Work Your Network

Writen by David Newman

If you're networking with strangers, you're wasting your time. A consultant friend of mine recently complained, "I'm doing 2-3 networking events a week – and I'm worn out." When I asked why she felt networking was important, she replied, "One of my marketing goals is to do at least 1 networking event a week." (I pointed out that she just admitted to doing 2-3 a week – and perhaps doing 1 a week is smart and doing triple that goal is causing some of the fatigue.) But there's much more to the great American business myth of networking.

Myth 1: The more you network, the more effective your networking activities become.

Truth 1: It's much more important to become well-known in 1-2 circles than to spread your networking activities over many different groups. Depth beats breadth every time.

I then asked her how networking was working for her. She said, "I don't think I have gotten a shred of business out of it in the last six months." Her rationale for doing networking: "Everybody knows that you build a business by networking!" Does this make any sense? Or worse, does it sound familiar?

See if this networking scenario has happened to you:

You meet someone for 30 seconds. They mumble something about real estate as you are tuning them out. They ask you what you do, and you say you are in insurance. After 10 seconds of staring blankly at each other, you both head to the celery sticks for lack of anything better to do.

Myth 2: The cocktails and miniature wiener circuit is the way to network to success

Truth 2: Networking with strangers to build business is about as effective as going to a bar to get married. In the words of Dr. Phil, "It simply ain't gonna happen that way."

Here's why you're not going to meet your business soul mate at a networking event:

1) You aren't going to do business with someone after meeting them for a few minutes and getting handed a poorly printed card.

2) Businesses are built on relationships and not "30-second commercials," no matter how effective and intriguing.

3) Most of us have major trouble in explaining what we do, much less getting past that explanation and listening for what prospects need.

4) Networking with strangers is not targeted or specific and in fact is completely random. For some people, networking is exactly as effective as cold calling, which is the least effective marketing tool there is.

So am I saying that networking is a waste of time? Absolutely not. What I'm saying is you need to start networking smarter.

Here are a few thoughts to jog your noggin:

* Network by having coffee or lunch with people one on one. Get to know them and their business. They may become a prospect, alliance partner, or referral source. But aim first and foremost to make them a friend. The rest will follow naturally.

* If you're going to network with strangers, go with the goal of making 2-3 lunch or coffee dates with people you find interesting.

* Ask every happy customer you have (they're all happy, right?) for just one referral of someone who would be interested in your type of goods or services, then call and use their name. ("Hi I'm Fred and Ginger said I should call you. Isn't Ginger great?") You already have one thing in common – Ginger!

* Create a network "hit list" of the exact kind of businesses you want to network with – maybe you sell software and you want to meet IT managers at medium-size companies. Make the list and put it in your little black book or PDA. Focus your networking and outreach activities on only those people – or others who can refer you to those people.

* Join non-business groups and spend time doing non-business activities: Civic, social, religious, recreational, musical, athletic... the list is endless. Establish relationships with people in your group. Perhaps you're a Moose and a realtor. A Moose, as it turns out, wants to by a house from another Moose. If so, you have the Moose Market cornered! Are you into hand-drumming. Guess what? A hand-drummer will want to do business with another hand-drummer. Get it?

* If you do go to a "mixer" go with a targeted goal in mind. For example, your goal might be "to meet three people on my target list and get their card so I can follow up for breakfast, lunch, coffee or badminton." A traditional "networking event" now becomes simply the first phase of your targeted plan for global domination, and not an end in itself.

Here's a final thought to shake up your networking mindset: Network with people who already know you, like you, or have done business with you.

Myth 3: Networking is all about getting more people to know what you do.

Truth 3: Networking is all about getting people that already know you to share opportunities where you can be helpful to each other.

Make 2-3 phone calls a day to connect with people from past jobs, former clients, or influential people who have expressed interest in you in the past.

We all have a "fan base" that we grossly underutilize.

Think about tapping into friends, colleagues, mentors, and family to mine the connections you already have at your fingertips.

So get out there and network – but make it worth your investment of time and energy by networking smart. As your mother always said, "Don't network with strangers."

Marketing and innovation expert David Newman has written 8 books and has been quoted in dozens of national media outlets. David is also a sought-after speaker and seminar leader. Visit http://www.unconsulting.com for more free articles and resources.

Womens Networking Heaven Or Hell

Writen by Diana Horner

Is your networking group inclusive and interesting, or dull and demotivating? Would you be better off at Starbucks with a mixed bunch of entrepreneurs?

We are all supposed to get 'out there' and 'network'. Cue collective groaning, and creative avoidance techniques to avoid the tension inducing prospect that is networking. I sympathise, really, even having run a really enjoyable networking group myself, I am not blind to the pitfalls.

Even if you have managed to find the group that perfectly suits you, and more importantly, your business aims, it is likely that you sometimes suffer from post networking stress syndrome. Was it worth it? Why do I talk to the same people each time? Is it worth the effort?

Time to act. Why do you network?

1. To find new customers?
2. To engineer meetings with decision makers?
3. To listen to the experiences of others in business or starting up?
4. To enjoy some social contact with other business people?
5. To raise your profile?

If you answered yes to 1) and 2), and no to the others, you probably need to rethink. Of course, it is possible to pick up business, if you regularly talk to the same people and they come to know you as a potential supplier, or advisor. However, if you spend a lot of time networking, perhaps using this as your main new business activity, you could be neglecting other key issues.

Make sure you are paying attention to the other elements of your marketing and promotion too. List all of the things that you do now to get new business, the time you have spent on them, and the results so far. Of course, you need a combination to ensure a steady stream of new clients, and repeat business from existing clients, but you will be able to see if you are spending valuable hours networking, with not much to show in terms of a return.

Your time is valuable, you know this, and you hear it from every business adviser you encounter, but it is absolutely true. Two hours spent catching up with nice folk you see twice a month, (plus travel time) might make you feel like you are working on the business, but examine the evidence, before you sign up for any more meetings.

If you answered yes to any, or all of 3, 4 and 5 - you are on the right track. Relax and let yourself listen, instead of trying to impress everyone, and a women's networking group can enrich your life. Of course, there will be women who are only intent on selling themselves, (figuratively speaking!). I have to admit, alarm bells tend to chime when I hear NLP in a conversation (really, is it not common sense??) The trick is, to use the usually friendly environment that a female networking event provides, to hone your communication skills and talk about your business. Volunteer to present your 30 second pitch if offered, and ask for feedback.

Finding networking groups for women:

There are now literally hundreds of groups around the country, appealing to City business women, and those in rural areas.

Here are a few regional organisations that would be a good place to start, ask about groups in your area.

UK wide
Women at Work - http://www.womenatwork.co.uk/
The Women's Company - www.thewomenscompany.com
Women Working 4 Women - http://www.womenworking4women.co.uk/
One Woman Business - www.onewomanbusiness.co.uk
Everywoman - www.everywoman.co.uk

London/South
The Womens Networking Company - www.thewomensnetworkingcompany.com
Aurora - www.auroravoice.com/
Women in Business - http://www.wib-org.uk/

Midlands
FATIMA Women's Network - http://www.fatima-network.com
Women involved in Successful Enterprise WiiSE - www.derbyshirechamber.com/cms/9.html

West
Business Support Network www.businesssupportnetwork.com

East
Women on Top - www.women-on-top.co.uk

North West
Women's Business Network - www.wbn.org.uk
Winning Women - www.winningwomen.co.uk

North East
Women into the Network - www.networkingwomen.co.uk

Northern Ireland
Women in Business Network - http://www.womeninbusinessnetwork.org.uk/

Republic of Ireland
Network Ireland - www.networkireland.ie

Scotland
Scottish Business Women www.scottishbusinesswomen.co.uk

Wales
Vale Womens Business Network www.vwbn.org.uk

International
Commonwealth Business Women's Network http://www.cbwn.net

About the Author Diana Horner has been interested in helping women run successful businesses since she started her first business in 1999. As well as establishing a highly successful woman's networking group and organising a series of events aimed at women in business, Diana now runs Enterprising Woman - an online magazine aimed at helping and motivating women starting and running their own businesses. Enterprising Woman is a growing community for finding information, sharing experiences and collecting tips from other women entrepreneurs. To read the latest issue of Enterprising Woman, packed with interesting articles and practical tips, visit http://www.enterprisingwoman.co.uk!

Powerful Networking With An Effective Introduction

Writen by Larry Baltz

You're sitting in a room full of eager business owners at a networking event. One by one, everyone stands up and introduces themselves, hopefully gaining the opportunity to find one or two new prospects in the crowd.

Unfortunately, most business people stink at Introductions.

Take for instance the remarks made at a recent event I attended. A hotel sales rep introduced himself and stated that his hotel offered beds, meals and meeting rooms. Oh really? How many hundreds of hotels offer that, I thought. What he said was essentially the same introduction used by all the hotel sales people in the room that day.

What if one of them had said something like this?

"Hi, my name is Bob, sales manager with Big City Hotel. Sure, we have meals and beds and meeting rooms like all the other hotels. But they don't have Ruth, our front desk supervisor who's been serving our guests for more than 22 years. Her only responsibility is to help you have an extraordinary stay at our hotel."

Which hotel has the best chance to get your business? The one with meals, and beds and rooms, or the one with all that, plus a great staff.

And Bob can strengthen his relationship with his audience at the next meeting. What happens if he brings Ruth with him and lets her introduce herself during the Introductions? Talk about making an impression on the crowd! By the time the meeting is over, everyone there will be best friends with Ruth.

As good as that is, Bob isn't done yet. He can make a bigger value statement at the next meeting. This time Bob quickly introduces himself and then plays a short recording:

"Hi, this is Tom, sales director at XYZ Company. We had our annual sales meeting at Big City Hotel a few months ago and it was the best we've ever had. Ruth and her staff waited on our people and took care of everything we needed. She was fantastic."

Now that's an Introduction. So the next time you're attending a networking event, can you introduce your value to your audience when you introduce yourself? What is a benefit you can highlight that none of your competitors can claim? What is it you do better than everyone else?

That's the best place to start.

Larry Baltz runs a company called More Sales – More Profits. He works with small business owners who want to get more clients and sell more products and services. Larry is a Certified Guerrilla Marketing Coach and small business marketing expert. For his free report, "Knock-Their-Socks-Off" Promotion and Marketing, go to http://www.moresales-moreprofits.com for your copy.

Four Easypeasy Steps To Forging A Powerful Joint Venture

Writen by Deborah Carraro

Developing win-win joint ventures is the fastest and most profitable way to skyrocket your online sales and boost your profits.

If you've been marketing online for any length of time, I'm sure you've heard the term "Joint Ventures." Some of you may know what it means, some of you may not. So let's define the term and I'll share my simple four-step formula for creating a win-win joint venture.

In the Internet Marketing world, a Joint Venture (JV) is a partnership between you and another business person to sell a product online by sending an e-mail to a mailing list. Sometimes you have the product, and your partner has the list. Sometimes it's the other way around. And sometimes you both have your own products and lists and you cross promote each other's offerings.

In each case, it's a joint venture.

Sounds easy, right? It can be with the right product and the right partner... and the right approach. If you follow the simple steps outlined below, you can be on your way to creating win-win joint ventures.

So what's the secret?

If you have a good idea, access or resale rights to a great product, or a responsive mailing list (size really doesn't matter) you are a perfect candidate to create a winning JV.

Secret #1: Do It Now!

Just like Nike, you'll never get anywhere if you sit in front of your computer with your great idea locked up inside you. Take a risk - ask the question. Identify potential partners and get in touch to share your idea. The worst thing they can say is no. Just do it! You don't have to have a big name or million dollar reputation to approach someone on a JV. What matters most is the fit of your product or service to their list, or visa versa.

Secret #2: Approach The Right Partners

We all know the names of the big Internet Marketing players: Alex, Armand, Michael... these are the guys with millions of names on their lists. "Wow... he has a huge list... I can make a fortune!" Not necessarily. While a big list is appealing, what matters most is the fit.

So who do you approach? If you sell custom chia pet designs, don't approach Armand Morin. Chances are, your service isn't right for his market. If you sell wedding planning services, approach a wedding officiant. The trick is to approach people who offer products / services that complement, but don't compete with, your offerings.

Secret #3: Get Personal

Getting up close and personal is the best way to JV success. Do your homework: visit the potential partner's website, try some of their products and find out the names of the key players in the organization. Learn all you can about their business and don't ignore the human factor - learn about their quirks and personality. You can learn a lot about a person by the words they use to express themselves or by the words that others choose to talk about them.

When you're ready to approach, let your own personality shine through. Write your email in such a way to be personal, and to the point but make sure you stand out from the crowd. A form letter won't grab someone's attention.

Secret #4: Think Win-Win

The best Joint Ventures are those where both parties win - professionally and personally. Don't get me wrong making money is good - making lots of money is even better; but great JVs are about more than just the bottom line. A GREAT JV is one that benefits both parties and starts a relationship that carries on to the next profitable project.

Remember: No matter what product or service you promote, you CAN find great JV partners to help you sell more in less time. And who knows, you may also create the foundation for a beautiful friendship as well.

Deborah Carraro is the Founder and Owner of Vascorp VA Services. Vascorp VA Services is the marketing support specialty company for solo professionals and entrepreneurs. Deborah specializes in creating infomation products and helping entrepreneurs forge new partnerships and joint venture relationships. Sign up for her free ecourse Introduction to Joint Venture Marketing at http://www.jv-mentor.com. She also publishes a monthly newsletter Vascorp VA Advantage. To subscribe or find out more, please visit http://www.vascorp.com/va.

Learning To Network Is It To Find That Special Person Or To Really Business Network

Writen by Sandra Valente

In the last several years I have come to realize how important it is to network. I have worked with many different people over the last few years and I always make sure to stay in touch with them.

It is important not only because you may need their help in order to get a job but also to help you meet other people that can help you in your current situation.

I carry my business cards with me ALL the time. I don't miss an opportunity to network:

1) I was at the doctor the other day because I had food poisoning and I made sure to introduce myself to a "Pharmaceutical sales person" and hand them one of my business cards.

2) I went to my friends wedding several weeks ago even though I was in the bridal party and had no where to keep the business cards; I still had them... believe it or not found a way, where there is a will there is a way.

3) Last week I took photos of a "sweet 15th birthday party." Not only had I handed business cards to the owner of the hall, but also to the DJ and other business professionals (Real Estate Agent, Consultants, etc)

If you are starting a business make sure that you feel comfortable in approaching people and talking about what you do. You speak to one person and tell them your idea. They may know someone, who knows someone that could use your service. It's all about how you present yourself out there. Make a good impression, be friendly and always smile!!! Don't miss an opportunity because you may never have that chance again.

Happy Networking !!!

I have a business networking website, so if you are looking to increase your sales leads please visit, http://www.trade-pals.com, and start increasing your leads today!!

Networking Your Way To Fiscal Fitness

Writen by Tom Richard

How many times have you said, "I should exercise more." or "I should eat better."? What we should do and what we actually do are often two different realities. Being healthy is probably one of the many things you know you should do, but never seem to make time for.

Networking, no doubt, has also made its way onto your list of things to do. However, no excuse you've made is good enough to let it stay there. Thanks to networking, your next five sales can be as easy as getting to know the next five people you meet.

A common reason salespeople are not spending more time meeting people is because they don't understand some of the basic principles of networking. Networking is more than just getting in front of those who can say yes to buying your product.

A solid network is built when you help your networking partners succeed. In doing so, you will be helping your own business succeed.

The easiest way to do this is to actually provide others in your networking community with customers. Delivering value and opportunities to other people inspires them to do the same for you.

It helps to understand the situation from your referral partner's point-of-view. Like you, they are busy people. They are hurrying to finding new customers, deal with current customers, and put out the typical fires that come with running a business.

By proactively seeking new customers for your network partners, you will remind them to look for potential opportunities for you. Every time someone you referred calls them, they will feel grateful to you. Even if just for a few minutes, they will wonder how they can return the favor.

There are easy and simple ways you can send business to your referral partners. One way is to keep all of your network partners' cards in one business card binder to keep with you at all times. As you are networking to promote your business, you will infallibly discover an equal number of opportunities to promote the business of your network partners.

Oftentimes, friends and family who wish they could help support you in your business are simply are not in a position to do so due to the nature of your business. Teach them to support you by supporting those in your network. So before you let them walk onto a car lot, call an air conditioner repairman out of the yellow pages, or get a picture framed at a custom frame shop, ask them to check your network partners first to see if one of them does exactly what they are looking for.

If are a good networker, you will find ways to constantly send streams of business to everybody with whom you network. If you're an expert networker, you will do it without keeping score.

Your networking partners are smart individuals; they will be well aware of the impact you will have on their business. There is no need for you to expect anything in return or for you to remind them of how much business you are sending them.

Trust in the simple fact that in the long run every customer you send to a networking partner will come back to you like a boomerang. The great service your referrals receive from your recommendations will reflect well on you. At the same time, your network partners will send you business in return. After all, it is in their best interest to do so.

Your job is simply to give, unconditionally, and without expecting anything in return. Let the laws of nature take care of the rest. The end result is an impressive stream of business for you and for those in your network. Remember, a sale for a friend is sale for you.

Tom Richard conducts seminars on sales and customer service topics nationwide. Tom is also the author of Smart Salespeople Don't Advertise: 10 Ways to Outsmart Your Competition With Guerilla Marketing, and publishes a free weekly ezine on selling skills titled Sales Muscle. To subscribe to this free weekly ezine go to http://www.tomrichard.com/subscribe

How To Create A Powerful First Impression

Writen by Josiah Mackenzie

10 seconds. That's all the time you have to make a positive impression with people you meet for the first time. Since networkers spend so much time trying to meet new contacts, it is essential that they analyze their "meeting" approach for effectiveness.

Keep in mind the following suggestions when you meet someone.

Monitor Your Appearance
Researchers at Columbia University found that 93% of how your are judged is based on your appearance and body language. Dress for the situation. Use body language that expresses who you are and how you want to be known. Carry yourself with confidence. Since people put such a high value on how you present yourself, it is essential that you get this aspect right.

Move the Spotlight
No one enjoys people who are self-centered. Go overboard to show that you're sincerely glad to have met your new contact. In her book, How to Talk to Anyone, Leil Lowndes recommends using what she calls the "Big Baby Pivot." When you first meet someone, pivot your whole body to face them, give them your warm smile and undivided attention. Act as if they are the most important person in the world to you at that moment. They are.

Use Their Name - Often
As Dale Carnegie told us, a person's name is the sweetest word in the world to them. Using it often when you meet someone helps reinforce it in your mind, and makes the other person feel important.

Connect with Similarities
People like people similar to themselves. When you meet someone, try to find the common ground between you. Adapt your voice rate, pitch, and gestures to match theirs. Look for experiences you may have shared, and emphasize those.

Be a Good Listener
Get the other person talking about himself. Ask intelligent questions about her experiences. Often, people who are good listeners are perceived as excellent conversationalists by others - even though they don't talk the majority of the time!

Watch Your Words Carefully
Every word you say will be used to judge your intelligence, education, and even your worth. Be careful about using humor. Use the vital first couple sentences to connect with the other person and build a rapport.

If you want to build relationships with new people, it's essential that you know how to leave a powerful first impression. Practice using these tips on the next person you meet, and enjoy the results!

PalPad helps you remember people you meet while networking: http://www.mypalpad.com.

Expand Your Business Using Venture Capital

Writen by Abe Cherian

Venture capital is a possible source of funding for new, relatively unproven enterprises that appear to have promising futures. However, such money is often hard to come by.

Be realistic in your quest for venture capital. Venture capital firms expect a business to be able to return their investment not only with interest, but with a large profit.

Many venture capital firms are affiliated with banks, insurance companies, other financial institutions and large corporations. Some are owned by individuals or private groups of investors and a few are publicly held.

Once you accept venture capital, you have relinquished some of your autonomy and accepted the understanding that the venture capital firm will take a large share of the profits you earn.

As an entrepreneur, you should understand the nature of a vendor firm, before pursuing this as a financing source. This type of investor expects a projected return on Investment that is directly related to risk.

The greater the risk, the greater the return expected. Typically however, an investment firm will not be interested in getting involved with a new firm until the business has established itself in some way, so the risk factor can be determined.

The venture capital firm and its interest usually depends upon the stage of the new firm's development. Once the new firm has established itself and has a working organizational structure, a viable business plan and start up arrangement a venture capital firm may be interested.

However, some firms prefer a later stage of new business development, perhaps when the new company is in its second or third round growth state and needs more capital either to carry out expansion plans or to tide it over until a merger or public offering carries it to the next stage of corporate growth.

A company's business plan serves as the primary analytical tool for the venture capitalist. In analyzing the plan, a venture capital firm would most likely focus on three features.

The product or service- Investors seek product or service innovations that give the company a strong competitive advantage. A new idea, backed by market surveys measuring the appeal of the product or service and its potential market may be tempting to such investors.

Management capability- No matter how good your product or how innovative your service, the quality and experience of the management is a key factor in the success of your business. The astute investor is well aware of this and looks for solid evidence of such skill.

The industry's growth- Investors also want to be sure that your products or services is in a growth field. A significant or revolutionary product improvement, by itself, may not have appeal in a declining product or service category.

Most venture capitalists purchase common or convertible stock rather than burden the fledgling enterprise with interest payments on debt or debentures. They may possibly want more than 50 percent ownership.

Additionally, while the venture capitalists may insist on sitting on the Board of Directors or offering management and technical advice, they are rarely interested in the day to day management of the enterprise, unless its survival and their investment is at stake.

Keep in mind that the minimum investment is generally from $25,000-$1,000,000, but investment ceilings are almost unlimited.

You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter on your web site as long as the byline is included and the article is included in it's entirety. I also ask that you activate any html links found in the article and in the byline. Please send a courtesy link or email where you publish to: support@multiplestreammktg.com

--------------------------------

Expand Your Business using Venture Capital By Abe Cherian Copyright © 2005

Abe Cherian is the founder of Multiple Stream Media, a leading performance-based Internet advertising company dedicated in helping small businesses create online presence, brand recognition and online automation. Main company web site: http://www.multiplestreammktg.com

Abe Cherian's online automation system has helped thousands of marketers online build, manage and grow their business. Learn how it can benefit you too.