Your Sphere of Influence

We all have a circle of friends. We all know people with whom we work or do business. Most of us belong or have belonged to an organization. This is our own networking system, but it extends further.

Let's investigate Your Sphere of Influence, and how to enlarge it through a multitude of possibilities.

POWER PLAY #18

1. List all the groups to which you belong or have access to. You may not be a Boy Scout of America, but your son is. You might not be a regular at Clog Dancing Club, but you've been there a few times. The roses in your garden only grow so profusely because Nature has taken matters into hand, yet you could join the local garden club. And isn't Uncle Max a Rotarian? Another possibility.
   
   These are examples of organization to which you already have an entree. These are all prospects if you follow the concepts of Focused Networking.
   
2. Now list all the organizations you plan to join in the next six months.
   
3. Now list the organizations you will contact this week.
   
4. Now make a call (or calls) to your network and locate a few people who are members of these organizations. Ask if you can go as a visitor.
   
5. Now mark your calendar with these new events. Organize your goals before you go.
   
6. Go to the events and gatherings. Why not suggest to a business associate (in your network) that they go along, too.
   
7. Reconnect with every one of the people you meet.
   

One warning: Some folks I have come in contact with over the last few years are initially overly enthusiastic, joining group after group. Cornell Avers, a realtor in one of the suburbs of Baltimore, raised this point during one segment of the Focused Networking workshop. He admitted he tried too hard and tried too fast to build a network. Networking hadn't worked like he hoped.

I remember Cornell explaining, "What happens is that there's too little time to develop a strong Focused Networking system. All those networking opportunities sounded great on paper and looked wonderful in my calendar."

"In reality, my loyalty, energy, and time between groups was fragmented. I couldn't do a good job of networking. I pared it down to two groups and now I'm able to provide quality referrals instead of the haphazard ones I previously gave out. And within a month, I began getting quality leads in return."

As you target where you want to go and how Focused Networking can help you accomplish it, limit your commitments. Quality not quantity counts in people-oriented Focused Networking.

Do you have any advice to add to this? Please comment below. We welcome all suggestions, advice and tips.