NETWORKING SUCCESS: Top 10 Ways to Waste Your Time in a Networking Group

Networking Success with Ivan Misner, Ph.D.

Networking groups pay off handsomely in terms of referral business, so make the most of every single meeting and avoid wasting time—especially in the following ten ways.

Word-of-mouth marketing is a sure-fire way to generate new business. A single referral can bring in a chain reaction of business, as one satisfied customer tells others, who in turn tell still others. It’s no wonder that networking groups pay off handsomely in terms of referral business and a membership in a good networking group can be worth a considerable amount of money; especially if you calculate the time you spend each month and the business value of your time.

Make your time and efforts worthwhile. Don't squander your opportunity by doing the wrong things in those meetings!

Success in a networking group comes when the rest of the group members trust you enough to open up their best referrals to you. Until they've seen your work, you have to earn that trust by demonstrating your professionalism to them. Since I founded BNI almost 25 years ago, I've seen how people have truly succeeded in networks and I've seen how people have totally wasted their time in them.

Here are the top ten ways to waste your time in a networking group (avoid all of them):

# 10. Go ahead, air your grievances among your fellow networkers and guests; after all, they really want to hear about your complaints.

#9. Wing it in your regular presentations to fellow members, you've got plenty more chances anyway.

#8. Use 1 to 1 meetings to talk about your networking groups' issues instead of learning a lot more about each other.

#7. Focus your efforts on selling your services primarily to the members of the group.

#6. Don't rush to follow up on a referral when someone gives you one. Hey, they know where to find you if they really need you… right?

#5. While other people are doing their introductions, that’s the perfect time to think about what referrals you can give that week.

#4. Why invite your own guests? Just focus on those who show up.

#3. Don't worry if you get to the meeting late. No one will notice.

#2. Be absent, it's no big deal. You can just call in your referrals... right?

And the #1 way to waste your time in networking groups...

#1. It's OK, take that phone call or text message during a meeting, it won't bother anyone and it's a real sign of professionalism that everyone admires.

So there it is - The Top 10 Ways to Waste Your Time in a Networking Group! Imagine how you might respond to someone in your networking group who continually exhibited the behaviors above. Would you be anxious to pass them referrals? Of course not! You would be hesitant to pass them any referrals at all because you would be pretty well convinced that they would be just as unprofessional and irresponsible with your valued connections.

We all need to beware of these ten pitfalls and take great care to avoid them. They are great reminders that doing business through word-of-mouth marketing requires a special ingredient that only you can supply: your commitment. You have to commit to the process from the beginning. You have to be an active, responsible, professional, accountable participant and show your fellow networkers the respect, attention, and support that you want them to give you.

You see, the key concept in referral marketing is relationships and referral relationships don’t just spring up full grown; they must be nurtured. Avoid the ten mistakes on this list because they are detrimental to growing your referral relationships and they will cause the time you spend in your networking meetings to be nothing more than a waste of time.

Focus on growing your referral relationships by acting in ways that are exactly opposite of what’s described above and concentrate on building relationships based on mutual trust and shared benefits. You’ll get a lot more out of your group and so will your fellow members. So, print out this list, memorize it, and share it with your fellow networking members.

Remember, your network is not something you can start putting together when the need arises. When you need it, you need it now. You need to begin developing relationships now with the people whose help you will need in the future and your networking group meetings offer the perfect opportunity and the perfect place to do this. Make the most of this opportunity because there’s no room for wasted time.

Called the “father of modern networking” by CNN, Dr. Ivan Misner is a New York Times bestselling author. He is the Founder and Chairman of BNI (www.bni.com), the world’s largest business networking organization. His latest #1 bestseller, The 29% Solution can be viewed at www.29PercentSolution.com. Dr. Misner is also the Sr. Partner for the Referral Institute, an international referral training company (www.referralinstitute.com).

For more information, please visit Ivan's TNNW Bio.

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NETWORKING SUCCESS: Top 10 Ways to Waste Your Time in a Networking Group

A NOTE FROM THE CHAIRMAN: Blue Tuesday is Coming

I've got bad news and I got good news.

First the bad news...

For the first time in TNNW history we are delivering to you a partial issue. Please don't be sad. As it is, it took Douglas and me 3 days to get over it ourselves - nothing another 3 months of therapy won't solve.

Now the good news...

It's what we at TNNW like to call the Re-Birth of the Blues. To celebrate (in as melancholy a manner as possible) our newest Blue Thing. For those newer readers not familiar with our Blue Things, they are a spectacular series of sapphire-laden rectangles normally appearing at the bottom of our newsletter and our website that are chocked full of business intelligence designed to make you look smart in front of your co-workers, colleagues, acquaintances, family members and pets.

So what is the new Blue Thing that will now accompany such greats as TNNW Surveys, Most Memorable Quote of the Week and Great Websites and Blogs? You will just have to stay tuned (either that or read our Update! section)...Tuesday will be Bluesday!

This week on October 27th, I will be speaking to an audience of entrepreneurs and investors at the kickoff of their annual Venture/Business Plan Competition at the Greater Susquehanna area of Pennsylvania at Susquehanna University. I wanted to thank my friend Kelly O'Brien Gavin of the The Greater Susquehanna Keystone Innovation Zone for inviting me. If you're in (or will be in) the Central/Northeastern Pennsylvania area, I would love to meet you in person there. Festivities begin at 5:00pm. Click here for more details.

As always, I look forward to Networking with you,

Adam

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A NOTE FROM THE CHAIRMAN: Blue Tuesday is Coming

DAVE CLARKE: Referral Masters in Bristol for UK & Ireland Referrals for Life Conference

by Dave Clarke

With UK Networking Activity still very much on the Increase many people are asking themselves how they can get better results.

October 27 saw the return of the annual Referrals for Life Conference to Bristol with an array of International Referral Masters sharing their expertise on building businesses with integrity through long-term referral relationships. They each expanded on the general theme of actually walking the referral marketing talk and gave great, practical take away advice.

UK based speakers including Mike Holman, Jill Green, and Sarah Owen were joined by US based speakers Mike Macedonio, Dawn Lyons and Hazel Walker who shared some great insights.

Referral Institute President Mike Macedonio spoke first and highlighted the issue of asking for referrals at the appropriate stage of a relationship - after establishing credibility.

Mike shared this 'nugget' to pass on to you after:

"I do believe that in order to get referrals we need to ask. The key, however, is to know how to ask and when it is appropriate to make the request. When is the right time, you ask? The right time to ask for a referral is when BOTH parties are in the Credibility phase of the referral relationship. Networking should not be a system which ends up alienating your friends and family. Be conscious of the deposits you make into your relationships before you start “writing checks” or, in essence, ASKING for referrals from those you have relationships with."

Read more from Mike on the subject in this article 'Just Ask. Right? . . . No.'

Dawn Lyons and Jill Green spoke about the Power of the Pride and the lessons to be learned from the different roles adopted by a pride of lions around a common goal. Networking is about helping others as a way of growing your business, but it is important to build your pride with others committed to the same approach and with access to the right markets. People who will share your passion for what you do and who you can be passionate about too.

I asked Dawn afterwards if she had any specific advice for TNNW readers and she shared this, "The key to building your own pride is to first realize you have the right to select your pride members. Select wisely! Select pride members who are:
1) professional
2) they understand how to refer you
3) they believe in and are highly skilled in referral marketing
4) they have a want to and a desire to help you
5) you also enjoy referring them to others

Start slow and build your pride to 4-8 members and watch your referral business grow!"

Thanks to Dawn for that extra 'nugget'.

Sarah Owen, Referral Institute Master Franchisee for the UK, shared important information on educating your referral partners so they become eager rather than reluctant to refer. She asked some excellent questions to help us discover for ourselves. Have you defined your target market so that you can find people who know lots of them? As you build relationships with these people and some become your referral partners do they really know what you do and where? Could they pass on why you are good and what you love about your business? Do they know how you want to be promoted and who specifically you want to meet. Is there anything else that would make you stand out?

It was great to meet up with Hazel Walker after being connected to her on various Social & Business networks. Hazel spoke about Networking and Sex! She shared the findings of research she has completed with Ivan Misner on the different approaches to networking between men and women. Her insights were all about helping men and women to network more effectively with each other. Some great advice on the subject of asking for referrals and expanding on Mike's theme from earlier. In networking women need to learn from men about asking for referrals at the right time and men need to learn from women about nurturing relationships first.

The final speaker was Mike Holman, Referral Institute Franchise owner and former Golf Professional. Mike entertained and educated us with the lessons to be learned from golf that can be applied to your referral marketing. In golf you generally have a specific target and play 9 or 18 holes accordingly. Unless you have a real vision for your business you cannot see & share the targets that will help you get there. Successful golf involves alignment, balance, timing and practice. It's the same in referral marketing. Your network needs to be aligned with what you do, the balance of giving and receiving needs to be right. Other speakers covered the need for your timing to be right and in the words of Gary Player as quoted by Mike when someone said that was a lucky shot "Yes and you know the more I practice the luckier I get!"

If you get the chance to see one of these or other great presenters at a Referral Institute Event make sure you take along some others too. They are sure to learn more and thank you for it. The more your network learns the more it will benefit your business too.

Until next month ...

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

For more information, please visit Dave's TNNW Bio.

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Published by THE NATIONAL NETWORKER Newsletter. All rights reserved. Subscribe Free - Click HERE.
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DAVE CLARKE: Referral Masters in Bristol for UK & Ireland Referrals for Life Conference