Networking 101 - Maintenance Tips

Networking 101 - Maintenance Tips

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd 

All of my business comes through networking, which means of course that most of my business comes through referrals.

How do I do this?  Well for me this is very simple.  Here are some of the steps that I take:

1. It doesn’t matter how busy I get, I still try to go to at least 2 networking meetings a month.  You see – networking is about  building relationships and building relationships takes time.  When I am busy, going to meetings often puts me under real pressure, but if I didn’t I would have many periods where there would be no work and I would have to start networking and building relationships from the beginning again. This does not happen to me though as I am constantly networking.

2. Using my own database – I try, at least once a quarter, to go through my database and contact people who I have not ‘touched base’ with for a while.  This keeps the ‘visual’ me in the forefront of their minds.

3. Business cards, for me are an opportunity, so as soon as I get a business card I do something with it.  Usually this means that I send the card owner my business and personal profile.  This is then followed up by a call to set up a ‘one on appointment’ to discuss possible synergies and to explore mutually beneficial business opportunities.

4. Going through my database on a regular basis also means that I am able to contact ‘dormant’ clients.  You have no idea how this brings in more and more work, every time I do it.

5. Don’t forget your cell phone – now I have my entire database on my cell-phone, but that situation is the exception rather than the rule.  So most of you folk will have telephone numbers on your cell phones that do not appear in your data base.  Use them, do something with them.  Make a call and set up a meeting.

Do some great business!

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za  or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za