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Networking - Is It Worth Your Time?
No matter how long you have been networking, there's a great deal of time involved with attending events, following up and nurturing the relationships you made until business actually happens.
By: Darlene Willman
No matter how long you have been networking, there's a great deal of time involved with attending events, following up and nurturing the relationships you made until business actually happens.
By: Darlene Willman
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Ask anyone what's the one thing they like the least about networking and the majority will respond with the time it takes to see results.
Consider this, if you didn't network, how quickly would you get clients? Your traditional marketing strategy may include press releases, advertising, trade shows, cold calls or prospecting, plus a variety of other methods to get your company's name out there.
However, those strategies require a great deal of money AND time but here's the one difference...none of them get other people out promoting you!
When networking is done properly, it can create an entire sales force of people all talking and promoting your business for you. Ideally, if you are the one giving referrals the most, other people will be looking at ways to give you referrals too.
The law of reciprocity means: to give and take mutually; to return in kind or even in another kind or degree. The more you give, the more you receive.
Try this, find someone you really want to get to know better and send them 1-2 referrals maybe a couple different times within a short period. Over time, they will recognize you as a person who can bring them business. To keep the scales balanced, they will in turn be on the lookout to send you business too in hopes that you'll continue to provide them high quality leads.
I'm not saying that you should be waiting for them to respond with giving you referrals, not at all. Don't expect to get anything in return. It might not happen for quite a while but no matter what, they will be talking favorably about you to other people in their network. They will automatically encourage others to reach out to get to know you.
There's no question about it, networking is an investment of your time. It will require dedication from you to be in attendance on a regular basis and to spend time following up. There will be individual meetings for coffee or lunch to get to know someone better.
Picture this, pretend you're a farmer and you're spreading tiny seeds in acres of land. The next thing the seeds will need is lots of water and sunshine. Not all the seeds will catch on and grow; in fact some won't make it at all. However, the ones that take root and begin to sprout will eventually harvest a bountiful crop!
Have patience when it comes to networking, it may take a little investment of your time but eventually it will produce incredible results for you!
Darlene Willman, aka The Sassy Networker, is a keynote speaker author and coach, specializing in small business networking and referrals. She provides resources, connections and support to entrepreneurs, small business owners and other professionals that have a strong desire to promote their companies through relationship marketing. She will show you how to build an incredible network of people who refer business to each other plus so much more. You can start receiving her eZine, The Networking Focus by visiting www.SassyNetworker.com
Consider this, if you didn't network, how quickly would you get clients? Your traditional marketing strategy may include press releases, advertising, trade shows, cold calls or prospecting, plus a variety of other methods to get your company's name out there.
However, those strategies require a great deal of money AND time but here's the one difference...none of them get other people out promoting you!
When networking is done properly, it can create an entire sales force of people all talking and promoting your business for you. Ideally, if you are the one giving referrals the most, other people will be looking at ways to give you referrals too.
The law of reciprocity means: to give and take mutually; to return in kind or even in another kind or degree. The more you give, the more you receive.
Try this, find someone you really want to get to know better and send them 1-2 referrals maybe a couple different times within a short period. Over time, they will recognize you as a person who can bring them business. To keep the scales balanced, they will in turn be on the lookout to send you business too in hopes that you'll continue to provide them high quality leads.
I'm not saying that you should be waiting for them to respond with giving you referrals, not at all. Don't expect to get anything in return. It might not happen for quite a while but no matter what, they will be talking favorably about you to other people in their network. They will automatically encourage others to reach out to get to know you.
There's no question about it, networking is an investment of your time. It will require dedication from you to be in attendance on a regular basis and to spend time following up. There will be individual meetings for coffee or lunch to get to know someone better.
Picture this, pretend you're a farmer and you're spreading tiny seeds in acres of land. The next thing the seeds will need is lots of water and sunshine. Not all the seeds will catch on and grow; in fact some won't make it at all. However, the ones that take root and begin to sprout will eventually harvest a bountiful crop!
Have patience when it comes to networking, it may take a little investment of your time but eventually it will produce incredible results for you!
Darlene Willman, aka The Sassy Networker, is a keynote speaker author and coach, specializing in small business networking and referrals. She provides resources, connections and support to entrepreneurs, small business owners and other professionals that have a strong desire to promote their companies through relationship marketing. She will show you how to build an incredible network of people who refer business to each other plus so much more. You can start receiving her eZine, The Networking Focus by visiting www.SassyNetworker.com
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