Grow Your Business Now Through Effective Business Networking

Growing your business in this tough economy can present overwhelming challenges, especially if your approach relies on outdated marketing techniques. Despite economic indicators showing signs of rebound, the recovery is projected to be slow and difficult, and it appears that all of us are in the same boat. We will face increasing competition, reduced sales, and a shrinking number of prospective leads for some time to come.

With less income and reduced savings, it is very important for you to take a detailed look at how your marketing budget is being distributed. It is important to make every cent count in order to generate the biggest possible bang for the buck. While very few marketing opportunities can match the high impact and low cost of internet marketing, one strategy stands on a comparative level - business networking. Most business owners learn very quickly that word of mouth is one of the highest impact, lowest cost, and most effective forms of marketing available. Unfortunately, most do not know how to employ effective techniques to capitalize on this fact.

You want to put yourself in front of qualified prospects, and these days there are several hundred business networking opportunities available in the Phoenix, Arizona area alone. The choices are daunting and include dozens of business mixers, social events, leads groups, chamber of commerce events, business lunches and more each week. How can you sort through the clutter to find networking opportunities that represent the best ROI? The scope of information can quickly lead to overload, and at the end of the day you may find that you have invested a lot of valuable time but have gained very little result. To network effectively, you need to do more than just pass out business cards that will most likely later be thrown in the garbage.

Structured business networking offers several benefits that will help you maximize income and results in a minimal amount of time. Key features to look for in a highly effective, structured business networking event include:

• Exclusivity for your category, where competitors are not allowed to market products to your network simultaneously and drown out the effectiveness of your message.
• A sense of obligation between participants, where other network members are recognized or rewarded in some way for their referrals to your business.
• An opportunity to develop relationships with participants, where other members are encouraged and provided the opportunity to learn more about, and care about, your products and services.
• A good supply of local business and community leaders, where members have some significant impact in the community and are in a good position to serve as a strong source of unlimited referrals for your business.
• Quality control. Your networking group should have methods in place to properly verify each member for the highest possible integrity and quality of services. Businesses that cannot be verified as offering a superior quality of service should be excluded, ensuring that businesses you refer to your friends and colleagues will do a good job for you.

Most networking opportunities out there today fall short in at least one, or more, of these critical areas. Are you wasting valuable time and money with a buck-shot approach to marketing, instead of focusing your efforts to achieve greater results with less cost? As you can imagine, establishing your business as a quality services provider in a network of well-connected community leaders who are dedicated to your products and services can work wonders for your income potential. You will find yourself, over time, with a team of highly effective sales professionals working together to help you achieve success.

Before you waste YOUR valuable time networking your business, remember to always look for these things: Required attendance, exclusivity for your category, and member loyalty to existing members. Relationships formed through frequent, structured meetings will achieve the greatest results for your business.

By Andre Morris

Are the Best Networkers Extroverts?

As I slumped in my chair, exhausted after another evening of 'working the room', I was pondering whether I am an extrovert or an introvert - and whether this had any relationship to my ability to be a good networker.

The thing is (and this annoys me) there is an industry pandering to the perception that introverts are shy, unconnected and get overwhelmed by meeting lots of people - and so need help to network. The industry also has the solution - lots of books, articles and products to help introverts feel happier about networking and 'working the room'.

I have a number of problems with this perception. Firstly whether you are an introvert or an extrovert has NO bearing on whether you make a great networker. Yes, no bearing. Whether your natural preference - as defined by Jung - is for introversion or extroversion, this has no correlation with your ability to build and maintain relationships. While an introvert has a preference for a small circle of very close and deep friends, and extrovert has a preference for a larger circle of friends but less deep friendships. If the key to being a great networker is to have strong relationships with the people who can help your business or career, then I want to both an extrovert and an introvert.

Jung's definition of extroversion is where people are energised by the company of other people. Introversion is the opposite - where people are energised by their own company. Jung did not say that introverts or extroverts have more or less social confidence, or that either is any better at growing mutually beneficial relationships. So why do people assume that extroverts will happily work a room and introverts hate working a room?

The other reason I get annoyed by this perception that introverts need help to work the room, is the assumption that to network you need to work the room. Not so. I am considered by many people to be a true connector (as defined by Gladwell in 'the tipping point') and someone with an amazing little black book of contacts. 100% of my new business comes to me from existing clients and my network, particularly a few key relationships. However, I very rarely work the room - and when I do, I find it very exhausting. I normally need an hour or so to myself to recharge after a few hours of 'working the room' with many people I don't know. I now tend to use online tools and personal recommendations to find the right people for my business, rather than the random nature of working the room at a conference or mix and mingle type event. When I have identified a key relationship, I will then progress the relationship via 1-2-1 meetings.

By Heather Townsend

Networking For Introverts - Make Networking Work For You!

The hot word in business these days is networking. Essentially, networking is the act of meeting and getting to know people who could potentially prove valuable in whatever line of work you're involved in. This networking can occur anywhere. While there are certainly networking "events", at which people gather to exchange information and ideas, networking also happens on a daily basis both inside and outside of the office. For people with an introverted personality, networking presents a particularly difficult challenge. That's because folks who are introverted often don't find it very easy to strike up a conversation with a stranger, and introverts are fairly averse to small talk. While meeting new people isn't necessarily an easy task for outgoing personalities, for introverts it can be a more daunting experience. Here are some introvert networking tips to help you in the quest to fill up your rolodex.

1. The most important thing for an introvert at work to remember is that quality relationships are what build business. So that rolodex comment was a bit off; it doesn't really matter how many business cards you have if none of them are from people who can help you advance. That's why you should concentrate on building positive relationships with those around you. There's no need to feel pressured to go out and meet a hundred people in the hopes that one of them could produce a valuable business contact. Instead, choose a select few to speak to, and really learn what they do and how they can help you.

2. Don't forget, you're not the only introvert in the room! It's quite possible that there are others that are just as nervous (or annoyed) with the proposition of meeting new people just to make business connections! Introverted people are just as valuable as their louder counterparts (and in some ways more); it's just not as easy for introverts to open up. Find someone who is observing from the sidelines or looks to be having a difficult time fitting in. They'll appreciate your paying attention to them, and will likely prove to be a more willing contact than someone flitting about the room picking up hundreds of little white pieces of paper.

3. Certain people hold certain jobs. You're not likely to find many introverts working in a public relations role. That's why you should strike out and attempt to meet people who don't fit that mold. Try finding someone that works in a position similar to yours. You'll instantly have something to talk about, and conversation will keep flowing from there.

4. Do work to get more comfortable with dealing with the PR types. They want to meet you too, and can prove to be helpful. Introverts have to realize that it's OK to come out of the shell on occasion to talk to those who aren't like us - extroverts have something to offer, too!

5. Take advantage of all that the Internet offers. This includes email (we love email!), and social networking sites like FaceBook and LinkedIn.

Networking doesn't have to be something you fear. As long as you embrace a few key things like the fact that small talk is sometimes a part of the ritual, you'll be able to interact with a wide range of people who will prove valuable to your business life in the long run. Like anything else, practice makes perfect. Don't expect to feel completely comfortable in your first pressured networking situation. Instead, the skill will come to you more naturally every single time that you are placed in a situation that requires you to reach out and meet new people.

By Lee Ann Lambert