Cultivating a Network
Copyright 2006 business-cards.com
In order to grow your business, whether home or office based,
you need to develop a network of contacts. Think of networking
as planting and tending a garden. You are planting, growing and
cultivating your contacts, and, as with a garden, this has to be
a long term investment of your time. Eventually the harvest
produced will be repeat orders, and increased business.
You should look for every chance to grow and strengthen your
network of potential clients. There are many tools you can use
to achieve maximum growth, but probably the most effective and
indispensable tool is your business card. Make sure you always
have a plentiful supply of clean, correct and professional
business cards.
Would you try to dig a garden without a spade? Have your cards
professionally produced and keep them crisp and clean. Business
card holders are an ideal way to keep a stack of cards
presentable. Any soiled or damaged cards should be discarded.
Don't keep a pile of damaged ones to give to less important
prospects. You simply never know where your next best customer
will come from, they are all of equal importance, and each
should get a pristine and professional card (or two).
Take plenty of your business cards with you everywhere you go --
professional meetings, social gatherings, parties, weddings,
funerals, even to the airport to collect Aunt Nelly. Beware
though if you are only going to places where people know you
already. If you are doing this then you are really only
socialising and not networking. It is impossible to create a
network without meeting new people. Networking will provide you
with customers, potential customers and suppliers.
It is important to understand that networking is not primarily
about making sales. Networking is about making, and keeping,
contacts. Remember that rewards from networking are not short
term. This is a long term project, which will offer fruit (in
the form of increased business) for many years to come. Very
often, it is the people referred to you by your initial contact
who give the greatest reward.
Thinking the philosophy behind networking is beneficial. With
long term networking, which will produce the best results, it is
not a question of asking "What do I get out of it?" Your
question should be "What can I do for you?" The outcome of the
second question is often the answer to the first. The key to
developing new contacts is to be helpful. Think of something
which can be useful or offers assistance to your new potential
customer. One of the golden rules is - never try to make a sale
while networking, however tempting it may be.
It is helpful to have a networking plan, even if it is informal.
Decide how many new contacts you would like to make in a month,
then plan how you will do it. Will you enroll in a class? Join a
church group perhaps?
Tending to your network of contacts is also important. You
should always be thinking of what you can do for them. Perhaps
follow up on your initial meeting with a handwritten note,
asking for them to forward on to you their business details?
This is the beginning of a business relationship. Some of the
things you can do to make your selected networking partners feel
special include -- clipping out and sending them relevant
information from magazines and newspapers that you know will
interest them. Ask their advice. Contacts like to be asked
advice generally, it makes them feel that you trust their advice
and value their comments. Don't over use your contacts, and be
careful to be diplomatic. Don't talk in a derogatory way about
your competitors. One of the key aims of building a network is
to create trusting relationships.
So if you have green fingers in the garden, turn them to
networking and grow your business the same way you grow and care
for your garden. As with a garden, the benefits and rewards at
harvest time can be huge.