Netflections: How Well is Your Network Working?

By Terry Bean
Social Networking Editor

As 2008 comes to a close many of us will become reflective. We’ll reflect on what we can learn from our past in hopes of creating a stronger future. Perhaps we will contemplate things like sales, expenses, employee morale, family life, physical health, what we learned, spiritual growth and many more items. But how many of us will look at our networks?

Did we continually nourish our network?

There are so many ways to nourish our network. Here is a quick list of some of my favorites:

• When you see an e-mail, article, news piece or whatever; forward it to the people you know who need to see it.
• Is there a new company coming to town or a new building going up? Who in your network wants to know about it? Share the information.
• Have you found a great new dry cleaner or new service station? Let the people in your network who share your geography know about it.
• What’s the best business book you have read lately? Recommend it, better yet- send copies to the important folks in your network (check out “Foundational Networking” by Frank Agin)
• Grab people that need to meet each other and set up an impromptu networking meeting.
• Did we add quality people to our network and share them with our network?

7. GIVE REFERRALS

So often we focus so much on the give that we forget how to help ourselves with the get ;-)

• Did our network nourish us?
• Did we make sure they knew how to provide us quality referrals?
• Did we learn new things that can help us in our business?
• When we provided referrals did our network follow up and treat our referrals right?
• Did our network bring us to events and introduce us to the people we need to meet?
• Do you tell your network the specifics of the “who” you need to meet.
• Have you identified both your target client and your target partner?
• Does your network know why you need to meet them?
• Do they understand the value you have to offer?
• Have they referred people to you in the past?
• Are they likely to refer people to you in the future?

As you look through the list of questions and statements how are you and your network doing? What could you and your network be doing better? There are likely people in your network to whom you could be referring more business. It’s also likely there are people from whom you should be receiving more. It’s ok to network in multiple circles and continue to add people to your network.

Consider this; networking is a 24/7 wherever you are opportunity when done properly. As you meet new people and connect your networks you can be nourishing us all.

Here's to a very connected holiday season-

Terry Bean
networkedinc.com
248-224-1326

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Posted to THE NATIONAL NETWORKER. To subscribe for your free newletter, go to www.TheNationalNetworker.com. For the complete National Networker Relationship Capital Toolkit and a free RSS feed, go to: http://thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com.
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Netflections: How Well is Your Network Working?

What Role Does Mentoring Play in Your Networking?

By Terry Bean
Social Networking Editor

How did you learn how to network? Who helped you figure out which social networking websites are worth your time? Do you ever see someone committing networking "sins" and guide them to a better networking future?

It is said that “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear”.

Networking comes very naturally to some. Others find it the most challenging portion of their business development activities. Let’s not overlook all of the flavors in between. The same phenomena exist in the online networking world too.

The better we all get at networking, the better all of our networking will be.

I recently sat in a referral marketing class as a student. It was interesting to be on the opposite side of the teacher/student relationship. I have been formally teaching networking skills for nine years. This was the first class I had taken on the subject in seven. I was there and open to learning some new things. Guess what? I actually learned.

I think for many of us it is harder to be the mentee as opposed to the mentor, especially once we have achieved some success. Have you ever met someone from whom you couldn’t learn anything new? (The correct answer is no).

If you are a face to face networking expert, please offer to help those who aren’t as good. Maybe setup a quick class, write a blog post or do some one on one time. We always talk about “givers gain”, this is but one more opportunity for you to give.

For those folks who spend most of their networking time online, this may be a great chance for you to connect more locally. Additionally, this may be a great way for you to share your online expertise with someone who will make good use of it.

As I look back at the evolution of my networking career there are several people I would like to thank. Fortunately, I am nice so I shall save you a lot of time and cull the list drastically. From a face to face perspective, Frank Agin of www.amspirit.com In Columbus, Ohio had the biggest impact on me. Thank you, Frank. On the online front, Vincent Wright has helped me see the path. Thank you, Vincent. It is because of the knowledge I have gained from these two men that I get to thank the 1900+ members of www.motorcityconnect.com. Thank you all.

So, I want to know, hopefully, we all want to know. Who shows you the path AND to whom are you showing it? This is your chance to help all of our networking efforts.
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Posted to THE NATIONAL NETWORKER. To subscribe for your free newletter, go to www.TheNationalNetworker.com. For the complete National Networker Relationship Capital Toolkit and a free RSS feed, go to: http://thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com.
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What Role Does Mentoring Play in Your Networking?