Sep
15
Reader Tip: Making Contacts
Posted by the Networking Goddess in Networking Tips, Networking Groups and Functions
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Reader Tip: Making Contacts
Hi Nancy:
I do a lot of networking with a friend of mine Jeanne McDonald. Jeanne works for Northwestern Mutual and I have a marketing consulting firm. Jeanne and I have devised the following process for networking.
-Whenever we meet a new contact that may be of interest to each other or someone that each other may know, we write it down in our notebooks, with pertinent contact information and needs.
-When we meet or speak (which used to be twice a month but is now at least twice a month), we sit down and discuss the contacts that we met, discuss their needs and if our initial thoughts were correct.
-If so, we provide a virtual connection via email for that contact and a conversation begins.
-After contact has been made and if deemed helpful, we meet with that person or just have a conversation. We normally add that person to our address book with notes for the future. I believe Jeanne also has a note card for each person she meets as well.
-I can’t tell you how many wonderful contacts both Jeanne and I have met through this process and how many resources (other than our services.) we have been able to give to people. -We don’t get tired of meeting or doing this due to the success and helpful introductions we have made.
It may be helpful for the group to discuss contacts and then brainstorm as a group synergies that may exist for this new contact.
I hope you find this helpful!
Beth
Thank you Beth for sharing!
Nancy
Your Networking Goddess
Sep
15
Tip:Develop a “Networking Neighborhood” Booklet
Posted by the Networking Goddess in Types of Networking, Networking Tips, Networking Groups and Functions, Getting Leads
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Develop A *Networking Neighborhood* booklet
Include within your networking circle a *Welcome to Our Networking neighborhood* booklet, which you can distribute to all your new clients. The booklet should contain the names, contact information, and business descriptions of your networking friends. Display Business cards in a holder or photocopy them into the booklet.
This booklet is telling your clients that the companies and services listed within, are Companies you know and trust, therefore you are recommending great services and products. If your client needs a plumber or a hairstylist, etc., they will often use these booklets First, because YOU recommended these companies. A referral carries much greater weight then any phone book listing.
I have found this booklet to be VERY effective for group networking and for growing your business. My Chapter members use these and I have personally seen clients and potential clients keep these booklets for YEARS, continually bringing business to those listed within the booklet.
Nancy
Your Networking Goddess
Sep
10
How to Alienate Your On-Line Client Base In One Easy Step
Posted by the Networking Goddess in Online Networking, Networking Tips, Networking Groups and Functions, General
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How to Alienate Your On-Line Client Base In One Easy Step
You’ve spent a great amount of time finding your contacts on the Internet. You’ve starting participating in the places they are. You’re ready to take on the world now. Stop. Without a thorough understanding of the following concept, you can potentially lose your client base.
*Everyone in the fields that you want to make contact with WILL NOT do business in the same manner as you do, PARTICULARLY if they are not from your own country.
What does this mean? It means that the little things that you do every day, could potentially cause you to lose your online contacts. It means that you need to learn a whole lot more about customs and traditions before expecting to build strong, solid relationships. It means you may make a mistake or two, but you need to be prepared to go through a tremendous learning curve.
True life story. I’m borrowing from a popular current trend here in the US when I write about this story. The countries involved are Mars and Venus. (Here in the US, those are men and women, but in my story, they are actually persons from different countries).
Mars joins an email list that is composed of mostly business professionals from Venus, but are a great potential client base. On Venus, things are done differently than on Mars, even though both countries speak the same language. Mars reads the list for a while months, in fact).
After months, Mars begins to post informational posts to the lists-resource tips and business development information gleaned from various Internet sources. Keep in mind, this particular information was not specifically ASKED for, but in the spirit of sharing, Mars thinks this is a good thing to do- after all, sharing is good. AND Mars has been sharing the same information on OTHER e-mail lists and hearing how valuable it has been to people from THOSE countries (Like Saturn).
Venus becomes upset. First, because 7 posts arrive from Mars in one day. All different, but still *7* posts!. Then Venus is upset with the content of the posts. Does Mars think that Venus does not KNOW this information, or worse yet, does not know where to find it? And who said Venus NEEDED this information, anyway? What a totally Un-Venetian thing to do!
The rest, as they say, is history. In this example, there is proof that doing the same thing in the same way WILL NOT necessarily get you the same results. The main variable here, is the fact that the two participants were from two different countries with two different cultures. Both styles work in their homeland but will they work on an International basis? That remains to be seen.
Help With Understanding Other Cultures
To aid you in understanding the various cultures YOUR client
base may be composed of, the following is suggested:
1. Use your favorite search engine to search for sites specializing in international culture.
2. Befriend someone who is a native in the area you are looking to expand. Ask questions and LISTEN to what the answers are. Find out how your actions would be perceived by natives of that culture.
3. Expect to make mistakes as you learn about each culture. Plan on varying YOUR style and methods to accommodate your potential client base.
4. Help those of other cultures understand YOURS. If asked, offer advice and suggestions on how YOU would have handled the same thing in your culture. What path would you have taken to the get to the same place THEY want to go?
Working on the Internet exposes us all to the world. We need to learn more about that world to be effective and productive. We still cannot say that EVERYONE from Mars acts the same way, and so EVERYONE from Venus. But STYLES that are common in each culture often come through as inappropriate for other cultures. Don’t lose your client base because of YOUR style.
Nancy
Your Networking Goddess