What is Networking?

Hi All,

No, I'm not asking. I'm actually going to try to set the record straight for a few of you.

It's a common understanding that things usually seem to happen in clusters, similar to where buses often don't come until two or three turn up at once. Not such a familiar sight now as it used to be but definitely a good example.

I'm not a prolific user of  social media for building my home based business and I'm not suggesting it doesn't work either. I know many successful people who do use and benefit from it but what I am suggesting though is that a lot of people don't understand  networking, how to benefit from it and what it entails.

Some might ask what there is to understand, I've had that come up quite a few times, others though are quite happy to have it explained to them.

I attend various networking meetings and it was at a breakfast one this morning  that one of our guests asked what the 5 key features of networking are?

Happily, I was able to sit back and enjoy Victors response. Victor is a man I respect highly, I've admired him right from my very first encounter. He's a jovial type of person, strong charactered, definitely confident in his abilities and always prepared to offer a helping hand or advice.. He went on to explain how a lot of people get networking wrong  and provided sensible steps to ensuring reaching ones target market.

It was strange, like the buses I mentioned earlier because it was only the night before that I had a very similar conversation with my own business partner. We had been discussing the struggles suffered by many working within the home based business industry and how so many of them don't network at all. Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting they aren't using social media to project their opportunities, that I'm afraid is exactly what they are doing which is why they are suffering in the first place.

For those of you struggling with social media who were drawn to the heading 'What is Networking?', maybe you should take something from my mentioning projecting your opportunity.

Networking is about meeting, greeting and conversing with people. It's as much about the other person as it is about what you want out of it, even more so in fact.  Like me, you've probably lost count of the amount of people that message you online inviting you to join them in their opportunity only to disappear into the distance as soon as they know you are not interested. For me it's a wonder they ever expected any interest, how many of you take a wide birth from those obviously promoting something in the high street?

Networking done properly can produce results. Obviously its going to be product or service dependant, somebody offering equine services isn't likely to attract as many customers/clients in a built up city as a locksmith but then in a rural area results are likely to be reversed. That said though, the locksmith could well have family or friends who require specialised veterinary assistance and that is where networking properly begins to pay off.

Hopefully I've provided you something to think about, projecting your product or services into the private space of others uninvited isn't networking.  It is as more likely to produce resentment than anything else and for want of a less offensive name it can only describe it as spam.

I'd be great to hear your thoughts, especially your stories of humorous replies you've sent in response to spam.

To your success

Keith