A Little Bit Everyday

If you really want to network effectively, you need to make a plan that is easy to do. The plan should also be one that states a direction you want to take. The direction might be to have 50 more qualified people in your network. Although 50 qualified people may seem like a huge task, if you take it one step at a time, it will soon be accomplished.

The goal to get 50 qualified people can be broken down into doing something everyday. First, it may be qualification standards that you wish to have as part of your process. Second, may be locating where these people hang out so to speak. Next, is planning to be in the same place as your prospects will be. Last, may be to start attending those events and meeting them personally.
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A Little Bit Everyday

"Virtual Networking – 7 Ideas for Making Connections Online and Developing a Loyal Following", by Heidi Richards

"Virtual networking is a great way to meet people around the corner or around the world. What better way to reach out and touch someone in the 21st Century than the Internet?"

- Heidi Richards

The Internet has brought about many opportunities for us to network without leaving our office or our home. In fact, almost any form of Internet presence can offer opportunities to network. And the goal of Virtual Networking is to “get noticed,” to meet people and to develop relationships on your own time and in your own space.

Look for groups where people you want to get to know “hang out.” You can start by searching in your favorite search engine (such as Google or Yahoo) for your professional affiliation or business expertise and you may find more resources than you will ever be able to review. They can include associations, schools teaching your topic, online communities, competitors and colleagues, resource sites, job posting sites and publications. Here are a few other ideas for virtual networking sure to get you noticed:

a. Blogging – the ultimate networking tool. It is a great way to expand your social and business universe. You begin to establish yourself as an expert or a highly credible advocate of a subject matter you have knowledge of and/or experience with. Others begin to gravitate within your blog-o-sphere and you within theirs.

b. Forums and bulletin boards– Finding the right forums and sticking with them, “hanging out,” and participating in the discussions, with the same people will, over time help you increase your sphere of influence. Be careful not to be too self-promotional when posting – in most cases it is not allowed and you will find yourself banned from participating. However, you can have a brief signature line with your name and company affiliation (and maybe a URL).

c. Chats – Many online communities offer chats on specific topics. Participating in membership-driven chats offer the best opportunities for good exchanges and forming professional relationships.

d. Join an online business or social networking community such as MeetUp, Ryze, Max-in-Common, Linkd In, Open BC, VNI (Virtual Networking International), to name a few,. These groups have subgroups made up of people with a specific focus and similar interests. Or you can join a non-specific group to gain more knowledge, exposure and contacts.

e. Give something of value away, online – The Idea Virus by Seth Godin sold more than a million copies because he gave the ebook away online, and allowed others to do the same by sending it to their own sphere of influence. He sold so many hard copies because people simply had to have their own. He has used this same strategy with each of his subsequent books, with similar results. Seth has met thousands (perhaps millions) of people this way. I know, cause I have contacted him and had a couple of great conversations. Free Works!

f. Find people to interview – The Women’s ECommerce Association, International (www.wire-sidechats.com) hosts 3-4 wire-side chats (teleconferences) monthly and interviews women from around the world. Members of the association are invited to attend and bring along friends to the events. They are highly interactive and many a good business deal has been created. Click here to read and print Checklist for a Worry-free Interview.

g. Host a radio program (or be a guest) - Very similar to the idea above except that the event is transmitted online either live or in an archived file to be heard later. Pat Lynch from Women’s Radio has met and interviewed women from around the world. She has helped promote these women on her websites and in her programming, her newsletter and in general conversation with others. I know, because I have been the beneficiary of her referrals. I have also been a guest on Webmasters Radio, By For and About women, Women’s Avenue and dozens of others. It’s a great way to meet the media and many people have contacted me and my website traffic has seen a significant increase after a program has aired.

Here are a few other tips for virtual networking success:

• Be careful when posting the same message to several groups. Ask the moderator of each group for permission first otherwise you will be considered a “spammer,” and be banned.
• Keep your cool. If you become angered over a post, take a deep breath and consider your reputation before responding. If you must respond to a post in a negative manner, it might be wise to send an email directly to the source instead of for the “whole world” to read. I have seen moderators quit and reputations ruined because people lost their cool.

• Don’t lurk. Lurking is hanging out, reading posts and never participating. Of course, not all discussions will be of interest to you, but if they are, make sure you respond. The only way to be a successful Virtual Networker is to get involved with the people and build relationships.

• Be brief - keep your messages short and to the point. I have seen many a long post that could have been edited down to a short paragraph or a few sentences. Some people just like to see “see themselves speak.”

•Practice common courtesy, be polite and friendly. Be generous. If you have knowledge that could benefit the group, share it. Givers get more than takers.

Virtual networking is a great way to extend your reach beyond your local community. The Internet offers all of us the opportunity to go international if we so desire. You can meet people around the corner or around the world. What better way to reach out and touch someone in the 21st Century than the Internet?

©2006 - Heidi Richards is the author of The PMS Principles, Powerful Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Business and 7 other books. She is also the Founder & CEO of the WECAI Network™ www.WECAI.org – an Internet organization that “Helps Women Do Business on and off the WEB.” Basic listing is FREE. Ms. Richards can be reached at heidi@wecai.org.

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"Virtual Networking – 7 Ideas for Making Connections Online and Developing a Loyal Following", by Heidi Richards

What Is Networking and Why is it Important in Business? by Heidi Richards

“Great Networkers are a collection of people committed to one another’s success.”

When I began my networking journey, I attended any and all networking events as time permitted. Every event was fair game! Today I am much more strategic in my networking endeavors. I discovered which events and organizations gave me the best return on my investment of time as well as how to be an effective, caring networker.

In order to know where to begin you must first understand what networking is and why it is important to grow your business. Networking in its purest form is simply talking to people, making connections and developing rapport to grow our circle of influence. Business networking is essentially the same except that our primary objective in business networking is to help us grow our businesses. For most of us, building a network means meeting people we can do business with or who will do business with us, or refer people who will do business with us, are our ultimate goals.

There are many different types of networks. They can include learning networks, education and research organizations, trade associations, local, regional and national organizations, chambers of commerce, community organizations, business groups, focus groups, religious affiliations, hobby groups, collectors societies and many more. In fact, some of the best networks are those created by people who own and run their own businesses. When you create valuable networking relationships, you build them on a foundation of mutual trust, sharing knowledge, experiences and resources to help one another grow your businesses by either referring one another or doing business directly with one another.

It works like this: If you do a good job, one customer might tell three to five of her colleagues, family and friends about you. Whereas, when you build a network of say 10 to 20 strong advocates, they may each tell only one person about your, however your “exposure” is now more than doubled – With the right network, the ultimate in “word of mouth” marketing takes place. You promote your network, and your network promotes you.

Have you ever attended a BNI or Le Tip or other form of structured networking groups? Perhaps you are already a member of a similar group. If not, you might consider becoming involved in one to the fastest growing business networking concepts around. These groups invite business professionals to join on an exclusive basis. That means, that if you are a chiropractor and become a member of one of these groups, no other chiropractor will be invited or allowed to join.

These groups have regularly scheduled meetings (anywhere from monthly to weekly) with a list of rules and objectives to which you must abide. In some cases, a minimum number of referrals is required to participate. In others, simply doing business with one or more in the network is all that is asked of he members. However, keep in mind that for this type of networking to be worthwhile for all parties, each must make every effort to do business with other members of the group.

If this form of structured networking isn’t for you, there are other options for finding potential networking venues and partners. Here are some ideas to help you on your way to networking success.

a. Develop a joiners mentality.

By that I mean, don’t just sign up to get our name on a roster. REALLY JOIN. Get involved. Participate in discussions, events and BE VISIBLE. The saying “out of sight, is out of mind,” holds true when it comes to networking. I have been involved in groups and decided to take a hiatus from attending for 2 to 3 months (and sometimes more) only to have people come up to me and tell me they forgot the name of my business so they had to find someone else either through a friend or through the local phone book. BUMMER!

b. Attend networking functions.

These can include Chambers of Commerce meetings, after hours socials, ad hoc committees and special events task forces.

c. Get involved in a community service group.

Just a few are Kiwanis, Lions, Jaycees, etc.

d. Volunteer with a non-profit organization, whose mission you are passionate about and believe in.

People who have similar passions will want to do business with you.

e. Host events.

I started an event called Goddess Gatherings more than 2 years ago in my home. It is an intimate gathering of women (8 max.) who share a common interest and/or wish to expand their own circles. I invite women who do not yet now one another although they may be familiar with their names. These women are men in my circle of influence either directly or indirectly (they are either members of the 22 groups I belong to and attend regularly or they are part of a circle within these groups).

I might invite a “surprise” guest who can entertain the women - such as a masseuse or tarot card reader- or feature a business such as a jeweler or make-up artist. This helps make for a memorable evening and the women either start their own athering or look forward to being invited to another gathering hosted by either myself of one of the women in attendance.

f. Look for ways to cross-promote with businesses that complement yours.

For instance, a spa might join with a health food store or restaurant and promote their products and services for staying healthy. A salon might join a florist to promote weddings or proms and a realtor might join with a mortgage broker to promote a “one-stop” experience for home buyers.

g. Interview others.

A great way for me to network is to interview women for projects I am working on. Since most people are flattered when you ask their opinion about something or experiences in life, this has been a great means of increasing my own circle for various reasons. I might interview a woman (or even a man) about an article or book I am writing, or a seminar I am developing. People love to share their stories. I tape the interview (with their permission, of course) and give them a copy afterwards. It helps to have a list of questions ready prior to the interview, however, unless they insist, I don’t give them the questions ahead of time. I have done these interviews via phone, email as well as in person. Many of the women have since. You can read and print out my Checklist for Planning a Worry-free Interview here.

h. Be a resource.

Let people know you are a person who "gets things done." Share your knowledge, your resources and your own network. Doing so will ensure that your network will increase in both quality and quantity.

i. Join an online business or social networking community such as MeetUp, Ryze, Max-in-Common, Linkd In, Open BC, to name a few.

These groups have subgroups made up of people with a specific focus and similar interests. Or you can join a non-specific group to gain more knowledge, exposure and contacts. For more information on virtual networking, read my article: Virtual Networking - 7 Ideas for Making Connections Online and Building a Loyal Following.

Final Pointers

Make a point of attending one new networking event a month just to “check it out.”

Make a list of the people you know, the organizations you have heard and read about and the companies who currently do business with you.

These are all great resources to tap into to find new venues to network. Get the local newspaper and look at the organizations and businesses hosting events to which the public is invited. Attend them.

The best networking begins with planning and taking action. Being strategic in your planning is important to your ultimate success as an effective, caring networker.

©2006 - Heidi Richards is the author of The PMS Principles, Powerful Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Business and 7 other books. She is also the Founder & CEO of the WECAI Network™ www.WECAI.org – an Internet organization that “Helps Women Do Business on and off the WEB.” Basic listing is FREE. Ms. Richards can be reached at heidi@wecai.org.
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What Is Networking and Why is it Important in Business? by Heidi Richards

TNNW Week of 11/12/2006

(Click on links for more...)

Ready, Set, Go Make Money!
by GLEN GOULD, Southeast Bureau Chief

Anyone who meets Wendy Kinney (http://www.powercore.net/) will soon hear this admonition. With an infectious personality, a playful laugh, and her trademark hat, Wendy encourages small business professionals to get ready, set and go make money. But don’t be fooled by her happy go lucky attitude – Wendy Kinney and Powercore have the goods and mean business.

Valuable Live Events with a Twist
by LORI RICHARDSON, Northwest Bureau Chief

There is an event strategy that is building here in the West that has collaborators from everywhere smiling – due to a simple concept with such big possibilities.

The concept is to create a "triple-win" for three separate groups – an area business association of your choice, their constituents, and "up-and-coming" bright business speakers and leaders.

Honoring Children
by MEIRA FINDEL, Health & Wellness Editor

A year ago I met a woman named Francie Canter through networking. I don’t know of many people with a more compassionate heart than Francie. Her warmth and generosity fills the universe with love.

Francie is gathering healers for two amazing events in November: Universal Children’s Day at the United Nations and World Day For the Prevention of Child Abuse at Columbia University, in New York City.

Religion & Politics Do Mix: Part 1
by MATTHEW BEST, Political Editor

It’s said that politics and religion do not mix well. After interviewing Nichola Torbett, the National Organizer for the Network of Spiritual Progressives, I found the exact opposite to be the case – In the world of networking, religion (or rather spirituality) and politics compliment each other very well.

An Underestimated Women's NetWorking Group
by KENDA-LE PERNIN, Women's Editor

When we are considering what women’s organization we are going to join to boost our business success, we typically look for groups like E-Women Network, The Joy of Connecting, ABWA, or Women in Technology. Most women do not even consider the resources which are available in their children’s Parent Association at school. Now parent associations are not designed to be “women networking” groups and are open for fathers to be members. However, the majority of these parent associations are made up of women and are a valuable resource into your community. The other common thought around these organizations is that mainly non-working mothers attend them so how could they possibly support me in my business. This article is going to bust both of these common misconceptions and hopefully encourage you to take action into utilizing this great cache of contacts.

Creativity in NetWorking: The Power of Four
by HARVEY MATHASON, Contributing Writer

People, Power & Possibilities: Synchronicity
by DONNA FISHER, Contributing Writer

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TNNW Week of 11/12/2006