Mastering the Membership Maze with Glen Gould
Soon we'll bid 2009 farewell and before you know it, 2010 will be in full swing. What can you do right now that will make all the difference next year? Here's a simple action plan to budget your time and money for success in the coming year.
First, review your networking efforts during the past year. Take out your calendar and see where you spent your time. Were you committed to one or two groups or were you all over the place? Where did you get your best results? Where did you spend too much time socializing and not enough time strategically networking? What did you enjoy the most?
Second, determine which networking efforts yielded the least. You should be able to determine where you spent time but received nothing for your efforts. If you can't, this exercise will solve that problem for you in the future but for now you'll need to go by feel. Be brutally honest here. You know in your gut what is fluff.
Third, commit to eliminating at least one of your current formal networking groups or efforts. If you are in your chamber of commerce, an outside leads group, and a social or community club or two, you're likely spread too thin. Eliminate one at least. Choose carefully. You'll need to examine what you've experienced in the past as well as the potential you could receive by more strategic engagement.
Fourth, recommit the time you've just gained to follow up. That's right, don't add another networking group, spend the time you wasted last year by committing to better follow up this year. Put a plan in place that allows you to better focus on each person you meet. Send cards (www.SendoutCards.com/64618) or make personal phone calls to really connect with people. In 2010 the people who win will be the people who show they really care.
Finally, develop a system to track your results. Budget time in you day to recap each networking meeting, schedule follow up calls, and have one on one meetings. Remember, it's about people and people do business with people they know, like, and trust. You need to get to really know more people and they need to really know you.
If you recommit your efforts this year by following this simple plan, you can easily determine what is working and what isn't as the year progresses. That means that you'll spend more time making effective connections and less time will be wasted.
Glen Gould
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