Business Networking in the 21st Century - Art of Networkng
Find archives of business networking lessons at www.GenieNetwork.net I have spoken to so many of you who have been to my Art of Networking™ sessions who have had great success in today's marketplace.
"We learn by example and by direct experience because there are real limits to the adequacy of verbal instruction." -Malcolm Gladwell
Today let us discuss the Art of Networking and how to manage all those contacts. How to keep yourself top of mind.
Each month every business professional should take a hour to develop your monthly goals and meetings. Because this is a large part of your business referrals which equate to sales which develops into your income.
Mention the word "networking" - and most people do not understand it or may have some idea of what it is but need to learn the process. Do you really understand the process, benefits and dynamics that link people together? Genie Network is about teaching you that process and connecting you with the right people.
Not every one understands business networking. Networking is a dynamic process that links people into mutually beneficial relationships. A major factor with business networking and having a successful network is the communication between the members of each network. By developing a common understanding of how you can work together, and setting the expectations you are positioned to hit your established goals.
Establishing your guidelines - gives everyone the expectations of how to work together.
Goals - should benefit all parties involved
Contacts - rules of information exchange
Learn about what each does including hobbies, interests what they excel in.
Target audience
Always be courteous and a good communicator
Express appreciation
Identify what you can each offer
Building strong relationships take time to develop; they don't happen overnight.
By using your contacts effectively always recognize that each one of your networks are different and each must be approached uniquely. Diversity in your network with an eye toward the future should include a variety of business sectors and business responsibilities, cultures and geographic locations. In the long-term picture this will provide a more comprehensive group of resources to build your business and your personal network. Taking the time of building your network will allow you to develop the contacts you need to achieve your business goals and success. More lessons on this topic are available on the Art of Networking CD register to receive yours soon.
Many of us spend hours at events. Tradeshows, Networking Socials and meetings where we meet potential clients, referrals or strategic partners. How does one develop them? Why is it some people know everyone and what they do and always have a referral? The difference is they are not a collector. They keep in touch and develop the relationship.
Understanding the principles of business networking and creating your guidelines make finding potential clients and strategic partners easy. You will find them everywhere.
Finding connections on the Internet through Facebook, Twitter or Genie Network directory is an investment in the future. How does one accomplish this? You need to become real. How does one become real with so little time and the pressure to be a top performer at the workplace or in your business.
The ideal way to meet a potential client is with a personal introduction and recommendation. Your database is a great way to accomplish this. By simply making notes on the back of cards, never eat lunch alone remember quality vs. quantity is key. This is not to say you will delete these potential clients from your database. Simply add a note and categorize them. Create a Facebook page for your business. Send notes, emails and make 5 contacts per day to keep in touch. Now watch your network grow!
It is very important to develop a list of 5 categories in your database. The categories are:
Referral Partners
Strategic Partners
Potential Clients
Mentors
Acquaintances
Referral Partners - are people whom you have set up and established the rules of exchanging leads and referrals. You will find them in business referral groups or in business relationships you have formed.
Strategic Partners - are people who meet your client before they know they are your client. Your refer back and forth. This is why it is very important to know what creates your customer. They are the people who meet your customer before you meet your client.
Potential Clients - are you future customers.
Mentors - are the business associates that keep you going in the right path. They are the people of wisdom you seek out when in need. Positive energy and knowledge!
Acquaintances - are business professionals that do not fit into the above categories and you may refer onto others who are in need.
Once you have categorized your database keeping in touch becomes a easy and not a daunting task.
Your goal for the week is to create a list of a minimum of 20 business professionals in each category.
Next week we will discuss how to keep in touch with each category of people in your business network.
Understanding the basic concept of business networking is so key when becoming a very an effective business networker. Don't be afraid to ask for what you are looking for. Not everyone will be a good fit.
Strategic partners and alliances are a key element in all business networking. If you belong to a group and want to learn more check out the Networking Toolbox. Check out the
Strategic Business Referral Mapping - a very powerful tool to help you learn.
As I have stressed over and over the biggest part of your success is ACTION.
If you missed last weeks lesson you may view the archives at GenieNetwork.net.
In summary - Organizing your contact database is very important. Having a plan of contact and how to keep in touch will be vital. By doing this you will cut the fat from your database and keep in manageable and make it work for you.
Your destiny is in your hands. The choice is yours to take action.
If you are in a group and want to begin setting goals please take a moment and review tools to assist your group. Group Exercises
Next week - Business Networking - The people we know - now what? How to do what?
Business Networking in the 21st Century - Are you a collector?
Find archives of business networking lessons at www.GenieNetwork.net I have spoken to so many of you who have been to my Art of Networking™ sessions who have had great success in today's marketplace.
"My future starts when I wake up every morning. ... Every day I find something creative to do with my life." -Miles Davis
Today let us discuss some tips for collecting contacts. Last week we discussed basic networking tips.
Each month every business professional should take a hour to develop your monthly goals and meetings. Because this is a large part of your business referrals which equate to sales which develops into your income.
Many of us spend hours at events. Tradeshows, Networking Socials and meetings where we meet potential clients, referrals or strategic partners. How does one develop them? Why is it some people know everyone and what they do and always have a referral? The difference is they are not a collector.
Are you a collector?
Developing a contact list with the technology and affordable software of today keeping in touch is easier than before. You may call up resources with a click of a mouse. Many of you have a box of business cards and they are doing nothing for you there. This information will arm you and make you a powerful resource tool therefore keeping you top in mind. Today this information will also allow you to "cultivate" and share your business with potential clients, referral source and more.
To get organized the following are some suggestions:
When your exchanging business cards write notes of the essentials on the back. Event, date, where and any follow up notes. These notes should be your call to action. Follow up with all the action notes you wrote on the back of the business card. Set times for meetings over coffee to learn more about each of your businesses. This develops the relationships that build trust and education of each business. Send Thank You Notes! Very few people send thank you notes. This is another opportunity to place your name and business card with potential clients and referral partners.
Scan through the cards you have gathered and work on building the relationships where you see potential. Have a coffee or a lunch, or invite that person to another connecting function. Not only have you met a business contact, now you have gained a friend. What a great way to cultivate new opportunities!
Trim the fat from your contact list.
Quantity vs. Quality - After a very sort while you will find your contact list growing beyond management. With software programs such as ACT you can categorize contacts by priority. You may wish to develop categories of strategic partner, referral partner, potential client or a referral. This exercise of reviewing each contact, and determining the future potential of that individual helps develop your strategic alliances and clients on time management on each. Consider have they contacted you in a timely manner? Their position in their company all have some bearing of where you will place them.
In ACT selecting your network of associates is easy to make choices of the contacts you have met and begin to form relationships from you entire database of professionals. You determine which contacts to initiate by searching contacts in each professional category or need. Because you have committed to the process of business networking you understand that building productive relationships with other professionals is the key to success in today's business world.
This commonality facilitates success in initiating contact with others and of entering into relationships that are rewarding for both parties.
Once you have determined that you can potentially do business with or refer on or simply develop a referral based relationship their are some simple rules to manage the process.
Keep in touch - stay networked! Whether you are looking for new business or a career change you will be more successful with the task at hand if your stay networked. While most people are happy to help you by either taking time to meet with you or spend a few minutes to chat on the phone, their time is limited--and no one likes a fair-weather friend, acquaintance, or colleague. It is uncomfortable for both parties to become reconnected only when one person needs something from the other. This technique is a hit or miss unless you stay networked.
Keeping in touch does not have to be an elaborate process. A simple email, quick phone call or a handwritten note is very key. Send a postcard.
Facebook does a great job of assisting you in keeping in touch. Create a page for your business and invite them to stay updated by befriending you. A great tool. My friend Katie is the Queen of Facebook - as an insurance agent she has written a ton of business by becoming real, inviting them to follow her on Facebook. We will discuss more about this over time. Facebook is more than Mafia Wars.
Associations, organizations, alumni, past associates at a work-place are simple and obvious ways to stay connected. Attending events, quick email or a note of your current activities keep you connected. Building and maintaining these relationships can be easy with the Genie Network. Let your network of business people know what you're up to. This task is easily accomplished today by e-mail or in a holiday card by letting someone know things like "I recently relocated...to do...for ......," you are also letting them know that you'd like to keep in touch with them. Wouldn't you be flattered that someone has kept you up to date and, if they called and asked for your help, you would be more likely to help them if they asked? Once again create pages for your past organization great way to keep in touch on Facebook.
Never eat lunch alone. It's easy to get consumed at work or in your daily activities and just inhale a sandwich at your desk, however, by making a point to go to lunch at least once or twice a week with a friend or strategic partner, referral partner or someone who you worked with not only do you stay in touch, but you can also find out what's happening with other people and other companies and you could receive a tip or a lead.
Former classmates and business associates that are in other cities. When you are traveling on business inviting them to have lunch with you not only beats eating a cold deli sandwich in your hotel room, it is a great way to stay in touch and find out what's going on with friends and former acquaintances. Be sure to reciprocate the invitation when they are visiting in your town. Give network partners, clients, or referral partners something they need. This is best done unsolicited, but is just as important when someone asks you for help. Connect people whenever possible and this exercise will come back 10 fold.
Whether it is putting people in contact with a potential employer, client, partner, etc., or giving them information that could be useful for them, they will remember your generosity and return the favor. Most people are honored that you thought of them. This part becomes very easy when you are not a collector - use your database of your network to share - the more you give the more you will receive.
Take the lead. At your church or synagogue, take the lead role on projects where it makes sense, planning an event for associations. Assuming a leadership position will give you the ability to meet groups of business professionals and make you visible to others in different groups of people. This will also give you the ability to call members of these groups and ask them for information pertaining to the project in common therefore building new relationship in your network. The more you help others succeed. The old saying goes, "It pays to know people in high places," then help others attain these high places, so you can know these people. I personally have always believed the more you help others get what they want the more you get what you want. I have not been disappointed yet.
Understanding the principles of business networking and creating your guidelines make finding potential clients and strategic partners easy. You will find them everywhere.
Finding connections on the Internet through Facebook, Twitter or Genie Network directory is an investment in the future. How does one accomplish this? You need to become real. How does one become real with so little time and the pressure to be a top performer at the workplace or in your business.
The ideal way to meet a potential client is with a personal introduction and recommendation. Your database is a great way to accomplish this. By simply making notes on the back of cards, never eat lunch alone remember quality vs. quantity is key. This is not to say you will delete these potential clients from your database. Simply add a note and categorize them. Create a Facebook page for your business. Send notes, emails and make 5 contacts per day to keep in touch. Now watch your network grow!
As you meet business professionals - ask for (what creates your customer) Who do you know that is getting married this year? I am looking for people who have purchased new toys this year such as boat, car, RV. An insurance broker defiantly wants to meet the person with all the toys. If you tell me you are an insurance broker - I picture the piles of junk mail asking for my business. However, if you ask - Hello my name is (name) and I am looking for the collector of adult toys? You now stand out from the crowd and engage your listener. Are you getting the idea now. Business networking is a way of life, it is a way of communication. It is developing relationships through knowing what to ask for and making yourself unique in a school of fish.
Once you have thought about this it is time to think about who knows your customer.
By doing this exercise you become very factual of what you are looking for. You will talk, walk and think differently. With purpose you accomplish each and every task because you know the purpose is to get you to your next step. It is the way you think about it that make the huge difference. Each step is with purpose and cause. You now know is this person a lead? a referral? or someone to refer to another person for potential growth of their business.
Understanding the basic concept of business networking is so key if becoming very an effective business networker. Don't be afraid to ask for what you are looking for. Not everyone will be a good fit.
Strategic partners and alliances are a key element in all business networking. If you belong to a group and want to learn more check out the Networking Toolbox. Check out the
Strategic Business Referral Mapping - a very powerful tool to help you learn.
As I have stressed over and over the biggest part of your success is ACTION.
If you missed last weeks lesson you may view the archives at GenieNetwork.net.
In summary - Have a plan when you attend functions of networking. Bring a pen, a small notepad and plenty of business cards. In you planner have 5 - 10 lunch or coffee spots to connect with people you want to develop a relationship with and fill them on the spot!
Your destiny is in your hands. The choice is yours to take action.
If you are in a group and want to begin setting goals please take a moment and review tools to assist your group. Group Exercises
Next week - Business Networking - The people we know - now what?
Business Networking in the 21st Century - Successful Business Networking Tips and more
Find archives of business networking lessons at www.GenieNetwork.net I have spoken to so many of you who have been to my Art of Networking™ sessions who have had great success in today's marketplace.
"My future starts when I wake up every morning. ... Every day I find something creative to do with my life." -Miles Davis
Today let us discuss some tips for successful business networking. Last week we discussed strategic business partners and how to network with them.
Each month every business professional should take a hour to develop your monthly goals and meetings. Because this is a large part of your business referrals which equate to sales which develops into your income.
1. Create a list of Tradeshows, Business Socials, Expos, Workshops and Seminars. While some events are based around education many are based on people making connections that count™. You determine what you are seeking and place the events into your calendar that make sense for you. Remember you can also spend too much time at events and not working your business so be selective. One or two is recommended per month.
2. Seek other business professionals that are genuine and professional. Seeking other business professionals that you can trust and create a business network that you may refer to others as a resource or develop into a strategic partnership.
3. As you talk with business professionals at events you are seeking professionals that are supportive of others. Listen carefully you will spot the ones that are only seeking for themselves and not really interested in helping others build there business. You are looking for business professionals that have the same vision and and competence level in business.
4. Develop a list of open-ended questions that you ask business professionals at networking events. Questions that start with who, what, where and when opposed to questions that require a single answer. You will learn more about how this business professional does business with open-ended questions.
5. Decide quickly - your time is precious and valuable at events. Make your decision quickly if this individual is a referral, partner, strategic partner, potential client or not a good fit. If they are a good fit. Set a time to call and meet over coffee. (You should have 5 - 8 spots in your calendar predetermined for these meetings).
6. Become a powerful resource for other business professionals. Become the Go To person. When meeting other professionals that you may not do business with however, they have the same vision and work ethic they may become a referral for you to pass on to others. When someone asks you - who do you know who? You can pull out of your database referrals.
7. Develop a clear understanding of what you offer your clients. More importantly what are the benefits of doing business with YOU. Remember people do business with people they like and offer services they are seeking. Many choose you because of what makes you unique. Learn to communicate your offerings and uniqueness clearly and concise.
8. Focus on the benefits. People purchase the benefits of your service. Do not regurgitate a litany of items and products focus on the benefits.
9. Always follow through quickly and efficiently on referrals given to you. It always amazed me that over 80 percent of referrals never even receive a phone call. My question to you is why do you work so hard for the leads and referrals and never follow-up?
10. Follow-up calls and expressing the pleasure of meeting them is the start of building any relationship. In this conversation you will determine if a meeting over coffee is warranted. A short 30 minute meeting discussing how you each do business and how you can work together in the future is the start. Based on this meeting will determine if you set additional meetings.
Understanding the principles of business networking and creating your guidelines make finding potential clients and strategic partners easy. You will find them everywhere.
Finding connections on the Internet through Facebook, Twitter or Genie Network directory is an investment in the future. How does one accomplish this? You need to become real. How does one become real with so little time and the pressure to be a top performer at the workplace or in your business.
Last week we dove into what creates your customer. Understanding what creates your customer and who you are seeking makes business networking simple and easy. However, it does require a bit of homework on your part. Remember the pay off is huge.
The main key ingredient here is knowing what creates your customer. What circumstances, event, situation or problem has to be present for your product or service to have a solution.
The ideal way to meet a potential client is with a personal introduction and recommendation. This cannot always be done. Business networking clubs are ideal for this. However, many people do not belong to a business networking club but you may create the same effect by becoming a professional business networker.
How does one locate these potential partners. There are several ways.
1. Genie Network national business directory. (Are you listed? It is FREE)
2. Local events - Tradeshows, Expos and Business Social Events. List your events on the Genie Network calendar for FREE.
3. Facebook, Twitter
4. Recommendation from other business professionals - a referral.
Many business professionals have started business lunch networking sessions that are open to business professionals where they can meet and greet one another. Many of them use the tools of the Genie Network.
Let us assume you have your list and you have created a list of 5 potential Strategic Partners you would like to meet. How do you meet them and tell them about the relationship you would like to build. Many business professionals are afraid of making the first initial contact to let them know what they want. Below you will find some easy ways of introduction.
If you locate someone on Facebook or Twitter or the Genie Network directory - you can introduce yourself with a email. A simple introduction such as:
Hello (name)
I am a (you business profession) and I wanted to take a moment and introduce myself to you.
I am building a Strategic Partner team to build our businesses and learn more about how we can help one another increase our business through personalized business relationships. If you are interested in receiving additional business and developing new business please contact me at (phone number and email) where we can set up a time over coffee and discuss how we can help one another.
(Make yourself real here - short and sweet) example: I value my customer and belive they are the ones who write my paycheck. I believe in professional ethical business relationships with my clients and I am seeking other Strategic Partners who do the same.
Looking forward to get to know you better,
Sincerely,
(your name)
This is an example of an introduction email or postcard that you can send out. Remember you are very targeted as to who you are contacting. You are very specific in categories of people.
If you are picking up the phone. Your conversation will go very similar to the written correspondence. Your discussion would be more in line with your intention. Which should be how can we work together and refer business back and forth. Remember you have Strategic Partners that you would be able to reciprocate with referrals and leads.
Now you should begin to understand why it is important that you know what to ask for when you are meeting someone at a tradeshow or event. If you do not give me what you are looking for - how am I going to give you what you are seeking.
As you meet business professionals - ask for (what creates your customer) Who do you know that is getting married this year? I am looking for people who have purchased new toys this year such as boat, car, RV. An insurance broker defiantly wants to meet the person with all the toys. If you tell me you are an insurance broker - I picture the piles of junk mail asking for my business. However, if you ask - Hello my name is (name) and I am looking for the collector of adult toys? You now stand out from the crowd and engage your listener. Are you getting the idea now. Business networking is a way of life, it is a way of communication. It is developing relationships through knowing what to ask for and making yourself unique in a school of fish.
Once you have thought about this it is time to think about who knows your customer.
By doing this exercise you become very factual of what you are looking for. You will talk, walk and think differently. With purpose you accomplish each and every task because you know the purpose is to get you to your next step. It is the way you think about it that make the huge difference. Each step is with purpose and cause. You now know is this person a lead? a referral? or someone to refer to another person for potential growth of their business.
Understanding the basic concept of business networking is so key if becoming very an effective business networker. Don't be afraid to ask for what you are looking for. Not everyone will be a good fit. Some are out of your territory or not interested in helping someone else. Respect this, it is OK move on to the next.
In my free CD and Networking Boot Camp you will learn more details.
Strategic partners and alliances are a key element in all business networking. If you belong to a group and want to learn more check out the Networking Toolbox. Check out the
Strategic Business Referral Mapping - a very powerful tool to help you learn.
As I have stressed over and over the biggest part of your success is ACTION.
If you missed last weeks lesson you may view the archives at GenieNetwork.net.
In summary - Creating a business networking plan and goal for each month will bring you to where you want to be at the end of each month. Following these ten tips will assist you in becoming a professional networker.
Your destiny is in your hands. The choice is yours to take action.
If you are in a group and want to begin setting goals please take a moment and review tools to assist your group. Group Exercises
Next week - Business Networking - How to continue and nurture business relationships and get those referrals!
Business Networking in the 21st Century - I have my list now what?
I have spoken to so many of you who have been to my Art of Networking? sessions who have had great success in today's marketplace. Each week I will share a conversation with you.
"The more I want to get something done, the less I call it work." -Richard Bach
Finding connections on the Internet through Facebook, Twitter or Genie Network directory is an investment in the future. How does one accomplish this? You need to become real. How does one become real with so little time and the pressure to be a top performer at the workplace or in your business.
Over the next few weeks we will explore how to build these relationships, when to abandon a relationship and how to create a give and take experience.
Last week we left off creating a list of five items that create your customer. This list will include a list of event and/or situations that cause the need for your services. Today we will learn how to make the contacts that you need to receive the referrals you are seeking.
The main key ingredient here is knowing what creates your customer. What circumstances, event, situation or problem has to be present for your product or service to have a solution.
Now that you have determined who touches your customer and the need for your services have been determined. How does one meet them and introduce your services to them. In previous lessons we talked about introductions. There are several ways to introduce yourself. We will explore how to introduce yourself, what to say and how to make yourself real to the business professionals that know your customer before you get to meet them.
The ideal way to meet a potential client is with a personal introduction and recommendation. This cannot always be done. Business networking clubs are ideal for this. However, many people do not belong to a business networking club but you may create the same effect by becoming a professional business networker.
You have the list of business professionals that will know your potential client needs before you meet them. This is the list you worked on last week - what creates your customer. It is critical to develop the relationship with your core referral partners. These partners are strategic partners. They are business professionals that deal with your potential customer. As in our past example the Florist who knows about life changing events would be the strategic partner. Today we will address how to build the relationship with your strategic partners.
How does one locate these potential partners. There are several ways.
1. Genie Network national business directory. (Are you listed? It is FREE)
2. Local events - Tradeshows, Expos and Business Social Events. List your events on the Genie Network calendar for FREE.
3. Facebook, Twitter
4. Recommendation from other business professionals - a referral.
Many business professionals have started business lunch networking sessions that are open to business professionals where they can meet and greet one another. Many of them use the tools of the Genie Network.
Let us assume you have your list and you have created a list of 5 potential Strategic Partners you would like to meet. How do you meet them and tell them about the relationship you would like to build. Many business professionals are afraid of making the first initial contact to let them know what they want. Below you will find some easy ways of introduction.
If you locate someone on Facebook or Twitter or the Genie Network directory - you can introduce yourself with a email. A simple introduction such as:
Hello (name)
I am a (you business profession) and I wanted to take a moment and introduce myself to you.
I am building a Strategic Partner team to build our businesses and learn more about how we can help one another increase our business through personalized business relationships. If you are interested in receiving additional business and developing new business please contact me at (phone number and email) where we can set up a time over coffee and discuss how we can help one another.
(Make yourself real here - short and sweet) example: I value my customer and believe they are the ones who write my paycheck. I believe in professional ethical business relationships with my clients and I am seeking other Strategic Partners who do the same.
Looking forward to get to know you better,
Sincerely,
(your name)
This is an example of an introduction email or postcard that you can send out. Remember you are very targeted as to who you are contacting. You are very specific in categories of people.
If you are picking up the phone. Your conversation will go very similar to the written correspondence. Your discussion would be more in line with your intention. Which should be how can we work together and refer business back and forth. Remember you have Strategic Partners that you would be able to reciprocate with referrals and leads.
If they do not want to meet and discuss the possibility of working together. That is great too. Do you really want to continue a relationship with someone who only wants to take or give your chasing your tail leads? Thank them for their time and move on. Next. Out of the 5 potential Strategic Partners you will only develop one. Then you need to create the next five and repeat. You will need 4 - 5 Strategic Partners that you will touch base over breakfast, lunch or coffee monthly. One per week. With these meetings you build the foundation that creates loyalty and a good friend over time. I can honestly say that many of the Strategic Partners I have made over the 25 years of business networking most of them are life long friends. We still keep in touch though a multitude of resources.
Now you should begin to understand why it is important that you know what to ask for when you are meeting someone at a tradeshow or event. If you do not give me what you are looking for - how am I going to give you what you are seeking.
As you meet business professionals - ask for (what creates your customer) Who do you know that is getting married this year? I am looking for people who have purchased new toys this year such as boat, car, RV. An insurance broker defiantly wants to meet the person with all the toys. If you tell me you are an insurance broker - I picture the piles of junk mail asking for my business. However, if you ask - Hello my name is (name) and I am looking for the collector of adult toys? You now stand out from the crowd and engage your listener. Are you getting the idea now. Business networking is a way of life, it is a way of communication. It is developing relationships through knowing what to ask for and making yourself unique in a school of fish.
Everyday people meet people and talk to people without even giving the thought of business networking on the top of mind. Business networking becomes a way of dealing with people. It becomes a subconscious way of communicating that comes with daily practice. But the concept is a simple process. Listen for a need - fill the need with a referral or a lead of someone you know. It then becomes a reciprocal process of people knowing people.
If you have not done so already make a list of the five key events, circumstance, problem or situation that needs to occur to create your customer's need. Remember this is what people are talking about. Not your solution or product. They are talking about - what creates your customer. I typically like to use events - having a baby, death in family, new job, promotion, marriage or divorce. These events create a string of needs financially which include the mortgage, finance, investments or a new home or a move to a new home. The people you are talking with are not talking about the way you invest monies or the mortgage you can provide they are talking about the event. So why do you not ask - "Who do you know who is getting married within the next year?"
Once you have thought about this it is time to think about who knows your customer.
By doing this exercise you become very factual of what you are looking for. You will talk, walk and think differently. With purpose you accomplish each and every task because you know the purpose is to get you to your next step. It is the way you think about it that make the huge difference. Each step is with purpose and cause. You now know is this person a lead? a referral? or someone to refer to another person for potential growth of their business.
Understanding the basic concept of business networking is so key if becoming very an effective business networker. Don't be afraid to ask for what you are looking for. Not everyone will be a good fit. Some are out of your territory or not interested in helping someone else. Respect this, it is OK move on to the next.
In my free CD and Networking Boot Camp you will learn more details.
Strategic partners and alliances are a key element in all business networking. If you belong to a group and want to learn more check out the Networking Toolbox. Check out the
Strategic Business Referral Mapping - a very powerful tool to help you learn.
As I have stressed over and over the biggest part of your success is ACTION. With no action there can be no success. Thinking about ploughing the field does not get the field ploughed or planted.
If you missed last weeks lesson you may view the archives at GenieNetwork.net.
In summary - One must always think - what creates my customer? Once you understand what creates your customer you now understand and know what to ask for. Now that you know what creates your customer - who knows your customer. Make a list of five categories of business professionals that know your customer and can provide you with introductions.
Your destiny is in your hands. The choice is yours to take action.
If you are in a group and want to begin setting goals please take a moment and review tools to assist your group. Group Exercises
Next week - Business Networking - How to continue and nurture business relationships and get those referrals!
