15 Ways to Maximize Your Networking Effort

1/ The #1 success of Networking is tonetworking meeting. The buying will come later on.6/
show-up.When you join a group or an organization, itMeet people, make connections, ask about their
is very important that you commit to the group, andbusiness or services. Be curious, ask about
attend the meetings on a regular basis. Weekly orthem.People love to talk about themselves, so ask
monthly depending on the group you choose.In orderquestions and more importantly, listen to their
to build relationships with other members, they needanswers. Use those answers to see how you can
to meet you more than once and you need to meethelp them, how you can assist them, what resources
them more than once. The more times you attendyou can share with them...And, as I mentioned earlier,
the meetings, the more you will get results you willthis will always come back to you. People you meet
achieve. At each meeting, you will learn a little morewill also be able to help you, give you referrals and
about them and their business, and they will learnresources, even if is it not today, the time will
more about you. The more they see you, the morecome.7/ Be a problem solver.People will be more
they know about you, the more they trust you, theinterested in you if you tell them how you can solve
more referrals they will give you.2/ Always arrivetheir problems and challenges instead of just telling
prepared.Conduct some research before you decidethem your story. Blah, blah, blah. Stand out from the
to attend an event to know what kind of people willcrowd. Over the long run, you'll win all the business
be attending. Are they in your target market, will youyou desire.8/ Go to people; don't wait for them to
face a lot of competitors or do you have a clearcome to you.Some people are very shy, and they will
way to stand out from the crowd?Spend some timebe happy if you make the first move. Remember,
on the website of the group that organized thepeople attend networking meetings to meet other
event to learn about them. Do they specialize in apeople and expand their circle of contacts. Help them
specific industry? Does the group focus on small and; make it easier for others to meet you.9/ Go to
intimate events? Or do they pack the room withevents with a friend, colleague, or client, and
hundreds of people?Sometimes I have people whointroduce people to each other.You will be considered
come to my events, and are surprised to see only 12a "PRO Networker." People will think that you know
to 15 people, but it is mentioned on the website thatalmost everybody, and as a result other people will
is what makes Biba4Network and our meetingscome to speak with you. This tactic puts you in the
different from other groups' meetings and programs.center of the group and brings people to you.10/
On our home page we mention : "BecauseGive a professional image.Maintain a brochure and/or
networking is more than just shaking hands anda website. Some people will probably want to learn
collecting business cards, most of our events aremore about your business later, so give them the
limited to 15 people, to drive better results. There'sopportunity to get the information they are looking
more time to introduce yourself and your business tofor in a format they can digest and on their own
the group, more time to get to know each other, sotimetable. Make it easy for people to get to know
more time to get business." So if they had taken ayou.I get very frustrated when I meet someone and
look at the website first, they would have knowncan't understand what they do. Sometimes the
our style and wouldn't have been surprised orreason is that we met only for a few seconds and
disappointed.When you go to an event, it is also veryother times because they were not very clear when
important to have one or two important goals inthey described their business or because I just didn't
mind. Are you looking for leads, partners, new clients,understand. Remember English is not my first
services? You will not approach people the samelanguage, so sometimes I can get "lost in translation."
way, and you want to be sure to send the rightWhen I return home and want to look at their
message and use your time wisely.3/ Never leavewebsite to learn more about them, I notice that they
home without your business cards.Wherever youdon't have a website. If you don't have a website
go-to a networking event, to the dentist, to thenow, put this task high on your to-do list. In the
movies, to a party, always bring business cards withmeantime, at least create a brochure.
you. You never know where you will meet anPersonally, I don't like brochures. I realized that a
interesting new contact, and you don't want to missbrochure wasn't the best medium for my business. I
the opportunity to exchange cards. Writing youruse postcards instead. Postcards are relatively small,
telephone number or email address on a piece ofmore eye catching than a brochure and easier for
paper or a napkin, doesn't look verypeople to read quickly. Postcards send your message
professional.Always carry a pen, or some people willimmediately.I increased by 20% the number of
prefer a PDA, to take notes on the back of themembers as soon as I started using postcards. It is
cards you receive-something you would like toan intro to learn more and to invite people to visit
remember about the person, something they said,my website.I don't like to receive brochures either,
and something you promise to send them.Use yourbecause they take up too much room, and I don't
business card as a marketing tool to help you standknow what to do with the paper once I get home. I
out from the crowd.already have hundreds of business cards in my
Don't put only your name and address, but add yourorganizer; that is enough.
logo. I know it may sound obvious but manyBut this is my personal opinion. For some industries
professionals don't have a logo at least on their card.brochures work very well.11/ Project the right image,
Add your website address, so people can check itmake the right impression, and create the right
later to learn more about your business. Add yourimpact.What makes you unique? Every person I have
tagline which explains your business in one line; if youever met is different from all the other people I
don't have a tagline or slogan, it is time to thinkknow. Everyone is unique in one way or another. This
about it.Let's say you are a coach or a financialcarries over into the business you create. When you
advisor, no doubt, you have a lot of competition.display your individualism- your best traits- you will
What makes you unique and special? When peoplestand out from the crowd. When you are proactive,
see your card, they will probably say, "Oh, anotheryou will meet many new people, and you will ensure
one!" but if you mentioned your specialties on yourthat others remember who you are.12/ In the 24 to
card, it will make a difference immediately.Take my48 hours after an event, send a 'thank you' note or
business card as an example. Very often, whenemail to your new contacts.Thank them for their
people receive it, even before they read it, they saytime and reintroduce yourself in a few lines. They
"Nice card". First, because of the quality of the paper,probably met many people during the event and your
very thick, glossy, you can see that I didn't print thebusiness card cannot say everything about you,
card myself with my printer. It is very colorful andespecially if you had a meaningful conversation with
matches my website. The card mentions "Seminars,the person. So, it's worthwhile to reinforce your
Workshops & Networking" which explains exactlyintroduction and reestablish that connection.Give them
what I do, and my tagline "Build Your Business Whilethe link to your website, so they can learn more
You Build Friendships" which is the purpose of theabout you and your business. Tell them about your
networking meetings that I organize to help peoplenewsletter if you have one, and invite them to
build relationships to grow their business throughsubscribe. That will be the best way to stay in touch
networking.You can also use the back of your card,on a regular basis, so they will always know what
to provide more details about your business.Use bulletyou are up to. Hopefully, they will forward your
points to emphasize the purpose of your productspublication to others and this will expand your
and services. Show how you can be a problem solvernetwork further.13/ Follow-up, follow-up,
to others, to make sure that they will call you thefollow-up.Schedule follow-up meetings with people
next day.A business card is a "space ad". When youyou had a good connection with, or if you think that
pay for an ad in a newspaper you pay a lot ofyou can help each other. Put an organization and a
money so you try to use all the space, to get thefollow-up system in place; don't become
most benefit. Do the same with your business card;overwhelmed with all your business cards, be
use the most space available.4/ Have an effective 15organized; put your cards in a binder, for example a
to 30 second elevator pitch.We talked about thisbusiness card file or portfolio. Or, use a database
earlier in the book, but this is one of the keys tosystem like ACT(R) or Microsoft(R) Outlook (R).Send
successful networking. Remember to introducefollow-up emails; contact your new contacts on a
yourself, and tell them the old adage "What's in it forregular basis; again sending your newsletter is often
me" or more accurately, "what's in it for them." Learnthe ideal way to stay in touch. Develop your A, B, C
how to "sell" yourself before you sell your serviceslists to know how often you should contact people
and products. People want to learn about you - whatand reconnect with them. Follow up as soon as
you're about, what you can do before they make apossible, when someone gives you a referral. Your
purchase or consider referring you to one of theircontact took the time to give you a referral, so don't
valuable contacts.When you tell others about yourspoil it; contact the referral source to thank them
business, be passionate, energized and energetic.and then let them know how your interaction went.
Personalize your story so that your new contactsIf the association works well, they will be glad to be
can picture themselves as part of your story. This willpart of the success and more than happy to give
help them become a part of your mission.Then onceyou more contacts in the future. Volunteer to give
they know you and trust you, they will either buythem contacts in return.14/ Look at the big picture -
your services or if they don't need what you offer;Create partnerships.Instead of looking for a potential
they will [hopefully] refer you to someone else. Theyclient, and working with people one at a time, look
will actually do the selling for you. If they trust you,for other professionals with whom you can create
this trust will appear in the message they send topartnerships.Look for others to cross-promote your
others.When a friend tells you how much they lovedbusiness. Entrepreneurs who have businesses that
a book, a restaurant or a product, they put suchcomplement yours, but who are not competitors.
passion in their message that most of the time, youSomeone who has the same or similar target market
will buy the book or the product because you wantas you. So if you cross-promote each other, instead
to have the same feeling. Do you personally knowof having access to one potential prospect at a time,
the author of the book? No, but you buy it anyway.you will have access to their entire mailing list, 100s or
So your friend did the selling, not the author. Do you1000s of people, who are your exact target.Organize
see what I mean?Clearly introduce yourself, in 15 toevents together: seminars, workshops, teleclasses.
30 seconds, so people will understand exactly whatYou will get more exposure in less time.15/ Do it
you do; that will help you attract your target marketagain and again.You will see how networking will
and you will not lose potential clients.Don't have onlyexpand your contacts and will definitely help you
one elevator pitch but 3 or 4, to be able to adaptgrow your business.(c) 2006 Biba F. PédronBiba
your message depending of your audience.5/ DOF. Pédron, marketing consultant, is the founder
NOT SELL.I said it before, but I will repeat the pointof Biba4Network, that specializes in Networking for
again; DO NOT SELL. Networking events are notsmall business owners in the greater New York Area;
places to sell. Do not give a sales pitch. Just introduceand Focus on Career, that helps solo entrepreneurs
yourself, who you are, what you do, how you canstart and grow their businesses.
help people. You attend these meetings andBiba is the author of "Start Your Dream Business
gatherings to get contacts and build relationships, notToday! The Proven 11 Steps to Start and Grow Your
to sell. That is the ONE AND ONLY purpose of aOwn Business".