Speed Business Networking

Whether you are networking online or offline, and you should be doing both, speed business networking provides the principles and the strategies to ensure a significant payoff. However this will be the case only if you do this the right way.

The beauty of speed business networking, which we developed in 2003, was that people were exposed to each other in such a way that the germ of a great future relationship was nurtured. This meant that although a business person would meet a lot of people in a short space of time, this was done respectfully and on the basis that we weren't looking to sell and in fact we weren't looking to advantage ourselves in any way. We were keeping our hearts and minds open to the possibility that we might "click" with someone.

Despite our guidance, too many people approached this type of networking (and most types of networking) in a sleazy, predatory way. That's why I shut down the live events, because I found people's behaviour repugnant.

The only way to achieve significant and sustainable success with any kind of networking is to build relationships over time - relationships that are based on sound knowledge, respect, trust, and mutual values. Speed business networking does not change that requirement - it merely provides more opportunities to BEGIN to build relationships.

If you are working offline the very best way to build quality business relationships is still one-on-one and I recommend requesting personal meetings for the purpose of better understanding each other's business, learning to identify potential quality clients, and learning what to say or do in order to pre-sell and refer intelligently and effectively.

If you are working online you have an opportunity to meet very many people very quickly, and to enhance relationships through the various discussion sections of quality web sites like LinkedIn. You'll find it quite easy to locate appropriate interest groups where you can contribute a high level of expertise and get to know the people in the group. Your online profile should present you warmly but professionally and include an invitation to contact you.

I still make a point of inviting a colleague to lunch once each week to further my knowledge of his/her business and improve my ability to refer. This is an incredibly enjoyable way to go about building great business relationships, and accumulating ongoing pipelines of warm and even red-hot referrals.

I use LinkedIn almost exclusively for my online networking simply because this is where my colleagues, peers, clients, and target groups spend a lot of time, and it provides the mechanisms for quality engagement.

For instance I've joined groups that are geographically based in order to expand my business globally, and I've joined groups such as real estate agents in order to attract that particular profession into my business when I was "niche fishing". Almost every day I receive at least 2 inquiries that I regard as highest quality and whether or not those people end up joining me the whole process is immensely satisfying because I'm dealing with people I like and respect.

There are a couple of resources I think will be useful to make the most of this article. First there is a free ebook called http://Strategic Networking Payoff, and secondly an example of an offer to a LinkedIn discussion group which may give you some ideas to make more of your connections.