1) They don’t have any experience in this environment so are lacking skills, which can be learned.
2) They don’t have the right attitude; too many people approach networking thinking “what can I get out of this?”
3) They don’t invest enough time.
The third reason is the one that destroys the efforts of even the most natural networkers. Setting time aside on a regular basis for your networks is the key to unlocking their real potential. And this is time outside the meetings. Some people are now thinking “I just don’t have that much time.” Not true. We all have the same amount of hours in a day – we have to decide how to spend them based on the results we want from them.
I have a simple way of looking at this. I expect to generate at least 60% of my work from my networking connections. I have to be prepared to give to my network in order to receive. BNI would say “Givers Gain” – if I do something for you, you will want to do something for me, or someone else. The movie “Pay it Forward” (one of my favourites) expresses my personal thinking on this. So if I plan to give to my network I have to invest my time in them. Getting to know people really well is the only way to create great opportunities for them – and yourself.
I invest an hour per day in Network Development. On an average day, that will include:
- making introductions on Twitter to get great contacts talking about mutually beneficial opportunities.
- three phone calls to “catch-up” no business agenda – just “how was your holiday / workshop / presentation?”
- commenting on blog posts and promoting them on Twitter / Facebook
- Inviting contacts to take part in interviews/blogs that will promote their business.
- organising 1-1 meetings to further relationships with new contacts.
Most of us have a business plan; hopefully a working document. Take a look at your Marketing Plan – if you are planning to build your business by word of mouth, you need to commit the time. Book an hour in your diary every day for the next month, and let me know what great results you create.
