surveys and polls on various workplace topics, helping them to understand how their experiences compare with those of their peers.
#8 Breakfast
Looking to start your day with some engaging conversation? Look no further than Breakfast, the app that connects you with interesting people for morning chats over coffee and croissants. From discussing current events to sharing your passions, Breakfast is the perfect way to meet new people and start your day.
In 2018, the creators came up with the idea for The Breakfast, an app that is not focused on dating or networking but on connecting people through conversations.
The app’s unique feature is that users can only take one chance per day. This implies that The Breakfast emphasizes authentic communication with genuine individuals, and its developers advocate for engaging rather than simply swiping through profiles.
This is why every day, there is a chance to connect with a new person.
¨I use Breakfast for about a year and got a list of new contacts and spots we visited together. A couple of people from that app are my close friends now.
And I’m not sure whether I could meet those people somewhere else, they are quite busy with their work and stuff. Glad I got a chance to have breakfast with them and see who they really are.¨ — shares her experience of using the Breakfast, Anastasia Nesudimova.
The app has been launched in several cities, such as New York, Kyiv, and Lisbon.
The Breakfast uses an algorithm called BRIOCHE to find potential matches based on their profile and preferences.
It is suitable for anyone who is open to connecting with others and starting conversations in the morning, regardless of their interests or personality.
Takeaway
Integrating networking tools into your everyday routine can be challenging, as C-level executives typically have very packed schedules. Here are a few tips to make networking a part of your daily routine:
- Schedule each day or week to connect with new people, respond to messages, and follow up on networkers.
- Take the initiative to reach out to new contacts and set up meetings.
- Attend networking events, industry conferences, and other events related to your field.
- Be genuine and authentic when connecting with new people. Focus on building relationships rather than just exchanging business cards.
Using the right networking tools and integrating them into your daily routine can expand your network and develop strong, long-lasting professional relationships.
