Networking isn’t an art or a science, it’s an experience – and it’s something that you absolutely must do if you want to rapidly expand your circles of influence and put yourself on an upward spiral of exposure to audiences that want to know you and want to buy from you.

The trouble is, most people don’t know how to network effectively. They think that doing things like handing out business cards and shaking hands (or creating a blog) is going to get them there. And it might – in 10 or 20 years. If you open up a shop on a back road and put your shingle out, you might attract some attention … eventually.

Screw “eventually.” You need to get on the networking fast track now, so you’re able to move up the food chain and leverage every opportunity possible to change the world (or at least put food on the table). Read on.

I’m going to be straight up with you – I don’t go for a lot of the “traditional” networking advice. I don’t think of networking in terms of timing and smooth talking and handshaking and subtle psychological manipulation and creating emotional debts you hope will be repaid. I’m not going to tell you how to “work a room” or “fake it ‘till you make it.”

Nuh-uh. I’m going to tell you how to be a candle – no, screw that, a torch – that burns so brightly that people at the top of the food chain want to hold it up and use it to light their way. A light that A-Listers don’t hesitate for a second to shine everywhere they go. I’m going to show you specifically how to position yourself as a valuable connection who must be shared – not as some random person desperate to get some attention.

There is a free workbook to be had. Download instructions are at the bottom of this post.

These are the techniques I to snag coaching clients who made six-figure incomes … that I’d call out of my car during lunch at my day job … when I was an absolute nobody. This is “How To Be Valuable 101.” Class is in session. Read on.

The good news: when it comes to networking (ethically), you can grow at a staggering rate and see a return on your time investment almost immediately if you play your cards right.  But before you get all starry eyed about hanging with the big shots in your niche, look at the word I use in that last sentence: investment.

If you really want to expand your reach you’re going to have to do some serious work.  You’re going to have to give a solid investment of your time, and you’re going to have to invest your ego. (Wait, what?)

When you invest money, you lose access to it for a while so that (hopefully) it can work its magic for a satisfying return.  When you invest your ego, you’re checking it at the door and focusing on other people – not yourself – to make some magic happen.

The secret to effective networking is this: “Givers Get.” But you’ve got to give strategically, and you’ve got to give intelligently (or you’ll burn out). Read on.

When you give, you need to make sure you’re giving to the right people in the right ways, or you’ll be spinning your wheels and wondering why what “goes around” isn’t coming around.

For rapid, powerful networking to occur, you’ve got to engage with these strategies:

• You’ve got to give to people who can receive immediate value and appreciate it strongly enough to value your contribution.  The longer it takes for that value to mature (in many cases) the harder it is to establish a strong emotional bond with a person.

• You’ve got to give to people who have the immediate potential to improve your position in a material way.  Yes, I know I said “Givers Get” and I still mean it.  But you have to give to people who can actually give back in a meaningful way, or that emotional bond will fade.

• You’ve got to give in ways that can be made public (or at least public to the receiver’s peer group) so that word of your contribution has room to grow.

• You’ve got to give in ways that don’t siphon resources away from your own growth but instead complement it.  You want to become better known for your “signature value” and you can’t do that while doing tasks that don’t connect with it. Make the services you want to sell something you give for free while networking.

• You’ve got to give in ways that don’t look desperate. Confidence is key – you’ve got to come across as giving because you have an abundance of value to give, not because you’re dependent on payback.  People can smell fear and desperation, and the way to avoid this is to accept that some giving will never be repaid – and then decide you’re going to be fine with that.

This last point is important, so I’ll repeat it: Some giving will never be repaid, and if you don’t get okay with that up front, you’re going to be miserable.  So accept it as a cost of doing (networking) business.

Remember, you’re not giving because you want to “get your slice of the pie” by creating a debt that must be repaid. You’re giving because you know that when you show people how valuable you are, many of them will want to share that value.  You want to expand the pie for everyone.

Tuck this away for future reference: People sometimes repay those whom they owe – but they almost always reward whom they respect.

So let’s put you on that path to rewards now with seven powerful steps.  Again, before you get starry-eyed, you will be making a time investment with these, so get yourself ready.  (But really the time is “free,” because you can get such a massive return on investment once things get rolling).  Let’s dive in.

Step #1: Build Your Networking Map, And Identify Key Influencers

Many people set their sights on an A-Lister and try and approach them directly.  Nothing wrong with this strategy, just know up front that it’s the path that’s most likely to fail (but seriously, go ahead and try it, because there’s limited downside – and if it works, you’ll be glad you took the chance).

Some A-Listers are actually pretty approachable, but many flat out aren’t – not because they’re pretentious jerks, but because they are simply overwhelmed with incoming commitments and can’t respond to you.  Don’t take it personally, ever. They may be juggling 5 big deals and trying to keep their sanity (or family) together, and your email just can’t make their radar.

The good news is, it doesn’t have to. You see, the busier and more successful someone is, the more they rely on people they trust to filter decisions for them.  They don’t have the time to take in an process all the pros and cons of some new unknown quantity, so they simply look to their “influencers” - the people who already have established trust with them – for recommendations.

It’s usually ten times easier to establish a connection and relationship with people’s  influencers than it is with the people themselves.  The influencers are generally not as overwhelmed and more open to connecting with people.  So your immediate goal is to begin influencing the influencers.

This may seem counter-intuitive or a bit of the “slow path,” but trust me, it’s not.  Getting an influencer to give you the time of day is much easier than breaking into the A-Lister’s attention sphere.

Influencers tend to be a rung or two lower on the food chain than the people they influence – maybe they’ve done a lot of freelance work for them in the past, or they’re a trusted service provider in some other capacity.  Or perhaps they were peer-level with the A-Lister at one time … and they just haven’t advanced as quickly.

So they have all the perks of a close relationship with the person you want to connect with but less of the baggage that comes with being an A-Lister.  And that’s your advantage.  These people are accessible (or in some cases, damned busy but at least more potentially accessible).

So here’s where you begin: you start creating a networking map.

• Begin a mind map for the A-Lister you want to connect with. Just draw 5 circles in the middle of a sheet of paper to start with – you don’t need any fancy mind-mapping software.  Connect each of those circles in a ring, and in the first circle put the name of who you want to connect with.  Then, in the remaining circles add 4 other A-Listers who can be considered directly in her peer group. These are possible entryways onto the initial person’s radar.  Get one of them, and you have an easier in with any of the others.

• Then, start pushing down one level on the food chain for each of these people. Draw lines with circles coming out of each original circle in the ring and put the names of people they are close with.  If you’re not sure who these people are, look on their blogs and look on Twitter. Who do they engage in conversation with?  Who do they ask questions to?  Do some detective work here.

• Push down one or two levels until you’ve got a fully populated networking map. Yes, this is a bit of work, but remember the old quote: “Successful people get where they are by doing the things unsuccessful people won’t.”

You’ll likely notice that several of the people surrounding the rings have strong ties to other A-Lister’s networking chains.  These are some of the choicest people to connect with, because your efforts are multiplied.  You can shave off 50% of your networking time just by leveraging this tactic.

When you download the free workbook, you’ll have a place to build out your networking map.  Once you have it fleshed out, you’re ready to check your ego at the door and start doing the “Giving” part of “Givers Get.”  Read on.

Step #2: Start Adding Value To Other People’s Projects

Here’s the part where 90% of readers would throw their hands up and say “This is going to be too much work.”  Fortunately, you’re into winning, not whining, or you wouldn’t have read this far, so you’re in the 10% of actual action takers (yay you).

Remember how I said that you needed to become that candle/torch that people want to show to all their friends?  Here’s where you get your chance to burn brightly. You need to look at these people you want to network with and think of the seeds of memorable value you want to be planting.

As you get to know influencers (or the people who can connect you with the influencers), you always want to end your initial conversations by getting a sense of what their big projects are and asking this question:

“What can I do right now to add value to what you’re working on?  How can I help?”

Do not underestimate the massive power of this single statement. It is the game-changing strategy that can open a thousand doors for you.  And it will catch people off guard.

You see, most people are used to takers. Everyone seems out to get something from you, to be playing whatever angle they can to get you to get you to do them a favor up front without investing in your success as well.  Here’s where you stand above the crowd and position yourself as an authentic giver and not a taker.

Notice I said “authentic giver” here.  I mean it.  I told you before that you’ve got to set your expectations so that you’re okay with it when people don’t reciprocate.  Now I want you to take it a step further and to start seeing yourself not as a networker, but as a contributor. A giver.

Don’t approach people in terms of “What do I have to do for them to get them to do something for me?”  Not only is that selfish and manipulative, but it’s counter-productive. We can all tell when someone’s buttering us up for their own reasons.  Instead, approach people in terms of “What can I do for them to totally wow them, so that they want to give me further opportunities to help them and their friends?”

That changes everything.  And I’m telling you this for selfish reasons.   You see, I want to get you out of “taking” mode and turn you into more of a giver, because the more people do that, the more we all “expand the pie” for each other.  The more giving everybody does, the more everybody gets in the long run.

So the message is, become known for being a person who adds value for others, and others will fall over themselves spreading the word about you.  And in time, they will spontaneously respond with some form of this statement:  “Thanks for everything you’ve done.  Now seriously, what can I do for you?”

Remember, people like to give to people they trust and respect.  Become that person.

Ways to give:

• Find out what needs they have and connect them to an awesome service provider (or take on a bit of the work yourself).  For example, since I’m technically inclined, and I know how to set up mailing lists, I’ve done that for a few people farther up the food chain than I am.  It takes me about 30 minutes of talking to them and an hour of work, and they have a list ready to go, saving them tons of headache and hiring and learning curve.  What valuable task (that’s not too time consuming) can you make your “signature gift” to others?

• Give them some free consultation. I did this a lot with my time management / project planning coaching.  You might be able to do it with whatever it is you do.  Don’t be pushy about it – remember, this is about giving, not looking like you’re trying to set yourself up for a paying gig later.  There’s nothing wrong with mentioning what you do, saying (honestly) you’d love to chip in on an interesting project and get to know people, and doing so.  This is how you become friends, and not just a contact.  (Just don’t be surprised when that person starts referring you as that “awesome service provider” to people up her food chain.  Just sayin’).

• Become a lookout. This is a really effective strategy where you ask someone what kinds of people / resources they are looking for to make their project more successful, and then you do some legwork and find those people.  For example, if you’re networking with someone who’s trying to get a book published, and you know someone who has recently released a successful book, then you can connect the two of them. This is called “becoming a lifesaver.”  When you can connect someone with a person who can help them, you are golden.

Givers get.  Focus on the giving.  Add value without asking for payback, and you’ll be astounded with how much payback you get and how fast people push you up the food chain.  Expand the pie, because the world is always hungry for another slice.

When you download the free workbook, you’ll have a worksheet where you can brainstorm all the ways you can add value for others.  Read on.

Step #3: Find Ways To Promote Other People

Perhaps the most effective giving strategy is to promote someone’s project, or promote them (as a person/brand) in general.  If you have a large platform to speak from (and by platform I mean something like a big blog or newsletter) you can get on an A-Lister’s radar simply by speaking well about them, but since many of us don’t have that kind of platform, there’s another strategy that in some ways might be even more effective for you.

You can make a powerful impact simply by working to promote people on the second and third level down your networking map.  They are usually less “known” and will truly appreciate the exposure in whatever form you can give them.

And though it should go without saying, I’ll say it anyway – be authentic.  Don’t just toss out fake kind words to get brownie points.  Only do honest, experience-based promotion in order to protect everyone’s reputation.

The ways you can promote people are endless, but here is a simple and effective way to do it in the next 72 hours.

• Use your primary platform to talk about your recent experience with the other person. Consider your last phone call, email exchange or instant message conversation with the person.  If you learned something valuable in your exchange with them, share it and give due credit to them. (This can also make a valuable, easily shareable piece of content for your blog / newsletter).   If you’ve discovered that person is really good at something, recommend their services.  Don’t forget to link to them.

• Follow up with the person and let them know you’ve mentioned them to your platform. A simple email where you say “Thanks for the great conversation the other day – I learned so much / was so impressed with what you’re doing that I did a writeup about you on my blog.  I thought you’d like to know – and I look forward to talking to you again.  Let me know if you need anything in terms of spreading the word about what you do.“  Include the link.

• Use social media to give extra exposure to the person. My personal recommendation is to use a 120-character tweet for this (save the last 20 characters or so for the “RT @yourname” when people re-tweet it.)  Include their Twitter handle so it will show up on their radar.  If you’re up for it, direct message a close friend or three and ask them to re-tweet it.

And remember, this isn’t about buttering up the other person, it’s about telling your audience how awesome the person is (yes, that means only use this strategy for people who are indeed awesome) and expanding the pie by bringing more attention to their business.

Yes, this is work, but think about it – when this well-connected person is being inundated with requests from people who want to network up his food chain, who do you think is going to be “top-of-mind” for him? An inbox full of “takers” or you, the person who brought him more business and more exposure?

Givers get.  In the free workbook you’ll have a chance to start planning how you’ll make that giving happen.  Read on.

Step #4 – Buy Their Products (Yes, Buy) And Start Reviewing Them

I know a lot of people will tune out this one because it requires (gasp) an investment on their point.  No apologies here, you’re either in the game or you’re not, and I’m certainly not trying to push you into buying my stuff with this step.  Hell, I’m going to tell you how to make it free, so anyone who’s about to cry foul, quit your crying.

Here’s the deal: When you buy someone’s stuff, you send several very powerful messages to them, even before your initial direct contact:

1. You’re telling them you’re not a taker. I don’t care if you’ve bought a $7 special report or a $2,500 training program, once you make that purchase you’re on record for that person as someone who is a step above the takers that they’re used to dealing with.  You’ve shown them that they aren’t just another person on your list and that they’re worth buying from.
2. You’re telling them that you are relevant to their mission. By making that purchase, you’re establishing that you’re in the product creator’s tribe, and that what they are doing overlaps with what you are doing.  You’re not a random person, you’re a targeted contact now.  It makes more sense for them to be open to connect with you, because they know they have relevant value to share with you.
3. You’re creating the gateway for relevant communication. Since you own their product, you have a very, very valid reason for contacting them – whether it’s to complement them on the value you’ve received, ask for questions, or simply share your experience.  This gateway can be the single most powerful networking tool you acquire.

Now, to put this in perspective, this isn’t going to work if you don’t have a relevant need for the product and can’t use it.  Don’t think that just buying someone’s stuff is going to give you a magic pathway to them filled with cupcakes and unicorns. Ain’t going to happen.

But if you buy something you can use, and you can create a meaningful result or experience from it, you can instantly create rapport with someone up the food chain.  And that can shave years off of your networking time, because almost nobody ever does this.

So we’ve covered the buying part, where you can potentially get on someone’s radar.  Now let’s talk about how to make that radar blip much bigger and much louder by using a product review.  Here’s what you can do:

• Once you’ve bought the product, tell people about it. Mention it on your blog and link to it.  Mention it on Twitter, and use the creator’s Twitter handle, so it will show up in their “Mentions” section.  And let people know you’re going to do a review in the near future.

• Take notes as you go through the product. If you’re using it to create a result, document it.  If you’re not going to use it in the near future, just take notes on your experience evaluating it.

• Write a quality review. Explain what the product is all about – and include the good, the bad and the ugly.  Your readers will appreciate your honesty and trust you more.  Use “<Product Name> Review” in your post title, and use the product name and the word “review” in your first paragraph (this is for SEO goodness).

• Publicize your review. Newsletter.  Social media.  Get the word out, subtly and with class – you’re not pushing people for a sale, you’re just trying to educate them and give the creator exposure.

• Contact the product creator about the review and thank her for her product. Let the creator know you have a review up and are letting people know about your experiences.  Add another layer onto the relationship you’re building.  Ask if there’s anything you can do for her.

• Do a few follow-up reviews, and repeat the last two steps. Leave your first review open-ended.  Maybe there’s more you can add onto it that you didn’t cover in your first review.  Maybe you’re just giving a progress update.  But follow up.  Give more exposure.

Now, you’ve got a lot of good things going on here.  You’re educating your audience, which is valuable.  You’re investing in training which is (hopefully) helping you.  And you’re establishing a stronger relationship with whoever you’re trying to connect with.  And, if your links to the product are affiliate links, you might even make your money back and then some.  (Trust me, people search on “<product name> review” like crazy when considering a purchase.  It’s good if you can show up there.)

So that’s why buying and reviewing can help you network at light speed.  I’ve seen people use it as the cornerstone of their networking plan and it’s insane how effective it is. Or maybe it’s not insane, and it works so well because so few people have the stones to put their money where their mouth is.

When you download the free workbook you’ll find some exercises to help make this a quick and easy process.  Read on.

Step #5 – Engage Them In Meaningful Conversation on Twitter

Thanks to Twitter, you have an incredible advantage that you just didn’t have a few years ago – you have a chance to insert immediate value into A-Listers’ conversations in real-time.  It is staggering to me how effective this is at getting on people’s radars almost instantly.

Yeah, that’s a big “almost.”  I’ll explain why: The blessing of Twitter is also it’s curse; because so many people are on an A-Lister’s follow list, they have a large amount of traffic.  Which means they are likely receiving a steady stream of messages, and getting them to see yours can be difficult.  If they ask a question and get 50 answers – including yours - you might just blend into the pack.

And more than that, even if they do see you, they may not have the capacity to respond to you. Think about it – if 50 people respond to your conversation, can you reply to them all?  You can’t. For one thing, if you did 50 replies, people who follow you will get overwhelmed and unfollow.  And you simply can’t manage direct messages with that many people.

So here’s the lesson – never take it personally when a message you send – Twitter or otherwise – is ignored.  For highly successful people to function, they have to let some level of communication slide or they can’t do the basic day-to-day stuff that makes their business work.  Don’t get pissy when you think you’re getting ignored.  Be understanding.

So with that hurdle in front of you, how do you get on their radar fast?  It’s simple: you work to become the most relevant name out of the dozens they see every single day, so they will actually want to respond.  Here’s how.

• Engage in conversation with their close connections - you know, the ones you’ve been working with in the previous steps.  When the A-Listers see the people they trust (and follow closely) talking to you, an immediate level of credibility is established.  They start seeing you as a peer to those they already trust.

• Ask specific, meaningful questions about their status when relevant. If someone posts that they are speaking at an event, ask them what day it’s on or what topic they’re talking about.  Give them an opportunity to reply to something that will allow them to further promote what they’re working on.

• Ask them product-based questions that can be answered in 140 characters or less. Since you (hopefully) own their product, asking a quick question about what you’re working on can get a fast response.  It’s publicity for them and what they’re selling, so they’re more motivated to reply.

• Customize your re-tweets to stand out from the crowd. Many people click the re-tweet button hoping to be noticed, and sometimes they are.  But, you stand a better chance of catching that person’s attention if you modify the tweet to add more relevant information or provide promotional backup. If they’re tweeting about a product you own you could add “I’m on chapter 5 and it’s great!” – provided that you’re being honest about it - and your chances of getting noticed (and appreciated) are increased.

The key in all this is to remember that you’re not trying to trigger a response - remember, these people are already overloaded with communication and they don’t want to have to wade through fluff  – instead, you’re trying to add relevant value to their conversation.

It all comes down to creating that meaningful value.  If you can deliver it to them, you will be relevant to them.  And remember that this works for their peer group too - so if you can become relevant to anyone in that group of five you put in your networking map, you’ll have an easier shot at getting the others.

Step #6 – Get Them On The Phone For An Interview

One of the most overlooked aspects of rapid networking is the power of a phone-based interview.  It amazes me how people who tend to seem unapproachable in so many ways (due to either being busy or being aloof) will be completely open to doing an interview if you’re only proactive enough to make it easy on them.

Remember, A-Listers (and really, people on any “list”) continue to seek out new avenues of self-promotion so that they can access audiences they have not yet been exposed to.  The “opportunity cost” of spending 30 or 60 minutes on the phone is low compared to the return they can get by being featured in yet another location online.

When it comes to scoring interviews, you can’t afford to think about who’s “out of your league” or not.  No one is out of your league.  It’s all in the approach.

Let’s talk about a few key factors to focus on when trying to score an interview with someone at the top of the food chain.

• First, you need to have a reason for them to do it. You can’t just say “Hey, want an interview?” to someone who gets interview requests every week.  You’ve got to show them what they get out of it. This could be simply personal exposure (”I have a blog with 1,000 daily readers …”) or product exposure (”I’d like to interview you about your new book …”).  Look at it from the other person’s promotional perspective. They’re paying with their time and attention.  What’s the return?

• Second, you need a quality segue. While the direct email / tweet approach sometimes works, if you’re dealing with someone who is a little on the inaccessible side, it’s time to call on your second- and third-tier contacts (the ones you’ve been working with on your way upwards).  Since they’re familiar with the people you want to connect with, they can give you valuable insight as to how to approach the higher-up in a way that’s most likely to succeed.

• Third, you need to make it really easy on them. Have a list of pre-prepared questions and send it to them ahead of time, along with call in numbers and backup ways of connecting with them if something goes wrong with the call.  If you’re both using Gmail, send them a calendar invite so it gets on their schedule.  Send them a confirmation message the day before the call.  The less they have to think about it, the better.

Phone interviews are powerful.  They don’t have to be an hour.  They can be 30 minutes.  Hell, they can be 15 minutes if you want to be all crazy targeted with what you cover.  As long as it’s something.

Here’s why interviews are so powerful: When you get on the phone with someone, you are truly entering their world, hearing their voice and having real conversation … and that sticks.  You’ll find it ten times easier to continue connecting with them in the future because now they know you.

There’s also a “halo effect” you can score from interviews - as you interview someone higher up the food chain, the public perception of you increases as well – especially with the interviewee’s peers.  Get one interview nailed down, and the rest of your core circle can follow fairly easily.

Step #7 – Complete the Circle

Now that you’ve got some serious networking mojo going on now, you need to see it as a valuable resource you can tap for other people – and you should tap it actively.  You’re more powerful than you were before by virtue of the connections you have, and the more you expand and strengthen your own circle of influence, the more you can expand the pie for everyone.

At this point you’ve asked a lot of people “How can I add value to what you’re doing?” and a lot of people have answered.  You’ve also gained entry into a lot of different people’s worlds, and you’re more acutely aware of the skills and resources everyone has to offer.

This makes you a force to be reckoned with, because now you can proactively begin to connect people based on potential connections that come to mind, and these people will be floored by how much of a value you are to their business.

There’s almost nothing more powerful than meeting someone’s unexpressed need.  Out of the blue, you’ll contact someone and say “Hey, there’s someone you need to meet who I think can really help you out with what you’re doing.”  Do this for people, and they won’t hesitate to spread the word about you in every direction possible.

And it’s dead simple to do.  Here’s an easy way to do it:  Write a simple introductory email that has these features:

• A simple subject line. I like using the form “Making an introduction: Mark, meet Charlie; Charlie, meet Mark” – it’s simple, invokes names in a way that doesn’t look automated, and the very phrasing of it foreshadows a connection.

• A reason for the introduction. Basically, you’re introducing people because you’re envisioning some sort of win-win between them – whether it’s matching a problem with a need or just helping two like-minded people meet each other.  Give a brief reason on why you’re connecting these two people.

• A short bio for each person (with relevance included). Tell Mark what Charlie does (and who he does it for) and why Charlie is so remarkable.  Add a link to Charlie’s website and include his Twitter handle so Mark doesn’t have to go hunting.  Then give Mark the same treatment.

• Invite them to connect. Here’s where you can tell them the desired result, whether it’s “you two should definitely get to know each other better” or “Mark, you might want to ask Charlie what he thinks of your upcoming project.”  Hint at the value that can be created by a meeting of the minds.  And see what magic unfolds.

One big caution when doing this: Treat people’s email addresses with respect.  If you have access to a connection’s private email address, do not use it in the To: or CC: field of the email, or you’re sharing something private without permission.  Use people’s publicly available email addresses so you don’t make an embarrassing mistake.

When you download the free workbook, you’ll find a section that will make it super easy to manage the process of connecting people.

So now you know what you need to know.  You have the roadmap.  You’re about to download the free workbook.

Let your candle burn.  Let your torch light the way.  Expand the pie, you sexy giver, you.

Now Comes The Part When I Give You The Free Stuff.

There’s a little box below where you can put your email address and get a that free workbook I was talking about.  It will contain this entire article as well as worksheets to go along with each of the seven points.  There’s nothing sales-related in this workbook at all.

And there’s prizes too.  If you’re on this list, you’ll be put in a contest where you could win one of these prizes:

• A Dell Mini netbook
• An iPod Touch
• A Flip Video camera
• Amazon.com gift certificates
• A $2000 Marketing Makeover by Naomi Dunford (A bigger-game player if I’ve ever seen one)
• A $1000 business coaching package from me (I play a big game as well.)

You must use a valid email address to get the download link and be in the contest. And when you get to the download page, you’ll see how you can Tweet your way to additional entries in the contest if you’d like.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this article.  And I hope you download the free workbook and get great results out of it. (And good luck on winning the prizes, too!)

All the best,

Dave Navarro

Dave Navarro is a product launch coach and internet marketing consultant who can help your business generate higher more sales more easily than ever by building excitement and community around the products and services you offer.

Enjoy the tips in this article, and please, give me your comments and feedback below!

Your Contact Information is Your Lifeline

If your potential customers are unable to locate you, your store, or your website, you have lost the favorable momentum your marketing has produced.

You should put your contact information on every web page, every printed surface, every TV or radio spot, every ad that leaves your office. It should be clearly visible and well-positioned so the reader, viewer, or listener can easily find you.

That is how your potential customers or customers can reach you.

When we are writing or preparing marketing materials or ads, we may give little attention to the actual contact information in them. Of course, we don’t consider them unimportant, but we may act that way.

How? We get in a hurry and too often fail to pay close attention to the small details.

Let me emphasize that every item that leaves your business–business card, brochure, coupon, ad, web page, audio, video–should have your contact information on it.

But it is also an advertising billboard for your business–good or bad–whether we intend it so or not. Don’t allow yourself to accept a poor presentation of your businesss.

Anytime you put your phone number, address, or web address in your material or on your web site, call it, write it, click on it. Mistakes in any of these can more than negate any anticipated returns and make you appear very foolish, as well.

Overlooking this small detail is very easy but the consequences in poor, negative advertising are far greater than the time it would take you on someone in your organization to check these things before they go on your website or into any printed material.

Your contact information is your lifeline from your business to your customers. Use it well.
In the pursuit of more and better business!

Paul Elliott

A major marketing secret is to make your marketing consistent.

Don’t change media.

Don’t change messages.

Don’t vary your graphic format.

Change your offers and your headlines and even your prices, if you wish, but do not change your identity.

Don’t drop out of the public eye for long periods.

Put your word out consistently. Consistently means regularly – and for a goodly period of time.

Run your ads frequently.

Consistency breeds familiarity, familiarity breeds confidence, and confidence breeds sales.”

GUERRILLA MARKETING

Jay Conrad Levinson

Tweet to Market to Locals

The Twitter social networking and micro-blogging service launched just over two years ago, has rocketed in usage numbers quickly, and recently turned red hot. There are four million connections between twitter users. It seems that a vast number of people are trying twitter but not many really know how to use it, as a matter of fact, yours truly is just beginning to learn herself.

However Celebrities have been quick to espouse twitter even having battles to see who can get more followers as in Ellen De Generes and Ashton Kutcher. There are articles and websites abounding on Twitter celebrites and twitter businesses. Other celebrities using Twitter: Britney Spears – With the launch of her new album, Ms. Spears is embracing the Internet with a redesigned website and the launch of a Twitter account. MC Hammer – Musician, pastor, rising Internet celeb – it seems MC Hammer pops up everywhere.

Twitter is going the way of Face Book and LinkedIn, from a casual optin espoused by the younger generation, it has become a “must do” for business owners. For the newbies out there here’s a quote from the blog 10,000 words which is all about journalism:
“Twitter is transforming from gimmicky messaging tool to marketing powerhouse.” — Caroline McCarthy, WebWare

Ever since Barak Obama used Twitter so successfully to update his in person appearances and other info, Twitter has taken off. You might say Twittr is the the social media this president didn’t invent but at least popularized. Someone has actually called twitter the telegraph system of Web 2.0.

Many companies are rapidly cluing into the promotional value, but smaller businesses appear slow to hop on the bandwagon.
Follow me at: @monmornmarketer

Here are a few tips on leveraging Twitter to help your locally-oriented business.

Not completing a bio

The cardinal sin of most new Twitter users is not filling out the small but important section that says a bit about who they are. It could be a simple as a name (or a clever alias for the secret agents or painfully shy) or even just a sentence or two. If your goal is to get the conversation going — which is the point of Twitter after all — a bio can be the icebreaker.
You can also create a catchy, creative one line bio about yourself, please do! Remember twitter is social networking in miniature.

Protecting updates, but complaining about no followers

There are a few reasons to keep your updates private: not wanting to share your personal business with the world, thwarting spammers, etc. But many twitterers forget that by blocking updates from public view, they are also blocking potential followers. It’s a give and take situation, so you gotta give a little to get something back.

Learning to use twitter effectively can definitely help you keep in touch with clients, prospects, suspects and others who can definitely grow your business.

Here’s the sort of thing you’d love to see: a customer happens by your store and is fascinated with something there, and “tweets” a pic of it out to all his Twitter followers:
Even better, if they endorse the business to their followers, this becomes an online species of word-of-mouth-marketing. So, how do you encourage this to happen?
Believe it or not, many internet savvy folks use twitter like they use the yellow pages. They may tweet about looking for Pittsburgh restaurant that has Middle Eastern Food or great fried chicken. How do you find these people and answer them, check out Twitter Search. http://search.twitter.com/ This morning I checked in on Pittsburgh Marketing and found 15 posts, I did not find anyone looking for a marketing company but I was able to find 15 posts and monitor what some of my competitors are doing.

Be careful of spamming, it’s a challenge with e-mail and twitter might catch you also. You don’t want to lose your account because you answered a specific question by spamming with information about your business that simply was not applicable.

Here are some tips to using Twitter for Local Marketing•

I list my on line radio show topics each week with a link of course, if you are an entertainment venue or non-profit, you can list that weeks events, meetings, free webinars, be creative.

The benefits of following others and having them follow you is cross marketing, your tweets appear on their page and theirs on yours, So collaborate with some non-competitive businesses on your tweeting.

If you have a local blog, tweet each time you post to promote your blog. Be sure to use a shortened URL in the tweet! You can find these at: Tiny URL

Tweet out pics of special stuff going on with your store— things like new product teasers, celebs who visit your store, other interesting aspects of stuff your company does like charitable fundraisers.

If business is slow that day, how about tweeting out an instant coupon with an eight hour deadline or “ today only!”

How about Tweet coupons that encourage tweet users to retweet your coupons or information.

Once you’ve built up sufficient numbers of followers, use Twitter to perform quick polls about what products, features, services your customers would prefer. Cheap, fast input from your client base!

Don’t just follow these tips, check out the tweeters that have thousands of followers and swipe and deploy what they are using, once an idea is out there unless it is copyrighted or trademarked it’s pretty much public domain, just please do not plagiarize, use the idea and make it your own.

Please do use the Twitter Directory

• Tweeter Directory
• Twitter Tools
• Twitter Mobile
• Wikis & Blogs
• Cool Stuff
• Twitter Bots
• Search Twitter
• Statistics & Tracking
• Twitter for Business
• Twitter Services
• Twitter Graphics
• Twitter Sharing
• Twitter Groups
• Twitter News
• Twitter Fame

This blog post can be reproduced in its entirety with the following information:
© Joanne Quinn-Smith 2009, Monday Morning Marketeer™ 412-628-5048
Listen at: http://tinyurl.com/MondayMorningMarketeer
Blog: www.marketingmondaymorning.blogspot.com
Or on its unique radio channel at:
www.positivelypittsburghlivemgazine.com
Joanne Quinn-Smith is the Creative Energy Officer of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and an expert on Web 2.0 Branding.
Joanne has also been designated by the 2009 U.S. Small Business Administration as the Small Business Journalist of the Year for her work with information relevant to small business.
Follow at: https://twitter.com/monmornmarketer

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/joannequinnsmith

The audio radio talkcast of this show can be heard on Monday Morning Marketeer unique radio channel at http://positivelypittsburghlivemagazine.com, date of show 5-11-09

As I was reading through my emails today, I came across this wonderful offer and was asked to share it with my friends.  This is a FREE gift that will not stay free for long – price is soon (subject to the discretion of the author as to when it will happen) going to be $27.  Follow the directions in this post and after you complete the form with all your contact info (No, you will not be charged anything), be sure to CLICK ON THE COVER OF THE BOOK to get the download started.  Don’t forget to check to see if any bonuses are left.

I suggest you do this soon, there’s no guarantee how long it will be F-R-E-E!

“How To Take No For An Answer And Still Succeed”

I’d like to offer you the digital edition of How To Take No For An Answer And Still Succeed as my gift. I only ask one favor. Tell me what you want.

I have an eclectic blog and several others too. You’ll notice that this blog, The Justin Times has a variety of postings. So, I’d like my readers to share their wants and I’ll do all that I can to accommodate you. It’s that simple. A book for a click to tell me what you want.

http://thewordpresswizard.com/tom Visit this page and to your left is a poll, “What I Want,” which you can just click on any button or add something if what’s there doesn’t cover it for you. Simple?

After you vote click on the book cover below and it will take you to the zero dollar order page where you can pick up your copy and all bonuses.

Also, as long as you’re on the list, you will get any new or updated bonuses as we add them.

You’ll see endorsements from Larry King, Jack Canfield, Og Mandino (author of  The Greatest Miracle In The World,” and “The Greatest Salesman In The World”) and others.

Many years ago, before giving a talk to over 500 successful sales executives in New York City, an event happened that caused me to completely change my talk, which changed my life too.

How To Take No For An Answer And Still Succeed became the most popular seminar I’ve ever given. Then it became a book, I got the rights back and now it’s digital and you can have it in mere moments.

This simple 30,000 word book is full of practical tips and ideas for getting through the roughest times. Whether it’s financial, relationship, or business based. But you can see for yourself.

NOTICE: The book will go back to it’s (click on this link if you’d prefer to pay  : ) $27 pricing in the next few days, so please don’t delay.

The 1000 Book Giveaway Challenge!

Get a copy for yourself then give more away – Pay it forward!

Tell your friends!. Give them a copy as your gift. Just send them to this page, http://budurl.com/taff .

We have a goal to give away 1000 books this week!

Can you do it? How many can you give away?

Join us and let’s make it happen!

Enjoy the book and be sure to come back and give us your thoughts.

NOTICE: You may get an email shortly to confirm your subscription to “The Justin Times.” Be sure to CLICK on the link to confirm so you will get all your bonuses and the book.

I have been invited to conduct a training class at a speaking platform like no other and wanted to invite you to listen. You can participate in as many classes as you wish from the comfort of your home and convenience of your telephone or computer.

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Debbie Allen

“The Shameless Success Expert”

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If they DO respond, I code their contact information with a #1 – this means that they have responded to my question and could possibly be interested in building a relationship.  If they answer my question AND tell me what they are looking for as a referral, I then code their data with a #2 – this is now a connection to me.  When we begin to have conversations back and forth, and I mean more than 3 or 4 different emails – but several emails and potentially an opportunity to talk on the telephone, I then code them a #3.  Their request info is also updated with each and every “touch” I have with them so that my records are current.  If I have all their information, their birthdays and what I feel is enough personal information, I then code them a #4 in my data records.

Follow-up is done depending on what number they are coded.  #1’s I try to send something to at least once a year.  #2  gets information from me based upon what time of information is being shared – potentially be added to my newsletter or ezine.  #3 are added to my newsletter list and #4 usually hear from me in some form or another every week or nearly every week.  I share tips, refer articles, ask them to comment on my blog posts, I comment on their blog posts, etc. and continue to work on building our relationships.

#5  – the most coveted number in my database is limited to people I have a good, strong solid relationship with.  Someone who has gone the extra mile to send me new contacts, send me information that would be helpful in my business, those who comment on my blog with the intention of helping me build readership – not just to get the backlinks, etc.  Those types of people I am going to keep in touch with as often as possible.

It is possible that the numbers can change on the contacts, again it is based on how much we interact.  Follow me on Twitter will get you a minimum #3; become my friend of FaceBook could realistically be any number, again depending on info being shared between us. 

Networking is work, it is work to keep track of your contacts and even more work to keep track of referrals you make and receive.  Please be sure to mark in  your contact management system a date you receive a referral and be sure to thank that person within the next 24 hours.  Referrals you make to others, don’t wait for them to follow-up with you, contact them – I’d give them no more than a week and I’d be asking what the status was of the referral I made for them.

Now it’s your turn, tell us about what  YOU use for your contact management and please share how you develop your database.  I’d love to see your comment(s) listed below for my readers to share!

Jason Jacobsohn, Networking Insight had a great post on this topic this week.  Check out what he has to say on the subject.  http://www.networkinginsight.com/2008/07/what-not-to-do-when-meeting-someone-for-the-first-time.html

For the most part, I do agree with Jason’s points, however, I must disagree, sort of, with the last point he makes in his post.  Business cards – yes, I do agree, carry them with you at all times, in your briefcase,  your PDA, your jacket pockets, your purse, etc.  The part I DON’T agree with is to hand them out everywhere  you go.  My advice is to be selective in handing them out.   Think about it . . . how many times do you return to your home and/or office with a pocket full of business cards (or even that one card that seems to remain “stuck” in your pocket(s) and ends up in the laundry?) and you don’t even remember why you have these cards.  You don’t remember where or why you got these cards.  It’s crazy isn’t it  -  since you don’t remember anything about the person, might as well throw the card in the trash!

Ouch! Is that what you had in mind when you gave out that card?  I know, I don’t!  If you are selective about handing out your cards, the chances of that card ending up in the trash are minimal.  When you are ASKED for a card, obviously the person has some interest in you and/or the business you represent and will more than likely remember you when they return to their home or office. 

The days of running around, handing out cards to every Tom, Dick and Harry you meet are gone and good riddance to them!  Business cards are expensive to print and with the economy in the state it is in now, who can afford to pass them out to people who are not interested in using them?  In addition to that, you want to be memorable when meeting new people.  By waiting until they ask for your card, it will become more important to them to remember what they wanted to use your card for – new business, a referral, etc.  Speaking of “jogging their memory” as to why they have your card, if you have high-quality glossy stock business cards, the next time you order cards, ask for the glossy stock on the front side only of your card, unless you are using the back of the card for helpful information.  If the back of the card is blank, and the cardstock is glossy on both sides, no one can use that side to make notes to remember why they have your card, what they were to send you or even where they met you!

How about you – what do your business cards look like?  What do you do with the business cards you “collect” as you are out and about?  What do you do with those cards when you return?  How memorable do you want to be?  I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas, so please post a comment below and tell me about your business card! 

As members of my weekly RUN group will tell you, this is a question I am constantly asking them as we give our referral requests during our meeting.  Be sure you are as specific as possible, telling me what you do that solves your client’s pain or how you helped solve a problem.

Members of my RUN group will be asked to come and post here as well.  Please check back to read the comments – I’m sure you will enjoy meeting everyone and be able to make some new referral buddies!

So tell me, why should I do business with YOU?

If you want to learn more about using Skype, check out Julie Wolf’s tips for using Skype Rooms at http://www.incomeassurance.com/skype-room .  Julie is our resident Skype Expert and will help you find the best ways to utilize Skype as you develop all your sales funnels to grow your business.

If you are interested in discovering how your can monetize and develop your passion, visit Katherine Reschke’s Skype Room at http://passionsthatpay.com/skype-room .  Katherine is an excellent coach and is a great brainstorming and accountability partner!  There are a lot of awesome people that hang out in this room, all willing to share their knowledge and expertise with one another!  Stop by and meet them!

Networking – lots of opportunities exist!  If you are interested in learning how to effectively and efficiently build those important business relationships, check out my Skype Room http://www.runlancaster.com/skype-room  In this room you will find discussions going on about all the ways you can improve your networking whether it is online or offline.  Discuss the things you enjoy doing and discover what the others enjoy as well. 

The one thing that stands out loud and clear – all participants in this room have a giving attitude – they want to share their expertise!  No question is too big or too small, or insignificant.  Everyone takes whatever time is needed to solve your problem and there is usually someone around that can help you out!

Time management – now that’s a tough one.  Since these Skype Rooms are very busy – conversations going on in many different directions, how do you manage your time there?  That’s a question we were asked today while we were attending Lynn Terry’s Weekly Internet Marketing Q&A.  By the way, here’s the link if you would like to join us next week!  http://www.selfstartersweeklytips.com/webinars/login.htm

I keep all the Skype Rooms open during the day and when I receive a notification, I quickly skim the message to see if I need to do something right now.  If not, I go back to work and reply when I need a break.  The nice thing about this is I am not forced to stop and check out the message if I am busy with another project!  I could choose Do Not Disturb and I will simply see a red flag on my Skype icon when  I am ready to read the posts. 

My main reason for using Skye Rooms is to build my business; for keeping in touch with people who are currently in my contact list; to meet new people; chatting with people to learn more about them as a step in the relationship developing stage and for sharing my networking tips so that I can be viewed as an Expert in Networking and Relationship Building.

How about you?  Do you participate in any Skype Rooms?  If you do, what is your favorite one?  Where do you hang out to network and learn?  Please post your comments and your questions – how can I help you network with Skype?