Do you feel frustrated because you are networking, but not achieving your goals? It may be because your networking isn’t consistent.

We often feel like we’re working harder at something than we actually are. But if keep track of how much we’re eating, for example, and how little we’re exercising, the ink on paper will clearly tell the story of why our pants don’t fit anymore.

With networking, we also can believe we’re doing more than we really are. The hectic pace of life tricks us if we rely on memory to keep track of the last time we attended a networking event. We think we must be going to a Chamber event at least once a month, right? In reality we’ve only made it twice this year.

In Steve Siebold’s book, “177 Mental Toughness Secrets of the World Class” breaking through this deceoption is the number one trait that separates successful champions from amateurs who delude themselves into thinking they are working much harder than they actually are.

I experience this as Membership Director of the Clovis Chamber. Occasionally someone will tell me they went to our networking events “all the time,” but they didn’t get any results. But I know the truth because I attend all the events and keep track of attendance. Either they truly think they are a regular, or they are telling me (and themselves) a story in order to feel better about their lack of results.

Be honest with yourself about how much networking you are doing by keeping track of all your networking activities for a month. Highlight them on your paper calendar, or keep a list in a Word document with dates and times. Include everything that is part of networking, from attending events, to giving referrals, to following up with new contacts.

A pattern will emerge in black and white. You will not be able to deny whether you have consistently made appearances at events, worked on growing your relationships or given something to a new contact.

Why is consistency so powerful? Relationships need regular interaction to grow and thrive. How can you create a trust-based relationship, with give and take for the benefit of both parties if you see each other once every six months? How can you stay fresh in someone’s mind without regular reminders of your helpful qualities?

Consistency is one of the most important habits of an effective networker. You can get away with being weak in some areas, but if you aren’t taking small, regular steps toward creating a strong network, your results will be erratic. You’ll find yourself networking out of short-term need and not working on long-term growth.

Too often we avoid things because we think it takes a lot more work than it really does. While it takes more than you’re probably doing now, it’s not going to take as much as you fear. Try making a commitment to do something with the same group of contacts just twice a month. You’ll find your network growing faster and stronger than you anticipated.

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).

A big advertising campaign can boost your traffic and sales, but the problem is that the results are usually short-term. A networking campaign will also boost your business in the short-term, but the relationships you build will have a long-term benefit that keeps growing.

What is a networking campaign? It’s a carefully planned series of networking events, activities and actions taken within a specific period of time. You’ll want to prepare for your networking campaign as carefully as any advertising program.

Ready to make an incremental leap in the size, depth and effectiveness of your business network? Here’s how to plan, conduct, and evaluate your personal networking campaign.

• Know who you are and what you have to offer.
• Decide in advance what you want to accomplish. Are you looking for more contacts, a deeper relationship with existing contacts, more referrals, increased visibility, or are you prospecting for potential clients?
• Choose a time frame. A commitment of less than a month is probably not long enough for repeating activities with the same groups. Plan to spend at least three months and even longer if you can sustain the level of energy and intensity this plan will take. After 6 months, you should settle down and let the results percolate.
• Make sure you have a reliable contact management system in place that you use for every contact you make. Know what and how you are going to track results based on what your focus is. The information you gather now will help you be even more effective in your next networking campaign.
• If you want more contacts, target new organizations that are different from what you normally do. To create more depth with your existing contacts, find out what organizations and activities they are part of. Learn more about their lives and how you can help them.
• For more referrals, study your power partners and shower them with referrals. Describe your idea referral very specifically when talking to your dedicated clients and “ambassadors.”
• For increased visibility, take a leadership position in at least two or three organizations where you are in front of the group. You can even create your own group or events if there is an unfilled need in your community. When prospecting outside of your industry, find out if there is an affiliate membership in local chapters of associations for your best customer categories.
• Follow up. This is the number one failing of networkers. Only campaign as much as you can follow up on. Otherwise people will think you are cherry-picking them. You must focus on developing relationships and following up is how relationships are created.
• Don’t drop everything when you are done with the campaign. Reduce your activity level to a meaningful level. Once you’ve been a regular, you can taper off. Because of your consistency, you’ll still be perceived as a “regular”.

Are you ready to plan your networking campaign? Be prepared! Unlike advertising, the results of networking will compound, providing ever-growing results that build on each other to strengthen you and your business.

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).

Every year we make the same resolutions: get in shape, stop smoking, eat better, etc. Important goals we should all strive to achieve. But if you’re a small business owner, your New Year’s resolutions need to include some powerful strategies that will improve your bottom line. Unless you’ve got thousands of dollars to invest in your business, time is the most valuable asset you have. And time spent on networking is an investment that will pay off for years.

Unless you already have a massive network of mutually beneficial relationships that provide a regular stream of resources and referrals, it’s time to resolve to network more effectively and more efficiently. Here are five resolutions that will get you there.

Networking Resolution #1: I will be more consistent.

Choose just one or two organizations or regular events. Make a commitment to attend at least once a month. Put in the time to greet other regulars and make contact with a few new people. Relationships grow from regular interaction. You’ll be forgotten if you make irregular appearances.

Networking Resolution #2: I will not sell my product or services while I am networking.

Focus on developing a relationship when you first meet someone, not selling to them. They won’t feel like a faceless prospect, and you won’t feel like you’re cold-calling. The objection so many people have to attending networking events is that they feel they’re being shaken down for a sale at every turn. If you’re only interested in qualifying the potential of a sale with people you meet, by all means give your pitch on first meeting them. Just be aware that this may be your only chance once they realize you’re only interested in their money and not them.

Networking Resolution #3: I will work on being more likeable.

Evaluate yourself on your likeability. Are you friendly, relevant, empathetic, and real? Find out what you have in common with someone to be relevant. Understand their needs and where they are coming from to build your empathy. And be real – be your genuine and true self. All things being equal, people do business with people they know, like, and trust.

Networking Resolution #4: I will not expect quid pro quo.

Give first to show others that you are willing to invest in them without expecting anything in return. Expecting someone to return equal value for something they thought was freely given will create resentment. You may give and think you’re getting nothing back, but in the long run you are developing a reputation as a trustworthy resource. That will return great value to you many times over.

Networking Resolution #5: I will take my networking seriously.

Don’t call it schmoozing or glad handing or partying. Networking is about business, relationships, and people. While there should be a fun side, a lighter tone, and a social aspect to your activities, networking is an absolutely vital strategy to grow your business.

As we head into 2009, take time to incorporate these networking resolutions into your business development strategy. Like any worthwhile goal, it might be a slow start. Gradually, your consistency, likeability, giving, and seriousness will build to a point where your network takes on a life of its own. Your return on the investment in time and effort will pay off to make 2009 a tremendous year for your business.

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).

To develop deeper and more lasting personal relationships in your network, discover what you have in common. It makes socializing more personal and interesting. You’ll create a stronger bond. And it will help people remember you.

While great relationships have been built by discovering what you have in common, it can be harder than it sounds to get people to open up. I have friends and colleagues that I’ve known for some time before we discovered some amazing common interests. You can’t go around with a checklist of your favorite things at business mixers. So how do you discover what you have in common with people?

• Small talk isn’t small at all! There are two reasons for small talk. First, to be polite and second, to learn more about people. So don’t turn your nose up at small talk. Treat it as an important conversational tool. A comment about the weather can elicit comments about someone’s birthplace or favorite vacation spot.
• Show enthusiasm for your own interests. A story about your fishing trip a few weeks ago could bring other anglers into the open. Be careful not to go on; keep your comments brief.
• Don’t limit it to personal likes or hobbies. A business networking environment is a natural locale to ask how they got into their current job, what they studied in school, or what other business associations they belong to. Even what magazines they subscribe to that the find helpful in their business.
• Be sure not to pepper them with questions. You want the revelations to come from a natural flow of conversation.
• Don’t be disappointed if a revelation about your favorite pastime gets no response. Move on to another topic, or ask them what kind of movies/sports/hobbies they like.
• Ask what they like to do when they’re not working. Find out if they are from the area. They’ll often tell you the story of how they got here. Have they been to any good cultural events in town? Can they recommend a good restaurant?
• If you have only a few obscure interests (Aztec love poems or Roshambo tournaments), you’re going to need to cultivate a few more widely shared activities. Gardening, bird watching, and reading are some of America’s most popular past-times. NASCAR has the biggest fan base in sports. Find something that you enjoy and can share with others.

As you work more toward finding out what you have in common with people, you’ll develop stronger, more in-depth relationships that will help you pursue your own interests and goals.

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).

At first, it feels strange to think you can grow your business by networking and giving something away. But providing referrals to your trusted business friends, contacts, and suppliers is a cost-effective, long-lasting, and satisfying way to increase your business.

How can giving referrals get you more business? Here are networking tips to keep in mind.

• Gratitude: We appreciate few things more than having new customers walk right in or call, ready to buy. I feel indebted to people who send me new business and so will your contacts.
• Awareness: By giving referrals to a trusted business partner, you’ll bring yourself to their attention far more sharply than any advertising, brochure, or phone call. They know you are thinking of them and they will think of you, too.
• Reciprocity: People instinctively give back what they get. I especially enjoy giving back to people who make it clear they don’t expect any return.
• Setting an Example: You will teach people how to give more referrals by example. You can also explain to them how you find the referrals you give them so they can learn from your techniques.
• Success grows Success: By helping your friends, contacts, and suppliers be more successful, you are enhancing your entire business community.
• Credibility: You will be seen as a person of action.
• Return on Investment: It costs you some time, attention, and a little bit of effort but the return in loyalty and referrals is tremendous.

If you’re ready to give more referrals, see my article “5 Ways to Provide More Referrals and Grow Your Business.” As you give more referrals, you will develop a wonderful reputation. People will call you asking for advice, networking tips and suggestions of who to do business with. You’ll become known as a powerful resource and you’ll be able to give even more referrals with less effort.

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).

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).

Are you jealous of people who work a room with ease? Do you think the secret to successful networking is being born extroverted? Relax. Even the “natural networker” has worked hard to be at ease in a room full of people they haven’t met. Their talent isn’t inborn. You can develop business networking skills with the right preparation.

There are nine quick and easy networking tips to prepare your networking skills. If you are shy, good news, talking to other people is far down the list. Begin with these simple steps to feel more confident when it comes time to meet and greet.

1. Prepare

Know why you are networking. Have a specific purpose. Are you looking for prospects, getting exposure in your market, or positioning for a promotion? Networking isn’t selling and it’s not just for promoting yourself. You can use it to search for resources and build your brand many other things. Keep your purpose clear to overcome obstacles and excuses.

2. Know Yourself

“What do you do?” is the first question you’ll be asked at business events. Yet it’s amazing how many people fumble for an answer. The answer is a subject on which you are the final expert. Write a short self-introduction and practice out loud until it sounds natural. You’ll adjust it as you use it, but the written description is a good place to start.

3. Know Your Market

Believing that “everyone is my target market” will make your networking vague and inefficient. List the characteristics of your ideal client and focus on events that attract these people.

4. Have Materials Ready

It’s embarrassing to come up empty-handed when asked for your card. Have business cards, a small notepad, and a pen with you at all times. Keep emergency stashes of cards at home, in your office, and even in your car.

5. Choose Your Event

The business club president or event host should be able to tell you who is attending, if it’s strictly business or more social, and if it’s informal or has an agenda. You’ll be more confident in knowing the venue is right for you.

Networking is an ongoing cycle of preparing yourself, meeting people, getting to know them, and finding ways to create a deeper bond. Any new task is going to feel awkward at first. Practice and repetition of these nine networking tips will help your skills grow. Someday your “natural” ability will make someone else jealous.

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).

You’re happily networking at your favorite Chamber of Commerce event, meeting like-minded people, sharing information, getting to know each other and building relationships, when you see one coming. The pushy, aggressive, all-sales networker. You’ve never met this person, but the handful of business cards, the room-scanning eyes and the never-still lips are a dead giveaway. You try to duck behind someone else, but it’s too late. They’ve got you in their tractor beam!

What do you do when you’re at an event and you encounter the pushy salesperson? Your dread of – and exasperation with – these people might be one of the reasons you avoid networking. And that’s not good, because you’re missing out on meeting great people who truly want to build relationships.

Here are three plans for dealing with these people and the way they make you feel. Pick and choose from these strategies depending on your personality and what you feel comfortable with. Not everyone will want to use them, but knowing you have options will make your next networking event much more comfortable and productive.

Plan A: Let them do their thing, then walk away

Let them give you their pitch. Just listen, don’t encourage them. You’ll know it’s almost over when they hand you their card. End the conversation with the tone and words that we use in wrapping up a phone conversation. “Okay, great, thank you, I’ll let you know. Nice meeting you. Enjoy your evening.” Shake their hand and walk away.

This might take some nerve because they might not be done with the conversation. But if you’ve decided you just don’t want to invest any more time, end the conversation and move on. They might think you’re rude, or they might not even notice. This move precludes any future relationship.

Plan B: Make them engage you as a person

Don’t act like a prospect by accepting their presentation first; make them consider you as someone with a life and interests that may coincide with theirs. Take over the conversation by asking questions about them personally. Ask if they are from the area, what they did before this job, or how they found out about this event. Do not hesitate to interrupt them! They are being rude by treating you as an “easy mark.” You are allowed the small incivility of breaking into their stream of consciousness.

This is a gentler way to deflect the sales pitch. You are still engaging them, but on a more personal level. You’ve changed the interaction from salesperson/prospect to person/person. There might be an opportunity to develop a relationship based on commonalities you may discover in the regular conversation. Or, they may relentlessly return to their sales pitch. In that case, go back to Plan A.

Plan C: Call them out

If they ask you for the sale right there, the first time you’ve met them, or if they are handing you five business cards “in case you know someone who could use my services,” then you need to call them out. Not by going out back and settling it “High Noon” style, but by telling them that you don’t do business that way. Tell them, “I appreciate your enthusiasm/interest in me, but I prefer to get to know someone a little bit before I do business or refer them to other people. Let’s get together for coffee so we can learn more about each other’s businesses.” You are telling them that they must invest a little bit of time. And that you are looking for a mutually beneficial relationship, as true networkers do.

You will immediately separate out those who are willing to build relationships, but got carried away, from those who don’t care and just want the sale. You may occasionally find those persistent sales people take the coffee meeting as another chance to pitch you. Revert to Plan B or invent an appointment and get out (Plan A)! More often, you will discover that the “pushy salesperson” is actually someone who is under pressure to perform or who just doesn’t grasp the true foundation of networking. Here is your opportunity to gently guide them through example.

You’ll learn that very few people at networking events are actually hard-core, no-frills, all-prospecting sales people. Why? Because they would rather be in the office making cold-calls or setting appointments. Networking is a long-term investment, not a short-term sales plan. They’ve been to a few events, made no sales, and gave up. You’re not likely to encounter these people more than once or twice.

One of the most annoying and uncomfortable aspects of the pushy networker is that they control the interaction. These three plans have the same foundation. They allow us to take charge in a way that is compatible with positive, long-term networking. Once you have these plans in mind, and have given yourself permission to interrupt people, run the conversation and make suggestions, you’ll find that you are much more comfortable with the possibility of seeing these kind of people.

Fortunately, you’ll also learn that people who start with the sales pitch are often just nervous and unsure what to do. Someone told them that networking was selling, so they are selling. Or, they think it’s inappropriate to talk about their lives, so what else to discuss but work? You’ll help them break this pattern, be a more successful networker, and perhaps build a relationship with you. Now there’s a plan that helps everyone.

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).

Every once in a while I run into someone who tells me they don’t need networking. I used to believe that everyone needed networking. But I didn’t want to argue with them, so I would put on my “thoughtful” face and say something very noncommittal. Sometimes they’d give me a reason why they didn’t need it and sometimes they would let the statement just hang our there between us.

I have changed my mind and now believe that there are some people who don’t need networking at all. Are you one of them? If you can answer “yes” to all of these questions, then you are a person who does not need networking.

• If you work for someone else, are you guaranteed to never lose your job for any reason?
• If you own your own business, do you have more clients than you know what to do with, who always pay on time, even though you charge far more than the competition?
• Can you walk into any business and meet with the decision maker whenever you want?
• Are you so incredibly famous that you never need to introduce yourself to anyone?
• Are you certain you’ve always picked out the best possible service provider the first time, every time, straight from the phone book?
• Do you know everything there is to know about the right products, services, or opportunities for you and your family?

Of course, no one can answer “yes” to all these questions. The only people who don’t need to network are these who are 100% self-sufficient; who don’t buy, sell, or trade any service or goods made by people; who don’t need any information or resources that they cannot provide for themselves and who have no need to interact with society. In other words, a hermit. Still, some people convince themselves that they are job-loss proof, that their business is the best it could be, and that they alone have all the answers.

Can we try to find someone in today’s world who doesn’t need networking? You could argue that the tribes people of the Kalahari Desert don’t need to network because they are self-sufficient. But look at the word we use to describe them: “Tribes-people.” The very concept of a tribe is a group of people with a common heritage working together for a group purpose. So-called “primitive” people actually have highly developed networking skills because their very lives depend on it. Everyone who lives within a society is dependent on other people to provide some aspect of their survival. We interact on a daily basis with people who provide us with information, knowledge, and the resources we need to live.

Networking is a survival skill in society and in business. In society, we need to interact with other people whether it’s family, co-workers, or clients. In fact, the ability to network is one of the main business skills that will determine whether or not someone grows or shuts down a business, stays in their job in hard economies, and if ultimately any aspect of their business is successful.

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).