Five Steps For Expanding Your Customer Base With Guerilla Networking

Writen by Tom Richard

As a single company, it is impossible to provide your customers with all the services they desire for every aspect of their life; but with guerilla marketing, you can come close. By partnering with companies that provide different, yet complimentary, services to your business, you can create a network of reliable resources for your customers. In turn, your company will gain credibility and strength from the size and stature of the group.

The goal of the guerilla network is to expand your customer base by being a part of a diverse web of companies that will appeal to a wide range of customers. Because your company will be the only one in this web to offer your unique product category, every customer who enters into the web will be referred to you for that specific service.

1. Brainstorm

To establish a guerilla network, you must first consider what other resources could be provided for your customer outside of the products and services that you have available at your company. Get to know your customers to discover what other services they generally need when considering your products.

Could they use a designer to help decorate a home gym for the new treadmill they just bought from you? Or how about pet supplies for the dog they walk when using their new pedometer? Whatever it is, think outside the box! More variety means more customers.

2. Make a list

After brainstorming potential additional services, it is time to narrow your search and prepare for the recruitment process. Make a list of the product and service categories that you think will be beneficial in the guerilla network that you wish to create. Then, list specific companies that fall under these categories. Naturally, you should start with companies that you have referred customers to in the past, and who have, in turn, referred customers to you.

Expand that list by thumbing through your local yellow pages or searching the internet. Choosing local companies will give you the flexibility of working with partners who are able to make marketing decisions at the local level, without the inconvenience of running it by their corporate office first. Add companies that you instinctively feel may be fitting for your network. Do not forget to continuously update this list, even after you have moved on to the next step. The longer your list, the better chance you have at building a large and powerful network.

3. Do your homework

Once you have a substantial list of companies in which you are interested, begin researching them. You will want to know if they are a high-end store and if you want their customers frequenting your business. Determine whether or not the company is one you would like to be associated with. Do they exemplify the values that are most important within your own company? Be selective and remember that you will be sending your best customers to their company. Their service will be a reflection of your company and its values.

Look for companies that have taken the time to create and maintain an impressive website. This will give you the opportunity to learn more about their business and will provide countless opportunities for marketing within your network in the future. You should also try to recruit companies with strong brands, so that your brand will strengthen when you co-brand with them.

4. Establish contact

After you have learned about the companies on your list, you should begin establishing contact with them. Your means of presentation will vary depending on what you are comfortable with and how you feel you will best be received.

A letter is obviously not the most effective means of initial contact. It can be impersonal and easily discarded. It does not demand their attention like a personal visit will. However, it is a simple way to cast a wide net and see what you catch. You should use this method if you simply do not have the time to visit these businesses individually, or if you have enough relationships already established in your community to recruit 3-5 companies into your guerilla network right from the start.

I recommend that you simply ask the owner for a few minutes of his or her time. You can initiate this meeting through a letter, by phone or by just walking in. Because you are not selling anything, this meeting should be relatively easy to set up.

These few minutes with the owner will allow you the chance to determine if they are the type of person with whom you can work. You will also explain who you are and what you will accomplish through this partnership with local companies. Impress the owner with a professionally designed and bound brief of your strategic plan. These professional packets include company logos on a few conceptual pieces that could be used in a guerilla marketing program.

It goes unsaid that this network will generate more traffic for your business, so focus their attention on the benefits THEY will receive from the network. Let them know that you have already noticed that some of your customers would be great referrals for their business. The promise of immediate results will be sure to catch their attention.

5. Follow through

After you have established a relationship with the company, be sure to follow through with your arrangement. Everything you and your guerilla partner agree to do needs to be thoroughly discussed and put into writing. You should set up parameters and expectations of the marketing program and agree on a specific date to begin and end each program. When the regulations of the agreement are clear, both parties will be more likely to follow through and benefit from the guerilla network.

The ideal partnership is one that remains balanced: each company putting in an equal amount of work and reaping an equal reward. By becoming a part of a strong guerilla network, you will be a major resource for each customer's unique needs. Your company will gain ideas, support and loyal customers from partnering companies and your marketing audience will expand dramatically without the costly risk of traditional advertising.

Tom Richard is the author of Smart Sales People Don't Advertise, which can be found at http://www.tomrichard.com, and founder of the online training university http://www.trainactive.com

Is Your Networking Working

Writen by Audrey Burton

Small business owners attend networking events to get clients. Much of the time, it doesn't work the way they anticipated, and they often give up before really determining why it didn't work. They move to a different group and are destined to repeat the same mistakes.

First of all, let's talk about networking basics. In order to get the maximum bang for your networking buck, join a group where your target market gathers and keep showing up. That means to go to every event you can possibly attend over and over so you can build relationships with the other members and they grow to trust you. You are not just looking to get clients directly from the group though; you want them to refer others to you, so that relationship is very important. Also, you need to stick with it for at least several months (depending on the frequency of the meetings), bringing the same consistent message.

There are several basic reasons why networking might not work for someone and here they are:

1. You're networking with the wrong people

2. You're doing it wrong

3. It's just not a good group for you

Determining what the problem is, is the first step.

Here is the biggest clue that it is not you – if you are networking at more than one place regularly and getting clients at the ABC group, but not at the 123 group, it's probably not you. If you have been regularly attending 123 for at least 4-6 months, take an objective look at why it might not be working for you.

If the other members of this group are not in your target market, and they also do not share your target market, that could be the problem. You could be the best dentist on the planet, but if you're marketing to the "Proud False Teeth Wearers Society", it isn't going to work for you! Cut your losses and leave!

Occasionally, it's just not the right place. Maybe the members' occupations or hobbies are not remarkably different than the ABC group, but you're just not getting any business. It could be that they are very cliquey or disorganized. Maybe there is already someone there with the same business as yours who is getting all the referrals already. Don't swim upstream all the way – just find another group.

An important message to get from this is – it's not personal. Nobody in the group is out to get you; they don't even know you. Don't beat yourself up over it – it's not you.

But what if it really IS you? What if networking doesn't work for you no matter where you do it? Maybe you just aren't doing it right. Here are the most common mistakes I see over and over:

1. No clear target market – there is a woman in one of the groups where I network who sells a skin care line. When she introduces herself and her product line, she closes with "…and my best client is anyone with skin!" That does not help me figure out whom to refer to her. Does she really want me to refer every living being I've ever encountered? Clearly communicating your target market – as though you are painting a picture with your words – is the best way to get referrals. The reaction you're going for is this: "Oh my gosh! That's me/my sister she's talking about!" Would that happen with a target market of 'anyone with skin'? Never. The more specific you are, the more likely you are to get a referral.

2. Unprofessional – people, dress up. There are a few business owners who really don't have to wear a suit or other professional attire, but not many. For example, fitness instructors, contractors, artists, etc. - it is expected that they will not be in a suit. For everyone else, dress up. In fact, it is ok to over-dress – err on the side of caution. I know a woman who owns a wig shop. She always wears a pretty dress and full makeup, like I would wear to have cocktails with a friend. During her 30-second intro, she changes her hair once or twice! It makes quite an impression. For most people, wear a little makeup and comb your hair. I suggest you actually have a hair style! You will be judged – dress appropriately.

3. Too many hats – no, this is not another style issue – I'm talking about people who are promoting more than one thing. MLMs (multi-level marketers or network marketers) are the most frequent offenders as they are not only trying to sell their product, but also promoting the business opportunity. Just pick one thing and stick with that consistently. If you mention both every time, the other members don't know what to do for you – don't make people try to figure stuff out or think too much because they just won't.

Conduct a return on investment analysis periodically – once a month at least. Look at the time and money you're putting into your networking and ask yourself if you're getting a positive return on your investment. If not, you need to figure out why before you quit, but you may need to quit. Many people don't want to stop going to the meetings because they paid a big annual fee, but if they continue going they are only continuing to waste more time and money. Make it work, or get out.

Copyright (c) 2006 Audrey Burton

Audrey Burton is a practical Small Business Coach. She eliminates your business overwhelm and gets you motivated and excited about your business! To sign up for her free, monthly email newsletter, visit her site: http://www.TigressCoaching.com .

Cast Off Negative Attitude In A Networking Business

Writen by Clive Green

The success of a business, as it is said, is based on the attitude of every individual handling it. In a network marketing business one of the problems that you will encounter is the negative thoughts that are inside of you. These thoughts can be a burden for you to achieve your goal. Having a business requires hard work and dedication. And casting off the negatives inside you is one of the hard things to do.

There are some things that you should consider in casting off the negative thought that you have. One is to reject fear. As long as you have the fear in your heart, you can never move on in reaching your goal. As Zig Ziglar said, "Fear is a dark room where negatives are developed." These fears can be rejected by the help of your group that can provide wise counsel to you and teach how to fight and reject that fear that is inside you. But ultimately, you should take responsibility and focus your thoughts on the positive side of life.

Another thing that you should consider is to root out doubts. Everyone has their own doubts but what matters here is how you can handle them. In this situation, you should believe in your own capacity to win. Believe that you can do it. You should develop a feeling not to doubt instead of focusing on the most difficult things in your life. If you focus on these things, you can feel the doubt in your self and ask yourself if you can fight it. In this way you doubt your capabilities.

Whenever you are feeling doubt about something, articulate in your mind the reasons why you can't do it, then write down plausible reasons why you think you can do it. The last thing that you should remember to cast off the negatives in your mind, is to realize your possibilities. There is a story of a champion in archery. He had never been defeated in this competition, but one accident caused him to lose his right arm.

He joined again in the competition and became a second placer using his left hand. In this simple story, you can see that he chose not to imprison himself in his limitations but rather to open other sides of possibilities. In managing a network marketing business you should see possibilities in every angle. Don't limit yourself only to what you think you can do. Explore your boundaries and discover your own potential to succeed.

Clive Green is a writer with expertise in the fields of self-improvement, real estate and finance. Look here for some good MLM information.

Translating Networking Into Increased Business Dollars Growth Profits And Success

Writen by Leanne Hoagland-Smith

How would you assess your effectiveness as a small business owner or executive in these critical areas of business development?

• I am a pro-active networker
• I maximize every networking opportunity by asking: Who do you know who...?
• I present myself in a way that is clear, succinct and generative
• I enjoy promoting and creating visibility for myself and my business
• I have a structure that is effective in organizing and promoting follow-ups
• I model a professional look that represents who I am and what I do
• I am satisfied with the bottom line outcomes of my networking efforts

If improving your skills in any of these areas would generate greater income, would you be interested? Most of us would answer yes. The question then is HOW?

First, networking needs to be defined. Lillian Bjorseth in her book Breakthrough Networking offers one of the best definitions for networking that I have read.

Networking is an active, dynamic process that links people into mutually beneficial relationships.

Business really is about relationships especially in today's competitive marketplace where the economy has created numerous entrepreneurs who are all competing for the same piece of pie. With the ever-increasing impact of outsourcing, the pie for many of today's business owners has changed not only in taste but also in size. Knowing the right person or persons is critical to converting networking activities into billeable dollars.

The next step is to plan your networking and work your plan. This is really a series of steps that integrates the communication process, your strategic plan and professional image.

Turning Communication into Dollars

Understanding that communication is a process separates successful networkers from unsuccessful networkers. Effective networkers excel at active listening by:

• Taking the time to listen
• Being present
• Listening using the FOR acronym – Feelings, Open Mind and Retention

These individuals respect the 55+38+7 Communication Rule and many have extended their skills into neuro-linguistic programming. Mark Twain understood active listening when he commented that if the good Lord wanted us to talk more than to listen, he would have provided us with two mouths instead of two ears.

Effective networkers also have developed an infomercial, tag line or elevator speech. In less than ten seconds, these individuals can state what they do. This short statement generates additional dialogue and interest. Creating this short statement is an evolving process that utilizes trial and error. However, the outcome is well worth the effort.

Aligning Strategic Plan with Limited Resources

In reviewing one's sales activity, every effective salesperson understands how many contacts generate how many prospects which in turn result in a confirmed sale. A strategic plan based upon market and sales analysis helps to determine where individuals need to direct and align their networking efforts. These efforts may focus on local chambers of commerce or extend to professional networking organizations. Each effort needs to be regularly reviewed to determine the impact both on return on investment (ROI) and daily time.

Maximizing Professional Image

Professional image is three fold: physical appearance; business stationery and personal behavior. By combining all three of these areas, individuals create greater opportunities for business development.

Physical appearance includes color, fit, and style of clothing. However, physical appearance extends into other areas such as hairstyle, cologne, posture and even vehicles. Effective networkers present a complete physical appearance that is convincing and natural.

For many, business cards are one area that is often overlooked since they:

• Reflect your professional printed image
• Speak to your professionalism
• Communicate who you are

This is the time to revisit the marketing section of your strategic plan as well as your advertising budget. Hiring a graphic artist to create a professional logo will be dollars well spent as long as you understand what your business does. Creating additional stationery from letterheads to brochures is much easier once your printed professional image is established.

Personal behavior encompasses everything from handshakes to common etiquette. By walking your talk, you project a consistent professional image. With much of today's business coming from satisfied clients or informed business acquaintances, maintaining high standards of personal behavior will help to develop additional business. The following statements may help you determine if you are walking your talk.

• I handle all personal contacts with confidentiality.
• I refrain from negative verbal comments regarding competitors, suspects, prospects and clients.
• I treat all individuals with respect according to my company's values statement and my own personal and ethical beliefs.
• I keep my word by responding within a designated time frame.
• I have a positive attitude at all times.

Networking is an on-going experience in which we continually hone our skills. Successful individuals continually network and build upon those mutually beneficial relationships because business in today's global market place is all about relationships.

As The Small Business Coach, Leanne helps small business owners, executives and large organizations to double performance in real time. Click here to learn the Secret of Success and sign up for a free monthly newsletter. Please feel free to contact Leanne at 219.759.5601. If you truly don't believe doubling your results is possible, read some case studies where individuals and businesses took the risk and experienced unheard of results.

One quick question, if you could secure one new client or breakthrough that one roadbloack, what would that mean to you?

Then, take a risk and give a call at 219.759.5601 to experience incredible results.

10 Biggest Mistakes Professionals And Entrepreneurs Make When Networking And How To Avoid Them

Writen by Alexander Alperovich

One of the reasons that entrepreneurs avoid networking is because they don't know the 'secret' steps to make networking valuable and profitable.

The truth is few of us truly understand the full power of building a $1,000,000+ network until we're already several years into a business. Most of us know that we have to get out and meet some people in order to get the word out about our business, but we don't necessarily know how.

If you are not naturally outgoing or comfortable with networking, you may find yourself shying away from attending meetings and events once you have a few clients under your belt.

Or maybe you continue to attend the meetings you've always attended even though they aren't netting you any new business. You know the people, and you're comfortable with them. It's no longer something you dread doing. Instead, you even look forward to catching up with those people you haven't seen since the last monthly meeting.

Wait a minute. This sounds more like socializing, not networking. That's the catch. Something that's supposed to be networking can easily turn into socializing or schmoozing, depending on the attitude you have towards the event.

1. Using networking to try to sell something during a first meeting. This is a short-term sales focus. Instead, it's best to develop an effective plan with my "PAR" Philosophy of Networking, which has a long-term focus on building a $1,000,000 network.

2. Networking in the wrong places.

3. Networking with the wrong people.

4. Viewing networking as socializing or schmoozing instead of making the effort to improve your networking skills.

5. Describing the elements of your business versus focusing on the benefits of the solutions you provide for your customers' problems.

6. Not nurturing your $1,000,000 network by staying in touch, or not responding to requests in a timely manner.

7. Staying in your comfort zone by networking only with people you know and not asking for referrals to others.

8. Attending networking events unprepared.

9. Focusing on yourself and the impression you're making versus focusing on learning more about the people you speak with.

10. Letting your $1,000,000 network database get out of date.

So let's talk about how to approach networking in order to maximize its potential for helping you develop a $1,000,000 network.

Networking is a process of trial and error. There is an infinite number of ways in which you could approach the art of networking.

The best networking begins with planning and taking action. Being strategic in your planning is important to your ultimate success as an effective, caring networker.

If you are interested in sharing your networking success stories or interested to receive more chapters from my ebook "Succeeding in America", drop me a note to Succeed@ImmigrantSuccessNetwork.com I would be would be an honor to interview you. Your networking story could be the subject of one of my articles or my future book. Looking forward to hearing from you. Your in your success in building your network.

© 2006 – Alexander "The Great" Alperovich is the author of ebook: "Succeeding in America" and co-author of the Bestseller book series "Wake Up - Live The live You Live, Finding Personal Freedom." He is also the Founder & CEO of the Focus On You, http://www.BrainstormingPartner.com and Immigrant Success Network, http://www.ImmigrantSuccessNetwork.com.