Networking is a challenge for most small business owners; myself included. The Making It Happen article earlier this month on networking brought a few comments and questions so I thought I would tackle the topic again.

Here are a five tips that can help you improve your results from networking efforts:

1. Network smart; develop a core network or your “contact sphere”. People in your core network or contact sphere are people whose businesses are closely aligned with yours. A bookkeeper’s contact sphere would include a CPA, a lawyer, a financial planner, a business consultant, a banker, etc. All of these professions can work with and refer to each other frequently and easily.

Another example; my husband, Gerard, is a jeweler at Porte4 in the Old Port. He is part of a contact sphere he and his network call “the wedding mafia”. The “wedding mafia” includes Gerard, a jeweler, a florist, a photographer, a DJ/entertainer, a skin care esthetician and a hotel representative. See how these professionals can easily refer to each other? Make it a point to develop relationships with those professionals whose targeted clients are also your targeted clients.

2. You have 2 eyes and 1 mouth; use them proportionately. Remember as we discussed in the last article, networking is about farming, not hunting. Don’t attend a networking event with a goal of closing a sale or even booking a meeting. Attend with the goal of meeting a new contact or getting to know one a little better. I heard this recently: "Listening is power and talking is giving it away. Be a power networker." Power is good.

3. Have a networking target. Anticipate who will be attending the networking event and who, among those attending you would like to meet or get to know better. Make it a point to make that happen. Meet them with the intention of learning about their business and their business needs. Look for an opportunity to help them which will also give you a chance to follow up.

4. Use the principal of reciprocation. It’s a funny trait we humans have; we want to give back to those who give to us. It’s not that we don’t like to have people help us, but we tend to keep track and are more likely to say “yes” if we feel we owe somebody something.

For example, Jack knows how much you enjoy the ballet. When he discovers he can’t use his tickets for the upcoming Russian Ballet production of Swan Lake he calls and offers them to you. (You are, of course, ecstatic and gladly accept.) A few weeks later, Jack approaches you with a request for a donation to the annual fund raiser of his favorite charity. Or perhaps Jack wants to meet someone you know and requests an introduction. What do you do? You help him out, don't you? …is there a question?

5. Give it time. It is unrealistic to expect a steady stream of referrals before you get to know the people in your networking group or more appropriately, before they get to know you and your business. When someone gives you a referral they are, in a way, putting their reputation on the line. Most people will want to get to know you and know they can trust you and your work before they’re willing to refer to you consistently.

There are no magic pills or secret handshakes to building your business. If done with a genuine view towards helping others get what they need, word-of-mouth networking will be the most productive and most cost effective marketing investment you will ever make.

Do you have any secret networking tips? Send me an email and let me know. I’ll collect the mail I receive and include it in a future “Making It Happen” MaineToday.com article.

Note: Those of you who write BLOG entries or e-zine articles and wonder who reads your words, I received a nice email from Ivan Misner, the founder and CEO of BNI (Business Networking International) after the previous Making It Happen article on networking. Mr. Misner wrote me to say "Thank you" for the kind words and for supporting BNI. The moral to the story is, “yes people DO read these things and your words can make a difference". It also goes to show you that it's true; the harder you work the luckier you get.

And remember - You have to Be BOLD! It all starts with a vision.

In April, Bold Business Boot Camps, a day-long planning and implementation workshop for small business owners and entrepreneurs. Invest a day and develop a 1-page plan for the next 12-months and your best year yet in business ..and in life. For more information visit www.BoldVisionConsulting.com or send an email to info@BoldVisionConsulting.com.

In late May Bold Vision Business Intensive teleclasses will be launched. The Business Intensive program is a series of 8 60-minute teleclasses that meet once a month on the phone. Participants can sign up for a single class ($39) or for all 8 and receive a 25% discount ($234). Materials and a recording of the calls are included. For more information send an email to info@boldvisionconsulting.com.

Coming in June, BoldVision will begin offering the 12-week course “Attract Clients by Becoming Recognized as an Expert in Your Field” for self employed service professionals. For more information email info@boldvisionconsulting.com.

Imagine this. You’re driving down Route 1. You’re passing field after field, many of which are dotted with black, white, and brown cows. (I know, I know. There aren’t that many cow fields on Route 1, but stay with me on this. There’s a point.) So you’re passing all these black, white and brown cows and then, all of the sudden, you spot the most remarkable cow that you’ve ever seen – a PURPLE cow!

Well, you stop your car to take a closer look. You get out your camera and take a few photos. You call your friends on your cell phone and tell them “You’re not going to believe what I’m looking at right now.” When you get home, you make an entry about the cow in your BLOG and you send a few emails out to friends 'from away'. You want to let them know there's more to Maine than lobsters. And so on…

In other words, you become a one-person marketing machine and sales force for the “purple cow experience.” And you convince a good number of your friends, near and far, to get in their cars and go take a look.

So, what in the world do purple cows have to do with your business? Absolutely nothing. But, being purple – or, more specifically, remarkable – has everything to do with what you do in your business.

This basic idea is the subject of Seth Godin’s simple book, Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable. In the book, he describes how being remarkable – with your service, product, business model, employee relations, etc. – isn’t a ‘nice to have’, but a necessity to survive. The remarkable factor should be built into and a part of everything you do.

Admittedly, being remarkable is not a particularly original idea in the business world. However, the purple cow parable provides an easily remembered visual for communicating the marketing power of a remarkable business. Remarkable businesses – like purple cows – sell themselves.

Here’s an example of a remarkable business here in Maine: L.L Bean: You can return an item for any reason at any time – period. 1 day after purchase or 10 years. They don’t care; they want you to be happy. AND the Freeport flagship store never closes. They’re open 24 hours a day; 7 days a week; 365 days a year – period. They don’t even have locks on any of the doors in Freeport! Now that’s remarkable. (Besides the quality of the merchandise is good, the prices are reasonable and the people are pleasant and sincerely helpful. Now that’s remarkable.)

So, in what ways is your business remarkable? In what ways could it be remarkable? And, most importantly, what will you do to make that happen? No one will do it for you.

Until next time, Think Big and Be Bold. It all starts with a vision.

Last week I was talking with a new client who was complaining about a lack of business. He started his accounting business six months ago and has spent months and a good deal of money designing and building a decent website, brochure, post cards, etc. He is also a member of a BNI (Business Area Network) group. However, he wasn’t doing the business he thought he would be doing by now.

I asked him why he thought new business was slow in coming in. He told me, “Because no one is referring to me at BNI”.

...hmmmm. Excuse me? You’re business isn’t growing because no one is referring to you? …Being the diplomatic person that I am I didn’t actually say that. I did, however, start a line of questioning that guided the conversation to the topic of success, his success - or the lack thereof - being his responsibility, not his fellow members’, nor his competitors’, his spouse’s, his mother’s or anyone else’s.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a member of the BNI, Roma Referral Group. They’re a great group of people and I believe that the relationships I’m building there will help me grow my business. Did you notice, however that I said “the relationships I’m building will help me grow my business.” I didn’t say “the BNI members will give me business”.

To the small business owner word-of-mouth-networking is one of the most important and cost-effective practices you can use to promote your business. In Maine, where small businesses make up over 90% of the business community, there are more than a few organizations providing more than a few networking opportunities every week – every day, for that matter.

Most small business owners know the importance of word-of-mouth networking, but like my client, most don’t understand that it is just one ‘tool’ you use to build your business; it’s not something you do and then you wait for the clients to arrive when others direct the business to your door.

As Ivan Misner, the founder of BNI, says; “Word-of-mouth is more about farming than it is about hunting.” Your goal with networking should be to get to know people and their business and for them to get to know you. Networking is about developing close relationships because people do business with people they like and they trust.

It’s not what you know that counts; and many times it’s not even who you know. It’s how well you know them that counts.

Networking isn't something that necessarily come naturally; it’s a learned skill for most. There are a number of things to keep in mind if you want to increase your business through networking, the first being, you have to put yourself “out there”.

For example, my client attends his weekly BNI breakfast. …that’s it. The rest of the week he gets up - drives to work – works - goes home …and does it all again the next day. Sure he sees friends and has a life, but regarding networking efforts… his weekly BNI meeting, with 25 or so members, is it. Word-of-mouth networking, to be productive, needs to involve more than 25 ‘mouths’. You need to be visible in the community and participate in a variety of networking groups and trade associations.

A friend and fellow BNI Roma Referral member, Carl Loomis, is master networker. In addition to BNI, Carl is a Greater Portland Chamber Ambassador, the past president of the Portland Kiwanis, the first to volunteer to support a colleague by sponsoring a team at an upcoming American Cancer Society fund raising event, get thrown in jail every year during the Muscular Dystrophy fund raiser…. and on, and on, and on… Everyone knows Carl and Carl knows everyone. He’s not only a great networker, he’s a great guy. Or maybe he’s a great networker because he’s a great guy?

The point is, networking isn’t ‘doing time’. Networking is getting out there, getting known and participating in the community and operating under the philosophy “Givers Gain”. At the end of the day, it’s your business and your responsibility. Networking, while a good tool, is just that; a tool. It’s up to you to use itl.

And remember, Be Bold! It all starts with a vision.

Bold Vision is hosting a one-day, co-active workshop titled "Your Best Year Yet in Business.... with Balance." Participation in each workshop is limited to 8 to maximize the individual focus and interaction. There are 4 dates to chooose from: April 4, 18, 25 and May 2 at the Bold Vision office, 819 Broadway in South Portland. Readers of MaineToday.com will get a 20% discount off the $215 regular fee. For more information send an email to info@BoldVisionConsulting.com. Don't forget to reference "MaineToday.com" in your email!

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