By Alfred Lautenslager
We've all heard that networking should
be an integral part of our
total marketing plan. But what is networking? And is it the same for
off-line marketing as it is for on-line marketing?
Many Internet marketers venture off into classified ads, opt-in
mailing lists, and postings of all sorts. Many times the traditional
networking ways of off-line marketing are forgotten. So, what is
networking in the traditional marketing sense, (NOT networking
marketing or MLM programs)?
Simply stated, networking is contact to establish relationships that
can lead to business. Sometimes the path to business is direct;
other times it is indirect such as referrals. The person you know
knows someone else who needs your products/services. This is the most
important rule of networking. Many people go to a networking event
hoping to do business. It doesn't work that way. Your goal of
attending a networking event is to meet two or three people, find a
reason to follow up and start a relationship. The business will most
likely come from an indirect referral that they know needs your
products or services.
Networking means making these contacts and building on them by
talking with people about what you do and who you are. It also is in
turn, listening to them to see how you might assist them in what they
do.
These contacts, the people you need to know or the people that can
help you, might be right under your nose. To help build that list,
answer the following:
1. Who has taken an interest in you lately or in the past?
2. Who have you been good friends with?
3. Who do you always talk business with when you get together?
4. Who has helped you or offered encouragement or advice in your
business.
This list could go on and on but the general notion is we are already
networking, networking is all around us and the people to build our
network with are with us everyday.
The other thing you can do is fill in the name of a person next to a
particular classification like friend, neighbor, former employer,
etc. My favorite example of this is learning how valuable the parents
of my daughter's sports teammates were in my network. Standing on the
sidelines of soccer game, the conversation often goes, "What do you
do" or "Where do you work?" and the rest is history as they say.
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