You聮ve made your choice. You聮ve decided to use business networking as a way of "getting" more clients Cheap Pablo Maffeo Jersey , more referrals and more sales.
What are you "getting" yourself into?
You聮re getting yourself into a process where relationship building comes first and business building follows.
Networking is the most effective face-to-face business building tool in existence.
Business networking is all about establishing and maintaining relationships that foster trust, friendship and referrals.
A referral is the act of introducing someone you trust to someone you care about.
People buy from people that they like and trust. People give referrals to people they like and they trust.
Those who are ready, willing, and able to give referral leads want to know that you can be counted upon Cheap Oleksandr Zinchenko Jersey , and that you can be trusted to 聯deliver as promised.?br > Now you know everything about networking there is to know.
You聮re ready to jump in. You聮re ready to make the most of every business and social networking opportunity.
You load yourself up with your business cards. You create flyers and brochures to serve as handouts. You practice your introductory 聯elevator?speech.
You get in your car. You drive to the meeting location. You enter the gathering. You begin to follow your predetermined networking plan.
What is your business networking plan? What goals are included in your plan?
Whether you network to promote your business, get referrals or build a database, you must have goals. You must have a plan.
What is your networking plan? Is it written out?
You may ask, 聯Why do I need a written plan?"
After all---you may want to go to the event and just 聯schmooze.?(Schmooze is a technical term for friendly communication in a group setting).
The 聯all I want to do is schmooze a little?mindset is the companion piece to the selling strategy entitled Cheap Nicolas Otamendi Jersey , 聯I聮ll just go into the appointment and see what happens.?br > Effective business networking, and effective selling, can certainly include some 聯schmoozing.?However, any expectation of consistent networking or sales results without a well-defined strategy falls into the category of wishful thinking.
Your networking goals should be clearly defined within your overall marketing strategy.
If you聮re like most business people Cheap Marlos Moreno Jersey , you don聮t have a marketing strategy. Most business people 聯wing it.?br > Your networking strategy is clarified in your marketing plan. A written business plan includes a marketing plan component.
A well written business plan contains the goals and fully researched projections for your business. It is against these goals and projections that you measure your business successes and shortcomings.
If you can聮t measure it, you can聮t manage it.
I believe that every business should have a written business plan. If you聮ve not yet gotten around to the task of developing a full business plan, you can still develop a simple, stand-alone marketing plan Cheap Leroy Sane Jersey , one that places the spotlight on business networking, on a single sheet of paper in an hour or less.
Decide on your networking strategy. Make the strategy simple, e.g. collecting names for your newsletter database.
Decide on your networking goals. An example of a networking goal might be, 聯Out of the people I talk to at the networking event Cheap Kyle Walker Jersey , I will find three who have an interest in receiving my newsletter.?br > Please keep in mind that a well conceived marketing strategy does not equate to a business 聯quick fix.?As with any marketing or advertising plan you must have patience. Effective marketing is a process, not an outcome.
If you don聮t have a networking plan, you聮re not alone. 9 out of 10 of my clients ask for some assistance in formulating both a 聯do-able?networking strategy and an effective introductory 聯elevator?speech.
If you are interested in receiving a set of questions that will make it easier to complete your simple marketing plan project, please go to the resources section of the website and download your complimentary copy of 聯A Simple Plan.?br > Networking Success Tip from Ike - Write out your networking plan. Make your goals accomplishable. Commit to your plan and follow it.