Networking

Networking. Some people love it, some people hate it.  I know it can be very powerful if you do it correctly.  I also know it takes time to do it correctly.  And when you run you own business sometimes networking isn't at the top of your list.  But should it?

I'm officially joining a local BNI group to represent our technology services company and I'm excited about getting the most out of it.  I'm not really excited about a meeting every week, but I do know it can expand my circle of influence pretty significantly.  I wanted to share quickly how networking can be beneficial.

Our technology company has been in downtown Franklin for close to 5 years.  We get plenty of solicitors and you cannot talk to all of them.  Standard protocol is to take their information but most of the time it doesn't get farther than the garbage can.  Lot's of people call us.  We politely take their information and that doesn't normally make it farther than the garbage can.  After attending the BNI group, I connected with two people.

They both wanted to try and work with us.  They had both tried to get in our door. They had called.  It just didn't work.  It wasn't anything personal.  We didn't know too much about them and we didn't have the time find out.  But now, it's a priority to start networking.  And by learning more about these individuals at BNI, they were able to teach me about themselves and get in our door.

Now I'm not saying both will end up selling us something, but they were able to make a contact that they had been completely unable to make before.

As I get back into networking (I have done it before), I am going with an unselfish attitude.  I want to serve others and help them be successful.  Because I have learned over and over that the more I help others, the more I will gain.  It is difficult as an ambitious salesperson to always put other peoples needs first, but I will do my best!