Tips To Build Your Business Network

By Jeanette Weeks, Regional Advisor, Leads Club International Headquarters

I recently spoke with a lady I met at a large conference in March. She told me "I've only heard back from two people. You and one other person are the only ones who followed up with me - Thank you!"

Frankly, I was surprised! She is a potential client for each of the contacts she met at that conference and I'm sure she knows hundreds of people who could benefit from their expertise or services. And NO ONE followed up with her!!

I speak with dozens of people each week and the one thing I know is that in today's busy world "Follow-Up" is essential. It is the most or one of the most important keys to developing, implementing and achieving a good networking system.

Let's define Networking. The definition is taken from Ali Lassen's Leads Club Focused Networking® Workshop: "Networking is the process of developing and maintaining personal and professional "connections" that help you obtain clearly defined and measurable goals and objectives."

In my experience it takes several attempts (3-4) to reach a person (usually leaving a voice-message), and several more attempts (4-5) to actually speak with them (you have to love phone tag!) and set up a Chapter visit. It is not unusual for me, and marketing experts agree, that it can take up to 12 follow-up calls to finally connect.

Remember that not every "connection" you make is going to do business with you, but in order to maintain a healthy network (Sphere-of-Influence), you need to stay in touch with these people. Remember it is not what they can do for you, but what you can do for them. Our busy lives seem to make purposeless, connecting calls, seem un-productive - They're not! They are critical to the maintenance of your connections and your relationship no matter what that relationship is.

For more tips on "How to Build Your Business Network" join us for a Focused Networking Workshop coming to your area soon.

The San Diego area is holding a Focused Networking Workshop on Monday January 22, 2007 from 4-6:30 with a follow up class on Monday, January 29, 2007 in our Virtual Conference Room. Visit our website http://www.leadsclub.com/events/focus.shtml for details coming soon.

For more information about Leads Club visit our website at www.leadsclub.com.