What simple tips do you have for networking?

In 'Is offline networking still relevant?' I wrote about the interview I did with Rod Sloane. After answering that question he asked if I had any simple networking tips. I answered that follow up was the big thing that makes people stand out & to be effective at follow up you need to learn to listen.

In a recent survey of first time guests at NRG networking events we found that the top three reasons for networking are:

1. More Business
2. New connections
3. Help with business issues

The most successful networkers build relationships by following up quickly and providing referrals, introductions and help to others. If you listen for where you can do the same and do it then others will do it for you.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

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Is offline networking still relevant?

In 'Networking has never been more important' I wrote about the answer I gave to Rod Sloane when he asked "is networking still relevant in 2009". The question comes nearly 40 second into this 2 minute Audio Clip:



Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

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Getting referrals by being the answer to their problems

Last week someone introduced himself at one of the Networking Groups I facilitate by saying that one of his main client groups were charities who often pay too much of a particular type of tax. He didn't just say he was an accountant. There were immediate referrals because he had succinctly expressed the help he was able to give for a particular problem for a specific market.

In 'Dominating your niche through Business Networking' I wrote about talking about your business with regard to the specific issues that your target market have, where they are and what they will be saying about their problems.

It is much easier to find referrals for someone obviously the answer to a specific problem for specific organisations.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

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business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

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Why are you networking & are you prepared?

Someone phoned me earlier and said could she come to the next NRG Business Networking Event because someone had told her she should. When I asked what she was networking for she wasn't really sure. I explained the importance of understanding why first.

In the first episode of the NRG Business Networking Podcast I talked about the importance of asking yourself why you are networking. You can then prepare yourself fully to ‘Power up Your Networking’ and get the results you want. Listen below:

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Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

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business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

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The Personal & Professional in Business Networking

Another question I was asked in my webcast last week on 'How to Effectively Combine Offline & Online Networking'was whether I made a distinction between personal & professional networks in the information I share.

My answer was along the lines that people buy people so it is important to share personal information in both business and personal networking.

I enjoyed reading supporting evidence on this issue in Graham Jones' blog post yesterday about the information you share on your website. In 'Find connections to increase your sales' Graham suggests "the more personal information you reveal, the more likely it is you will connect with your customers".

He goes on to say "As if we didn't know, people buy from people... start telling the world even more about yourself so they can start to truly connect with you".

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

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business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

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Are online relationships more short term?

I was asked a number of questions in my webcast last week on 'How to Effectively Combine Offline & Online Networking'. One viewer said "It's more important to meet people offline and spend more time, this makes a relationship long term. Online relationships are more short term. Your views please?"

I have built long term relationships from connections I have made online. I have subsequently met many of these people so the relationships are now both online & offline. There are some I have never met because they are in countries I have not visited. This has not stopped us providing support, knowledge and contacts to each other.

I think the real answer is that most people make more offline connections than online ones and a smaller proportion of those online ones develop into real relationships. I wrote briefly about this in 'Quality versus quantity in Business Networking' yesterday.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

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Quality versus quantity in Business Networking

At a recent seminar on how to effectively combine online and offline networking someone said that he wanted to build a 'quality' network rather than have lots of connections like many people he sees online. I think most people would agree that quality is important. The continuing debate is around how you get there.

In offline groups you can build these quality connections from a relatively small group of people. Much of the filtering process has already been done. It's different online in that you will have quality interactions with a smaller percentage of the people you 'connect' with. In both cases quality is a result of quantity.

To be effective offline and online is is still about building relationships.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

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business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

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Dominating your niche through Business Networking

One of the temptations in business networking is to speak about your business in very general terms in case you miss a possible opportunity. The problem with this approach is that everyone misses the specific opportunities they could refer you to. Presenting your business in terms of the specific things you do for a defined target market produces much better results.

Last week Chris Bose explained how the Internet works in a seminar before the NRG London City Business Networking Group Lunch. The seminar was called, 'Dominate your online niche to survive and prosper'.

Chris demonstrated real expertise by explaining in simple terms how you can get well qualified web traffic through the search engines by presenting content that specifically answers the things your potential clients are asking. It is much better to get the 100 real prospects for your business than 100,000 who may or may not be interested. You can find out about real google searches with their free tool at www.google.com/sktool.

The same applies in business networking. Talk about the specific issues that your target market have, where they are and what they will be saying about their problems. There are two simple ways to establish what questions they are asking. You can use the same free google tool and you can ask them!

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

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How to Effectively Combine Offline & Online Networking

I presented this webinar on brightTALK yesterday. You can watch the recording below.


Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

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business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

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Networking has never been more important

Yesterday I answered the question from small business marketing expert Rod Sloane, "Is Networking still relevant in 2009?". The answer I gave was based on my own experience so it was nice to find some supporting evidence from Neilsen's Global Online Consumer Survey. They found that ninety percent of the 25,000 consumers surveyed noted that they trust recommendations from people they know. The following table summarises their findings:



Building positive word of mouth has, indeed, never been more important.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

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business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

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