10 No-Fail Strategies For Networking Successfully

1. Networkers Treat it Seriously.

As a business owner there are a lot of things that you could be doing. Time is money. When you get out to a networking event you need to be aware that the clock is ticking and you are there for a reason. Don't spend time hiding in the corner. Get out there and talk to people. Ask questions about them and learn.

2. Networkers Have fun.

Be serious about getting the job done, but never let your face look serious. You want to look friendly and networking is all about making new strategic alliances and finding friends to do business with. So have fun. Enjoy yourself. Talk more about them than you do about yourself.

3. Networkers Invest in Themselves. Learn new skills.

How much time did it take you to learn your trade? Networking is a new skill that takes time to perfect. You learn by doing and you learn by watching others who are awesome at it. Spend some money on courses. This is worth a lot to you so make an investment in yourself. Go to many events and put yourself into situations where you are forced to network so you learn how. There is nothing like throwing yourself into a situation to learn faster.

4. Networkers Ask for Referrals.

A real networker takes time to ask for the sale, and they ask for a referral whether the prospect is buying or not. They track their referrals as well and know the source that each one of these referrals came from. In their network groups they ask specifically. Do you know who is in your exact target market? What age? What gender? What occupation? What can you tell us about them that makes us think of someone we know?

5. Networkers Follow Up On Referrals.

A real networker uses both automation to touch them over and over again as well as real phone calls. The sale comes in the follow up, not at the networking meeting, so the follow up is critical. At the CIBN we train our networkers how to accomplish several online touches using automation to assist the busy business owner in this.

6. Networkers Perfect the One Minute Infomercial.

The real networker can say it well in one minute or less. In one minute you need to be able to say, who you are, what you do and what is your perfect client. Time yourself. Practice. When you get it into one minute and you are comfortable in saying it, then also create a 30 second elevator pitch and a two minute one. This gives you diversity in a variety of different situations and you will become very clear in asking for exactly what you want. Your number of referrals will go up and the quality of the leads will improve as well. Keep it simple enough that a 5 year old can understand it. Then your marketing team in your networking group can repeat it too!

7. Networkers Book an Appointment.

There is no time like the present. Why would you leave without booking at least a couple of appointments with the people that you meet right at the meeting. Sure, you can call them later, but why? They are here right now. Get out your calendar and make your networking event count for your bottom line today!

8. Networkers Attend A Weekly Referral Group. 

A real networker is not afraid of a weekly commitment. There are many kinds of groups that you can attend and it is always good to diversify but if you do not have a weekly core group of dedicated people who are willing to watch out for your next great lead you are doing yourself a great disservice. A weekly group becomes the source of loyal and supportive friends who will market you to whole people groups where you may never tread. This is the ideal marketing group who is out there sifting through prospects for you and taking your message beyond your time and location capabilities. This one activity each week will grow your business more than all of your other networking activities combined.

9. Networkers Don't Give Up.

Biggest mistake we see people making while networking is that they quit too soon. Just like digging for gold and quitting 3 feet from the vein they give up just before it paid off. In a good networking club it can take one week to six months before you get a good lead. You never know where it is going to come from, but once you get one, more will come. You will get better and better at it, but it does take time. The good ones are worth the wait.

10. Networkers are Happy Capitalists!

Capitalism sometimes gets a bad rap. It is simply an economic system. Any economic system will be taken advantage of by evil people. Evil exists in every society. A Happy Capitalist understands that in order to prosper in this economic system we need to add value. We don’t exist to rape, pillage, and plunder in the name of profit. We exist to give business, and to receive business. We buy and we sell in our free market society. We are here to create win/win situations. That is what a Happy Capitalist does!

By Zechariah James

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