Networking as a Way to Build Your Business

Start paying attention to the way you develop the network of people that you’re working with. It isn’t so much the number of people you come into contact with, although that is important, but what’s really, truly “Relationship Marketing’ or networking that will GET referrals for your business really is about making a connection to a person. Developing a deeper, mutually beneficial business relationship. That takes time and effort.

So, my advice would be take the existing business relationships you have, leverage them into more mutually beneficial relationships, but really work on how to make them more meaningful. I would also strongly recommend you really work on your “Elevator Speech” or your “One Minute Business Commercial”, it’s important to be able to summarize who you are, what you do and the type of business that you are looking for in a very short period of time.

Lastly, connect with your “Power Partners”. These are professionals who share the same clientele as you, but are not competitors. Having 5 or 6 of those types of relationships will reap great rewards!

Kelli Holmes

Originally published 10/29/2014