Creativity is born of unexpected ideas contributing to a single cause. Few networks live in a space of total innovation. The need comes in “fits and starts” and is met in short periods of intense concentration, or after an extended period of rest. The ebbs and flows of imagination and creation can be exhausting. Yet, pose a problem to your network, give them boundaries (amount of money and time available along with constraints), and many ideas will be shared. Ask for this kind of help sparingly – after you’ve done your homework and exhausted the obvious possibilities. Your network will generate a number of opportunities. Be sure to acknowledge and consider each one.

Patricia A. Parham
Parham Enterprises
www.parhament.com

For more information, please visit Patricia’s TNNWC Bio.

I would love to hear your thoughts and comments about this series.  Did you find it to be helpful and would you like to see more articles like this?

To Your Networking Success!

Carol Deckert, Networking Coach/Expert

Networking Rhythmically

Moving a network or team into action requires a steady beat. March steadily towards a goal and punctuate each step. Let your network know what is happening.
1. Ask them to contribute ideas, strategies or forms that might help you with a specific project or idea.
2. Express gratitude immediately and don’t wait too long before you do.
3. Share how their contributions were implemented and, finally;
4. Assess how those changes affected the work. As you do this, more ideas and resources will come to you as interest in and understanding of your work increases. Networkers like to help. Establish a rhythm of asking and sharing!

Patricia A. Parham
Parham Enterprises
www.parhament.com

Want to read more about Patricia Parham?  Visit her bio

I would love to hear your thoughts and comments about this series.  Did you find it to be helpful and would you like to see more articles like this?

To Your Networking Success!

Carol Deckert, Networking Coach/Expert

Patricia A. Parham
Parham Enterprises
www.parhament.com

For more information, please visit Patricia’s TNNW Bio.

Networking Flows

Powerful networking creates a flow of energy, a current that pulls others into it. Ideas hook people and pull them into the flow. Common interests attract others, be they mainstream, heretical or extreme. Is your communication matter of fact, compelling, witty or arcane? People engage around humor. Is yours dry, racy, or laced with puns? What draws others into your network and keeps them there? Be intentional about the use of tone, language and humor. These shape the way the network hears your ideas and interests. Figure out what you want from your network and release that energy to attract like energies, thereby increasing the flow. More flow equals greater networking power.

Patricia A. Parham
Parham Enterprises
www.parhament.com

For more information, please visit Patricia’s TNNW Bio.

Show a genuine interest in other people

According to Dale Carnegie “You can close more business in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get people interested in you.”

This takes your networking activities to a new level – you are becoming a Netweaver!  Netweaving involves being an active listener to see how you can help the people you meet. If you are unable to personally help them, introduce or connect them to people in your network.   Woody Allen loved to say:  “80% of success is showing up!” These words are still true today!

In order to find out what someone needs or they should meet, ask open-ended questions.  Start by asking questions to get them talking about themselves – people LOVE to talk about themselves! Don’t make the questions answerable by saying “Yes” or “No”.  Try something like this:  “That’s interesting, how do you do that?” (Bonus point . . .They will remember you for listening attentively to them and for making them FEEL important)!  Forget the advice from your mama (at least just this one time!) and be prepared to talk to strangers.  Have an interesting story to share with them.  Remember, strangers are simply friends you have yet to meet.

Always follow-up with contacts

When you meet someone at an event, follow-up with a simple e-mail or telephone call confirming where you met and what action, if any, was agreed.   It’s best if this is done with 48 hours of the event!

How about trying something to make you unique – as you leave the event, call the new person’s telephone (cell phone work great, but if you don’t have their cell number, call their office number) and let them know you enjoyed chatting with them.  Tell them you are looking forward to connecting with them again in the near future.

Upon your return home, or to your office, make it a point to send them a thank-you note (handwritten is excellent) and ask them if they are interested in a follow-up conversation.   If so, be proactive, contact them to schedule it – don’t wait for them to contact you!  (Procrastination is everyone’s enemy).

Prompt follow ups are essential! Find out which online networks they use and if you are already a member, be sure to connect with them.  If you are not, check out the network and join if you have an interest.

In addition to joining online networks, start a blog

Your blog is the cornerstone of your online presence and is the place where you build your reputation.   Blogs can be built and hosted on your own domain name and attached to your website or use a free service like Blogger, hosted on Blogger’s site.  Use your blog to show off your personality and to give others  your point of view.  Request comments, start conversations, accept constructive criticism, but get people talking!

Personally, I love using WordPress, it’s easy to navigate and the content remains mine.  By having my blog on my own domain name, I am able to control what content is posted.  If you use a service like Blogger or even if you use the hosting connected with WordPress, be sure to check if the content you post remains yours and if you have any regulations on what and how you post your information.

Use your blog to share your stories, hints, tips, and insights.  Make it personal and unique.  Then use Twitter to broadcast your blog posts and help drive traffic to your site.

Make online contacts and build relationships first

Contributing to online conversations, sharing your knowledge and connections is a great way to add contacts to your network.   Make contact with like minded professionals, but don’t limit yourself to just those types of folks.  Find others in similar types of business that have information that you could possible cross-promote or share.

Networking is not about selling – it’s about building relationships. The best business is developed when both parties know, like and trust each other. So take the time to get to know one another and establish rapport.

Schedule “let’s get to know one another” meetings

You’ve established rapport with someone you’ve met at a networking meeting or had good online interactions. It looks as though they might know your target market. But, how do you take things forward?   That’s fairly simple, meet with them for a coffee, lunch or even ice cream!  Invite them to attend a networking event with you and if all else fails, just schedule a time to chat over the telephone.   Whatever works best for you and your new contact is what you should do.  Don’t worry if everyone else is doing something different.  You are building your network first so make it work for you.

Develop referral partners, or networking advocates

A referral partner goes out of their way to recommend your products and/or services without being asked or expecting anything in return.  By taking the time to develop the relationships with key members of your network, you can learn how to properly refer them to others.

Referral partnerships are not one-sided. It takes commitment from both parties to work properly.   Go out of your way to connect referral partners with members of your network.  Introduce them to people who might benefit from their services. Doing this without expectation of immediate payback is Netweaving.  Netweaving is based on “paying it forward.”    What goes round comes round. People will eventually become advocates for you – and this is where the networking dividend really pays off!

As always, I’m happy to chat with you about your netweaving/networking needs – just contact me through email, Twitter, FaceBook, LinkedIn or an old-fashioned telephone call!  If you would like to know more about my face-to-face weekly group coaching sessions, please visit my website .

To Your Netweaving Success!

Carol

P.S.  Your comments are always welcome – please post them below!

Whether or not you believe it, the reality is that the online networks give us a really effective tool for supporting our offline business networking activities.  But . . .  you do have to go about both activities strategically.  Since 2004, when I first joined LinkedIn (my first step into online networking), I learned that the most important step in beginning to network online is to become an active member, not a card-carrying member.  What do I mean by that?  Simply, participate!  Read forum messages, ask questions, answer questions whenever you can and show up!  This is a wonderful place to ask questions and to learn!  People love helping others and this is a simple way to establish a connection – ask someone how to do something!

Get comfortable with how networking works

My good friend, Bob Burg says “All things being equal, people will do business with, and refer business to those people they know, like and trust.” It’s all about  finding other business people who operate in similar markets to you.  Offering to help them is a step toward building a relationship that earns trust.   Trust is not immediate,  so don’t expect immediate results.

Building relationships takes time and perseverance!  If you take the time to develop relationships and create a network, you will be richly rewarded. Don’t expect to walk into a room of strangers or simply post a profile online and come away with business – it just doesn’t work like that!

Develop a plan

I’m sure you have already heard that you either develop a plan for success or you plan to fail!   ”It pays to plan ahead.   It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark but he anticipated that he might need one in the future.  If you don’t know where you are going with your networking how can others help you? Plan for future events and activities – think about what you might need.

Start with answering a few simple questions:

(1)  Who or what is your target market? What are the problems you solve for them?

(2) What percentage of your business are you expecting to generate by word of mouth?

(3) How much time can you devote to your networking activities?  Notice I asked how much time “can” you devote – now identify how much time you “will” devote to networking activities.  This is a crucial part of your marketing plan and needs to be addressed completely.

(4) Can you identify others likely to have access to your target market?  How do you get to know them?  Can you help them achieve their goals?

When you can answer these questions you are have the basis of a networking plan which you can begin acting on right away.  As with your business plan or your marketing plan, your networking plan should always be a work in progress – edit along the way, add some events, and remove others, but always planning for future use and needs.

Identify the people you already know, like and  trust

The foundation of your networking activities should be the people you have already done business with, your colleagues, family, customers and suppliers.   It’s critical that you invest whatever time is necessary to develop these important relationships.  Stay in touch with them; find out what they need in the way of support from you.  Share relevant information with them whenever possible – help them understand that you are an expert in what you do and that you can be depended on to help when needed.

Identify the offline networks to join

Even if your existing network is big enough to generate enough word of mouth to achieve your plan, think ahead for future needs and find several networks to join.  Who do you know and where do they like to hang out?  These people are likely to have access to and influence with your target market.

When you find out where they hang out, prepare to join the same groups or networks.   Start by visiting the organization.  If you feel as though you could contribute to the organization’s growth, in addition to learning from the existing members, then join.  But don’t be just a card-carrying member – participate.  Enjoy the numerous activities that take place within the group.

It’s important to begin by taking the time to get to know the members and the ways you can help – support, information and/or introductions.  Remember that even though you are joining a new organization, you already have a network that you are able to introduce to others.  You already are bringing value to the new network.

When asked to present you and/or your business, do it confidently and  consistently identify your target market, the problems you solve and your stories.  Being consistent helps other to remember what you are saying.  For some people, it may take several times of hearing what you say before they are able to act on what you need and find referrals for you.  When you are repeatable, you are referable!

Part 2 of this article will be published tomorrow, so watch for it!

As always, I’m happy to chat with you about your netweaving/networking needs – just contact me through email, Twitter, FaceBook, LinkedIn or an old-fashioned telephone call!  If you would like to know more about my face-to-face weekly group coaching sessions, please visit my website .

To Your Netweaving Success!

Carol

P.S.  Your comments are always welcome – please post them below!

If I were to ask you “how do you get new clients?” would you answer,  “by referrals?”

Would you like to learn how to get more referrals, particularly more QUALIFIED referrals?

Are you listening to new contacts or are you attempting to “sell” to them?

Are you educating  your sphere of influence on “how” to make a qualified referral for you?

Are you keeping in touch on a regular basis with all your clients, prospect AND suspects?

Are you telling your clients that you appreciate referrals?

Perhaps it’s time for a change!  Spring is in the air, why not give your business a tune-up and contact me to help you fine-tune your networking skills?

As always, I’m happy to chat with you about your netweaving/networking needs – just contact me through email, Twitter, FaceBook, LinkedIn or an old-fashioned telephone call!  If you would like to know more about my face-to-face weekly group coaching sessions, please visit my website .

To Your Netweaving Success!

Carol

P.S.  Your comments are always welcome – please post them below!

Are you ready to get started?

1. Are you consciously connecting new contacts with your existing network?
2. Are  you making sure that the referral is an appropriate one for both parties?  To clarify that, you want to be sure when you refer someone to another party, that the other party is expecting someone to call them regarding a product/service they are interested in purchasing, know exactly who will be calling them about this, actually have a need for the product/service being offered and most of all, have the financial ability to pay for these products/services.
3. Do you realize that the reciprocity you develop with your network turns into a windfall of opportunities for you as well as those you have helped?  Reciprocity is unspoken, but greatly appreciated.  Helping others without expectation of immediate personal payback generates that unspoken reciprocity.  Who has helped you lately?  Who have you helped lately?
4. Have you helped at least 2 people get connected this week?  A valued relationship, one where the other other person is connected to you because of the value you provide, is your key to success.  Connect someone to another member of your network and help them develop a valuable relationship.
5. Are you taking the time necessary to find out who your connections wish to meet and why?  This information is necessary to make appropriate introductions and again, to develop reciprocity!
6. Super Stars make sure they “speak” directly with every new connection – a great way to quickly develop a strong relationship.  Take the time to schedule an appointment to chat – either on the telephone, or in person for coffee, lunch or whatever and get to know this new connection.  Find out what makes them “tick!”  If your connections are not geographically located for a face-to-face meeting, a great resource to conserve long-distance charges is to use Skype.  Skype is a free service, but both parties need to subscribe to the service to use it.  We’ll talk more about Skype in a future post.
7. Are you conscious about remembering that your conversations with a new connection should be all about WIIFT (What’s in it for them) and NOT about WIIFM (What’s in it for me)?
8. What are you doing to make yourself invaluable to those around you?  Are you attracting people to you by what you do and how you do it?  Networking is an attraction action, not a contact sport.
9. Are  you consistently helping others connect, listening to what one person is saying, taking notes on what is needed or wanted and searching through your network to find a qualified person to connect them with?
10. When speaking with a new connection, are you focusing on TELLING rather than SELLING – new people do not want to immediately be sold to, but they DO want to be listened to.
11. Are you responding with a thank you note to EVERY request you receive for a new connection, either online or offline?  Particularly on FaceBook, Twitter and LinkedIn, it is critical that you take the time to thank someone for wanting to connect with you.  Showcase your networking expertise and allow these new connections to learn from you – it’s amazing how impressive a thank you note can be.
12. Simply introducing two people to one another is the most effective thing you can do for them.  Perhaps it is two people in the same field, that could provide resources for one another, or maybe it’s just that they have the same interest, such as swimming or scrapbooking and appreciate having someone to chat with about it.   Super Star Networkers know that networking can be about business and about personal issues.

I am always thrilled to connect with new people on FaceBook, Twitter and LinkedIn.  Please do connect with me and suggest me to your sphere of influence as well.  I love helping others develop their networking skills for business success.  Your comments and questions are always welcome here, so please feel free to comment below!

To  Your Netweaving Success!

Carol

How are you going to make sure others know what it is so that they understand and can refer business to you?

How is 2010 going to be different for you?

Tell us about your passion and then why not tell us how we can help you fulfill that passion?

Comment below and let’s get some discussion going!

Are you a member of a face-to-face networking group?  Does your group meet regularly on a weekly basis?  Do you understand why regular attendance is important in a networking group?  Yes, I understand – client work is also important – it pays the bills and keeps you moving, but sooner or later, what happens when there are no longer clients demanding your attention?  Where are the new clients going to come from?  Isn’t that the primary reason you joined a networking group?  To be able to build some new relationships and generate some new business?

Many people question why it is important to regularly attend the weekly Referral Unlimited Network (RUN) meetings.  I get questioned often by the statement if they are paying their dues, why does it matter if they are not attending regularly?  Paying their dues as a group member is just one small part of the commitment they made when applying for membership.

Members join the group because they WANT to get to know more people.  When you are absent from the meetings on a regular basis, it’s tough to develop new relationships.  Seeing one another weekly at the meetings, sets a certain level of trust and dependability.  Based on that trust you then decide how far you want the relationship to grow.  Deciding to “hit and miss” when you attend meetings, limits both your interaction with the group as well as their interaction with you.  Wasn’t the intent of joining to meet new people, to develop business relationships?

When a prospective member visits a weekly group meeting, it is highly unusual that they already know everyone that is a member of the group.  During the time of their visit, the prospective member is evaluating the group – the people who make up the group.  Possibly this is the prospective guest’s first time meeting you.  As in most networking situations, when you first make a contact with someone, your thoughts are:

• Do I like them?

• Do I find them interesting?

• What are their points of contact (business or personal)?

• How large is their sphere of influence?  What type(s) of people do they know?

• Do I want to take this further?  Is this person someone that I feel is important to include in my network?

The above are just some of the thoughts more than likely crossing your mind before you determine whether or not you would like to form some type of relationship with them.  This connection may not happen the first time you meet someone. It may take time attending regular meetings to get to liking someone, finding them interesting or establishing points of contact. One of the great things about interacting with people in a regular group is that you get the time to make connections with people that you might have dismissed on the basis of a single brief meeting.

The presence (or the absence of) regular members may be the determining factor as to whether or not a guest decides to join the group.  You can learn a lot about another person by simply observing their actions and interactions with other members – how they speak to and about each other, how comfortable are they with one another, how professional are they?

In addition, by not attending, you missed an opportunity to make a new contact.  Suppose this guest does visit one or two regular meetings, and for whatever reason, decides NOT to join, you may indeed be the one person he/she is looking to connect with.  Since you were not there, you may miss the opportunity of a lifetime!

Even though we interact regularly during our weekly meetings, it is important to have conversations with each other outside of the meetings.  You need to learn enough about the person to decide if a relationship can be developed between you and on what level that relationship will work.  This means having a real conversation, rather than a superficial one where you just exchange business cards and move on.  When the time is right and you both decide that further exploration is worthwhile then you can move to the next stage of the process which is keeping in touch and helping one another.

I would love to hear your thoughts and comments on this subject.  Please share them with us in the comment section below.   If you are interested in helping, please share this article with your connections on Twitter, FaceBook and LinkedIn.

To Your Networking Success!

Carol

Are you making it easy for people to find you?  Do you have your contact info on every page – does your contact info include not only your email address, but a telephone number and if appropriate, the snail mail address of your business.  Does it list the appropriate person’s name in your company to contact for more information?  I see this happening quite a lot and was quite pleased to see this great article on this very subject.

Carol Tice, A journalist with Entrepreneur Daily Dose, Online Biz has written http://blog.entrepreneur.com/2009/10/5-things-i-hate-about-your-web-site.php

Are you “shooting yourself in the foot” and sabotaging your own marketing efforts?  I think this was a great reminder.  Thanks to Carol Tice for writing it.  I’m looking forward to reading more of her timely articles!

As always, I’d love to hear your comments.  Please post them below and see if we can get a discussion going about this.

To Your Networking Success!

Carol

You only have one chance at making a positive first impression, so don’t leave it to chance – make sure you are prepared so that when you leave any meeting or event, you are confident the people you spoke with understand what you do and how you do it.   Focus on giving enough information to entice them to seek you out to ask for more information.  Make your intro heart-warming, friendly, down-to-earth sincere and focus on why YOU are different, why YOU should be chosen over your competitors and most of all, how YOU are going to solve your customer’s pain.

An intro is the most important presentation you are going to give.  You want to make sure you are leaving a positive first impression.  Your goal for your intro should be providing enough information to have someone want to ask you questions.  To contact you to schedule a telephone chat, or get together for coffee, breakfast or lunch.  Something that will make those listening to you, REMEMBER what you said and tell others what they think about you.  That’s one of the reasons why being Memorable is the first step to becoming Remarkable!  Here’s a great clue for you – why not finish your intro like this?  Please do me a huge favor by NOT keeping me a secret!

Keep your eyes open for more on this subject – as the RUN members finalize their intros, I’ll be posting them here on the blog with the intention of spreading the word, the good word, about who they are and what they do.  I do hope that you will contact each one of them to learn more and find out how you may be able to work with them.  You never know you someone else may know and the worst that will happen is that you will make a highly professional new contact!

What are your thoughts on creating a positive intro for you  and your business?  In order to generate some conversation on this subject, why not post your comments below?

To Your Networking Success!

Carol

* * * * *

If you would like to read a bit more on this subject, I highly recommend you check out  an article written by Debby Fay.

http://www.salesshebang.com/article_display.jsp?top=76790&mid=76794&siteObjectID=77334

Debbie Fay is the founder of bespeak presentation solutions, a presentations coaching company that helps clients build and deliver presentations that get heard and get results. Debbie has helped hundreds of people of all ages and vocations become confident compelling change-making speakers. Go to www.bespeakpresentations.com or email; beheard@bespeakpresentations.com to learn more.

Skeeter and Al’s recommendations are here:

Engage on Twitter: You will make more friends and attract more followers by becoming interested in other people versus trying to get other people interested in you. The key to engaging with others is recognizing that even in a group setting, it’s best to relate to people one on one.

Focus on the quality of engaging by making the other person feel important. A great way to connect with someone new is to give them a compliment. There’s always something nice to say about someone.

To engage successfully remember to keep conversations focused on “safe” topics and away from taboo subjects such as religion, sex, race, and politics.

Here are four proven methods to engage using the simple acronym F.O.R.M.

The “F” is for Family-Friends
(Tweet about their family members, their background, etc.)

The “O“ is for Occupation
(Tweet about their business, their profession, organizations they belong to, etc.)

The “R” is for Recreation:
(Tweet about their hobbies, what they like to do for fun, online presence, favorite sports team, blogging, etc.)

The “M” is for Message:
(Tweet about what is important to that person, what does that person stand for, what are that person’s values, etc.)

When engaging with “F.O.R.M.”; it helps you to learn more about that person, its shows sincere interest and opens the door to providing a solution for that persons needs.
When you show that you care and there is a need, a person is more receptive to hearing about your company, products, service and/or opportunity.

A great way to start engaging your contacts in a discussion is to present some controversial subjects and ask for opinions, both good and bad.  Ask solid questions and respond to the answers.

When you learn to know someone from your online conversations and you feel as though you know enough about them to pass the “Know, Like and Trust” factor, prepare a testimonial and present it to them, before they even request it!  What a nice surprise that would be!  A true example of Netweaving – helping someone else without any expectation of payback on your part.  How many people would NOT want to respond to receiving a great testimonial?  I’m not suggesting in any way that you fabricate info to provide a testimonial, but to simply do it, if you already know something about the person and want to “put your neck on the line” in order to help promote someone else.

If we all strive to provide information and engage our friends and followers in a meaningful conversation, spammers will be in the minority and quit getting all our attention.  Without attention, the only choice they have will be to go away! What do you think?  I’d love to generate some conversation on this, so please do post your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.

To Your Networking Success!

Carol

I was reading the blog post written by Scott Ginsberg,

Today’s post was very interesting – he was talking about becoming ridiculously referrable without becoming a “pushy, self-promoting putz!”  I believe you all know the type of people he is referring to – we meet these types of people all the time.  If you are like me, I go out of my way to AVOID those people at networking events – I hate to be pressured into doing something  before I’m ready to do it – so it is much easier to just avoid any connection with them.

I certainly don’t want anyone making the “assumption” that I must be just like them since I’m taking the time to chat with them or hang out with them.  My time is better spent introducing people to one another, finding new people to connect with personally and developing relationships.

Having said all that, I started thinking about some of the things we can all do to become more referrable and one of the paragraphs in Scott’s blog post really said it all!  I have reposted that portion of his post for you here.

Whom do YOU refer? During a recent speech, one audience member shared, “I always refer my chiropractor – she’s great looking and has strong hands!” Naturally, I made an appointment immediately.

So, try this: Make a list of five people you’ve referred in the past month. Then, next to each name, note the various attributes that made that person referable.

Next, re-read your final list of attributes. Rate yourself from 1-10 on each one.

Finally, if you’re not happy with your current referability, set a goal to raise each category by two points in the next six months.

Or, if you REALLY want to blow your hair back, email ten customers and ask them to rate you on those same attributes. You may be amazed at the disparity.

How referable are you perceived as being?  Just remember, you can’t FORCE people to refer you, but you can HELP them WANT to refer you!

During our weekly RUN meetings, we talk a lot about what it takes to receive (and to pass) great referrals.  So I would now like to issue a challenge – not only to my RUN members, but to my readers as well.  Why not try what Scott has suggested – put yourself to the test and see how your referrability scale will increase.  Then, come back here, post a comment and tell me about your experience.  What happened, the good, the bad and the ugly and let’s share our experiences with one another.

There are a few more points to this subject that we will cover in later posts, but don’t wait for those to appear.  Get started today – comment below by telling me that you accept the challenge and I’ll be watching and waiting for  your results!

Don’t keep RUNLancaster and this blog a secret, tell others about it, will you?

To Your Networking Success!

Carol

Today’s post is going to be relatively simple!  I’m developing a page for my blog where I will be promoting blogs that I feel are important and share wonderful information.  If you would like to be included, please post your link in the comments section below.  I will review your blog and add it to my BlogRoll.

This is a great way to begin to develop a successful relationship.  Let’s share great ideas as well as things that have sabotaged us – working together can help all of us become successful!

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.

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By joining RUN, you will become a Master Networker/Relationship Builder and will have a sphere of influence that will be enviable by everyone that is not participating!  Just think how that will affect the growth of your business in a very positive way!

No obligation is necessary – just come and have lunch (or breakfast) with us – see what this group has to offer in the way of business building, masterminding and networking – I think you will be impressed by what you see.  These are a great bunch of people, dedicated to helping others, paying it forward with the goal of building relationships for business referrals.

Just come by –choose the day that fits best into your schedule – I would appreciate knowing if you are planning to visit just so that I can have enough tables/chairs set up.  Everyone buys their own lunch (or breakfast), so you can choose what you like!  Visiting a RUN group can be done a maximum of two times and must be done within a three-week period. At that point, you MUST make a decision whether or not you will be submitting an application for membership.

Not everyone is accepted that applies, but you do want to see what we are all about so come on out and eat with us – no obligation, no high-pressure tactics to join.  The group sells itself.

Just be sure to remember to bring your business cards and YOUR SMILE!

RUN #1 meets on Fridays at Symposium Restaurant, 125 S Centerville Rd., Lancaster from 12 Noon – 1:30 pm, meeting every week.

RUN #2 meets on Thursdays and will be a breakfast group, at Heritage Hotel, next to Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre, on Centerville Rd., Lancaster from 8:00 am – 9:30 am every Thursday, meeting every week

RUN #3 meets on Wednesdays at Symposium Restaurant, 125 S. Centerville Rd., Lancaster from 12 noon – 1:30 pm., meeting every week

Please reserve your spot by calling me at 717-394-6453 or by email at caroldeckert@comcast.net and be sure to invite your friends to come along as well.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

With the economy the way it is today, more and more people are relying on networking with one another to gain qualified business referrals.  RUN can help you do that, by teaching you how to build relationships, focusing on strengths, not weaknesses that lead to a lifetime of valued referrals.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns – please post them below or contact me directly. I’m happy to talk about RUN anytime!

To Your Networking Success!

Carol

If networking just doesn’t seem to work for you or benefit you, you have to step back and ask yourself a few questions:

• If you’ve joined groups or networks, do you participate?
• Have you initiated contact with members?
• Do you share your expertise & knowledge?
• Do you attend any events hosted by the groups or networks?
• Do you reach out to people before you actually need something just to say hello or keep a connection going?

If the answer is “no” then yes, you’re doing it wrong. Networks only work to your benefit when you put in time and effort to make them work. Don’t sit on your butt waiting for results to fall at your feet. You’ve got to give to get. You’ve got to focus on the other party – help them to get what they need and/or want FIRST. You’ll be amazed at the return on investment you receive! I’ve seen many people approach networking, especially online/social networking in a “build it and they will come” manner. That doesn’t work, and in fact it only leads to failure. When you focus on giving FIRST, you are actually netweaving . . . sharing your knowledge and resources with another party with no immediate expectation of financial gain for you.  Isn’t that a cool concept?

Networking is about relationship building and trust. People like to help or do business with people they know, like and trust. I’m more inclined to refer someone if I know them and have communicated with them in some direct way. I will not go out of my way for a complete stranger. Why would I want to potentially destroy my reputation by referring someone that I have no clue as to what they do or more importantly, how they do it?

Posting articles in a forum is not the same as getting to know people or rather showing people who you are. There has to be dialog. I can read all the articles in every business magazine, and think they are wonderfully written and thought provoking. It doesn’t mean I’m going to run out and do business with writers.

Once you decide to network, you have to follow it through. Make yourself available and approachable. Position yourself so people want to seek you out. By the same token, reach out to people as individuals. Establish that rapport and continue cultivating it. Share your knowledge, but openly seek the knowledge of others too. It has to be a two way dialog in order for it to work and be successful.  Make sure you are connecting with people on many social networking sites – make it a point to introduce them to one (or more) of your networking friends whenever possible.

So how effective is your networking? There are less than 100 days left in 2009 – why not plan to finish strong by seeking out referrals, helping others wherever possible, increasing your value as well as your visibility!  As a Networking Coach, I help people just like you, learn how to make their networking efficient and effective. Want to know how this is done? Contact me – either by email or telephone – you can even Tweet me or post to my FaceBook page! An initial consultation of 15-20 minutes is offered at no charge. You make the decision as to whether or not working with a Networking Coach is appropriate for you.

Follow me on Twitter!  http://twitter.com/caroldeckert

Connect with me on LinkedIn!  http://www.linkedin.com/in/caroldeckert

Leave a comment below and tell me where you are networking so I can be sure that we connect.  I love to meet and help people.  Will you allow me to help you?

(Networking perspective based on experience and observation by relationship builder, Jason Jacobsohn)

Part of the fun of networking is that you never know who you are going to meet and where that relationship will take you.  Each person has a unique background and something interesting to offer. Also, each person comes with his/her network so you never know who you can meet through an introduction.

At the same time, if you want to take your networking to the next level, you sometimes have to put the pieces together. For example, if you are interested in landing XYX company as a new client but don’t know anyone to contact, then you should try to leverage your network to find the right contact. A warm introduction is usually better than a cold call.

So, how do find the person you want to talk to? Below are a few tips:

• Search LinkedIn for a person or company and ask for an introduction from someone in your network
• Search your own contact database for people at the firm you are targeting
• Seek out events in which your target person will be speaking
• Search online for this person and reach out directly
• Ask people in your network if they know this person and then request an introduction

Be aware that it can take time to get in front of your target person. It can take several attempts or introductions to finally get in front of the right person. It can be fun to follow the path that your network has taken you until you reach this person.

Do you have any stories to share about how your network helped you reach someone?

If you like this blog post, then subscribe via email or RSS feed

I would love to hear your comments – please feel free to post them in the Comments Section.  Posting to your FaceBook wall or sending a Tweet would be greatly appreciated!

This post has been written by my good friend and networking buddy, Flyn Penoyer!  Flyn is a LinkedIn networking expert with very strong backgrounds in web marketing and sales. Flyn’s objective with his blog posts is to present real strategies and tactics for networking on LinkedIn – not to provide user mechanics like so many other resources do.

I know you will enjoy what he has to say in this article!  Enjoy!

To Your Networking Success!

Carol

LinkedIn Networking Success Kit — contains 7 videos and 4 reports for more profitable networking on LinkedIn. Click Here

Oct 1, 2009

Establishing a Great LinkedIn Reputation

Guy Lucien responded to a comment made by someone about my “Maximizing Your First Contacts with Your LinkedIn Connections” with follow up video that makes some interesting points. I thought I would take the conversation one more step and tell you specifically how to establish a great reputation on LinkedIn.

My recommendation will not be new to my regular readers and site members and I keep repeating the same mantra over and over – become invaluable!

Becoming invaluable is the only way to establish a powerfully positive reputation on LinkedIn. And this brings me to the one point of disagreement with Guy’s video – he says let someone else do it for you. Personally, I don’t think this is a truly workable plan for establishing your LinkedIn reputation as it is the personal  interaction of being invaluable that develops such a reputation.

When I started on LinkedIn I was basically touting myself as an inside sales expert. Since that time I have changed my focus and my business and now help people with web marketing and LinkedIn networking.

The process of developing myself as a “sales” expert was accomplished doing a couple of things.

Question and Answer Participation

I participated heavily in the Question and Answer Forum both in posting and answering questions. When I answered questions I gave the very best answers I could, often going into significant detail and being very specific.

This process was extremely valuable to those asking the questions and also to those reading them. The value I provided in the way of sales expertise was appreciated by many and I frequently had people asking me to connect just because they wanted to follow my posts.

Additionally, I asked a lot of sales questions. I focused on the most important and often the most controversial subjects, such as cold calling and for many of my questions I would post my own answers in the clarification just before the question closed. This generated great discussions and at the end I provided additional value with my own thoughts. Some of my questions were even designed to help others learn as I would give examples for analysis and then challenge the reader to find the key points engaging them in conversations re their thoughts and answers.

This is the major way you provide value on LinkedIn and if you work at it one of the best ways to establish yourself as an expert while giving yourself a great reputation.

Offering additional help

In addition to all of this I would always offer to continue the conversation or give more detail to anyone willing to engage me. I even offered my help (no charge) to many of those I engaged.

This too builds a powerful reputation and I know for a fact that many I have helped continue to send others my way.

It is this personal touch that builds a great reputation and the reason I would disagree with the final conclusion of the video that someone else can build that reputation for you.

Watch our for others

There is one other thing I did and do constantly that also helps with my reputation on LinkedIn – I watch the back of my fellow LinkedIners.

I have often participated in a question where someone else has been so bold to put an advertisement in the question. I take the time to tell the questioner that they should flag such and answer.

I often see people who put pictures in their profile that are not current pictures of themselves or add their email address to the header – in both cases I will send them a note telling them they are risking getting their account suspended.

Help others on and with LinkedIn

Additionally, since I have such a wide knowledge of what works on LinkedIn I will send new people suggestions on better practices when they approach me in a way that is not in their best interest.

All of these little things make a huge impact over time. You don’t have to spend tons of hours as I did in the beginning. To do this, you just need to be consistent in looking for ways to help others. If you do so, you will build a great reputation.

Have a profile that offers value

Two last points, first you will see that my profile is all about bringing value to those who read it, and second I don’t prospect, but I do frequently give free advice on those areas of my expertise to my connections and those I engage.

Try it, and you to will develop a great reputation and more importantly large number of valued connections just waiting to help you when you need it.

Please connect with Flyn on LinkedIn by using flyn@onlinebusinessnetworker.net and follow him on Twitter http://twitter.com/flynpenoyer

We would love to hear your comments and welcome your thoughts!