Did you know that of the people you connect with most online they consist of relatives, colleagues at your company or someplace you used to work, customers or prospects, schoolmates and neighbors?
It's great to keep connections with all these people but if they are the only ones you are connecting with it is going to slow you down in growing your network or your business.
You need to have a diverse network that you branch out to of people that can help you as you grow. Look for people in other industries that complement what you do to connect with. This is a great way to build new relationships that could turn into possible joint ventures down the line. It will also provide you with resources that you may need in the future.
You need to nurture your networks in order to have them grow. Be helpful, give advice, answer questions in groups if you have a valuable answer. Don't respond to questions that you are just guessing the answer to. Make sure you know what you are saying and are able to back it up with fact if asked to. This will show you are the expert on your topic and will have more people wanting to connect with you and do business with you.
Connect others that you think would be a good match. You have a wide network and there are lots of people that would probably be a good fit with people you know. If you see one of these opportunities take a moment to send an introduction email to both of them saying how you think they could benefit each other. Once you do this they can each connect with the other if they choose to. This is a win- win situation for everyone because more business is being done!
Spend a little time each day in your networks. It will be very productive for you as you grow your relationships. It can be a little time consuming but if you put a system to it you will have it go much smoother. Don't spend all day finding out what updates people are sending out. Take some time in the morning and at the end of the day to find out what is going on, respond to posts that you find interesting and post something about yourself as well. This will keep you in the loop and opportunities often arise in these networks that you may not have found otherwise.
Now, as important as online networking is, offline is just as important.
Networking is a continual effort and human contact is a critical component. You want to make sure you get out from behind your computer from time to time.
Go to events for networking and learning opportunities. You can find out more about your target market when you are talking to them directly.
Offer others advice and resources that can help them with any problems they may be having. Don't constantly sell to people. Build relationships by serving. Eventually the selling will come naturally.
Be professional, dress nice, speak clearly and maintain eye contact in conversations. Be in charge of yourself and what people know about you.
These in person times are important so people get to connect a name with a face, get to know, like and trust you and want to learn more about you. Not everyone is going to be a client. Don't go into the events thinking that you are going to come home with a ton of new clients. Instead, go into the events with an open mind and a friendly attitude. Reach out and connect to others that are there and learn all you can. These people you meet can become good friends, valuable resources, and yes, on occasion great clients.
Have fun networking and building relationships!
Erin Alli is a Virtual Business Manager and Writer. She has 13 years experience as an office manager and the skills to teach you how to manage your time, stay organized and make your business run more efficiently while you become increasingly more successful.
As a writer, she handles sales copy, web site content, brochure content, ghost writing for blogs, articles and motivational writing. She takes away the pain of writing while still giving you the edge and allowing you to reap the benefits of more sales and services to your business.
To find out more about Erin and her products/services you can visit http://www.essentialassisting.com/
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