Networking Is Not Selling

Happy New Year! 2011 is finally here!  And you want to increase your business and/or your sales.  So how do you go about doing that?

If Networking is NOT about Selling, then what good is it?  Here are some ways to gain from networking:

Power Partners - By joining a referral group (i Take The Lead is just one of your options http://www.itakethelead)  you will meet others you can classify as your Power Partners. These are professionals/businesses who call on the same clients as you. Having Power Partners can lead to Joint Ventures.  This can be a very effective way of duplicating  your efforts.

Referrals – Networking is a great way to get referrals, in addition to providing them. Want to be your clients hero? Refer them to someone you know, like and trust, who can solve their biggest problems.

Public Speaking – Many events/referral groups have a 10 minute spot where members take turns to making a presentation to the group.  You have the opportunity to build up your skills by practicing first with your 60-second commercial every weeki.  This is an excellent way to practice your speaking skills in a supportive environment.

I’m buzzing. No, I’m not on some kind of drug, but I did manage to take a whole week off from business, from the daily routines of meeting, greeting, and networking with others, as well daily routines of answering the perpetual email stream that flows in at a rate of 200 per day.

Vacationing to me is having new adventures, doing a little sight seeing, and always, but always, reading! For several years I’ve been a huge proponent of Law of Attraction. Long before The Secret, long before it was the ‘trendy’ thing to do. One day I realized that one of the key components to the success we’ve endured in our business http://www.itakethelead.com is a law of nature; like-minded professionals attract other like-minded professionals.  

If you ever have the opportunity to pick up “Excuse me, Your Life is Waiting” I’d grab it! Lynn Grabhorn is witty, fun, and really keeps me engaged with her stories. This is a yearly read for me.  While I was reading through, I realized that Lynn offers some sage advice for anyone who networks. Have you ever felt in a slump…had one of those off days…and attended some kind of networking function anyway? How’d it go? Kind of what I thought…..you’d have been better off curled up with the cat and blanket watching the tube!

Advice from Lynn:” Since we’re sort of dead batteries until we get charged, I found the best way to get a buzz started was by doing something physical that would jump-start me into a nice feeling. So lacking cables, I use a smile!”

“That’s right, a meaningful little smile, the kind that feels like butter melting on a hot roll; the kind of smile you couldn’t help but break into at the sight of newborn kittens tumbling all over each other, or a baby giggling just for the sake of giggling. Not a phony grin, but a loving, tender smile as if a youngster had just brought you their most cherished treasure. As you take that felling and pull it up from the inside, you’ll feel yourself smiling the deepest point of your being. Now you’re at what I call the Gentle Inner Smile, a warm lovely sensation that feels like a soft buzz or a delicate whirling.”

I arrived back home to a chilly temperature of 30 degrees, snow on the ground, and ice layered on the windows of the neighbors’ vehicles. As a matter of fact, today was supposed to be my first day back at networking, but going out in the cold was not looking very appealing. So I prepped for the meeting by getting a soft buzz going.  It worked, and the meeting was a total success….maybe because I was on top of my game!

It’s commonly believed that most introverts are shy, but I happen to be a shy extrovert. Introverts often avoid social situations because being around people drains their energy. They need time to be alone to ‘recharge.’ Extraverts, on the other hand, seek out others and enjoy being social.  

I love people and interacting with people. I am at my best when I am connecting with others; I become energized. However, over the years I’ve been painfully shy when attending functions with multiple people that I do not know.

Do you ever have to force yourself to attend networking events? Some simple suggestions to keep in mind:

#1 Invite a friend. I do recommend mingling with others, but at least you know you have  one friendly person you can seek out if networking becomes too awkward for you.  

#2 Very often, I happen to be the host; however, when I’m not, I pretend to be the host. What I mean by that is that as a nurturing spirit, I’m most comfortable when I am helping others feel comfortable.  Try it. Walk up to others, extend your hand and introduce yourself. You’ve just made a new friend.

#3 Have a Game Plan. Set goals. For instance, you may decide that you have been successful, if you make 3 new contacts.  Perhaps your goal is as many as 10 new contacts. Plan ahead and stick with your plan.

Remember that Networking is about connecting and serving.  Be ready to serve. Above all, have fun

I’m quoting myself, how egotistical is that?

A business luncheon should be a retreat from the grind, an escapade of ideas, and an accolade of success stories!”

Becky Loves My Hat

I really enjoyed speaking to the Tigard B2B group yesterday, and what a turnout!  Half of the people there were from other ITTL groups and came out to hear my topic “Effective Internet Marketing You Can Do Yourself for Free!” and the other half came from the post on Meetup.com (if you were there feel free to leave a comment here and on Meetup)… I think we hopefully gained one or two new members to I Take The Lead, specifically one in the Lake Oswego B2B I attend on Mondays, Mr. Church that does OSHA Compliance Programs.  Additionally, Honeymoon and Jerry joined us all the way from Denver’s I Take The Lead franchise and contributed greatly to the conversation.

I Take The Lead Members that were there included: Me, Tom Cochrane, Peter Grote, Jodi Colbert, Norm Baker, Stephanie (Owner of Sezchuan Kitchen), Lisa Lynne, Michael Neuman, Neil Robbins, and our superstar Becky Tengwall herself!  Thanks to everybody for coming out and showing support! 

As promised I did post a lengthy article with the details of the conversation, again on Free Effective Internet Marketing that you can do yourself over on my blog dedicated to supporting I Take The Lead members, Locally-Social.com.  I took some time to add email and RSS subscription buttons as well as links to my Linked In, Twitter and Facebook Profiles.  Please take a few minutes, visit, comment, and add me to your social networks!

One thing I have to mention is that the ClubSport Conference Room is a perfect place for a large meeting… Read more…