Business Networking - The Circle of Influence, the Value of Connection

Business Networking The Circle of Influence, the Value of Connection Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Pagina 1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................................3 WHY BUILD A NETWORK? ...................................................................................................................................6 THE NOVICE: BUILDING YOUR NETWORK ................................................................................................. 13 THE SMALL BUSINESS PERSON: CONTACTS ARE EVERYTHING..................................................... 16 THE CORPORATE BUSINESS PERSON: VAST OPPORTUNITIES ............................................................. 20 UNIONS, NOT-FOR-PROFIT, ASSOCIATIONS, INDUSTRY ORGANIZATIONS… ................................... 23 AMATEUR NETWORKING FOR HOBBIES, VOLUNTEERS AND UNPAID ‘JOBS’.................................. 25 ONLINE BUSINESS NETWORKS: CAPITALIZE ON THE INTERNET ....................................................... 31 GETTING STARTED ............................................................................................................................................... 35 THE ART AND PSYCHOLOGY OF NETWORKING ........................................................................................ 38 KEEP YOUR NETWORK ALIVE AND VIBRANT ............................................................................................. 44 SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................................................ 47 Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Pagina 2 Introduction No matter your profession. No matter your experience. No matter how much money you make. The world runs on connections, networks and referrals! Consider this scenario: You are talking with your neighbor at a backyard barbeque and he tells you that he has to find a good dentist. You pull out a paper and pencil and write down the name and number of your dentist, the one who saved your molar when other dentists said it had to be pulled. How about this familiar story? Judy says her son is looking at colleges this summer. You share a list of colleges you have researched and provide the pros and cons of each, so she can decide for herself whether she should take her son for a campus visit. When we make personal connections with others, we have the benefit of their knowledge and experience and, in many cases, we also have the benefit of their network of personal or professional connections. Consider the caterer who squeezes your order in during a very busy graduation weekend, as a favor to his brother-in-law who happens to be your co-worker. Like it or not, the world runs on influence, relationships, connections and networks. The more contacts you have, the more support you have, and the broader your ‘circle of influence’. If you know how to use these relationships, you can build a foundation and a safety net to help you through the simplest and most complex issues you face in your life. Furthermore, these connections and networks provide special value to a businessperson or professional. It isn’t only the people you know DIRECTLY. Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Pagina 3 It is also the people THEY know who can help you by referral. If you do not have your own business network, there is no better time than the present to begin building that network. You never know when you may need to use your contacts! The best way to define a business network is to think of it as a group of relationships with other people who may be: potential clients suppliers advisors employees your coach car pool members partners co-workers neighbors your manager colleagues choir directors customers classmates professional service providers teachers other members of your group or organization store owners …in short, just about anyone! If you are familiar with the formal business networks that have emerged over the past twenty years, you may think that it is necessary to join one of these organizations in order to network. That is not the case! In fact, if you DO plan to join one of these networks, be sure you choose wisely. Some of these networking events and organizations have a bad reputation and those who join them are not likely to get much support for their money. Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Pagina 4 The real key to business networking is to look at every person you meet (whether in an elevator, in a business meeting or at a neighborhood barbeque) as a prospective network contact. Consider the mutual benefit of establishing a relationship with this person either because of what they do for a living or because of THEIR circle of contacts and references. Remember, the point of business networking is to increase your profit and revenue. The contact you make today may pay off tomorrow (as with a new client) or five years from now. It is no less important to forge these relationships and to maintain them so that they are active and current when you need them. If you still need to be convinced of the value and wisdom of building a business network, consider for a moment those people whose business savvy and influence you most admire. While you may not SEE their network at work on the surface, with a little research and observation you are sure to find that these individuals remain closely tied to their business network. The best business people, the most successful entrepreneurs, know how to form and maintain professional and personal bonds with their contacts. These bonds encourage people to go the extra mile to provide that resource, phone number, or favor just when it is most needed. Of course these relationships are reciprocal, and you can only expect to get what you give. No matter your position in life or in business, there are always circumstances where your influence or advice can be of some help to the other members of your business network. It is that reciprocity that keeps the network alive and vibrant. In this book, you will find information about WHERE and HOW you can meet people to add to your business network, how to build a network, even if you aren’t a businessperson. Most importantly, you will learn the ART of networking. Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Pagina 5 Later, we will talk more about establishing and maintaining a consistent network foundation. Right now, let’s talk about WHY you need a network and how it can provide value. Why Build a Network? Perhaps you are a seasoned professional or businessperson, with more than twenty years of experience. You may be telling yourself that you do not need to build a network. You have plenty of experience on your resume and plenty of knowledge about your industry and position. You are all set! Maybe you are a novice in business, and you feel you and your partners and coworkers can do this on your own. In any case, you are missing the point of a network. There are many reasons to build a business network and it is never too late to start! Here are just some of the reasons you might network:  To improve your work product  To get a better job, get a promotion, change companies, recruit people for your own company, find the best school for yourself or your child  To build your own business, get a business loan, find someone with whom to partner, get a new client  To make a difference in the world, meet new people, establish or renew contacts, improve your social position or your social life. Here are just some of the things you should consider before you discount the important of business networks. Any and all of these benefits may apply to your career and life during the course of your professional business journey. Pagina 6 Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card  Connections to suppliers and potential customers  Connections for new jobs or promotions  Connections to get plum projects or more visibility at work  Business advice and counsel  Assistance with proposals or introductions to bankers, lenders or partners  Speaking engagements and/or professional visibility  Influence and/or positive spin to get an idea approved or a budget increased  Positions that will increase your professional influence (board positions, teaching positions, writing articles for publication, etc.)  Research and knowledge to advance new products or services  Protection in poor or dangerous business environments These are just a few of the ways in which you can use your contacts and business network to advance your professional, personal or financial position. There are many more opportunities inherent in a well-founded business network. Once you establish your own network and bring that network to fruition, you can make your own list! In this book, we will discuss the various types of networks and contacts available to each type of businessperson. Remember that, while this book may address the ‘business person’ in general, any career-minded individual can use these techniques to advance their professional progress, and to make their work life easier. You may be a teacher, plumber, customer service representative, stockbroker, social worker, doctor, or a telephone repair person. Perhaps you have a part-time job or you work at home taking care of the family and the house. All of these endeavors are ‘jobs’ of a sort. Pagina 7 Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Some have more responsibilities, some are critical to the community and the country, others are critical to a family or neighborhood. As you will see, you need not be an office worker to build and use a network. No matter what you do each day to support your family or earn a living, you need contacts. You need a network. Do not be misled by the idea that these recommendations are for ‘business people’ only. We are ALL engaged in SOME KIND OF BUSINESS! Even if it is the business of caring for our own children, or for an aging parent. We all have short-term and long-term goals and things we must accomplish every day, every week and every year. For each of us, progress toward these goals may be diverted or interrupted by unanticipated obstacles. Make your networks work for you. Take some of the stress out of your daily endeavors, and make yourself some money at the same time! Ask yourself how much money you want to earn this year and the year after that, and the year after that. If you are networking to increase profits, you can analyze your networking activities in a very precise manner and make these efforts a tool to help you reach your profit goal. Think big! You may have to build your network one person at a time, but if you want to use your network contacts to improve your profits, you should plan to build your network to 500-1000 people. That’s right! It sounds like a large number, but you would be surprised how rapidly your network can grow if you work at it every day and IF you look at every person you meet as an opportunity to add a member to your network contacts. Before we scare you off, let us clarify what we mean by contacts. That 500-1000 people is your ‘extended network’. In other words, it is the sum total of your direct contacts and those in your outer circle (contacts of your contacts). Pagina 8 Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Often, your direct contacts will provide you with advice, counsel and support. But, it is THEIR contacts that can create a new customer base, provide a new supplier, get you some venture capital or introduce you to the next level business person you need to close a deal. Perhaps the term ‘business networking’ is a misnomer. We would rather think of it as ‘people networking’, because it is PEOPLE that make networking successful. Talk Listen Learn Take Notes Keep a catalogue or Rolodex file (or better yet a computer file or software program like Act!, or LinkedIn) with your contact names, numbers and detailed information so that you don’t have to remember every word that each contact says. This will be particularly helpful as your network grows. There is no need to think you have to figure out this networking thing on your own. After we cover the suggestions and recommendations for various types of businesses and networks, we will talk, in detail, about the ART of networking. You will be well armed with ideas to get you started and with techniques to help you succeed. The one thing you need to keep in mind is that, no matter what type of network you wish to build, and for what purpose, you will be most successful if you do a lot of listening and ask many questions. This is the way you will get information and find out what you can offer your network contact, and what THEY can offer YOU. Knowledge is power. Influence and contacts get you where you need and want to go. Never lose sight of these essential facts. You do not have to be rich or famous to have contacts. Pagina 9 Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card You just have to be friendly and have a reasonable set of tools and knowledge with which to reciprocate you’re your network contact needs YOUR support. Remember that you can get knowledge from many places. So, just because you aren’t a CEO, that doesn’t mean you can’t offer valuable knowledge to others. Read, attend events, listen to EVERYONE around you and look for mutual opportunities, explore on the internet. Something that may seem to be a simple find in the New York Times, may be just the thing your contact needs to know but just hasn’t had the time to research. And remember, you should NOT discount the social events you attend, the evening out with friends at the local pizza restaurant or movie theater. Keep your ears and eyes open and keep that notebook handy! Here is what we would suggest:  Start small, if you’d like, until you get comfortable with the process we will discuss.  Plan to meet and add at least five people to your contact list each week for the next 90 days.  After that, increase the number to 10  …then to 20! It is important to recognize that building a business network is NOT the same as selling a product or service. Though your goal may be to find more clients through your networking, your network foundation will provide more than income. It will provide an expanded resource of more knowledge, more targeted information, more support when you need it and more relationships that will come in handy when you least expect it. When you are trying to sell yourself or your product or service, you are focused on signing the contract, closing the deal, getting the client to say ‘yes’. When you network, you are focused on enriching and expanding a relationship and on finding ways to be of use to your contacts, and for them to be of use to you. Pagina 10 Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card They may help by introducing you to someone THEY know, or they may provide advice on how to approach a prospective client. But you are NOT selling to your contact. You are sharing! None of the recommendations we will make in this book are unique to a particular business environment, though some of them are more appropriate for a particular kind of profession or endeavor. Still, it is important that you read each section of the book, instead of skipping over the sections you may feel are inappropriate for your personal use. We WILL recommend certain networks or resources for each type of business person. However, there is no reason that a novice in business cannot leverage an idea we have recommended for a corporate professional, if they feel it is a good fit for their UNIQUE situation. Before we dive into specific networking recommendations, let’s take a look at the average business network. You may be surprised to find how many ‘ripples’ extend from the center of the circle (YOU!) co-worker office mate work team customer manager competitor association gym supplier teacher classmate banker membership commuter bus driver doctors coach policeman friends YOU hobbies family neighbors volunteering community local merchants government trainer presenter committees board members author fellow speaker teammate mentor All of THEIR CONTACTS Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Pagina 11 Are you starting to get the idea of just how large and diverse a network you can create? You may be interested to know that those people who most often fail at building a network are those who tend to separate the names of their contacts into categories and NEVER the twain shall meet! These people would never think to use the contacts from their inner circle to help them with issues they may face in their outer circle. For example, would you ask your neighbor (who is a financial analyst) to help you put together the financial section of the business plan for your new hardware store so you can get that bank loan you need? You can offer to pay him or offer to take him out to a fine restaurant in return, but it is likely you will get more personalized attention and a more frank discussion if the person really WANTS to help you. If you pay a stranger, you may not get the same service OR expertise. But, if you know your neighbor really knows his stuff, why not ask him? The most he can say is ‘no’! How about asking your cousin to give a copy of your resume to the guy in his office who is looking for a senior accountant? Chances are, you will at least get the interview! Think about it! Most people really WANT to help. They respond to requests for assistance and advice because they want to feel important, or because they like you and want to do well, or for any number of other reasons. The important thing is to choose your contacts well and to maintain and good relationship with the people on your networking list, so that you can help each other as necessary. The idea is to first build your network by talking to EVERYONE you meet and then keep a catalog of names, contacts and resources. When you find yourself in a bind and need to dip into your resource pool, you will be prepared. Keep in touch with these people, and talk to them whenever you see them to find out what new information, job or contacts THEY have acquired. Pagina 12 Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Meet and maintain your contacts by: telephone email instant messaging contact in the corridors of your company or school chance meetings in lunchrooms restaurants cafeterias professional conferences trade shows meetings training sessions classrooms airport lounges and gates elevators airplanes hotels on trains …and anywhere else you may find yourself during the course of the average day The Novice: Building Your Network Profile: New to the business world, the novice may be a college graduate or an adult entering the workforce for the first time. While this brave new world of work may seem overwhelming to a novice, the wise person will begin building their network as soon as they start their new job. How does one start to build a network? Well, it’s really very simple. You must first make personal connections. You don’t start by walking into someone’s office and asking them to talk to your boss about a raise. The best business networking opportunities often present themselves when you least expect them. Because business networking is reciprocal, it is best when you can offer to help someone make a connection in return for THEIR help. Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Pagina 13 Business networking often happens outside the workplace and business environs, in airports, grocery stores, restaurants, dinner parties and even at the movie theater. If you are friendly and have good social skills, you can often find out a lot about someone in a very short time and determine whether they may fit in your business network. In any case, you must start by forming relationships. There are many opportunities for research, even as you go through your daily tasks at work. You talk to people all the time. Ask them about their jobs, and what they do. Find out whom they work for and observe them as they accomplish their tasks. Note their relationships with others. If someone appears to have a great relationship with a person in management, notice how they interact with that person and find out more about how long they have known the manager. Find out whether they did a special favor for the manager, completed a project on time and on budget or helped the manager to look good and to achieve success. Understand the politics in the organization so you can better operate within your new business environs. Now consider the type of business in which you are working. Are there opportunities to go the extra mile for a customer, thereby making an impression on that customer so they look for you the next time they come into the store? How about supplier relationships? Can you help smooth the way for a supplier by giving them some assistance with your boss so that they solidify their company relationship with your company? Remember, you never know when you may need THEIR help. So, the importance of reciprocal assistance cannot be overstated. As a novice in business, consider training courses for which you might be eligible and take whatever training you are offered. Pagina 14 Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card This way you will make contacts in the next circle of the network and you may also make a great impression on someone else in the class (a trainer or another student). Do not let these contacts die. Stay in touch by phone or email if you find a valuable contact. Even if it is just a call once a quarter to say hello and check in. Find out how things are going for them and get to know them better, so that, if and when you need their counsel or help, you have already formed a bond. If your company belongs to professional organizations or associations, ask if you can become a member and attend meetings and conferences. That is a great way to meet other people in your industry. If there are association training courses that will give you industrial certification in any area of your business, take these courses. Ask lots of questions during the training sessions so that people notice you. Engage in conversations with other students and teachers during coffee breaks and exchange business cards, so you can keep in touch. Offer to form an email ‘distribution list’ for the students to exchange ideas and information when they go back to work and begin to implement the training they have just received. This is a great way to keep track of people as they change jobs and companies. Don’t forget your ‘old’ networks (college alumni associations or placement services, and personal contacts and friends). Keep track of where everyone is and check in with your college alumni association to keep in touch with others who graduated with you. You never know when you might get a great lead for a new job! Talk to friends and family about what you are doing and about the people you meet and work with - NEVER in a negative way! You may be talking to a prospective employer, and you do not want them to think that you tell tales out of school. Keep the lines of communication open so that you can be ready. Pagina 15 Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Whether you need a good referral for a new job, the name of a good lawyer or an ‘in’ with a maitre de to get a table for your new client at the best restaurant – you just never know when someone in your network can be valuable to you. And, don’t forget to offer your services to others! This will keep your relationships equally useful and ensure that your contact does not drift away! The Small Business Person: Contacts are Everything Profile: Customers and suppliers are regional. Does not belong to any large organizations or associations Many small business owners feel that networking is not for them. They couldn’t be more wrong! No matter the size or type of business your skill in business networking is essential. You may be interested to know that this is particularly true for small business owners and entrepreneurs. Stop and think about it and you will understand why. When you own your own business, you ARE the business. Even if you have other employees, in most cases, you are the heart and soul of your business. No one knows your business better than you do and no one is as concerned with its success as you. To keep your business alive and growing, you have to avoid the temptation to stay within its four walls and get out in the world create a network of affiliations and bonds. Even if you have passed the critical five year mark and are successfully engaged in growing your small business, your network is extremely important to your growth and to fending off the bad times and the emergencies you can’t see coming. For the small business owner, the community circle is very important, but that does not mean she should forget about the bigger picture. Let’s consider some of the networking opportunities available in the community. First, you should think about joining the Chamber of Commerce and/or Rotary Club in your community. Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Pagina 16 In addition, if you have established your business successfully and you have a little time to invest while your employees cover your storefront or operation, you may also want to run for the town board or some local legislature position that will give you some visibility. Create your network by sponsoring youth sports teams, donating reasonable amounts to local charities and events like the ‘Relay for Life’ cancer walk held in most communities every year. Donate products or services for raffle in community street fairs, school and holiday fairs and other events. Another great way to get visibility and build your next level network is to partner with other business people in your community. Look for complementary services or products and offer to give a discount to customers from these companies. Offer to carry your partner’s coupons or discounts in your store, if they will carry your coupons or business cards in THEIR store. Remember, loyalty comes from a personal bond. So, help out wherever you can and allow the other businesses and people in your community to get to know you on a personal basis. You would be surprised how, and when, you might use these contacts if you need support or assistance. A local landmark restaurant in our area employed the same wait staff for 25 years. They were well-loved as business people and had a great reputation in the community. When their restaurant burned to the ground a few months ago, other businesses and local restaurants stepped in (competitors, no less) to employ their staff so that they would have jobs until the business could rebuild. You should also take a look at your local phone book or search online and find professional and other types of services. Call these business owners and get to know them. You will build a network of insurance agents, lawyers, doctors, printers, silk screen and sign makers, carpenters, plumbers, craftsman and others who can help you with services and advice when your business needs a hand. Remember that circle we drew above? Pagina 17 Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Think about the contacts in the OUTER circle – those that belong to YOUR contacts in YOUR network. They are bound to be of help when you need a referral or advice. And, if you ever decide to close your business and go to work for someone else, you may be able to use these contacts to get you a job! Judging from personal experience with you, and the knowledge of your professionalism, skill and reputation, your network contacts are likely to give you a great recommendation. Do not discount your competitors! Consider this example: A local delicatessen owner lost its supplier for deli meats. Without hesitation, he walked into his competitor’s store across town and asked him for some recommendations. As it so happened, a new start-up company had just gotten the local route in there are. To get the regional contract account, this start-up company needed to sign two more contracts with local delicatessens. When the two competitors joined together, they got the benefit of better service from a new, enthusiastic delivery company. AND they were able to carry the name brand deli meats they had wanted to carry in the past when they were individually unable to meet the volume requirements. After that successful collaboration, each deli owner named the other as back-up for events and occasions when they might be booked and unable to take another catering job. So, if a customer came to Business A for catering and they were booked on a certain date, that customer got an automatic recommendation to Business B and was guaranteed the same price. That is what a business network can do for you as a small business owner. Let’s consider another example of a small business owner in a little community outside Omaha, NE. This gentleman owns an auto body shop. He has already built his network with local business people. Now he is working on getting certified with more insurance companies so that he can broaden his scope of influence on a regional and national basis. Pagina 18 Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card After talking to several local insurance agents, he focuses on 2 insurance companies that are unhappy with the local services they are getting in his area. He asks the local insurance agent to give him some contact information so he can call these companies and talk to them about HIS services. He is using the OUTER circle of contacts. Finally, here is an example of a smart local business person who uses his contacts well. Joe owns a printing business in South Houghton, IN. He has developed a good relationship with the local radio station and has advertised in the local newspapers. He keeps in touch with the local businesses frequently and belongs to the Chamber of Commerce and several other local merchant and charitable organizations. One Friday night he is out to dinner with his wife and children and he sees his contact from the local radio station. He stops by her table to say hello and during the course of their conversation discovers that she is having dinner with the chair of the local community arts program who wants to run some radio ads to promote a local art auction for charity. Joe offers his printing services for free, and says that all he would ask is that he can include his business information in the fliers. He also says he can give her a very reasonable quote to print the auction listings for the day of the auction. He provides a quote the following week and specifies that he will give the organization a discount if he will give him the opportunity to pitch his services for ALL of their printing needs. Because of his radio station contacts and their excellent referral, Joe is able to grab this opportunity. The radio station does not hesitate to give him this reference, because he has taken the time to keep these contacts fresh and to demonstrate his skill and prove his reputation. Equally important is the bonus the art organization receives in getting the work done quickly without having to interview and select a printer from the community. So you might say that Joe has just enhanced THEIR network, as well! Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Pagina 19 The Corporate Business Person: Vast Opportunities Profile: Immersed in the business world, perhaps with many existing contacts. Not necessarily thinking of every meeting or person they meet as an opportunity to expand their network Whether in team meetings, training rooms, with project partners, budgeting meetings with other company divisions, industry association or membership organizations, the corporate world enables a lot of networking. Beyond the obvious opportunities, the corporate employee should employ all of the same open-minded techniques as the small business person and the novice to establish their network. Remember that the network is comprised of social bonds and relationships. Whether you run into a competitor at a trade show, give a career presentation at your son’s school or help out in the PTO, Boys and Girls Club or local charity event, you should ALWAYS be looking for networking opportunities. The corporate foundation and industry presence of your company will provide you with plenty of business focused opportunities. You should NOT stop there! You must be ready for all the other opportunities that life presents each day! If you pitch a project to a prospective client, be sure you engage the client staff in friendly contact. Find out the background, experience and interests of these staff members. You never know when you might be able to help THEM, or when they might be able to help you. Here is one such example: Lila was asked to take her team to meet with a prospective client and present her company capabilities. During preliminary telephone discussions, Lila discovered some personal interests of the client’s team project manager, Linda. A week or so after the first discussion, Lila came across an ad for a gourmet cooking class with a chef Linda loved. Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Pagina 20 Lila did not bring the information to the client presentation because she did not want to appear to be bribing Linda with favors. Instead, she waited until after the client had chosen the company that would run the project (it WASN’T Lila’s company). THEN she sent the clipping to Linda, with a handwritten note. About 10 months later, Linda called Lila to tell her that she had changed jobs and wanted Lila’s team to take on a project with her new company. She thanked Lila for the clipping and told her she had taken the class with her favorite chef and really enjoyed the experience. During the course of the project, Lila met and worked with Kevin, a team leader and developer for Linda’s new company. When Lila found out that Kevin needed a reference for a loan, she happily wrote the letter for him. Two years later, Lila’s company went through a downsizing initiative, and Lila was laid off. She made contact with many of the members of her business network and Kevin asked her to interview with his new company as Technology Manager. With Kevin’s reference, Lila got the job, and joined the same company. She got a promotion and a raise without even going to a headhunter to look for a new position. That is business networking at its best. When you work in a corporation, you can also use your job title and position to garner some network attention. Think of the skill and focus involved in your industry and/or your job, and then apply that to appropriate industry organizations. If you belong to a mid-sized law firm, consider pitching an idea to your employer to advertise a ‘free’ event in the community, with coffee and some snacks. You can either organize the event or speak at the event. Pagina 21 Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Talk about topics that will bring in clients and other people with whom you can network and establish business relationships. Perhaps a discussion on real estate law, or personal liability, or estate planning might be in order. Whatever you think will pique the interest of the people you want to meet. For example, MALPRACTICE law might attract the doctors with whom you want to network. Offer to write articles for publication in trade journals (but be sure to get clearance from your company first). Speak on panels or present at trade shows or organizations where your expertise will be noticed. If you are NOT presenting or writing, you can still make a splash by studying the latest ideas and hot topics and then asking an appropriate question of a panel member or speaker at the right time. Be sure you stand up so everyone sees who you are and announce your name and your company affiliation and title so that people will remember you, and seek you out for further discussion. Talk to the speaker and panel members after the presentation and be sure you hand each person your business card. ALWAYS make eye contact, smile and shake hands. ALWAYS introduce yourself with your name and other pertinent information (title or company, interests, expertise) If you feel that person would be a good person to include in your network, find a reason to contact them a few days after the trade show, seminar or speaking engagement. That way, they are likely to remember you! Use your contacts to accomplish your goals for your job, your company and your personal objectives. Do not hesitate to let your boss and HER boss know that you have a strong network! Executives and managers are always impressed when you say “If you’d like, I can call my contact over at Hudson Company and find out what they know”. Pagina 22 Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card In fact, companies today are SO impressed and enamored with the results of business networking that some have even created a new officer position: Chief Networking Officer (CNO) This person is responsible for building and maintaining the value of the company network among clients, prospective clients, community organizations, board members, potential advisors and new employees, suppliers, partners and all others. It is the job of the CNO to enable the smooth flow of incoming and outgoing information and to transfer information and contacts to appropriate individuals inside and outside her company, all in an effort to grow profit and revenue. Unions, Not-for-Profit, Associations, Industry Organizations… Profile: Somewhat insulated by their job or affiliation. May deal with just the people with whom they work. May or may not have business or personal connections outside their organization Just because you are a union employee, work for a not-for-profit organization or a trade association, it doesn’t mean you should forget about networking. Whether you have aspirations to move up in the organization, or you want to jump into a more profitable line of work, or you just want better pay or more visibility, networking can help you achieve your goals. In unions, you can expand your network by teaching apprentices in the school, by talking to people on picket lines, by getting involved in union events and volunteering to help with planning, and by working with or becoming a union representative. Whenever you pass a job or become involved with a job, talk to other members from OTHER unions. Talk to small business owners, builders, merchants and others in your community about your union and what they do in the community. If you work for not-for-profit company, you can get to know the board advisors (often very influential and powerful people), volunteer for fund raising opportunities that will put you in touch with others who have influence in your community. Pagina 23 Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Work with agencies and other associations to find out what they are doing and whether they have common interests. Trade and professional organizations offer excellent opportunities for networking. But, you should also consider ‘interest’ and ‘advocate’ organizations. Volunteering or working with these organizations can expand your network, and put you in touch with people who are supportive, helpful AND (often) influential in the local and regional community and business environs. In the next section, we will give you more ideas for volunteering and working with charitable organizations to expand your network. Consider regional and national organizations like these: MADD Zoning Boards Project Vote Smart Red Hat Ladies SCORE Chamber of Commerce PTO/PTA Guiding Eyes School Board Community Watch Public Interest Research Groups Technical Interest Group eCommerce Interest Group Computer Human Interaction Environmental Organizations ICQ Groups Rotary Club There are many more organizations and special interest groups you can consider. Visit these websites, or do your own online search to find more organizations, associations and special interest groups you can join, or with whom you can work to expand your network. http://www.devdir.org/ http://www.idealist.org/ http://www.guidestar.org/ http://www.nvoad.org/ http://dir.yahoo.com/Education/Organizations/ Pagina 24 Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card http://www.google.com/search?q=interest+groups&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF8&start=30&sa=N http://usgovinfo.about.com/blorgs.htm http://www.nrdc.org/about/experts.asp Remember that you can use all of these techniques to network and expand your circle of contacts and influence. Whether you want to advance your career, help your community, meet new people and make your life easier or just have a larger support circle for those unexpected needs and emergencies, any and all of these techniques can work for you. The ‘circle of influence’ can help CEOs, board members, nurses, union employees, truck drivers, volunteers, crossing guards, and stay at home parents. The only difference is the type of contacts you choose to recruit for your network. Be creative and try to think of every possible need or use. If you are a business person, don’t limit yourself to business contacts. Include people who can help you with other kinds of professional advice or give you references to help you in other areas of your life. You NEVER know when you will need these contacts and you will also find ways to support these people as well. Business networking – in fact, networking in general – is about human relationships, bonding and community and partner support. Amateur Networking for Hobbies, Volunteers and Unpaid ‘Jobs’ Profile: Not a member of the traditional business society. May feel isolated from the business community and have little or no existing influence or network outside the home or their areas of special interest You may run your own business out of your home, attend college, stay at home and raise children or take care of aging parents or, in fact, do any one of a hundred things. Pagina 25 Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Just because you are not a BIG BUSINESS person, does not mean you have to forget about networking. Business networking is about ‘the business of success’ and the circle of influence is important to everyone. So, even if your current network is only comprised of your family and neighbors, you can start to work on expanding that circle of influence. During conversations with your sister, friend, doctor or local grocer, listen for mutual interests and opportunities and don’t be shy about asking for introductions to people THEY know who may be able to help you in some way. Just be sure you can offer mutual support. You don’t have to do something HUGE like getting the person a job. Sometimes, it is something simple! Consider this scenario: Your neighbor is a busy commuter who doesn’t get home until 9:30 at night but really needs to get an estimate to replace a central air conditioning unit. Perhaps you can offer to contact service providers for her and meet the representatives at the house so they can get into the house to analyze the system requirements and provide an estimate. What might she do for you? Perhaps she can hand a copy of your daughter’s resume to her boss to get her an interview for that all-important internship she needs this summer. Maybe she can recommend a great restaurant for your next trip into the city and get you a good table because she knows the maitre de’? As you look for these simple opportunities to expand your network and create bonds, consider the next circle. Perhaps you can participate in charities or other community organizations that will give you a chance to know and ‘be known’. Remember, business professionals and individuals can take advantage of nearly EVERY suggestion we make in this book. Consider how you might leverage these opportunities for business AND personal networking and understand that ANY contact in your network might start out as a business contact and turn into a personal resource, or vice versa! Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Pagina 26 Let’s talk about charities! Get involved with one or more regional, national or international charities and you will find a broad and rich spectrum of people from diverse backgrounds with various contacts and resources. Here are a few suggestions to get you started: Ronald McDonald House Make a Wish Foundation Habitat for Humanity American Cancer Society Big Brothers, Big Sisters Stand up for Kids Red Cross Boy’s and Girl’s Club Animal Rescue There are many more organizations that can use your help. You can find more ideas online and search for charities and organizations that may better suit your taste or interests. Here are a few links to sites that list charitable organizations: http://www.charities.org/ http://www.healthcharities.org/ http://www.independentcharities.org/ As you consider networking opportunities, don’t forget to explore your hobbies and interests. Do you like to ride your mountain bike? How about joining a club that takes trips and shares your interest? You may be surprised to find that these clubs include people from EVERY walk of life, with every type of job and circle of influence. If travel is your passion, you can join travel clubs! OR explore the possibility of going on a travel retreat or travel ‘project’ trip where you spend your working vacation helping with marine research about whales, dusting off old ruin sites or building houses in other countries. Again, the people who attend and participate in these events are diverse and interesting and can greatly expand your network. Pagina 27 Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Consider conventions that focus on a particular hobby. From Star Trek fans to scrapbook aficionados, even the high-profile business person has a hobby or an interest and you might find just about anyone walking the halls of these conventions. Just think, you have a ‘built-in’ common interest with these people and it will be even easier to establish ties. Hobbies and interest groups might include: radio towers scrapbooks mineral collecting photography antiques theater investing treasure hunting whales trees gourmet cooking radio controlled cars herbology environment …and more model trains quilting stamp collecting bird watching canoeing art gardening architecture sailing animals dancing model building dog shows aquariums race cars board games coin collecting baseball biking magic old movies old toys computers collectibles running books tombstone rubbing dowsing genealogy wines bugs yoga spelunking teddy bears poetry history home brews music ham radio origami sewing body building Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Pagina 28 Go to your local library, open a phone book or go online and look at sites like these to find organizations that suit your interests: http://dir.yahoo.com/Recreation/Hobbies/ http://about.com/hobbies/ http://hometown.aol.com/ht.ssp?cid=15000 http://blogher.org/topic/hobbies How about volunteering? It is a great way to get out into your community and rub elbows with community leaders, and people who live in your community and may be influential in their own profession or have resources to help you with your problems or needs. Consider the following volunteer positions (for one time events and ongoing activities): coaching local sports teams community clean up days street fairs, local events soup kitchens fundraisers for parks, schools, etc. library local political activities fundraisers for local sports teams beautification projects singing in, or directing a choir career days at local schools day care centers meals on wheels and senior services auction, wine tasting, other community events town hall, pool or park door to door surveys block party events environmental projects Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Pagina 29 While you may find it hard to envision how you might make contacts from some of these activities, consider this example: Dottie is a friend of ours who retired from her job as a teacher and wanted to remain connected. She felt she had spent so much time at work (in a school several towns away), that she did not really know her neighbors or the other people in her community. So Dottie decided to volunteer for meals on wheels and began delivering meals to seniors and people who were ill or recovering from illness. Through this program Dottie met and became friendly with an older woman named Claire, who would often talk to her because she was lonely. Dottie never imagined she would need this woman’s help. But when her son, Ken, was arrested on drug charges, Dottie was in real trouble. Ken’s friend was traveling in Ken’s car and when Ken was stopped for an expired inspection sticker, a chain of events unfolded that ended in the police discovered cocaine in his friend’s backpack. She didn’t know where to turn. The more lawyers she called, the more confused she became about who might best defend her son. She knew she only had one chance to help him. One day while delivering meals to her newfound friend, she mentioned that she was really rushed and having a bad day because of her son’s problems. Her elderly friend promised to call her son-in-law who happened to be an attorney in a large law firm in a nearby city. The woman’s son-in-law was able to make contact with the best attorney in the community where our friend lived, and ask the lawyer to consider the case. With the right legal counsel, Ken’s case was dismissed, and all was well! Do you think Dottie ever imagined using this network contact for such an important event in her life? The moral of the story is: No matter what you do for a living or how you spend your time during each day of your life, you MUST have contacts and influence available. Whether you want a new job, need information on the best school for your child, want to increase profits for your business, or just need to know you have support when you and/or your family need help – networking is the grease that keeps the wheels turning. Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Pagina 30 Don’t wait until you NEED the contact to find the contact. Find it now and cultivate it, so that you and your network members can help each other when and as necessary. Online Business Networks: Capitalize on the Internet In today’s world, you must consider online networking as a valid option to extend your circle of influence. Online networks can be a powerful tool to reach and engage people you would not otherwise have the chance to meet. Think of online business networking as ‘virtual networking’. Register for podcasts, blogs, conference calls, chat rooms and other virtual networks that fit your business and/or interests. Then speak up during the discussions or ‘threads’ to let people know what you know and to give them a sense of you and your approach to business and to relationships. Do not just lurk in the shadows. Be actively engaged in these groups. Whenever you send an email or create a ‘screen name’ or signature for a virtual network or distribution list, consider the image you portray. Include your name, title, company (if you wish), and contact information and a one line ‘slogan’ or phrase that distinguishes you, your product or your interests. Search online for the market niches and target groups you wish to contact. Remember that the internet has hundreds of thousands of communities and groups. The chances are that SOMEONE has established a group or groups comprised of just those people you wish to target. Why spend thousands on surveys or market mailing lists when you can find these groups and make splash by sharing information or providing advice that adds value. You don’t have to (and shouldn’t) pitch sales or send marketing materials to these people unless they ask for this information. Instead, build your reputation and your value and provide enough profile and contact information to attract the interested parties. Online business networks have, in many cases, replaced the business lunch and the golf courses of America as the most popular and effective method of business networking for the business professional. Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Pagina 31 Just as dating services and ancestry sites have linked people with common interests and provided valuable information and resources to those who have a similar interest, the new online business networks can link clients, service providers, partners and job seekers. Consider these facts:  More than 80% of the internet users in the U.S. use the internet to find and engage contacts and to get information (shouldn’t it be YOUR information they are getting?) about services or assistance.  Over 50 million internet users in the U.S. participate in blogs, message boards and groups where they ask questions, contribute their knowledge or thoughts and generally socialize in a virtual environment.  Bill Gates uses online networking services and is registered on LinkedIn, as are many other business executives and politicians.  Many successful entrepreneurs and business people maintain blogs or boards on their websites or associate themselves with industry online publications. They spend less than one hour of their day checking these boards, answering questions and posting short articles or commentary on various related topics. Some of those surveyed reported up to 25% of their business is now coming from these online contacts. There are a number of considerations for these kinds of online contacts. If you have a permanent site where your information resides (articles on About.com, Yahoo or on your website) you can attract targeted prospects and network resources by virtue of the keywords you use in your articles or commentary. Search engines will lead these people right to your virtual door. You can make and maintain direct contact with others through scheduled chats you launch from your site, or by blog postings where you feature information on a particular topic that attracts attention. Provide a place for the person to give you a profile or contact information and include these people in your Rolodex or network list, noting their interests and resources. Once you have an archive of information to share, consider sending the link to your blog, message board or website to friends, colleagues, suppliers and customers. Keep the information fresh and valuable and watch your network grow. Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Pagina 32 Online communities like LinkedIn, Tribe.net and Ryze offer the opportunity to engage people with the same interests or people whose services YOU need, or people who need YOUR services. One such aspiring entrepreneur leveraged these groups to find and meet people she needed to add to her network, arranging her business ‘blind date’ on LinkedIn and meeting her new network contact at their office. You should be aware that these online communities usually require registration and you must file a profile. So think carefully about what you want to say in your profile and the best way to represent yourself online. Remember, you do not have the face-to-face techniques to get to know each other so providing concise information and substance in your online profile is critical. If you join LinkedIn, you can even upload your address book and the service will tell you which of your friends, resources and contacts already belongs to this group. You can also find groups, blogs and other online opportunities by searching in Google or another search engine for the keywords that relate to your business or interest. Try searching for generic listings like ‘business forum’ or ‘business blog’ or for specific forums that relate to your niche business or industry ‘graphic design forums’, ‘developer forums’, ‘desktop publishing groups’, ‘ecommerce blogs’, ‘online shopping groups’, etc. You can find lists and networking opportunities by searching on Liszt.com or Topica.com. You can subscribe to groups, mailing lists and digests and receive messages and discussions in your email daily or weekly, as you desire. Once you locate a short list of groups, blogs or network communities, we would recommend that you lurk for a little while to get a sense of how things flow on these boards or in the groups. After you have a feel for the group, you can jump in with topical information. Keep your comments short, factual, concise and helpful, and be sure to include your name and other information so people learn to recognize you and your reputation. When you have established your identity, you can begin to ask questions and ask for help from others as well. Remember you are not actively SELLING. Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Pagina 33 Do not post marketing or sales information on these groups. You will probably get banned if you do and even if you are NOT banned, you will not make friends in this community. After you establish your online networks, schedule time during each day to check blogs, groups, message boards and keep up with what is going on. Answer questions and provide value, always with your network contacts in mind. And use this network to get the information YOU need to solve business or other problems. Many people find that they establish two categories of online networks.  The first category is for ‘GIVING’. It provides the opportunity to offer support and knowledge to those who need help or information, so that they can grow their business and network.  The second category is for ‘RECEIVING’ in groups or networks that offer help, support or references. These groups may be populated by related business people who have more knowledge or experience in an area about which the person wishes to learn, or in an online network where the person is likely to find references or resources to help them solve problems or expand their business. You should also consider whether you have the time, knowledge of desire to start your own group online. By doing so, you establish your professional credibility and attract those with mutual interests or needs. Yahoo Groups and other large online companies offer the opportunity to leverage their reach, size and structure to form your own group. If you want to make a good impression, you can offer to help facilitate, moderate, manage or develop the group site or list. Perhaps you can offer some graphic design help, language translation, PR, marketing, financial or legal help, sort through the posts to send them to the ‘experts’ on the site, manage the data base, or write a newsletter. Just drop a note to the webmaster or to the email contact listed in the area of the site or list that says ‘contact us’ or ‘contact me’. Here is a list of interesting online networks: http://www.openbc.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/register?trk=p02c0017reg http://www.ikarma.com/ Pagina 34 Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card http://www.w2forum.com/i/Home http://www.refernet.net/ Some of these are free, some are fee based services and nearly all of them require you to register to participate. If you want to know more about online networking or explore other business networks, take a look at these links: http://ryze.com/ http://www.bni.com/ http://www.biltmorewhoswho.com/invite/ http://www.cfo-pulse.com/index.php?where_from=gc03a http://www.bizwiz.com/index_v09.html http://www.sswbn.org/ http://www.itsnotwhatyouknow.com/ http://www.thevirtualhandshake.com/ http://www.stablepractice.com/ http://www.preznet.com/ http://www.entrepreneur.com/Community/CO_ExpertsInfo/1%2C4586%2C300965----%2C00.html http://www.ecademy.com/ Getting Started Now that we have convinced you of the value of networking, you are probably anxious to get started. Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Pagina 35 Here are some things you can do to get you on the path to building your network:  First, figure out what you want to accomplish. You must have goals against which to measure any prospective group, individual or contact or you will miss critical aspects of your contact requirements or add people to your list that will be of no help in meeting your goals.  Then, figure out what you have in your existing network, and how you can use these people and groups to help you. If you are only using their direct knowledge or advice, you are missing out on a lot of value. You need to reach beyond them to find out who they know and what those people that comprise your contact’s outer circle can do to extend your network and influence.  Now ask yourself: a. How can you get more visibility and how to create a ‘reputation’ in your industry or field of interest b. How to get more knowledge or training so your advice is more valuable c. How to focus on the relevance of the people you have in your network and those you need to place in your network (come up with a couple of clear, polite questions you can ask that will quickly tell you whether you need to focus on this person d. How you can build your bonds and ties: what kind of follow-up should you do after you meet someone, what can you offer of value to affirm your interest in helping your contacts, and to build reciprocity? e. How can you nicely and efficiently find out more about your contacts so that you have enough information to help you decide who to contact when you need help or how YOU might offer help to your contact f. How can you quickly increase the number of people in your circle of influence? g. How can you ensure that you have plenty of options and diversity in your network so that you have any and all assistance you need to meet your goals? Can you provide value and information to this diverse group of people to keep them firmly founded in your network? Pagina 36 Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card  Set up a system to keep track of your contacts (ideally on your computer or palm device). Include categories that will help you easily locate a contact you need to use for a particular purpose. Record email addresses, phone numbers, addresses, fax numbers, names, titles, companies, personal interests, people that your contact knows that may be helpful to you. Sort your mail and files on your computer so that you can easily read, file and find names, addresses, articles and information. Read, copy and file articles, clippings and information you think may be helpful to yourself and to others and categorize it so that you can easily find it when you want to send a copy to someone in your network.  Draft a list of your achievements and accomplishments and use these as a reminder to promote ideas and knowledge you can offer to others to add value.  Practice asking concise, polite questions and listening well so that you can improve your social and networking skills.  Go to events and meet people. Ask yourself if any or all of these people can be useful to you in meeting your goals.  Join groups and organizations that are aligned with your interests and needs.  Write articles and give presentations to build your visibility.  Arrange to talk further with the people you meet. Call them to follow-up on your initial meeting and, if you think you can be mutually beneficial to one another, ask if you can meet them in their office, for coffee or for lunch someday to talk further.  Keep your goals fresh and in focus. Assess your network often and figure out what knowledge, skills, industries, and types of people you should be adding to your business network.  Give everyone your business card and be sure all your pertinent information is on the card. Don’t forget to get cards from others. If they don’t have a business card, ask them to write their contact information on the back of one of your cards and then enter it into your contact data base for reference. Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Pagina 37 Here is the information you should keep on each contact: Name Company Title Address Business Phone Fax Number Home Phone (IF they are willing to give you this information) Cell Phone Education (degree) Schools attended Interests and hobbies Family members Work or job history Where they were born Where you first met What you discussed When you will contact this person again and for what purpose Referrals (other people they may know whose contact information you got or want to get) The Art and Psychology of Networking The ten most critical concepts in business networking are: 1. Get out there and meet people – it doesn’t have to be in the work environment (look at every meeting in every location as an opportunity to network) 2. Focus on bonding not on selling – forget “what do I get out of this?” for now 3. Listen, listen, listen… 4. Find ways to help others – provide referrals and information to build trust 5. Tell a concise story and don’t waste people’s time – brush up your elevator speech (not the one that sells the product, but the one that gives people insight into your knowledge, skill and expertise and makes them WANT to know you better) 6. Build the relationship – the rest will follow 7. Always make your relationships reciprocal 8. Always find events, groups, charities, organizations and functions to attend Pagina 38 Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card 9. Think of ways to write, publish, present or speak in public so that others get to know you and what you have to offer 10. Always say ‘thank you’ and follow up to solidify and maintain your network contacts If you focus on nothing but these ten rules, you will be very successful. But let’s not stop there! The real art to business and personal networking is interactive skills and relationship building. Unlike selling your business, product, service or self (in the case of a job interview), the network is best established by indirect influence and first impressions. That means you have to extend your hand first and offer to help. So, the listening part (rule number 3, above) is critical. You can’t know how to help someone else if you don’t listen to what they have to say and ask discerning questions. Do not pry, but DO get the information. Think of it as a fact-finding mission. Of course we all know that you hope to obtain some benefit from this relationship as well, but in fact that benefit may not arrive immediately. Where many people go wrong in networking is that they expect something in return right away. Remember our friend Dottie, the retired school teacher? She certainly didn’t start out thinking that her meals on wheels friend would turn out to be her savior. While it is true that you should focus on those people with whom you may share the most mutual benefit and interest, you should NOT discount the services, interests or knowledge of those whose influence may seem irrelevant at the moment. Follow your instincts. If you think it would be handy to have that person’s support, then go ahead and encourage the relationship. We mentioned volunteering, earlier in this book. And you may remember our friend Joe who volunteered to print the art auction fliers for free. If you can ‘give away’ some of your services without giving away the store (answer a quick question, provide a referral, use your knowledge of contacts to offer value), your network contact will remember your kindness. Providing these free services to organizations (as Joe did for the art auction) can also be used as a way to publicize your business to prospective clients attending the event. Pagina 39 Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Just ask that the organization list your donation in the program, or allow you to post a sign announcing your donated services. You want people to understand that your time is valuable but that you are concerned enough about their needs to give them a free service or moment. You might offer your financial planning skills to help a women’s shelter figure out how to budget their limited resources. Regardless of how you decide to make an impression on your network contact or on the industry or community at large, there are some basic laws of networking:      Meet as many people as possible Be everywhere! Be attentive and generous Be credible and responsible Keep your name, knowledge and presence in the forefront of your network What do you think might be the single thing that holds most people back from successful business networking? Fear of public speaking or feeling shy around strangers! If you are to master the art of networking you MUST get comfortable talking to strangers and promoting yourself and your knowledge. And you must feel confident offering help and advice to others. Take a class on presentation skills in your company or through a public organization like Toastmasters International (http://www.toastmasters.org/). It is sometimes easier to practice without fear of judgment if you are taking a class in a public place, outside the business realm and away from people who know you. Once you are comfortable with this process, you can offer to speak at local rotary clubs, school career days, Elks, Lions or other community clubs or libraries or organizations where your knowledge may be beneficial to someone. If you don’t feel like speaking in public, you can still practice these skills by starting or joining small groups or clubs (a book club, an investment club or other groups where you have to discuss topics or issues with others). Refine your writing skills and use software tools to help you catch spelling and grammatical errors so that your written communication is always professional. Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Pagina 40 Work on your ‘elevator pitch’ – not the sales pitch, but the one that really tells people who you are and what you do. Don’t use technical jargon or language designed to impress people. No one likes to feel inferior or stupid. Join local networking groups to practice your social skills. Your community newspaper or Chamber of Commerce probably has information on these groups. Participate in online forums and newsgroups and offer to write articles for your local newspaper. The ‘art’ in all of these activities lies in developing your comfort level and skill at networking. No matter how much information you read, you still have to go out there and do it. Learn to listen, dress to make the right impression, be prepared with some interesting questions and topics to break the ice – think of it as a blind date! As you are talking to your new contact, try to think of articles or information you may have in your files that might be of interest to them. Promise to send it to them and then DO SO. THEN follow up to be sure they got the information, and ask if there is anything else you can do to help. When you make a contact and promise to give them some information, be sure you follow through. Be dependable and show respect for the relationship you are building. If you say you will do it tomorrow, then do it tomorrow. In any case, you should always follow-up after your meeting. If the person is very busy, you may not want to call the very next day, but don’t let your follow-up go beyond a week or your contact is likely to have lost interest. Be sure you exchange business cards or contact information so you can make this follow-up phone call or send an email. After you meet someone at a networking event, on the street or in a restaurant, log their information into your file, and record a follow-up date so you don’t forget to call or contact them. Even if you are just calling to say you enjoyed meeting them, it is important to follow-up. If you have a very busy schedule, do not neglect your networking duties. Take a course on time management or read a book to teach you how better to organize your time and tasks. Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Pagina 41 You will never accomplish your goals alone and if you need and want the support of a business network, you must work at building the network – no matter HOW busy you are! Join a professional or industry association and test your networking skills in a familiar environment. Make new contacts there and build a reputation. You can find lists of professional organizations (sorted by industry) at http://www.ipl.org/div/aon/ and http://www.associationcentral.com/, and general business organizations listed here http://www.nationalbusiness.org/. Never stop thinking about networking. When you are talking to someone, try to think of someone you know that would be a good resource or fit for this person and offer to introduce them to your contact. Networking is a constant activity - it is a state of mind. The best network opportunists enter every room, every conversation and every experience assuming they may learn something, meet someone they should know or be able to offer assistance to someone they meet. They WORK the room and the event with specific goals in their mind! Look for the RIGHT people for your network (not just anyone) and strive for a win/win relationship where you can offer reciprocal help – perhaps in a totally different way – providing value and support wherever possible. If you have problems getting a conversation started, don’t resort to questioning your contact as if you are taking part in an inquisition. You can ask them questions that will elicit the responses and information you need without sounding like a judge and jury. Think of yourself as a good network journalist, with interviewing skills that put your subject at ease. Consider these questions:  “When did you get interested in software development?”  “When did you first know you wanted to be a journalist?”  “What is the hardest thing about your job?” Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Pagina 42  “What do you like best about your job?”  “What is most important to you in your business right now?”  “What are the characteristics of a good prospective customer or supplier for your business?”  “If you could tell John Q. Public one surprising thing about your business, what would it be?”  “How has your business changed over the past five years?”  “What changes do you see coming in your industry in the next decade?” Remember that people love to talk about themselves and they hate it when you try to sell them something. Develop a set of 10-15 questions that are casual, express an interest in the other person’s job, business or opinions and gives you the information you need to decide whether this person belongs in your network. Stephen Covey has said, “Seek first to understand and then to be understood.” Be sure you start by finding out about the other person. At some point in the conversation, the person will want to know who you are and what you do. Do not launch into a lengthy description of your job or skills. Remember, the goal is to keep the other person talking, not to bore them with the gory details of your job. However, you DO want them to know who you are so that they will WANT to stay in touch with you. This is where your ‘elevator speech’ comes in – that very short, very powerful description that allows a stranger to define you and what distinguishes you from everyone else, in the time it takes to go from one floor to the next! Instead of saying, “I write code”, you can say “I design custom computer programs that help our clients simplify their business operations”. Your contact does not need to know that you have rehearsed your comments and questions. Pagina 43 Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card But you should focus on keeping the conversation and approach fresh and genuine so the person does not feel you are ‘speaking memorized lines’. The last thing you should consider in the ‘art of networking’ is how people see YOU! When you join a conversation or meet someone for the first time, your new acquaintance will judge you quickly, so be sure you understand what people see and how they may react to the way you dress, the way you talk and your body language. Do you carry a briefcase or a backpack? What impression might you make by choosing one over another? You are not the only one sizing up the people in the room. When someone looks at you, and listens to you, they are trying to decide if you are someone THEY want to know. you appear to be of comparable business or social level, you are considered suitable for further interaction. If you seem to be equal in status, they may feel comfortable with you. If you seem to be lower in standing, you may be tolerated but not drawn into the conversation. If you seem to be higher in status, your contact may feel intimidated. So, it is important to adjust your demeanor and your approach to the person and not just offer a cookie cutter approach to everyone you meet. Dress simply but professionally and neatly. Do not wear a lot of jewelry or wear your hair in an unusual way. Do not wear wild or bright colors. Do not flaunt expensive shoes or handbags. If you can ‘blend in’ with the group, you can talk to high-profile and lower status people alike and find the common ground you may need to further explore your potential network contacts. Networking DOES work! Because you are establishing a relationship and trust with another person, they are more likely to help you, work with you, or offer a referral when you need it. Keep Your Network Alive and Vibrant After your network is established and growing, you need to maintain that network. That means that you have to have a process in place to periodically contact the people in your network. Pagina 44 Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Stay in touch, find out about job changes, catch up on new interests or issues and offer to help. And find out if there is anyone new in their network who can be of help to you. If we do this right, we will continue to grow our network as these changes take place in the lives of our contacts. For example, your contact at XYZ company changes jobs and is now working in a different city for a different company. How might HIS network have changed and how might that help you? How can you be of help to him in his new job? Don’t assume your contacts will stay in touch with you. Whether you drop a periodic email or make a phone call, stay in touch. You don’t have to call every person every time you decide to update your network. What works for many people is to formulate a schedule for follow-up of new and current network contacts and allow room to follow-up with 2-3 older contacts every time you sit down to make your calls or write email. Frankly, even if you had the time to call every one of your 200 or 500 contacts every week, your network contacts would begin to see you as a pest, instead of a resource! Be reasonable in your periodic follow-up and always have something of value to contribute when you contact your networking partners. By spreading out your follow-up in this way, you are sure to ‘touch’ each contact in your network often enough to keep the relationship active and let them know you are still thinking of them. Even if you are adding new contacts to your circle of influence, be sure you do not lose interest in your evolving network. If you are always widening that circle, you are better prepared for advancement, support and opportunity. Someone once did a study in which they discovered that the average person in our society is acquainted with 200-250 people. If that is true, then each of your contacts has the potential to add another 200 people to YOUR circle. And out of all of these people, it is reasonable to assume that a few of them would have some information, knowledge, contacts or references to help you with your business, get you a new job, provide advice or get you a project, or a speaking engagement. Pagina 45 Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card While time may be a factor in your networking, it is hard to imagine that you can ignore this critical success tool when the worldwide web and global competition have so greatly increased your competitive landscape. The fact is that you can use all the help you can get! So, focus on each individual – not on groups, on how immediately YOUR results will be, or on whether you feel you are getting enough attention. Build the relationships and maintain them for the long run. This is not a sprint. It is a marathon! Buy a stack of blank cards with a simple image or message on the front. Once a month, sit down and write out these cards with a quick note to remind your contacts that you are still out here and offer support, or enclose a clipping of an article you know is pertinent to their business, or include a phone number for a referral you think they can use. Track the last contact you made with this person (phone, email, card, etc) and schedule your next follow-up. Every week, call 3-5 people you have not talked to in 90 days or longer. As you go through your day and week, write notes to yourself to remind you to send a copy of that BusinessWeek article or New York Times OpEd page to certain people in your network. Whenever you meet a new person, think about your existing network and try to decide if there is anyone in that network who would benefit from an introduction to this new person. Invite your network contacts to have lunch with you if two or more of them have mutual interests or might benefit from meeting each other. Review and edit your networking goals and alter your networking strategy as required. If you keep your network alive and working, it will always be there when you need support. And…YOUR support will keep the community and business environment flowing, and keep the learning and partnering philosophy alive! Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Pagina 46 Summary We hope you have learned some valuable lessons about business networking, both online and in person. Remember that networking is for everyone, no matter what you do for a living, or whether you are just graduating from college or staying at home and taking care of children. There are benefits to be gained from networking! Remember that networking is not selling – your product, service or assistance will be of value to the person you select for your network (provided you choose the right people) at the appropriate time and only THEN will you make a sale or get a presentation slot at the next big industry event. In the meantime, it is up to you to demonstrate dependability, professionalism and reputation and to show your value by giving your network contacts the benefit of your knowledge or assistance. The real beauty of business networks is that they are built on relationships and human interaction and on supporting one another with large and small favors, advice and counsel and giving THEM business contacts from our own expanded network. You need not sell! It is your value and your relationship with your contacts that sells you and your product. If you have not yet started to build your network, start now. Document your goals, choose the right people and look at every chance meeting, every person you see, as a possible addition to your network. Practice your skills and hone them well so you can engage more people in your network. Use online opportunities, industry organizations, events, charitable involvement and any other activities in which you engage – including hobbies and special interests – to expand your network. If your network is alive and well, keep it that way by performing maintenance activities and follow-up. Listen, learn and build your relationships. You never know when you may need that one contact to help you close a deal or get a new job! Good luck…and stay in touch! Pagina 47 Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Claim your $500,- grocery store gift card Pagina 48