Maybe it’s the recession. Maybe it’s learning first-hand the difference between a friend and a “Facebook friend.” Maybe you’re noticing that the phone’s not ringing and the thought of cold calls is making you take a coffee break. Or maybe it’s just the narrow selection of blogs that I read, but it seems that there’s a plethora of recent blog postings on how to network effectively in the real world.
Adrian Miller, author of The Blatant Truth, is offering a quick primer on improving your networking skills. His key point, “You need to know how to effectively communicate with others, build strong relationships, and make the most out of online and in-person networking opportunities. No, it’s not easy, and it’s certainly time consuming, too. But, the benefits of successful networking can be instrumental in growing your business.” Of his tips, the ones I find people forget about most are “Be Appreciative” and “Follow-up and Follow Through”
Then Erica Stritch of RainToday.com just posted a guide, “Face-To-Face Networking for Professional Services: A Primer for Relationship Building.” You can read an excerpt of it although you need to pay for the full download.
And one of my favorite recent titles is a book from Susan RoAne entitled, “FACE TO FACE: How to Reclaim the Personal Touch in a Digital World” Amazing that people might have forgotten the personal touch when online is so prevalent and easy.
Bottom Line – Successful Networking requires WORK and requires both an ON-LINE and IN-PERSON presence. Do all 3 successfully and you’ll be successful. Drop one and you won’t.
All About Referral Selling 
Thanks so much for including my latest, Face To Face! Having written How To Work a Room and The Secrets of SAVVY Networking (which, BTW, are very different skills and synergistic when one can and will do both), reclaiming the personal touch is so important. Many people have asked me what they can do to be memorable. Being personal and personable in our professional and private lives is the answer.
Great post, Michael. Look forward to the book, Susan.
When given a chance to decide on where to spend my “most valuable” time, I choose face to face networking over any other.
I like a blend of physical face to face, digital, and on the phone reaching out and connecting, however, face to face simply works best for me.
Many business owners and sales people have found that networking through networking groups (like Gold Star Clubs) to be extremely lucrative. The return on investment is simply outstanding.
Others have joined the Gold Star Referral Team to not only grow their personal business, but to also create a 2nd stream of income by starting clubs. What’s great is that the clubs also get them referrals to their business and to start other clubs!
Hmmm…A business that pays you to start it, and grows your business because of starting the club with quality referrals. It works!
Please visit: http://www.goldstarclubs.com for more information.
Much Success!
Todd Davis
National Director
Gold Star Referral Clubs
http://www.goldstarclubs.com
Thank you for trusting me with your referrals!
Susan, thanks for reading & commenting on our blog. Hope you become (if you’re not already) a regular reader and commenter.
Todd,
Glad you posted and told our readers about your in-person referral group. While Inquisix is an online networking site, we recognize the benefits of both online and in-person and see the value in using both methods.
In-person groups like yours offer the best way to build a trusting referral network. Face-to-face immediacy trumpts online emails. However, on-line offers a few benefits that in-person does not. One of the biggest is the ability to network with people who consider other people in your network to be their competitors. You can’t invite 2 people who compete with each other to the same in-person networking group. However, you can have both of them join a site like Inquisix and neither has to worry about the other taking their referrals.
The old cliche, “There’s more than one way to skin a cat.” is true here, as well. In-person partnering with online is the best of both worlds.