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Networking-How,why and where.
Networking-How,why and where !. Copyright © George Butler
http://www.MoneyFromHome-Works.com
Dotcomology The Science of Making Money Online Download it FREE
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ B. Networking - How,why and
Where ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Dear Friend,
It's hard to be in business today, certainly in the professional
services sector, without having heard the term 'networking'.
Regarded by many as the Marmite of business, it is said that you
either are a networker or you aren't. And if you think you
aren't, you shouldn't even try to do it.
Rubbish!
First of all, networking is essential to any business - whether
offline or online. The business you get from personal
recommendation will be some of the best business you ever do -
they have pretty much made up their minds to use you before they
even call you, and they are a lot less concerned with price. And
it's not just for solicitors and accountants - when your pipes
burst, how did you decide on a plumber to come out and fix it?
Was it someone you had heard good things about before? Maybe you
didn't know anyone, so you called a friend and asked if they
knew a good plumber? Joe Bloggs Plumbers just won the business
of fixing your pipes through networking.
A good way to look at it is not as 'networking' but as
'word-of-mouth marketing'. Because it is part of your marketing
mix - how's your advertising? Local papers? Spot on radio? Good,
good. PR? Interview on local news this week? Fantastic. How
about promotions? Give aways? Offers? All sorted? Great stuff.
Got a website? Optimised for the search engines? Lots of
enquiries from it too? Brilliant.
And how about your word of mouth?
Not enough people concentrate on generating referrals and
getting people to mention their business to others. Millions of
pounds of business is done every year through referral and
recommendation. If you're not getting any of it, you need to
think long and hard about why not.
So you've got yourself to a networking event, you tell the
people there about what you have to offer, and then ask if they
want to buy it, right? Wrong! If you do this you have become the
person at a networking event that everyone wants to avoid - the
one handing out business cards like they're dealing a poker
game; the one who asks you nothing and tells you more than you
could ever want to know about what they do.
So how do you do it? The best way to network is to build trust,
build relationships, to think about what you can do for the
other people in the room before you think about what you might
get. Be a 'people person', be genuinely interested in the people
you meet at events. Great networkers want to help as well as get
help - because they like helping others, not just because it
might get them some business in the future.
Networking is about building a relationship that eventually
leads to business being done, either
between you and your new
contact, between you and someone they recommend, or between them
and someone you recommend. Don't discount that last one - they
have to get something out of your relationship as well,
otherwise it isn't a relationship. If you help them get more
business, they will do the same for you - in fact they'll feel
obliged to.
Where can I network?
The short answer is absolutely anywhere! Remember Joe Bloggs
Plumbers, the guys who fixed your pipes? You don't find many
plumbers at networking events, but they still get referrals.
Networking happens when you talk to your colleagues at work,
when you go to the pub with your friends, it happens when you
overhear a conversation in the bus queue. Networking is about
the impression you leave people with, and you make impressions
all day, every day.
Of course you will make more effective contacts for referrals at
specialised networking events, but remember there are several
different kinds of events you can go to. Some of the most
established are breakfast meetings, which usually start around
7.00am and finish around 9.00am. Meetings are usually weekly and
the format is very focused and regimented. For those who like
this format, there is a lot of business to be done, but it is an
acquired taste. Try it out, but bear in mind whether or not you
can keep up with the regular early mornings and very formal
structure. Also, most breakfast meetings are restricted to one
person from each business sector, so you are not as likely to
meet people you can form alliances and joint ventures with,
which is a very important, and often overlooked part of
networking.
There are also several different kinds of event organised by
groups such as local government organisations, such as race
days, golf days and others. These can be a lot of fun, but are
very often filled with people who are there for the golf rather
than to do business, and you may have to kiss a lot of frogs to
find your prince. Networking events are really a matter of
preference and perspective, and you should go to as many events
as you can at first, and then stick with the ones that work for
you.
In summary, there is a simple and effective way to network that
anyone can do:
1. Get to know people as people, not prospects. 2. Everything
happens after a meeting, not during. Always, always follow up.
3. Give referrals as well as expect to receive them. 4. Keep in
touch on a regular basis.
Best of luck with your networking!
Sincerely,
-GEORGE BUTLER Editor, Networking-how,why and where.
Not long ago, I didn't know ANYTHING about Internet
marketing... However, within just 2 weeks, I launched my own
website AND learned how to profit from an opt-in list, pull in
sales with ezines, make money with Google Adwords and setup my
own BLOG!.http://www.moneyfromhome-worksphil832.blogspot.com.
NEW !!Fantastic 24/7/365 online information mall.Check it out
HERE. http://www.cbmall.com/?storefront=phil8337
About the author:
About The Author.
You have my full permission to reproduce or reprint this
article,as long as you leave the author bio intact.Thanks.
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