The Power of Networking
The Power of Networking
How many people do you look to add into your circle of influence daily? One of my goals is to go out daily and meet individuals from different backgrounds and cultures. Why is this important? I find this to be extremely important because you can learn so much from people of all different backgrounds that can add significant value to your life. The key to becoming successful in life is adding new people to your circle of influence in order to increase your skills that can be brought into the marketplace.
This past week I went to the largest networking group that my state has for business owners and entrepreneurs. It was an opportunity where companies and individuals came together to learn more about each other. This served a dual purpose. One purpose was for the business owners to bring in new business, and the second was for individuals in the community to network with others to bring innovation and education under one roof.
I can't stress the importance of meeting new people enough. Whether you are an employer, an employee, or a leader within a company or organization, one must always be meeting new people. People are what make any organization strong and viable, as they are the inventory of what keeps any business going. If you do not bring in fresh ideas regularly, your business will eventually die.
Here are some networking tips:
– When you are in public, strike up a conversation with those around you by giving
compliments. You may not like what others are wearing or saying, but it’s not about
what people are wearing or saying. It’s about keeping the focus on them to make them feel important.
-Lead with questions to get to know more about the other person. Often times we talk too much about ourselves. The goal is to learn more about others. Some questions to break the ice:
-Are you from around here? How long have you lived in the area? What do you like to do for fun? What do you do for a living? What do you like about what you do? Do you have children? Are you married? (These are questions that not only break the ice, but also relate to what is most important to people)
-If there is a barrier between you and the other person, your goal is to break that barrier and begin to build a relationship built on trust so that he or she will want to be a part of whatever you have to offer. You never want to begin with asking for help. For example, it is not productive to ask, “Hey, can you help me out, or can you do this or that?” Why? Because leading with what you want pushes people away. Figure out what is most important to people first. Get them talking and then lead them into what you have to offer.
-Your goal should be to talk to 5-10 new people daily to get new leads into your organization. I don't care if you’re an employer or an employee. If you are an employee, you need to think like a business owner and help that company to grow, which is one way to grow your income and become an entrepreneur. When you do things that business owners would do, your income begins to grow.
I hope that you will take these tools and tips and apply them to your own life.
This is how I have not only built my own business, but have helped others to build theirs. As employees, we need to think outside the box to get to the top.
I look forward to seeing your results this week on my facebook page. I'd
love to see who can get the most contacts added into their circle of influence. Join me and share your results over on http://www.facebook.com/marketingwithcourtney
Until next week. I wish you a great week filled with blessing.
Coach Courtney
