One of the keys to building your name credibility and exposure in the industry is to get out there and talk to people. No matter how much knowledge and talent you have, nobody will know who you are if you lock yourself up in your office like a hermit. Allocate a certain percentage of your time toward going to conferences and trade shows to not only learn from the content, but also to meet people who you can share ideas with.

The payoff from networking is two-fold. First, our industry is full of fun, interesting people that are great to hang out with. Second, you'll start to build your knowledge base circle of go-to people. As an example, when we were recently looking at email solution providers to bring on board, I was able to pick up the phone and call a dozen marketers and agency executives whom I consider experts on the subject.

Just like I seek out a trusted circle of people who have expertise in certain areas, others in turn call on me for the same sort of advice on a regular basis, and I'm happy to share. This sort of balanced give and take is a key element to making the most of your networking. It helps establish and build life-long business relationships that will pay off throughout your entire career.