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| | The Un-Marketing Network is not currently active and cannot accept new posts | | Do networking meetings make you feel uncomfotable? Here are some tips. | Views: 952 | | Oct 23, 2005 6:12 am | | Do networking meetings make you feel uncomfotable? Here are some tips. | # | 
Denise Michaels | | If so, you're not alone. I can't tell you how many times I've walked into a room thinking, "What the heck am I doing here?" and then I walked out later saying, "That was really fun - and I got a couple good leads, too."
If you think networking could be a valuable part of your marketing strategy it helps to get comfortable with the process and have realistic expectations about what can be achieved in an hour or two.
Be ready. Dress well, shine your shoes, look good. Hair - check. Ladies - makeup? Good. Duck in the bathroom just before you go into the room and check for spinach between your teeth, stains, lintballs or anythng else that might be distracting or off-putting about your appearance.
Have an elevator speech ready before you arrive. Here's a simple formula. Say, "I help (target market) to (your ultimate benefit). This will help others understand your worth and value far beyond a job title like "graphic designer" or "CPA."
Make sure you have business cards with you ready to hand out should the need arise.
Walk in with the attitude that it's not the job of others to come to you - it's your job to come to them. Remember Denise's Marketing Rule #3: Stop spending your time and energy trying so hard to impress others - and instead spend your time and energy BEING IMPRESSED with others.
Take a genuine interest in others. Ask them questions. Nod. Smile. Make affirmative, positive comments in reply to what they say. They'll think your a fabulous conversationalist.
Don't try to see how many people you can meet and give your card to - remember you'll probably forget about them just as quickly as they forget you. Networking isn't about quantity - its about quality. Seek instead to make maybe 2-3 good contacts with people who might be:
Interested in the possibility doing business with you
Able to refer you to others who might want to do business with you
Able to refer you to other resources like a vendor you need to solve a problem.
Interested in a possible joint venture that helps both of your promote your business
One of many other possibilities...
Get their business card. When you have someone else's card you know that you're in the driver's seat and can call or email them. If you give them your card (and don't get one in reply) your taking the chance (and it's a BIG chance) that they'll forget you and not call you back. This is what often makes networking meetings a colossal waste of time. No follow up. Decide to be different.
Call them the next day. Be willing to call several times to get through. Don't just give up on one dial. Geez, anymore it takes me three times just to talk with my mom let alone a brand new contact. Be politely persistent.
Give them a context for how you met. Say something like, "Hi Jim, this is Mary Smith. We met briefly at the __________ meeting last Thursday night and we talked about ____________. I just wanted to follow up with you and..."
If you go in with realistic expectations and make up your mind to go out of your way to meet and greet graciously - networking will become more fun and more fruitful for you.
All the best,
Denise Michaels
Author, "Testosterone-Free Marketing"
PS: Hear me on "Direct Sales Talk Radio" talking about my book, women, marketing and self-esteem. Go to: http://directsalestalkradio.com/Private Reply to Denise Michaels | | Nov 28, 2005 10:52 am | | re: Do networking meetings make you feel uncomfotable? Here are some tips. | # | 
Moiz Rajkotwala | | Hi,
That was really a great post. I made the mistake of trying to meet as many people as possible. In fact I now realise that at times i would abruptly end a conversation that was lasting too long so that I could circulate. This led to me getting fatigued mentally and not acheiving much in terms of new contacts. Eventually I stopped going altogather.
However your post has really inspired me and I believe I'm all set to retry my luck with networking..
The part about being persistant and keeping contacts alive from my side is good too. All in all a very very informative post.
Thanks a lot.
MoizPrivate Reply to Moiz Rajkotwala | | Nov 28, 2005 7:11 pm | | Endless, Self-Perpetuating Income Stream for Your Business | # | 
Paul Strauss | | From a thread posted here:
http://www.wcrt.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1268
You want what every business owner wants: More revenue, and more time. For the lone wolf, more money and more time are mutually exclusive. You can sacrifice your time and have money, or sacrifice money and have time.
Wouldn't you like to know how to create an ongoing, permanent, growing, self-perpetuating income stream? Of course you would, and you can have it. What's more, you can increase your income without spending anymore time in your business, and without increasing your advertising and marketing budgets. You can automate aspects of the process, and once in place-- this highly effective method of growing your business takes care of itself.
The method is NETWORKING.
By networking with others, you form vital relationships with people who help promote your business to others because you provide them with referrals, too. However, it's more than simply referrals-- there are numerous other benefits, including:
1. You innoculate your clients from competitors. When you work within a network, your clients don't switch to your competitors on a whim or for a slightly lower price. Why? Because you're more than just a product or service to them-- you're a source of revenue. People don't shut down revenue to save a buck (Well, they do-- and we call them the poor, & the middle class).
2. You enjoy new leads and sales without effort, or advertising.
3. You spend your time with higher quality prospects because for reasons of enlightened self interest, your network partners will prequalify referrals for you; as you will for them. This means less time wasted cold calling and sifting through the tire kickers.
It's easy to get started building a network. In four and a half years, I've come into contact with tens of thousands of people, and built a network of over 2,600 active entrepreneurs and investors in every field you can imagine. Networking is both an art and a science. Some of it is as Dr. Phil would say, "either you 'get it', or you don't"; but here are some quick tips to help you get started:
1. Do NOT go into a networking situation to make sales! Go looking to help others get what THEY NEED!
In Networking, you have to earn capital before you get to spend it. You have to pay your dues, take a long term approach, and help others get what they want before you ask them for what you want. If you help enough other people, you'll find you likely won't have to ask-- they'll ask you.
2. The essence of networking is relationships. Networking is relationship leverage-- and like all levers, it has two ends. You are probably thinking you'd like to get started right away because you realize networking is a great way to spread the good word about...
From thread posted here:
http://www.wcrt.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1268
Private Reply to Paul Strauss | | Jan 09, 2006 3:05 pm | | re: Do networking meetings make you feel uncomfotable? Here are some tips. | # | 
Jerry Edwards | | Imagine how much more fun a networking meeting would be if you could tell, as soon as you walked in the room, what the personality type of each person was? You could make a game out of meeting folks to find out if you were right! You would be able to sort them out as Red (those wearing the expensive clothes), Blue (the ones in the dressed in something that stands out and is expressive -- hawaiian shirt for example), Yellow (comfortably dressed), or Green (the PhD looking ones -- analyzing everything, and off by themselves watching the crowds). And then there is you who knows exactly how to relate and build instant rapport with each type. For the Red you would talk strictly in terms of how much money you could help them make. You would stroke their ego by pointing out that those they work with would not be able to survive without them. They are all about their success. For the Blue, you would stress how much FUN they would have working with you and your products. For the Yellow, you would focus on how their family, friends and peers would benefit from working with you and your products because they are all about everybody but themselves. The Greens, you would tell them how much information you could send to them to help them research your company and services so they would know they are doing business with the best. Learn the colors and how to recognize them... your business will grow BIG in a hurry because you will be working with more of prospect pool than your are now! Jerry Edwards www.colortosuccess.com Private Reply to Jerry Edwards | | |
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