We all have, and have heard the horror stories, I found a __________ (Realtor, Mortgage Broker, Inspector, Insurance Agent, Inspector, Plumber, etc) and he/she was so inept that the experience was AWFUL! Best case, the situations end with a lot of frustration. Worst case, working with a poor business-person can cost a lot of money. As a small business owner, I always ask two questions: 1) What did they do wrong? (Everyone always has LOTS to say about this) & 2) How did you find this persons services? More often than not, my friend telling the bad experience story found the bad businessperson through traditional advertising not through referral. These are the 7 Top Reasons why you should always find your business vendors by referral.

1) They have proven themselves.

When someone is referred in to your business, that person has already done business with a friend or colleague. The vendor from the phone book is like a box of chocolates. With a referred businessperson, you KNOW that they have performed in the past, and they are more likely to perform in the future. This track record is important when choosing your vendor.

2) They have something to lose.

Namely, the referrals of your friend! Your referred vendor appreciates and protects every person who values their services and continues to support their good business practices. Unlike the phone book vendor, who does their business from phone call to phone call, the referral businessperson wont bite the hand that feeds them and embarrass the referral source who gave them your business.

3) They have something to gain.

The businessperson who chooses to do their business by referral is always seeking more referrals. In order to gain this referral business, they must build professional relationships the core of which is solid work. When a vendor approaches work with the mindset of growing their business by referral the consumer will always receive quality service.

4) They have more time for you.

The average small business owner spends 85% of their time prospecting for new business. This seems completely backwards to most people but finding business is the hardest part of small business! The successful businessperson who has built their business by referral has the luxury of a constant stream of incoming business and is therefore able to spend more quality time with their customers.

5) They are more pleasant to work with.

Type A personalities typically excel at gaining their business by referral they are the quintessential people people who love and need constant interaction. Even if your referral vendor isnt the stereotypical Type A they will still, more than likely, be a pleasant person to do business with after all, it takes a little more than good work to continue to receive business referrals. Your friend or colleague got along with this vendor you probably will, as well!

6) They are more professional.

Referral businesspeople look at a new business transaction as a way to build a new relationship. The phone book vendor looks at a new business transaction as an order that needs to be filled. The referral businessperson will conduct themselves in a manner they expect will result in future business from you, and your friends and colleagues.

7) They will return the favor.

Referral businesspeople know the value of referrals and tend to only do business this way. If you truly click with your referral vendor, and put them in your catalogue of people to refer to, the chances are that they will return the favor. In doing so, you will build your own sphere of influence, and your own business.

Doing business by referral is a much more pleasant and effective way of filling your needs, and your customers needs. Referral businesspeople tend to be much more pleasant, professional, and effective than vendors who solely advertise by traditional means. The referral businessperson values your business, and the business of your friends and colleagues, and will make sure that you are satisfied with their services. By looking to your friends, family, and colleagues, rather than to the phone book, you will almost always have a pleasant experience!

Eric Bramlett is the Broker and co-owner of One Source Realty in Austin Texas. He has seen considerable success in real estate, and looks forward to many more years in the business. Eric currently invests, renovates, and develops real estate in the Greater Austin Texas Market. He spends his time working with select clients, helps his new agents get started in their real estate careers, helps his experienced agents progress their careers to the next level, & when he has timehe takes his dogs to the lake. Visit Erics Austin Texas Real Estate Guide & visit his \r
Austin Texas Real Estate companys website. Austin Lofts

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Are You Helping Yourself or Hurting Yourself When You Network?
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There is a popular book on network titled Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi. It can be described as the bible of tips and ways to become an uber-networker. Uber-networkers are the upper tier of super or extreme networking. If you know the book, its pretty clear that the author Keith Ferrazzi, who tells you how he networks, is in a stratosphere all by himself. Part of it is the obvious financial opportunities he has to throw parties together with significant names and so on, but its pretty clear that the man not only networking when hes eating, but also when hes walking, talking and goodness knows what else.

So what can make you an uber-networker?

Two simple (related) things.

The first is to really get to know and remember interesting points of another persons life. Certainly, birthdays, spouses and kids names are pretty minimum. But what does the person do on their spare time? What about quirks? Do they collect ducks or plastic flamingos? How do they vacation? Museums or Beaches? Do they like to read a good trashy novel when they are on the beach or are they worried about skin cancer? There is a thousand bits of information about a persons makeup and interests. The more you know about them, the better youll understand them.

Now lets not stalk. Going to networking events with a pen and pad of paper, lurking around groups that are talking and jotting down notes would be not only weird, but pretty scary! Think about natural conversations that you have or come into with people. There are constantly little tidbits being dropped about the persons interests during the course of any conversation as they discuss sports, vacations, business, family life and so on. Figuring out how you are going to RETAIN that information is something you need to figure out.

Again, whipping out a pad and paper and scribbling away or taking out your personal recorder and sticking it in their faces would be a conversation damper to say the least.

Here are some ways that might work

• Create a valid opportunity to write something down. It may be to promise them information or to contact them. If you have their business card, even better. Jot on the back the information Call Joe tomorrow, but you know can quickly write down that he just celebrated his birthday, rabid Bears fan, is into Hummel figurines, she loves Coach bags and so on.
• Youve finished chatting, can you step away and discreetly record some of the information you picked up. An appropriate way is if your cell phone has a recording element to it. So while youre recording those tidbits, it looks like youre just making a call.
• Go to the bathroom or go outside for a smoke. Jot down the relevant info and head back.

The bottom line to getting the information and retaining it is tact and discretion. Do what comes naturally. So now that you have all this personal information, what do you do with it? This is the second thing you do to obtain uber-networkhood. Using what you got.

• This is where you send the birthday card with a personal note, Hey Suzy, hope your birthday is a great one. Or I remember your birthday was around now, can I buy you lunch to celebrate?

• Email Frank about that incredible game last weekend (Franks favorite team)

• Write a note to Bob mentioning that you remember he was into Hummel figurines and you happened to see that they were having a show displaying them coming soon. Throw in the clipped article or web link.

• Hey Nancy, I remember our great conversation at the last event where you were talking about the problems you had motivating your people and I stumbled across this article/website/vendor, thought of you and Im passing it on.

• Morning Beth, I remember you saying you liked (author name) books when you go on vacation and I was just at the Barnes & Noble and there is a new one out. Was wondering if you knew.

And so on. What you are doing is raising the level of the relationship to maybe not friend, but perhaps friendly acquaintance that is aware of what they do in their lives (and isnt it nice to know that people show a genuine interest?) and are making an effort to recognize and support that.

But again, it needs to be natural. For example, you dont need to pretend to be a Hummel figurine collector to just mention that you saw the upcoming event and thought about Bob and his interest. In that case, you paid attention to their interest and passing on some info that supports their hobby. But if you are not a sports fan, and you are trying to come off as one, it will ring false and be pretty obvious. You can still go up and say Hey Frank, didnt you say that you are a Notre Dame fan and arent they doing pretty decent this year? Shows you listened, but arent quite following their team. And trust me; the fan will be more than happy to fill you in.

A quick note about automation. We have a lot of processes available today where you get someones name and send out newsletters periodically about local happenings, general interest items, etc. This isnt bad. It does keep your name and your organization in their minds, however dont mistake it for the strength of the personal touch, the I was thinking of you action. Its something that cant be automated or faked.

So these are the two things you need to do

• Understand and collect information about people and their lives.
• Act on it. Build a relationship that shows you heard, you remember and that you are interested in them and their lives.

You are creating a deeper and more significant relationship. You are exhibiting a memorable thoughtfulness. And it naturally flows that they will want to support you in your business and your success. Think on it. Act on it. Be honest and helpful in your dealings. And a new uber-networker will be born!

Terry Bass, of CHADONS Resources is a business coach in the ChicagoLand area. He speaks, coaches and facilitates focusing on helping the individual and business succeed.\r If you can use help for yourself or your organization in identifying, understanding and achieving your goals, then you should contact Terry at 773-769-1992 and begin the conversation.\r You can also visit http://www.chadons.com to learn more.

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Without effective and proper networking techniques, you may not be maximizing your time while attending events or when reaching out to other professionals. While people have their own networking style that works for them, it may not work for others.You need to do what works best for you and your personality. At the same time, it never hurts to learn new ideas about networking from other professionals who have been successful.Learn From Speakers, ...

Professional business cards are a must if you want to network at social events, trade shows or business meetings. You know about handing someone your card and saying, Call me, but is that all there is to it? No. There are some proven ways to make the most of your business card networking, including:

1. Always carry more professional business cards than you think you need. Many opportunities have been lost because someone forgot to bring along just one extra business card.

2. Attach professional business cards to any written correspondence between you and a current or prospective client. Having a business card handy will increase the odds theyll think of you when thinking of the service you offer.

3. Make sure you have the best quality business cards you can possibly afford. Your business card will speak for you in your absence, and having great quality business cards ensures you always make a good impressioneven when youre not there.

4. Hand out more than one card at a time. Often the person youve met might lose the card afterwards. Or better still, they may know someone else that might use your services, and having an extra card ensures they can pass one along and still have one for them.

5. Make your cards unique. They should not only provide relevant information, but they should catch the eye immediately and be stylish without going overboard.

By following these simple tips, you can help make the most of any business opportunity. Happy networking!

Jonathan Bowalsky handles news and information for Jontal Printing. For more information on business cards or custom postcards, visit http://www.jontalprinting.com.

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Without effective and proper networking techniques, you may not be maximizing your time while attending events or when reaching out to other professionals. While people have their own networking style that works for them, it may not work for others.

You need to do what works best for you and your personality. At the same time, it never hurts to learn new ideas about networking from other professionals who have been successful.

Learn From Speakers, Trainers

From time to time, you may notice that events or seminars exist where a professional is speaking about networking. Take these events seriously if you want to improve your networking.

Most of these professionals are speaking from experience and you will have a chance to learn about networking techniques that have worked for others. Some of the ideas talked about will resonate with you while others may not work for you.

Some professionals train others for a living on how to become better communicators or networkers. You usually have to pay for these services, which could last an entire day or just a few hours.

If you need a refresher on networking and would like to get advice from an expert, you might want to consider signing up for one of these seminars. Its worth your time if you come away with one new idea. Also, what you learn may reinforce some of your own networking techniques.

One such professional that can help you improve your communication and networking skills is Lillian Bjorseth of Chicago-based Duoforce. She is a speaker, trainer and author who can train you on how to become a master networker. Her Web site offers upcoming speaking engagements and information about how you can contact her to speak at your company or event.

Read Articles, Books

Another great way to learn about networking is by reading articles and books written by experts. These are great resources that can put your networking efforts into perspective.

Because many of these writers are also professional speakers, you may be able to learn from them in more than one way. Regardless, reading about networking is a great way to learn some new techniques.

Some of these writers walk you through exercises that can help you to focus your networking while others give you quick and basic networking information thats easy to remember. Depending on your level of networking sophistication, you can find articles or books that will be helpful for your current style or take you to the next level.

If you do a general search on the Internet, you will come across many articles on networking. If you search on Amazon.com for networking books, you will come across many of them as well. Written by Bjorseth, an excellent book that provides basic and advanced networking concepts is called Breakthrough Networking.

Seek Advice From Your Colleagues

An easy way to learn about networking is to talk to people you know. Brainstorm with your colleagues about their networking style to find out what works and what doesnt work for them.

At the same time, share with them your networking techniques so they can also learn from you. If youre unsure of some of your techniques, ask your colleagues for their opinions and whether they have a better way for you to perform some of these techniques.

If youre not sure what to do in certain situations, ask your colleagues for their advice because they may have been in a similar situation. As always, its helpful to learn from others who have networking success stories to share.

By reaching out to other professionals for networking advice, people in return may seek advice from you. After all, each person uses different networking techniques that work for some and not for others.

When you share advice back with your network, you are continuing to build your relationships. This is very important for networking. It is essentially indirect networking, which occurs when you dont realize its happening.

Final Thought

No one is perfect with networking. Its important to learn from other professionals whether they are networking experts or your colleagues. If youre serious about becoming a better networker, take the learning process seriously by listening to professional speakers and reading about networking. Be proactive with your networking and seek advice from others who have been successful with certain networking techniques.

Jason Jacobsohn is a seasoned networker who believes in relationship building as a key component to business success. He enjoys helping others succeed by making introductions, planning events, and sharing resources. In addition, Jacobsohn enthusiastically shares resources with his network through his e-mail newsletter, Network Your Way to Success, and http://www.jacobsohn.com, a comprehensive business and networking resources Web site. Further, he shares an additional perspective through his blog at http://www.networkinginsight.com

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Much of the success of a business depends upon arranging timely conference and the success of conferencing largely depends upon proper choice of venues. A number of things deserve to be taken care of while selecting conference venues. Some are major and must be given high level of importance. Some others are there that does not hold equal importance but in no way should be ignored.

First and foremost, one should ensure that the conference venue he is going to select is easily accessible. Delegates, businessman, executives and all those who are supposed to attend the occasion should not face any problem to reach there. They might be coming from various corner of the world; so it should be ensured that the venue is near to any international airport. It is better if there are direct flights from major cities of the world.

Along with this one should also ascertain that there is good road communication system. Some of the participant may be from surrounding cities that may come in their own car. Moreover, the delegates from far-off places also have to come from the airport to the venue by road. So, the availability of a smooth and fast road connection is highly necessary. It is well and good if there is beautiful landscape alongside the road.

The next thing to be taken care of while choosing conference venue is the availability of necessary things like flashy interior and comfy furniture. If the participants are supposed to stay overnight then there should be well-furnished accommodations. The rooms, lounge, lawn etc. should have the richness to make the participants feel at home. What more, there should be arrangement for recreation during leisure hours.

Well-equipped gym, crystal clear swimming pool, mini theater etc. will be highly helpful in keeping the participants cool. This, in turn, will make atmosphere for a healthy discussion and contribute towards the success of the conference. Then one should see whether or not the conference venue has a good parking facility. Lots of the participants will come with their own car and hence there should be enough parking spaces. A conference venue must have all these facilities to make it a grand place for business meet.

About The Author:
\r Dona Markley writes for UK Conference venues that offers free service to find conference venues and centres in the UK and worldwide. She has done her masters in Business Administration and is currently assisting UK Conference Venues as a marketing specialist.

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Relationships are very important to succeed both personally and professionally.

You should make sure to spend time building alliances with other people in the business world and your community. Once these partnerships are built, you will be able leverage them to help you fulfill your needs and goals. At the same, make sure you reciprocate and allow your alliances to leverage you as well.

Relationships need to be mutually beneficial for all parties. Otherwise, they will not last. You want to make sure you also show your value to other people.

Business Relationships

Business relationships can come in many forms. They can be channel partners, investors and referral sources. Each relationship should be important for helping you build your business or allowing you to excel in your role.

Without any business relationships, it can be more challenging to do business because you wont have any additional resources to tap. Of course, it depends on your job responsibilities as to whether you need to form these outside relationships.

If you are in sales, business development, marketing or any role that requires you to interact with people outside your company, building relationships will be a key to your success. Even if you dont regularly interact with outside people, it can still be helpful to form partnerships that may be useful for other employees at your firm.

Your co-workers and employer will appreciate these relationships, which will make you stand out at your firm.

If you need to ramp up your companys sales, establishing channel partnerships will help. Rather than having to continuously sell directly to companies, you can set up partnerships with individuals who are already selling to your target market and have direct access to potential customers.

If you need to raise capital, you need to establish relationships with investors who may be interested in investing in your business. Assuming you get an investment, you need to make sure you establish a partnership with the investor.

An investor relationship is very beneficial because the investor will provide you with guidance, advice and access to potential customers. Establishing this type of relationship is also very important for investors because they want your business to succeed.

Another great business partnership is a referral source. With a referral source, you have the chance to refer potential clients to one another.

Make sure to establish referral sources with people in a variety of business disciplines. These can be attorneys, financial advisors, insurance agents and investors. With these relationships, you usually get qualified business leads sent to you.

Also make sure you actively refer business leads to your referral sources. The more qualified leads you send them, the more qualified leads they will send you.

These relationships are very helpful personally as well. If youre looking for a referral to a particular type of service provider, you should be able to ask any of your referral sources for a qualified lead.

Community Relationships

Community relationships can be built with many different organizations. These can be government organizations, charities and chambers of commerce. No matter which ones you develop, make sure youre also giving back.

Community relationships are important because they allow you to connect with individuals outside your industry. With these partnerships, new doors will open up for you both in the community and in business.

Forming relationships with the government and individuals will help you politically. This will especially help you when youre trying to sell to the government or when you need buy in for an aspect of your business. In return, make sure youre able to open doors for people in the government by making introductions to other businesses.

While involving yourself in a charity is rewarding, its also great for the community. Pick a non-profit you or your company would like to help.

After finding a charity that suits your firm, you will have the chance to donate time and money, which the charity will appreciate very much. At the same time, your firm will be recognized in the community as a supporter of this charity.

Each city or neighborhood has its own local chamber of commerce. These organizations are a great way to meet other professionals. Theyre also a way to know whats happening in your community.

One way to build a solid relationship with a chamber is to volunteer on a committee. Not only will you and your firm be recognized by this organization in the community but you will also be able to expand your network.

By attending events put on by community organizations, you will be able to further your involvement.

Final Thought

Forming relationships both in business and your community can be an excellent way for you to help your organization and your career. Whatever alliances you do form, make sure you build mutually beneficial relationships.

——————————————————————————–

Jason Jacobsohn is a seasoned networker who believes in relationship building as a key component to business success. He enjoys helping others succeed by making introductions, planning events, and sharing resources. In addition, Jacobsohn enthusiastically shares resources with his network through his e-mail newsletter, Network Your Way to Success, and http://www.jacobsohn.com, a comprehensive business and networking resources Web site. Further, he shares an additional perspective through his blog at http://www.networkinginsight.com.

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Joint ventures (JVs) are one of the best ways to lure new leads and customers. By partnering with other businesses whose customers are part of your market, you have an additional profit center of incremental income. For example, an attorney can refer his clients to an accountant, and the accountant in turn refers clients to the attorney. Its a win/win situation, because many times a new business will need both an attorney and an accountant. Depending on which one they approach first (the lawyer or accountant), theyll be referred to the other.

JVs can go much further than this simple arrangement, however. They can be very complex, and there can be 3-way deals going on. In fact, JV brokers make their money by taking a slice of the profits between two or more different businesses, where he has brokered the deal and set up everything between them.

The key to making these deals work is to make sure that you let a prospective JV partner know from the start that:

v Youve discovered an additional profit center for them that they are probably unaware of (offer projected profits, if possible).
\r v The additional profit center will not detract in any way from their current income stream.
\r v The additional profit center will not incur any additional costs or labor on their part to implement.
\r v The additional profit center will not incur any risk whatsoever on their part.
\r v You will perform all of the leg work to set it up.
\r v They can stop at any time for any reason.
\r
\r There are so many potential JVs that are possible that theres no way to cover every conceivable one here. So instead I will give some examples. Some of them may be applicable to your business. Some may not. And, like the accountant and lawyer example I gave above, its not feasible for me to cover every type of business. Therefore, you should look at each example and see how it may apply to your business. These examples are designed to get you thinking creatively. By no means is this an exhaustive list. Its designed to put you in the right mindset, where you will look at your business and others around you and see possibilities that you never noticed before.

A great course on JVs is the JV Mastery Course, by Jay Abraham and Marc Goldman. It may be out of print now, but if you can get a hold of it, I highly recommend it. If you have it, you may recognize some of these examples from the course (no need to reinvent the wheel here). Others are variations and some examples that I have personally done.

One Tip: If you try to set up a JV with a business, and they already have a deal in place with someone else, you can take that information to their competitor and say Your biggest competitor is already doing this. And if your partner ever decides to stop the JV deal, you can go to their competitors and say the same thing (Hint: if you let them know you are going to do that, they may reconsider). Never feel that you have to partner with one specific business exclusively. Ideally you should have JV deals going on all over the place.

You can also do JVs between your business and another, or you can broker JVs between two different businesses and take a cut.

to be continued….

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Networking and marketing may be similar but they are definitely not one in the same.

Networking is the art of making acquaintances and sharing information about yourself, your business or product. Its purpose is to build relationships that offer a mutual opportunity for both parties to prosper.

Marketing is publicizing a service or product with the intent of closing a sale.

In promoting my business, I use networking efforts far more than sales and marketing tactics mainly because it is fun and I love people. I dont like to be face-to-face or on the phone with a pushy salesperson and I do not enjoy hard-sell printed ads that use in-your-face (blatant) methods to persuade me to buy a product. Many times these ads are boastful and make promises that I know cannot be fulfilled by the product. On the other hand, I do enjoy reading content-rich articles or listening to an online seminar or teleclass that offers good information even if there is a subtle sales plug in it. I also like to talk with people and find out more about them and what they do. Many times that involves the swapping of information about the services and/or products we each offer. This information is shared for the purpose of building a friendship and helping one another grow our businesses.

By letting me know what you do or have to offer, I will keep my eyes and ears open for someone I meet who might benefit from your products or services. In the same manner, the person I share my information with may know someone who needs a writer and because we now have a business and personal relationship, they will recommend me. After all, most people would rather utilize the services of an individual or company who has been recommended by someone we trust rather than hiring someone from the Yellow Pages. For example: if you need an auto repair would you rather take your car to the mechanic your friend has been satisfied with for years or would you rather drive into a greasy garage not knowing anything about the reputation of the company?

Ways to network

I enjoy reading newsletters so I have subscribed to several. In them I find people and services that interest me and I take the time to email or call the person to say hello. Many times Ill offer to put an announcement in my newsletter or ask to interview them for my podcast, thereby furthering their opportunity to have their name or product in front of people on my subscriber list. In return, I have content-rich material to offer my readers and listeners. I always use a permission-based service to launch my newsletters. Spamming is no way to network or build a relationship.

Where to Network

The possibilities are endless. If you meet someone at the gym, or at school, or church, or in your social club, or while dining out, you have an opportunity to make a new friend and do some networking. Think of the times when you have taken a silent elevator ride with a stranger. Who says that person has to be a stranger by the time we reach the 7th floor? Most people know what an elevator speech is and a good networker has refined their one-minute blurb to a few concise sentences that explain who they are, what they do and how they can help people. Be bold and make the attempt to speak to people. Even if you only have one minute with a stranger, introduce yourself. Be friendly and always have your business cards handy.

Tools

You still need some marketing tools when networking. I give people my brochure, a giveaway item or a business card with my contact information whenever I talk to someone. Otherwise, they may forget your name and web address by the time they have access to paper and pen to write it down. I give two of any item so the person Im speaking with has a way to contact me and they have something to give to the next person they tell about me. Networking is a win-win situation for everyone.

How has networking paid off for me? I met the terrific writers in the Lieurance co-op through my networking efforts and I have learned a lot from each one. We have swapped books and sent leads to one another. I have found new clients through networking groups such as Meetup.com, Toastmasters and NashvilleCable.org. I have found opportunities for book signings, to participate as a vendor at local events, and to appear as guest on several radio shows. I also found a good friend and publisher/editor Valerie Connelly of Nightengale Press to publish my next book.

We all benefit from networking. Give it a try. You might be pleasantly surprised by how fulfilling it is to help others as you help yourself.

Yvonne Perry is a freelance writer and the owner of Write On! Creative Writing Services based in Nashville, Tennessee. She and her team of ghostwriters service clients all over the globe by offering quality writing at an affordable price. If you need a brochure, web text, business document, resume, bio, article or book, visit http://www.yvonneperry.net Be sure to subscribe to the RSS podcast feed and the free monthly newsletter about writing, networking, publishing and marketing.

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Like anything in life, if you dont have a clear focus, its much harder to become successful. Networking is no different.

Without focus, your networking success will be limited. Try to think strategically about networking and your end goal. By having a plan ready, you will be more focused and you will better understand what you need to do to reach your objective.

Depending on your need, your networking efforts will vary.

Be ready to change your plan often. Over time, you will have a good basis for what you need to do in all networking scenarios. By answering the questions below, you will be able to better focus your networking, which will ultimately make you more successful.

Whats My Need?

When a need arises for most people, we immediately start to think about ways to fulfill that need. Networking is one method people use. Whether youre looking for a job, employee, client or partner, networking can help.

To help you relay your need to others, you want to make sure you have a focused and prepared message. Put together an elevator pitch. This is a short summary of who you are, what you do, what youre looking for and how you can help others.

It should be about 30 to 45 seconds in length.

By creating an elevator pitch, you will force yourself to think strategically about your objective. When meeting others, they will be able to tell that youre focused and will tend to take you more seriously. Theyll also remember you.

Because you have to develop relationships with people, it may take some time to have your need met.

In fact, before you can expect others to help you, you should concentrate on helping them first. Instead of attending networking events for no particular purpose, you will now have an understood reason to attend. Networking will therefore become more useful and valuable for you.

Who Do I Want to Meet?

Once you understand your need, the next step is to think about the types of people you want to meet. \rDo you need to meet decision makers, recruiters or service providers?

Think about how people can help you so you have a reason to talk with them when you make your approach. Also, try to think of ways you can help them so you will be able to build a mutually beneficial relationship.

One-way networking is not as effective. Make certain to provide some value to others. Of course, exceptions do occur.

For example, if you attend a particular event (such as a job fair or business expo) thats specifically geared toward your objective, you may not have to provide much value to others. However, it never hurts to be able to offer something. Because each situation is unique, use your best judgment.

By having a clear understanding of who you need to meet, you will be making more effective use of your time at networking events. As a result, you wont have to talk with as many people. You will be focused on quality rather than quantity.

Where Do I Find the Right People?

Now that you understand your need and who you should meet, you have to find out where to meet these people. Spend time researching industries, events or organizations so you know where to locate your target group.

Many sources exist to find events and organizations. Search your local market for event calendars, organizations, chambers, businesses and charities.

With the Internet, much of this information can be found online. In fact, you can register for many events online, which makes it very easy to attend an event.

Once you find an organization of interest, read the Web site to determine if you should pursue the group. To meet people, go to events, call board members or get involved. If you know who will be attending an event in advance, do some research on these people and their companies.

By knowing about them in advance, you will impress these people and stay focused at events. With the knowledge of where to find people, you will increase your chances of reaching your objective and make networking more successful for you.

How Can I Help Others?

Part of your elevator pitch is designed to tell others how you can help them. Again, your elevator pitch may vary depending on your need, who youre meeting and where youre meeting people. What you can offer to others may vary as well.

Keep in mind that one of the most important aspects of networking is helping others. Think about how you can add value to others by understanding your skills, business knowledge and resources. For example, you could offer consulting, analysis or marketing.

In addition, you could offer to connect people together. While talking with people, pay attention to their needs so you can offer your help. Depending on their needs, you may have to modify what you can offer or connect them to the right people.

By helping others before you ask for help, people will get to know and trust you. As a result, you will have a network of people you can count on to help you reach your objectives.

Final Thought

Networking takes some preparation. Put in the time to focus your efforts. With the right amount of strategy, you will experience success.

By understanding what you need to do to make networking more effective, you will begin to realize the power of networking and why its so important for reaching your goals.

Jason Jacobsohn is a seasoned networker who believes in relationship building as a key component to business success. He enjoys helping others succeed by making introductions, planning events, and sharing resources. In addition, Jacobsohn enthusiastically shares resources with his network through his e-mail newsletter, Network Your Way to Success, and http://www.jacobsohn.com, a comprehensive business and networking resources Web site. Further, he shares an additional perspective through his blog at http://www.networkinginsight.com

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I talk with many Network Marketers on a daily basis, and they all want the same thing…to grow their downline. Not all network marketers have the same goals, though. Some want financial freedom while others want to quit their corporate job. Others want just to make enough to get their product for free.

Even though their goals are different, most of them are having major difficulty growing their downline, and therefore growing their business. Some of them take the action needed, and over time success comes. Others do not. The ones that do not take action are either frustrated or unsure of what to do next. However, this frustration and hesitation are preventing them from growing their business.

Their uplines suggest that they continue talking to their friends, family, and colleagues. Their uplines also suggest to them to buy leads. And if network marketers listen to this advice, they will most likely become a statistic, i.e., part of the 97.5 percent of failing network marketers.

The fact of the matter is that if your business is not growing, then you must change your course of action. One of the best books that I have ever read is called \”Good To Great\”, written by Jim Collins. This book studied actions taken by successful companies and compared them to actions taken by less successful companies. The results are that the actions taken by the successful companies were very consistent with each other.

One of the points in this great book that stood out to me is that the less successful companies stressed having a \”To Do List\”. While the successful companies also put a major emphasis on a \”To Do List\”, they also put a major emphasis on a \”Stop Doing List\”. They identified what was not working for their company, and stopped these actions immediately.

Network Marketers must understand this concept and should also take immediate action and create their own \”Stop Doing List\”. Take out a sheet of paper, and write on top \”My Stop Doing List\”, and list the actions that are just not working for you, and make a commitment to yourself that you will stop.

After you create this list, then create a \”I Will Investigate List\”. 90 percent of internet marketing is research, and 10 percent is action. Create your investigate list, and do your due diligence.

Then create your \”I Will Do List\”. Take action on these immediately. Track the results diligently. Then stop the ones that are not successful, and do more of the ones that are successful. Your result will be that you will have a pretty short list of actions that are leading you to success.

Then, train your downline on these successful actions, and steer them away from the actions that did not result in success. Remember, this is your downline, and you got them into this business. It is your responsibility to lead them to success by giving them the tools they need and the actions to be taken. It is also your responsibility to guide them away from unsuccessful actions.

If you do this, the learning curve for all of your downline members, regardless of the level, will be short. And the result will be a more profitable business for all.

If you desire more information on my mlm company, try Right Business Now

For help and training for growing your downline, go to Build Your MLM Toolbox

Discover how Video can explode your business at My Video World

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