How to Build Better Business Networking Skills and Improve Your Networking Know-how

by Laura Benjamin, Colorado Career and Communication Coach

“People do business with people they like” is often repeated wisdom that applies broadly to customer, vendor and employee relations. It's pithy advice for sales professionals, frontline managers and customer service reps, but most importantly for business owners.

Why business owners? Because they invest their heart, soul and financial future in the business more so than anyone else. They are the folks who lay awake at night wondering how to make payroll, cover material costs and stretch the cashflow just a little bit further to meet the bank loans.

Yet, while almost everyone knows how important interpersonal relationships are, we may not always know how to grow our net-works which have a direct impact on our net worth! Ask anyone who's built a profitable business and they'll tell you that the majority of their work comes from people they know who know other people. Referrals are usually two and sometimes three people removed – this is the proverbial friend of a friend of yet another friend!

So here are a few quick tips to help you broaden your networks and expand your scope to reach those in circles you might normally overlook:

Go Virtual: Social networking sites are seeing record growth upwards of 47% in 2007 alone. But they're not just for young people who put up a MySpace Page. Alive and well are professional networking sites such as LinkedIn, Ryze and Ecademy. These sites make it possible to do informal background checks, refer business, recruit talent and all kinds of informal knowledge sharing among like-minded people. If you haven't joined up yet, it won't be long before one of your colleagues issues an invitation. You won't get spammed when you join, but you will be amazed at the number of new colleagues and friends you'll make!

Do a Good Deed. Make it a habit to help someone out at least once a week. This could include referring them to a job opening, introducing them to a cross-marketing opportunity, sending them an article relevant to their business or inviting them out for coffee. You know that “what goes around, comes around” right? It may not be today and it's certainly not manipulative to understand the basics of interpersonal relations. Do something nice for someone today and you'll be surprised how many people are happy to help you in the future.

Introverts Rule: You don't have to be a flaming extrovert to excel at networking. In fact, introverts build sincere relationships vs. superficial contacts because they go deeper with fewer. Introverts may take longer to extend themselves, but they do so for the long haul. They can surprise you, too, with the number of people they know who hold them in very high regard. Don't be fooled by flash and fanfare – look for the long term value and make friends with an Introvert today!

Recommended Reading :

• How to Connect in Business in 90 Seconds or Less, Nicholas Boothman
• Endless Referrals, Bob Burg
• Brand Hijack: Marketing without Marketing, Alex Wipperfurth
• Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, R. Cialdini, Ph.D.

The information on this web site is copyright © 2001-2008 by Laura Benjamin and Pinehurst Press Ltd. Creative Commons. Some rights reserved. Permission to reprint with attribution please and a live link to http://www.LauraBenjamin.com. Please contact me to complete any "Permission to Use Copyrighted Material" documentation. Thank you in advance!

Laura Benjamin is a Colorado Communication, Career and Marketing Coach, professional speaker, strategic planning facilitator and writer. She is also the Author of The C.A.R.L.A. Concept™: How to Raise an Issue, Prove Your Point and Communicate with Confidence & Clarity. To interview Laura or access her free educational and entertaining audio podcasts, blog posts and articles, please visit www.LauraBenjamin.com.