You’ve got that shiny new stack of business cards you spent months editing and re-editing and you’re wearing your best suit. You’ve been trying every breath freshener known to man and you’ve settled on the strips- they seem to last longer than the mints or gum or spray, without sticking around in the mouth for long. Long story short, you’re ready to network. If you’re like me, you’ve wondered a few things about networking your new business:
- Is it really necessary?
- Can it possibly improve my bottom line?
- Do I care if people like me?
- How much time should I justify spending shaking hands versus “actually working“?
- How do I become a successful networker?
Let me answer in order: yes, yes, yes, and networking never needs to be justified. In a world of who-you-know not what-you-know, and in a world of six-degrees-to-Kevin-Bacon, meeting people and connecting with them is a vital tool to your business’ success. When it comes to the HOW, I’ll get you started and give you resources to help beyond that (because that’s what networking is). That said, networking is not handing out and collecting business cards. You can’t afford to be lost in someone else’s stack of business cards. Networking is also not finding out what everyone can do for you. You’ll have to dig deep here and find that part of you that genuinely cares about others, cares about your community, cares about economic growth, cares about caring. If you’re cringing, consider marrying rich or winning the lottery- this networking thing probably isn’t for you.
Why is networking necessary? Think Facebook, Twitter, Yelp, even Google. When you want to eat somewhere, you Google the place, you look at the Yelp reviews and you might post on Facebook to see if any of your friends have tried the world-famous escargot at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant in Vegas. You’ll base your decision on this information and perhaps spend $250 in 2 hours because of it. Your network has given you the information you seek, so go grab those snails and pop ’em in your mouth- you will not be disappointed! Without these avenues, the Eiffel Tower Restaurant would have to depend solely on paid advertising, tourism and the concierge to bring their customers in.
When you create a successful professional network, you’ll find people are coming to you because they heard about you, read about you or have used you in the past and loved you. Your bottom line sees results that can only grow as your network grows. BNI is a global networking organization that tracks, in dollar amounts, how much business they bring each other because of referrals. Members meet weekly and share successes, refer, network, build relationships and do business- and they are the most successful networking organization in the world because of it.
Networking isn’t all shaking hands and kissing babies either. You’ll have to be organized, because part of networking is following-up, keeping in touch, building relationships and fostering a connection with your contacts. That means emails, phone calls, even thank-you notes when a contact refers someone to you that may or may not result in business. This is a web of help, be helped, and help again. Spend as much time networking as you can, because every conversation has value. Every time you ask yourself how you can help someone else, someone is asking the same about you. Besides that, surrounding yourself with like-minded people can only help you sharpen your skills and fuel your fire.
Networking is a skill that you develop over time. Knowing who you want to talk to is important. Knowing where those people are is important. Knowing what local networking groups and organizations are in your area will help. Knowing when the local Chamber of Commerce events are will give you a spring board for who is in your community. Offering those people something you have that they want is important. As you meet people out and about, you’ll learn how to grow your network wisely, how to weed out the business card collectors, how to create relationships with other professionals for years and years to come, and, how to have fun doing it! You’re not working every day to not enjoy what you do- learn to laugh and smile and create an energy that only knows how to grow to ensure success for everyone that feeds into it.
Speaking of feeding, have you heard about the fabulous escargot at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant? Everyone I know loves it there- we should give it a try!
I’m Lindsay Blue, and I’m addicted to getting to know you.
www.bniriversidecounty.com
www.murrietachamber.org
www.temecula.org
www.coworkingconnection.com