Posted by under business,networking on May 25 2010, 0 comments

If you want to succeed in business, you have to alter your mindset.  Don’t ever think you are “not working.”  In the successful businessman (or woman)’s world, there is no such thing.  What does this mean?  In a word, networking.  No matter where you are, what you are doing, or to whom you are talking, you will always have an opportunity to network.  So take it.  Don’t even rest on your laurels.  Come rain or shine, at the bar or on the tennis court, you have to have it in your head that it is always the time to network.

Let’s say you get stuck on a train.  It’s going nowhere; they found a leaf on the track or something. Rather than get completely frustrated about all the time you’re wasting, see it as an opportunity. Get a feel for your fellow passengers and then try to strike up a conversation with one of them. After you have broken the initial ice and have gotten a feel for your fellow passenger in distress, introduce him or her to your business ideas.  The best way to do this is to form an understanding of what they do in life and then somehow weave in that your product could change their lives.  Just remember:  there is never a time you are not working; you should always be on the lookout for business networking opportunities.

Posted by under business,networking on March 18 2010, 0 comments

Before attending networking events, you should certainly be prepared.  What does this mean?  First, make sure that you have a short, 60 second pitch ready for anyone who asks you what you do.  This will allow you to articulate your business offerings and model without being long-winded or disjointed.

Keep your goals in focus when attending a networking event.  While it is always fun to hang out with friends and associates you already know, this will not help you to promote your business.  Assuming you aren’t targeting just one person with whom you want to speak, make sure to circulate throughout the event.  If you spend 5-10 minutes with various people, you’ll be well served and will get your message out there.

Make sure you have loads of business cards with you and be ready to hand them out.  If the networking event is important enough, you might even want to make cards that are specifically for networking purposes.