I received a message via Twitter about my recent article, The BIG Mistake That Means Networking Doesn’t Work. The person said she agreed with the article, but thought people may take the advice 'don't dive in' as an excuse for doing nothing.
My main point was that people often start networking with no end in mind. Put some thought into what you want and then get out there and join some networks. Find those groups with other business people who operate in similar markets to you. Commit to investing the time to develop relationships and create a network of advocates.
Many people miss out by not joining a group or joining much later than they should. If you put a little bit of effort into identifying the right places to network up front then you can join in as soon as you find them. If you attend a group & leave it for a few months before joining you are missing opportunities.
One thing is absolutely certain. If you do nothing you will get nothing!
Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Showing posts with label Networking Groups. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Networking Groups. Show all posts
Do business networks collaborate or compete?
"Avoid the competition" was a comment from Courtney Sperlazza in response to my post entitled What is the right approach in business networking? She went on to explain:
"I don't mean to avoid your competitors. What I mean is, avoid the concept of competition. You can work collaboratively with anyone. Even if you're in similar industries, there is something the other guy can do that you can't do and vice versa. Some of us call those things opportunities!"
One of the first steps we encourage in our advocacy model to how business networking really works is to clarify your target market. This is not so you can sell to them at networking events. It is so you can work out who else deals with them and so who you should be networking with to create those opportunities for each other. Real networking is a collaborative activity where you get to build a sustainable route to market for the long term. As I have written before it is not the face to face equivalent of cold calling.
Imagine my surprise this morning when I received a note that said that someone could not attend a meeting of one of our groups because they were a member of a competing network!
Doesn't that miss the point of networks being places to collaborate?
The best example for the networks to set is to collaborate with other networks.
Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
"I don't mean to avoid your competitors. What I mean is, avoid the concept of competition. You can work collaboratively with anyone. Even if you're in similar industries, there is something the other guy can do that you can't do and vice versa. Some of us call those things opportunities!"
One of the first steps we encourage in our advocacy model to how business networking really works is to clarify your target market. This is not so you can sell to them at networking events. It is so you can work out who else deals with them and so who you should be networking with to create those opportunities for each other. Real networking is a collaborative activity where you get to build a sustainable route to market for the long term. As I have written before it is not the face to face equivalent of cold calling.
Imagine my surprise this morning when I received a note that said that someone could not attend a meeting of one of our groups because they were a member of a competing network!
Doesn't that miss the point of networks being places to collaborate?
The best example for the networks to set is to collaborate with other networks.
Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Do you meet the right people when you go networking?
In a conversation with the partner in a professional firm last week he said "I know networking is about building relationships and not selling directly, but I never meet the right people". I asked him who the right people were and he tried to explain. He found it difficult and rambled on a bit.
I suggested (gently) that he might like to give it some thought because then he would have an idea where he might find the 'right people'. He asked if I had any tips that might help and I said he could start with where his referrals came from today. He mentioned a couple of sources which was great because now he will be looking for networking groups with others like them.
I also suggested that when he finds that group he should invite his current referral sources too. That way he will be building his Inner Network* and strengthening the relationships with his current Advocates*.
*Explained in more detail in the NRG Advocate Marketing System.
Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
I suggested (gently) that he might like to give it some thought because then he would have an idea where he might find the 'right people'. He asked if I had any tips that might help and I said he could start with where his referrals came from today. He mentioned a couple of sources which was great because now he will be looking for networking groups with others like them.
I also suggested that when he finds that group he should invite his current referral sources too. That way he will be building his Inner Network* and strengthening the relationships with his current Advocates*.
*Explained in more detail in the NRG Advocate Marketing System.
Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
How to have a productive One2One Meeting
The key to building a successful relationship with someone in business networking is follow up. One2One interactions are an essential part of this follow up. It is the next step after you have invested time in getting to know someone at your regular networking group meetings. In this podcast I explain how to have a productive One2One Meeting.
Listen here:
If you don't have a couple of minutes to listen then this image from the NRG Networking System covers the main points:
Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Listen here:
If you don't have a couple of minutes to listen then this image from the NRG Networking System covers the main points:
Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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
business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast
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
business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast
What is the ideal sized networking group?
In my monthly column for the National Networker, 'UK: How Small Businesses Really Network' I wrote about the findings of some recent research conducted by Alan Rae and Lisa Harris. They studied how small companies network and establish the best balance between online and offline networking.
One of their findings was into the size of networking group favoured by their respondents. Most favoured a networking group of between 20 and 40 members. That supports the opinions that many people share when I ask that question at different group meetings.
It is also a figure that could be arrived at by combining the Dunbar number & the Pareto principle. According to the British anthropologist Robin Dunbar the number of individuals with whom a stable inter-personal relationship can be maintained is about 150. The Pareto principle (or 80-20 rule) states that, for many events, roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes.
Therefore if we have a capacity for about 150 relationships and 20% have the potential to be the most beneficial the ideal group size would be about 30.
What is your experience in different groups?
Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success
business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast
One of their findings was into the size of networking group favoured by their respondents. Most favoured a networking group of between 20 and 40 members. That supports the opinions that many people share when I ask that question at different group meetings.
It is also a figure that could be arrived at by combining the Dunbar number & the Pareto principle. According to the British anthropologist Robin Dunbar the number of individuals with whom a stable inter-personal relationship can be maintained is about 150. The Pareto principle (or 80-20 rule) states that, for many events, roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes.
Therefore if we have a capacity for about 150 relationships and 20% have the potential to be the most beneficial the ideal group size would be about 30.
What is your experience in different groups?
Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success
business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |