How to Network Efficiently

Networking is the art of making and utilizing contacts. The goal of networking is to create a list of people and information, usually called leads, that can be automated using different auto-responsers a.o. automated software to directly increase the 'look-after' and the quality of your product or service, decrease both customer and product quality attrition, and most importantly, leave your competition wondering how you won a job they never knew was available.

Many small business owners don't want to network properly because they get scared of the unknown and think its about shoving your credit/debt card in someone's pockets and boasting about what you do. In fact, networking is actually about getting to know people whom you can help and who can help you ten times back.

Most business people don't know how to make networking an effective business opportunity and tool, says networking expert Mr. Steven M. Krauser, President of Network Associates, Hicksville, N.Y. : "If the result of your networking is a stack of business cards in your top right hand desk drawer and not a lot of additional business, then it may be time for you to re-evaluate your methods", he notes.

Krauser says small business owners should approach meeting people using two goals: get to know as many people as possible, and get them to know you. He then recommends the following four steps to make your networking work:

Give and get information

Networking is a two-way street. When you meet someone, you want to ask them about their business, if succeeded then how they did it and then tell them about yours. Start with the basics - name, company, affiliation, position, nature of business, etc. You next want to find out if you can benefit each other. Try covering these topics:

• What does your company do?
  
  
• What types of clients do you serve?
  
  
• Who makes the buying decision within a firm for each of your services and/or products?
  
  
• What sets you apart from your competition?

Evaluate the value of the contact

Once you have the preliminary information, you need to decide if this person is worth 'meeting '(even if talking only virtually) again and creating a relationship with. Can you help them and can they help you? The answer should be "yes" to both.

Most marketers out there those days are just hungry for 'leads' and do not care anymore about the quality of their contacts. It's like they have somehow forgotten about the basic principles of quality product marketing, they have forgotten it all and all that those marketers would care is to have 1000 poor, random, sometimes duplicate or incorrect 'leads' in their downline, so they can daily spam all of those with their already-known, over-used and most of the times inefficient products or services, rather than 100 fresh, power-user, wealthy and most of all content/product friendly contacts in their downline.

This is why nowadays, most of the beginners never find their niche(s), always fail in promoting what they intended, fail in maintaining a fresh 'leads' list and thus, finally, wondering why they never succeeded like promissed by their so-called gurus. This is where the 80/20 rule comes in place : like always said, 80% of all succesfull sales comes from that particular 20% of your 'power-users' or how we like to call them 'content/product friendly' contacts or leads. So why having a 1000 or a 10 000 over-used, already 'spam-bored' downline that seldom mimics any interest in your product, content or service and not to forget that, you probably paid for most of those leads and, if not, you probably paid for someone to teach you the 'miraculous' strategies and/or lend you some 'infamous' php or java script(if talking online) that 'converts like crazy?!'. Why not have a decent 100 list of contacts or even more if you are a trustworthy marketer, that really generates most of your sales because they really are interested in what you sell and/or advertise? First of all, try targeting those 20% of your leads that really interest you and without any offence, simply erase the rest. Why keeping unwanted 'garbage', if you mean garbage/spam to them also??

Another point is to look for people who are truly interested in helping others solve a problem, no strings attached. In other words, don't think of yourself as a networker but as a problem solver, and look for those same characteristics in someone you will consider adding to your personal network.

Form a strategic alliance

A network is not a collection of business cards, but of people. Take the time to understand the needs, the 'hot-spots' and finally the long-term target(s) of those in your network. If you've chosen members wisely, this should be a pleasure. And make sure that you educate them completely about what you do and whom you do it with. Give each other updates and encouragement. In effect, you become each others' sales people.

Remember that the purpose of networking is not to get your contact's business; instead, you're trying to get business from everyone this person knows.

You should also be able to turn to those in your network for management ideas, advice, leads, even vendor recommendations. You will learn from each other and contribute to each other's growth, both in terms of profit and performance.

Maintenance

As your contact base grows, you have to re-evaluate the people in your information loop. Practice effective time management skills and prioritize your contacts. You will want to get in touch most often with those that can be 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 as though someone is not useful to you right now, you still will want to check in with them now and again, because they may become important down the road. In other words, be nice to everybody because you never know where they'll show up.

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