The following article was contributed by: http://sealthedealsuccesskit.com/
This marketing tool includes the 9 key mindsets for success in networking of any kind, whether it’s online in social media, or out in the “real” world, plus a networking checklist to get you going. Excerpted from Seal the Deal. ©Suzi Pomerantz. All rights reserved.
Networking is the backdrop of the sales process. It informs your strategic target choices, it lubricates the wheels of progress, it cultivates the garden of possible leads. And you’ll make lots of new friends!
Nine Mindsets of Networking
1. It is a game, it is fun if you stay open to it. Start with who you know, find out who they know.
2. Become a connection-seeker … if you are not already, make yourself driven to find connections. Connect people to each other, connect people to information, connect people into your life … include them and they will include you.
3. It is about partnering: look for mutual benefit, ways to serve. Keep yourself operating from and inside of a spirit of partnership, collaboration and helpfulness.
4. Keep agendas clear and communicated up front. Include people in what you are up to…share, communicate. Be honest and check assumptions. Speak of that which is important to you.
5. Curiosity about what’s possible: show genuine interest in others. Inquire as to what is important to others.
6. Six degrees of separation: everyone is on the squad — no benchwarmers or spectators. Strengthen the strands of your web constantly. Nothing is a wasted interaction. Every moment is an opportunity for relatedness, every relatedness moment is a building block for your network. Every strand in your web adds strength to the fibers of your network and eventually you will find it working for you. Nowadays, with the ubiquitous internet and hyper-connectivity and social media platforms, we are all only two degrees of separation apart.
7. Safety/normalization/creating a comfortable atmosphere (there are three things all people want: to be respected, to be acknowledged, to be taken care of/ well-served). Seek first to understand other people (like Stephen R. Covey says) and be trustworthy.
8. Giver’s gain…people want to help you, focus on helping them and it will come back to you.
9. Action. Networking is ongoing, not at events only. Never underestimate the power of informational interviews! Make calls, set up meetings, follow-up with everyone.
Checklist: Networking Actions
• List the categories in your life in which you know people (i.e., family, church, work, neighborhood, school, past employers, business associates, friends, associations or professional groups, those who provide services to you; your dentist, etc.)
• Make each category a separate page and list all the people you know in each category.
• In each category, choose the top three people you know best as your networking starters.
• Set up time to talk to or be with your network starters and tell them your vision.
• Ask your network starters who they know that you could talk to about your
vision.
• Seek out every person your network starters referred you to and tell them your
vision.
• Ask each of these people whom they know that you might talk to.
• Continue to work your way through your own network lists.
• Continue to follow up and meet people from your network starters networks.
• Tell everyone you meet what you are up to in your business, in your life.
• Tell everyone a clear profile of your ideal clients.
• Remember the Nine Mindsets of Networking during all of these interactions!
• Explore collaborative, partnering and alliance-building opportunities.
• Identify and list at least 10 people with whom you want to do a joint venture or
other collaboration and have initial conversations with them about what that might look like.