Faster response time means better networking

Recently I spent three days in a training workshop learning 3 notebooks full of information. Yes, there's a lot to know when it comes to small business networking. And I learned one lesson that wasn't even on the agenda. As is likely to happen, many of the attendees have great flashes of inspiration they don't want to forget. Much of this isn't actually in the notebooks - it comes from the other attendees. From super ideas they use in their business to they way they explain something so you finally get it.

Well, at this session, the trainers had every participant stick a large sheet of paper to the wall and write their name on it. You were then given a pad of Post-It notes. The, whenever you heard something you didn't want to forget, you wrote it on the Post-It and stuck it to your piece of paper. All well and good, but what the heck are you going to do with a large paper covered in sticky notes? The trainers asked one volunteer to take all the sheets and type up every idea and note. Then it was emailed to the entire workshop. So, not only did you get your ideas, you got everyone else's highlights and BFOs (Blinding Flashes of the Obvious).

Right now you're probably wondering what in the world this has to do with small business networking. Great question. The answer is the volunteer! Annette volunteered to put this list together for us after our 3 days (Wednesday - Friday). On Saturday morning I logged on to check email and found Annette's email with the aforementioned list of notes in a nice file. Less than 24 hours after 3 days of 8 hour sessions (and a drive back home) she had fulfilled her promise to us. I was very impressed, okay blown away, with her quick turnaround time. I for one had slept in a litte to catch up on some rest. But this gal demonstrated a key to building strong relationships - especially small business relationships. Respond quickly and over deliver on expectations!

You might think that only matters once you get the job, but in fact it matters more in networking and developing your business relationships. If you meet someone at a networking mixer and say you'll follow up to set a meeting or give them that contact information they need...then do it and do it quickly. If the next morning they find an email from you with that link or information or a suggested time to have coffee - how will they think of you? Remember that until someone does business with you, everything they know about how you do business is how you treat them and how you conduct yourself at those mixers, etc. So, trust me that new contact is going to be very impressed with your quick response time. That scores you major points in the credibility category.

Too often these days businesses drop the ball, don't follow through and don't get the job done. When it comes to your small business networking, you can WOW people before you've even talked about your product or service. So, remember that as part of your action plan. Whatever sort of follow up you promise goes to the top of your to do list. You can win even more credibility if you over deliver. Perhaps you didn't promise to send any information, but you do a little research online and find an article that your new business friend might be interested in. Send it to them immediately, no strings attached. Just do it quickly. Make yourself a networking challenge and see how fast you can actually respond.

Follow up is vital in strategic networking. Timely follow up is what will put you ahead of your competion and lead you to profitable relationships! Don't just do it...do it now.

Happy Networking!!

Once is Not Enough - Networking has a Repeat Button

You're busy. I know that without even seeing your to-do list. But, if you're using networking to build your business, 'once in a while' isn't going to get it done. Attending a monthly mixer is great, but if that's all you've got in your small business networking arsenal, you gotta get more ammo!

I've mentioned before that networking is a contact sport, but to truly make your efforts effective you've got to have some consistency. That means more than a lunch once a month. Now, I'm not saying you won't get any contacts at that one lunch meeting, but remember you're not trying to close a sale...you're building relationships. Any new relationship is going to take time and commitment to work. It takes time for trust to build and trust is the key to a business relationship. The best way to build trust is to keep showing up. If you're committed to attending a regular meeting, people feel and believe you're committed to your business and your clients. Why? Because what we do speaks louder than what we say (more on that in another blog).

For now, I think you should seriously consider a networking opportunity that offers weekly meetings. I know it's a bigger time commitment, but if you work on your business every week, shouldn't you work on your business networking every week? There are lots of opportunity for weekly mixers and meetings. If you want to connect with and be of service to your community - check out Rotary, Kiwanis or another service organization. If you're hoping to improve your speaking skills, try Toastmasters. If your ultimate goal is to get more referrals to grow your business, I'd visit a BNI meeting.

Another great thing about weekly meetings is that you can figure out what works and then hit the 'repeat button' for the next week. Meaning you know the agenda, purpose and dynamics of your meeting. So instead of trying to figure out what's happening next, you can focus on making the most of each meeting to build those strong, trusting relationships that lead to success.

Good luck finding the right weekly networking opportunity. You may need to visit a few meetings and organizations to find the right fit, but once you do it will be worth it!

For more information on how to get more out of each networking meeting, email me at mavis@mamboproductions.com


Happy Networking!!