Networking used to take a lot more work. For each contact you'd have to make a phone call, send them a letter, or run into them at an event. Now you can Snapchat them, connect on LinkedIn, respond to their Tweet...You get the idea. But now that there are so many more connections available to you, you need to figure out how to manage them!

ALSO: How To Get The Most Out Of A Networking Event

Networking is one of the key things that make you stand out from the competition. But it's not enough to meet people once and then become Facebook Friends. You need to maintain those relationships. One way to help with this is to break your connections down into 5 specific subgroups. Here are the groups suggested by Inc. magazine:

1. Database: Everyone in your contact that you've interfaced with (email, phone, speaking engagements, rolodex, Twitter), this is the largest group.

2. Network: Your friends and family network, alumni network (example: University of Florida alumni), or business network, these are specific sub-groups but people you trust. They should rarely go over 200 contacts, and to determine if someone is in your network, consider if they would immediately return your phone call. If they get back to you, then they are in.

3. Inner Circle: Ideally about 50 people who can rotate annually and give you candid career feedback about your career. Darling likes to put together a survey at Surveymonkey.com every two years so these people can give her honest thoughts without fear of offending her.

4. Personal Board of Advisers: 5-6 individuals you are particularly close with and who should be your go-to network for advice that not only touches on your career, but on you. How are you doing as a person?

5. Friends, Family, and Fools: The most obvious group, these are people who probably like you because they either have to, or they just do.

Having these 5 subgroups will help you prioritize, rather than trying to maintain relationships with 200+ people all the time. Remember, you need to build relationships with people before you need them. Don't wait until you need someone to decide to engage with them.

Want a great opportunity to network with business owners, leaders, and potential clients? Join our free Meetup group to find out about the next BizX networking event.