Business referrals are wonderful. Few sales close quicker than a quality referral from a trusted business partner. Would you like to know how to network to get more referrals to your business? One of the best ways to get more referrals is to give more as detailed in my article “Why Giving Referrals Will Grow Your Business.”

Ironically, there is not a lot of information on how to give more referrals, although there’s a great deal on how to get them.

Here are five networking tips that will to help you keep your valued business partners in mind and give them more referrals.

1. Focus your efforts. You can be paralyzed by too many options. Concentrate on people you have personal experience with. Look for referrals for people whom you know will follow up and take action with the referrals you give to them.
2. Know what a good referral looks like. Call the people you are focusing on. Tell them you are trying to refer more people to them. Ask them to clearly define a good referral. “Anyone” and “everyone” are not good referrals. A more specific target is easier for you to spot.
3. Keep a visual reminder in front of you when you are talking with your contacts. An 8 ½ by 11 sheet of paper will photocopy up to 8 business cards. Use a business card holder. Make an Excel sheet with a list of names, numbers and what a good referral is for them. Keep any or all of the resources open and with you as often as possible.
4. Ask questions and listen for clues. When you’re talking to your clients and other business partners, listen to their complaints. These can be an opening to providing suggestions.
5. Be up front. Tell your new acquaintances and business clients “I have a group of trusted businesses whom I’ve referred people to for a long time. I’ve found that my new clients or friends appreciate knowing who to turn to. Can I send you a list of my recommendations? If you need any of their services, let me know and I will personally introduce you.”

Zig Ziglar said it first, last, and best: “You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want.” Other business people want to get more business. Use these five networking tips to increase the referrals you give and you’ll soon find that you are getting more of you want.

About the Author: Beth Bridges is The Networking Motivator™ and creator of the 5 Part Networking Success Plan™, a simple networking system that can help anyone from business owners to sales agents to college students develop a powerful network. Subscribe to the weekly Networking Motivator Newsletter at www.thenetworkingmotivator.com for a quick boost of networking inspiration, information and motivation.”

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.meetingwave.com as the original source).

Whether you’ve recently signed up or have been a member for years, membership in a networking organization can be a valuable choice in growing your business. And yet, as members, we don’t always take full advantage of the opportunities our associations, chambers, and clubs offer us. With today’s economy it is even more important to get every bit of benefit possible from the dues we pay.

There is companion to this article, “Joined a Networking Organization? 7 Strategies to Get More Value, Benefits, and Exposure.” Here is a quick review of those seven ideas:

• Know the Benefits
• Develop a Relationship with the Staff
• Be Consistent - Be Persistent
• Be Insistent
• Offer an Exclusive Discount
• Advertise Your Membership

The possibilities of any good-sized organization are nearly limitless, so here are four more strategies to get more worth from your dues.

Strategy #1: Take a Leadership Position

Most organizations have a Board of Directors, committees, or events. They need people to lead these groups and plan the events. In networking, it’s not who you know, it’s who knows you. Being a leader means you’re in front of a larger number of people at once, letting them get to know you better.

Strategy #2: Refer New Members to the Organization

The first rule of receiving is to give first. If you make the effort to refer new members to the organization you are accomplishing two very important things that will benefit you in the long run. First, you are strengthening the organization so that it becomes a bigger pool of resources. Second, you are earning the gratitude and esteem of the organization staff and leadership. They will consider your first for referrals and they may even actively seek referral opportunities to show you their thanks.

Strategy #3: Volunteer in the Office

The more you learn about the inner workings of the organization, the better you are able to understand how to participate. By offering your assistance, you are showing yourself to be a resource to the organization and the staff. You will again earn their gratitude and appreciation. And if their office is anything like the Clovis Chamber office, it will be a hub of activity, presenting you with regular opportunities to meet new business and community leaders.

Strategy #4: Offer to Teach & Mentor Other Members

An advanced networking strategy is to establish yourself as an expert. If your area of expertise is something of interest to other members, offer to provide a free seminar or training once a month. Ask the organization to sponsor and promote the event. They may do this in return for the value of your time and knowledge. If you cannot arrange a seminar though them, simply approach and offer to help other members. You’ll again be perceived as a leader and the best way to get is to give first.

When you combine these four strategies, plus the seven ideas from my previous article, you have a wide range of tools to select from. Decide what works for you based on your interests and time; not all of these will be possible. But even one or two strategies to leverage your membership can pay off in the short-term and will definitely make your membership worth more to you in the long run.

About the Author: Beth Bridges is The Networking Motivator™ and creator of the 5 Part Networking Success Plan ™, a simple networking system that can help anyone from business owners to sales agents to college students develop a powerful network. Subscribe to the weekly Networking Motivator Newsletter at www.thenetworkingmotivator.com for a quick boost of networking inspiration, information and motivation.”

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.meetingwave.com as the original source).

Networking is a fundamental business and life skill. It is the ongoing process of building and developing an interconnected web of mutually beneficial relationships. In other words, you meet people and build some kind of relationship with them, whether it’s a deep friendship or occasional business contact. You strengthen relationships by communicating with people, providing them with things they need, finding common interests, and doing things together. The relationship is cemented when the other person finds a way to help you in the form of information, support, or business referrals. It is a cycle of actions, interactions, and follow-up.

As you repeat this process with more and more people, you will have an ever-expanding pool of contacts that you know, have done things for, and can count on them to help you in return. You will be at different stages with different people. Relationships will grow stronger, wane and perhaps end, but an experienced networker will have a net growth in their base of close “friends” and in the sheer number of people they have interacted with.

Not every contact will be a friend, but most of them should be friendly. You may have members of your network who you are not friends with and may not even like, but because you have done something for them, they are willing to reciprocate. The tie will be stronge and more reliable if you have a personal relationship. A non-friendly relationship is only there as long as you can do something for each other.

This process is called “networking“. The result of it is your “network”, a group of people you have some level of reciprocal relationship with.

It’s a very simple series of activities. Go places, meet people, interact with them, and keep track of who, what, where when. That’s it. Simple stuff. So why is it so hard for us to start networking or to do it consistently? Because it’s easy to not do. Today’s business environment is complicated and our daily lives are over-booked, over-stressed, and over-analysed. We find ourselves resisting networking because we are overwhelmed. We’ve overthought the process until it seems like a hopeless complication, not a vital activity that will benefit us now and will compound over time.

If we return to the foundation of networking – a simple process of building relationships – we’ll find ourselves more willing to get started and keep going. Take a few minutes each day to find a way to take simple step forward in any relationship you currently have. Find a way to expand your current contacts just one person at a time. By not overwhelming ourselves with a complicated process, we can grow our network and build our businesses.

About the Author: Beth Bridges is The Networking Motivator™ and creator of the 5 Part Networking Success Plan ™, a simple networking system that can help anyone from business owners to sales agents to college students develop a powerful network. Subscribe to the weekly Networking Motivator Newsletter at www.thenetworkingmotivator.com for a quick boost of networking inspiration, information and motivation.”

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.meetingwave.com as the original source).

Everyone has heard about The Secret, world-renowned book and movie that shows you how to attract what you want into your life. As you immerse yourself in busy, frantic schedules you sometimes don’t have time to stop and breathe. When you first meet people, you might walk away from a conversation because you think that person was rude and dominated the conversation.

Do you realize that the person you met is a direct reflection of who you really are? You may be just as rude and dominating as the person you just met.

Have you ever been in a bad relationship and wondered: how did I end up with this person? This is not the person I wanted to attract. However, you did attract that person.
The laws of attraction are simple – who and what you attract is WHO you really are. This same principle applies to networking and how you can attract that perfect client that resonates with who you are.  What you put out there to people is what you will get back in return.

Ask yourself the following questions:

•    Are you negative and critical?

•    Are you the first one to make crass, pessimistic comments?

•    Do you complain about your life and have a “poor me” attitude?

•    Do you feel that everyone is out to get you – customers, colleagues, etc.?

If you find yourself answering “yes” to these questions, then it’s time to re-evaluate your own attitudes and how you view yourself. If you approach life in a critical, negative way, you will attract negative and unhappy people into your business and your life.

Think about your current clients and customers.

•    What do you like about them?

•    What do you dislike about them?

•    Have you accepted clients that you didn’t like and felt they would be more hassle than they were worth?

Even though the economy is tough right now and you can’t afford to turn away clients, it’s important to listen to your initial gut instinct when you meet people.  Here are some easy rules to follow to attract positive, helpful people into your networking circle:

•    Do not surround yourself with people who bring you down or lower your self-esteem. Interact with positive, energetic people.  Feed off their positive energy which only fuels productivity. Being around negative, pessimistic people will only reinforce negative thoughts and destructive behaviors.

•    If you want to attract trustworthy clients and business partners, then practice what you preach.  Be a good role model to others and they will take your ethical lead.

•    Think more about others and less about yourself – show appreciation for the kind, caring people in your life.

•    List the positive qualities and traits you like in others  – send out that message by verbalizing the list out loud or writing the list on a piece of paper. Share that message to the world that you only want to attract positive people into your business.

Remember that you need to first make changes with yourself.  Stop blaming others for what you don’t have in your life.  If you are positive and happy, you will attract positive people into your life – the right people to help you achieve success!

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.meetingwave.com as the original source).

Social media has created an Internet phenomenon and has taken online networking to a dynamic level. Do you ever wonder why social media is so successful? It’s viral and it spreads quickly – just like word-of-mouth spreads quickly in offline networking.

When you meet people for the first time, take a few lessons from the social media gurus and apply their secret tactics to your offline networking strategy.

Secret #1- Social means both talking and listening. Listening is just as important as talking

When you interact on a forum or leave comments on a blog, you first read what the other person wrote and then you comment. If you constantly leave comments about yourself and don’t interact and comment off-topic, you will make a bad first impression.  Other members will ignore you.

This same philosophy applies when you are first introduced to people. You want to learn about them and ask questions. How can you learn about a person if you are constantly talking about yourself? Pay attention, listen and ask appropriate questions according to the conversation topic.

Secret #2- Widgets that instantly find thousands of followers don’t always give the best return on investment

Social media gurus always tout the benefits of handy widgets that automate Facebook and Twitter followers. Do you realize that the 5,000 people you just added probably won’t be interested in your products or services? You just wasted time and money adding people who don’t care about what you’re pitching.

Use this same social media approach when you attend networking events and collect business cards. Don’t just pitch your products/services to just anyone you meet. Talk to people who might actually benefit from what you offer. It doesn’t make sense to attend a networking event filled with seniors if you are a nightclub owner whose target audience is 21 year-old college students.

Secret #3- Freebies don’t always mean more subscribers, BUT worthwhile freebies make all the difference

Freebies don’t always mean instant success. Contests don’t always draw thousands of new members to your site either.  In the social media world, if you make your prize too abstract or unappealing, you will drive away visitors.

This social media tactic also applies to freebies offered in the offline world. If you attend networking events and conduct raffles or contests, make your prizes worthwhile for guests. Target your audience and get inside their heads. You want your guests to actually use the product or service you’re giving away.

•    How will this freebie benefit the contest winner?

•    Will this freebie make them contact me for more services or products?

Secret #4- Don’t scare away others with the “me me me” syndrome

If you start every blog comment or tweet with “I did” or “I want” then you are headed down the “me me me” syndrome path.  Social media is all about helping others. Being an expert in your field doesn’t mean acting like an egomaniac.

If you start every networking conservation with “I” you will be met with glazed over expressions. Don’t be surprised when people make excuses to leave the conversation. Remember the “social” in social media and apply that to your offline conversations. Social means give and take – social doesn’t mean a one-sided, it’s all about me conversation.

Secret #5- Always use professional Net-iquette

Don’t come across as rude or condescending in your Facebook or Twitter updates. You never know who will come across your updates in the cyber world, and how it can come back to haunt you.

This tip should always be applied to offline networking. Always remember to practice professional, ethical etiquette whenever you meet new people. Think before you speak, and remember that you represent your company/business. First impressions make a lasting impression, so always put your best face forward.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.meetingwave.com as the original source).

As a business professional, you bring different talents and personalities to the table when you meet people. However, not everyone has an outgoing personality and sometimes feel lost when faced with networking (especially amongst large groups of people). However, these easy steps will help you successfully network at social functions and business events.

•    Keep it real – The main ingredient to successful networking is to be genuine and authentic. People can spot a fake immediately. The only way to build trust and rapport is to keep it real and be honest.

•    Prioritize your networking goals – Ask yourself what you want to accomplish when you network in particular groups. Some networking groups lean towards education/learning purposes. Define what meetings/groups will help you achieve your particular business and/or networking goals.

•    Know your business inside and out – Have a clear understanding of your business and how your services and products help others. You need to articulate clearly what sets your business/company apart from your competitors. This is very important in referral-based businesses such as real estate. This is essential when you belong to a new group and have to give your “30 second” introduction about your business.

•    Volunteer for organizations – Volunteering for a position in a networking group is a great way to become involved.  It’s also a great way to give back to a group/organization that has helped you, or has helped the community.

•    Visit networking groups that catch your interest – You don’t have to join every group, but it helps to visit groups to see if they are a good match. If you have friends or colleagues who belong to certain groups you like, ask them if you can be their guest at the next meeting. When you visit groups, ask yourself the following questions: Is the group supportive? Does it fit your industry/business scope?

•    Ask open-ended questions during meetings – A key trick during group meetings is to ask open-ended questions.  Open-ended questions address the following: “who, what, when, why and how.” These questions also engage other group members in a lively discussion (as opposed to just asking yes or no questions). It also makes group members feel important, and shows you are really interested in their opinions and feedback.

•    Become a viable resource for others in your group – Offer suggestions, advice and be looked upon as a viable, informative resource in your networking group. When people look to you as an expert in your field, you become more visible and they will turn to you for help (which equates to more referrals and business in the future).

•    Always follow through on referrals – No matter how busy you are, it’s important to follow through quickly and efficiently when you receive referrals from other group members. Remember that your actions are a direct reflection of the person who gave you the referral – don’t let that person down. It’s also seen as professional courtesy and respect, and further builds your credibility as a member of your business networking group.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.meetingwave.com as the original source).

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There is more to networking than being at every single event out there.  Once you meet people you must devote time to making these relationships grow into something meaningful.

Running around looking for more and more people to meet is a waste of time, money and energy.  Instead, after attending several events, you should be focusing on creating a worthy relationship with the contacts you already made.

Good business networking requires stopping at the right time.  You must look at what you have, prioritize it, organize it, select it, and spend time building credibility and profitability.  These two only come after a closer and deeper relationship has been created, and constant nurturing between the parts is given.

Normally, professionals find it hard to stop networking because there isn’t a reliable measurement system that assures them that a certain referral tactic is really working unless they close an immediate sale, thus, they continue to fish as much as possible, only to never evolve.

Seldom, the worth of building relationships is taken into account, because it almost never happens, even though this is the real purpose of networking: to meet people and create relationships that can get you new customers in the future.  These contacts may never buy from you; their value lies in whom they can bring to you.

In regards to business networking, you can sin both ways: by attending too few events or by going to too many of them.  In some situations you may be asked to attend weekly meetings, but this is so you can build relationships with the group members, keep up with the variety of products and services they offer, and pass referrals to others.  In any other case, you are wasting both your time and others’.

Surely you can see how counterproductive it would be to get more referrals than you can manage, as each one takes time, money and lots of energy.  To keep a strong and productive relationship, you must meet your partners on a regular basis and produce good referrals for them, even if you have to neglect your business.  Imagine what condition you will be in if you have to do that for a large number of contacts!  It is humanly impossible.

So, as it goes for most of life’s situations, center on quality, not on quantity.  Think of three strategic partnerships per year, sort them by importance based on your goals, and divide your time between them accordingly.  Measure and keep track of the results, and never promise too much.

The worst you could do is to neglect a business relationship; in that case, it is more beneficial to never start it in the first place.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.meetingwave.com as the original source).

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