Networking North West UK

Thursday, 03 November 2011 12:23 Last Updated on Monday, 23 January 2012 12:44

I have recently been visiting many networking clubs in the evening and in the mornings and Business networking is the same anywhere. The Most succesful networkers remember the phrase:

'No one cares what you know till they know you care.'

The Secret of networking is to be remembered, and few people will forget the networker who listens intently to what you do, and takes a little time to see how they may best avail themselves to that person, and help them find what they are looking for, rather than approaching a networking event with the view 'How can I sell to this guy?'

Networking is most definitely not an overnight success, it's nurturing your team about what you do, sure there will be some, if not many people, in your own networking club who you can not sell directly to, and if this is your attitude, you may as well save your money and try banging the phone till you have a nervous breakdown!

It takes months and months of getting to know your club members, and giving and giving, untill someone trusts you enough to recommend you to one of their contacts. After all your reputation is only as good as the people you recommend, so they will have to trust you first. so my first tip is join a club where you like the people.

Secondly, a small, modest group of say 10-15 people is, to me, a huge opportunity, as I know if I help my group grow, and my industry is locked off, my team and I are growing our business potential's massively, by having more members.

Remember to see your contacts as a step to their contacts. For example, I still have my Army haircut (Not that I still pop into the barracks for a short back and slap!) but I really would not pay good money for a permanant wave hair do, but the Hairdresser in my group is of prime importance to me, because she talks to hundreds of people every week and many will be business people or anyone looking for a website and if my hairdresser club member trusts my services she will refer me some business, so I go out my way to help her find clients!

So now you have the basics of networking come and join my club every second Tuesday at;

Map: Nags Head

I also attend the SPS groups at Wirral Biz on every other Tuesday/Wednesday too: