How to Effectively Network
20 June 2008
Read by 2173 persons
Networking is the art of making and using contacts. The goal of networking is to develop a pool of people and information that can directly improve the quality of your product or service, reduce customer churn, and most importantly, make your competitors wonder how you got a project they didn't even know existed.
Many small business owners don't want to network because for them, it's about giving someone your business card and bragging about what you do. In reality, networking is about meeting people you can help and who can help you.
Networking expert Steven M. Krauser, President of Network Associates, Hicksville, N.Y., says most business people don't know how to use networking as an effective business tool. "If your networking results in a stack of business cards stored in the top right drawer of your desk and doesn't lead to an increase in additional projects, it may be time to re-evaluate your methods," he notes.
Krauser says small business owners should approach meeting people with two goals in mind: meet as many people as possible, and make yourself known. He then recommends following these four steps to successful networking:
Give and Get Information
Networking is a two-way street. When you meet someone, ask them about their business and tell them about yours. Start with the basics - name, company, affiliation, position, type of business, etc. You then need to find out if you can benefit from each other. Try addressing these topics:
What does your company do?
What types of clients do you serve?
Who makes the buying decisions within the company for each of your products and/or services?
What differentiates you from your competitors?
Assess the Value of the Contact
You can't network with everyone. Once you've gathered preliminary information, you can decide if it's worthwhile to revisit this person and develop a relationship. Can you help them and can they help you? The answer to both questions should be yes.
Another criterion is to look for people who are genuinely interested in how they can help others solve a problem, without strings attached. In other words, don't think of yourself as a networker, but as a problem solver, and look for these same characteristics among the people you consider adding to your personal network.
Form a Strategic Alliance
A network isn't a collection of business cards, but of people. Take the time to understand the businesses of the people in your network. If you've chosen your members carefully, this should be enjoyable. And make sure to keep them fully informed about your activities and the people you're doing business with. Exchange encouragement and the latest news. In fact, you become sales representatives for each other.
Remember, the goal of networking isn't to get business from your contact; you're trying to get business from everyone they know.
You should also be able to consult the people in your network for management ideas, advice, potential clients, and even vendor recommendations. You'll learn from each other and contribute to each other's growth, both in terms of profits and performance.
As your contact list grows, you need to re-evaluate the people in your information network. Practice effective time management skills and prioritize your contacts. You'll want to stay in touch with those who are most useful to you. They will become your inner circle
Be careful never to burn bridges; you never know when someone will be able to help you, or when you will be able to help them. If you feel that someone isn't useful to you right now, you should still contact them from time to time as they may become important later. In other words, be polite to everyone because you never know when they might come in handy.
Posted June 20, 2008
westafrica.smetoolkit.org
Many small business owners don't want to network because for them, it's about giving someone your business card and bragging about what you do. In reality, networking is about meeting people you can help and who can help you.
Networking expert Steven M. Krauser, President of Network Associates, Hicksville, N.Y., says most business people don't know how to use networking as an effective business tool. "If your networking results in a stack of business cards stored in the top right drawer of your desk and doesn't lead to an increase in additional projects, it may be time to re-evaluate your methods," he notes.
Krauser says small business owners should approach meeting people with two goals in mind: meet as many people as possible, and make yourself known. He then recommends following these four steps to successful networking:
Give and Get Information
Networking is a two-way street. When you meet someone, ask them about their business and tell them about yours. Start with the basics - name, company, affiliation, position, type of business, etc. You then need to find out if you can benefit from each other. Try addressing these topics:
What does your company do?
What types of clients do you serve?
Who makes the buying decisions within the company for each of your products and/or services?
What differentiates you from your competitors?
Assess the Value of the Contact
You can't network with everyone. Once you've gathered preliminary information, you can decide if it's worthwhile to revisit this person and develop a relationship. Can you help them and can they help you? The answer to both questions should be yes.
Another criterion is to look for people who are genuinely interested in how they can help others solve a problem, without strings attached. In other words, don't think of yourself as a networker, but as a problem solver, and look for these same characteristics among the people you consider adding to your personal network.
Form a Strategic Alliance
A network isn't a collection of business cards, but of people. Take the time to understand the businesses of the people in your network. If you've chosen your members carefully, this should be enjoyable. And make sure to keep them fully informed about your activities and the people you're doing business with. Exchange encouragement and the latest news. In fact, you become sales representatives for each other.
Remember, the goal of networking isn't to get business from your contact; you're trying to get business from everyone they know.
You should also be able to consult the people in your network for management ideas, advice, potential clients, and even vendor recommendations. You'll learn from each other and contribute to each other's growth, both in terms of profits and performance.
As your contact list grows, you need to re-evaluate the people in your information network. Practice effective time management skills and prioritize your contacts. You'll want to stay in touch with those who are most useful to you. They will become your inner circle
Be careful never to burn bridges; you never know when someone will be able to help you, or when you will be able to help them. If you feel that someone isn't useful to you right now, you should still contact them from time to time as they may become important later. In other words, be polite to everyone because you never know when they might come in handy.
Posted June 20, 2008
westafrica.smetoolkit.org
