My most successful clients are master networkers. They are engaged in networking on a daily basis. They seek out opportunities to network.
Accumulating wealth and networking are joined at the hip. You cannot create wealth with poor networking skills. Good networking skills create opportunities that absolutely will translate into more customers or clients and, of course, more money. If you are seeking more income you must develop good networking skills and process networking into your job or business on a daily basis. You simply cannot become rich without good networking skills. Those who fail to grasp this truth are relegated to getting by in life. If you want to become wealthy learn how to network.
Top Ten Networking Tips:
Networking is a process. Developing a networking process is critical to success. When you network the right way, you gain customers, clients, strategic business partners, followers and networking partners and this translates into more money. So how do you go about creating a networking process and incorporating it into your life?
1. Join Networking Groups/Clubs: BNI International is the most popular but you can create your own networking group.
2. Join Boards of Local Businesses: Reach out to your clients, customers, business partners and local business community and ask if they have an advisory board. If they do, offer your services as a board member. If they don’t, help them set one up.
3. Join Civic Groups: Lions Club, Rotary Club, Chambers of Commerce, Optimist Club. There are many business and non-business civic groups who are looking for members. These groups often refer business to one another.
4. Become a Speaker: Speaking engagements are probably the most valuable networking tool available. One speaking engagement can mean thirty or more potential clients/customers. Since many are afraid to speak, doing so sets you apart from the masses and you will be viewed as an expert.
5. Join a Non-Profit Group Board or Committee: Non-profit groups are a very valuable resource for referrals. You gain an opportunity to showcase your skills and develop long-lasting relationships. Referrals come from every direction; fellow members, vendors, donors and beneficiaries of the organization.
6. Write: Writing sets you apart from your competition. As you develop your repository of articles you increase, exponentially, your readership. Writing also hones your technical skills and makes you more competent in your field or industry. When you increase your technical skills your eyes open up to opportunities that were there all along. Writing creates opportunity luck.
7. Hello Call: Make a habit of calling at least one person every day for no other reason other then to say hello. This helps build the relationship and opens the door for opportunities.
8. Birthday Call: Call your clients, customers, family members, friends, business associates, neighbors and anyone one else you may know on their birthday. Our birthdays are very important to each one of us. When someone acknowledges a birthday it says “you are important to me.” People remember those who call them on their birthday.
9. Life Event Call: Call your contacts when something special happens to them or one of their family members. This could be a birth, death, newspaper mention, award, get well soon call, etc.
10. Breakfast/Lunch/Dinners: Periodically reach out to your contacts and ask them to breakfast, lunch or dinner. This casual get together is the perfect setting to generate opportunities.
