January '09 IMPACT

What's Your Business Networking System?

If you haven’t figured out by now Networking is a process. And like any process, to be successful there needs to be a system. And you need to be able to track your results.

1. Do you know who gave you the most referrals in 2008?

2. Do you know who gave you the most referrals that you turned into closed business in 2008?

3. Do you know in what industry the people who gave you the most referrals work?

4. Do you know which networking event or group generated the most referrals in 2008?

At the end of this article, you’ll find a link to download a simple Networking Planning Form. Once you’re keeping track of your activities, you may be surprised by what you find.

It’s important to identify those people in your circle of influence who provide the most, and the best, referrals. Do you know why they’ve been able to make more quality introductions for you? Figuring out why they’ve been productive for you could help you make other people better referral sources.

On the other end of the spectrum, is there someone you are in a networking group with who hasn’t given you many (or any) referrals? What can you learn from your best sources to influence the rest?

Is there a trend in the people giving you the most or the best referrals? Are they in the same or related industries? If the answer is, “Yes” then wouldn’t it make sense to ask to meet people like that? Of course it would.

Are you in multiple groups that are creating vastly different results for you? More pertinently, are you wasting valuable time in a group that you enjoy, but isn’t creating results for you?

The beginning of the year is a good time to evaluate where you’ve been, where you want to be, and how to get there.

The Networking Planning Form is a good place to start. It’s an Excel spreadsheet so you can customize it. I suggest you add the information you want to track and make this document your own. But make sure you use it.

Now start answering those questions and network more effectively in 2009.

Happy Networking,

Jeff

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