The Little Things Do Add Up...

My favorite line from the movie "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" came from Paul Newman. He said, "I have vision, and the rest of the world wears bifocals". It's that way often times in how people see the art of networking with others.

You can build up or damage your networking effectiveness without ever realizing it. Let's start with some positive points first. Here are some of the actions that will help you get ahead in AmSpirit Business Connections:

• Attend meetings regularly. Never fail to call your chapter Vice President to let them know that you cannot make a meeting. Also call if you will be late for a meeting. It's simply practicing professionalism.
  
  
• Attend area wide functions and socials. The area wide functions enable you to meet more people. Go to them with the attitude that you hope to find referrals for others. Do not selfishly think of only taking for yourself. Others will find you if they have a need, especially when they do not perceive you as constantly being in 'sales mode'.
  As for socials, you will find that others in your own chapter will increase their level of 'know/like/trust' when they see you wanting to interact with them and getting to know them better.
  
  
• Follow up with the referral giver. Let the person know what's going on with the referral that they gave to you. It lets them know that you took action and feedback as to whether it was a good referral or not.
  
  
• Meet with your lunch buddy every month. This is your opportunity to know more in depth about the other person's business. It may take months to learn the same information if you only see them in the weekly chapter meetings.
  
  
• When you are the featured weekly speaker, focus on how the other members can create referrals for you. Do not merely talk about what you do. That's ok for the first or second time you present to the group, but after that it serves no purpose to educate others on how to refer to you. The membership is your sales force. You must arm them with the information that will generate referral business for you.

Now let's list some of the little things that will negatively impact your ability to be an effective networker in AmSpirit Business Connections.

• Don't attend meetings regularly.
• Don't attend area wide events or socials.
• Don't let the referral givers know what happens with the leads they give you.
• Don't meet with your lunch buddy.
• Don't prepare for your presentation when it's your turn to speak to the group.
• If you do attend the weekly chapter meeting, make sure to show up right when the meeting begins and leave immediately when it adjourns. That way you don't have to worry about having to talk to other members or guests before or after the meetings.
• Don't take networking too seriously. It's just extracurricular activity anyway. You really need to be focusing on yourself and what you need and not waste a lot of time thinking about anyone else. Besides, it's a bad economy out there, you've got to look out for yourself.

I'm sure there are other positive and negative steps to be considered, but these two lists are a good starting point. Which list will you adopt as yours?