If you want to succeed, build a great team. A great team multiplies your prospects for success; it enables you to form relationships with powerful people who can make your dreams come true. A great network supports your strengths, fills in your weaknesses and allows you to d build on your teammates' accomplishments. When you have a great team, people assume that you are great and will stand in line to get to know you, do business with you, and help you. They will also be delighted to pay your price.
Okay, so you understand the value of a strong network. Now, how do you get started in building a great network?
Well, unless you've been living in total seclusion, you already have a network in place. And your network is probably more extensive than you realize. It may not be a great network yet, but it's a beginning and a place from which to build. Your network most likely consists of your family, friends, schoolmates and business associates. It includes people with whom you've conducted business, socialized or otherwise interacted. In addition, the members of your network members' networks are also members of your network. Therefore, if your accountant is a member of your network, so are all the members of your accountant's network.
To build great networks, you need great people: great lawyers, doctors, dentists, accounts, insurance agents, friends, etc. If a disaster arose in the middle of the night, whom would you call? Can you count on him/her? Would he/she solve your problem? If a disaster arose in the middle of the night, who would call you? How could you help? Could they count on you?
If you want to build a great network, you must continually expand and upgrade your existing network. Everything always changes and what constitutes a great network today, could be less than great tomorrow. Network members drop out and lose interest: they change businesses, interests, and their lives and so will you. In networking, expanding and upgrading is a never-ending process: heads of states, CEOs, established leaders at every strata of society are constantly seeking to find the best people and incorporate them into their networks, add them to their teams. So the process of expanding and upgrading never stops; it's what building a network is about.
To expand and upgrade your network requires focus. Once you realize that you have a network, it's time sharpen your focus and begin to see with new eyes. Continually look for new and better network members and search for links that tie your network members with virtually everyone you meet and everything you experience. Search for opportunities for your network members and help them reach their goals.
Follow the example of the successful people in your life. Have you noticed how frequently they take new information and relate it to their particular area of expertise? Have you observed that writers tend to see everything as material for potential stories, financiers always look at the bottom line, publicists think about promotional possibilities, comics turn everything into humor, lawyers probe for hidden liabilities and medical workers zero in on health?
Well, successful networkers operate on the same principle. They're obsessed with connections and instinctively search for them. Accomplished networkers see the world in terms of leads, contacts, and opportunities that will bring them closer to network relationships. They view the world optimistically and see every possibility as an opening that could lead them to their pot of gold.
Examine how the successful people you know process new information. Then apply their methods to your situation.
In most cases, your contacts have been around for quite a while. However, you confined them to specific niches. To you they were friends, family, business associates, or service people, not potential network contacts. When you expand your awareness to see those around you also as members of your network, you can refine your networking focus.
Focus on networking. Practice honing your networking focus until it becomes a highly-developed skill. Begin by:
* Asking yourself if people you know, meet or hear about could help you network.
* Clarifying precisely how these people could help. For example, introduce you to the mayor, recommend you for the membership in the garden club or inform you where they found their antique Venetian carnival masks.
* Find out what places and events would be worth attending to expand your contacts.
* Question how you can make the best use of information to connect you with your targets.
Developing networking focus isn't difficult and before long, it will become second nature. Work to get it down pat because the ability to focus sharply is a priceless skill that will bring you rewards for the rest of your life.
Jill Lublin, author of the best selling book, Guerrilla Publicity, is a renowned public relations strategist and marketing expert. Jill is founder of GoodNews Media, Inc. a company specializing in positive news. She is currently the host of the nationally syndicated radio show, Do the Dream where she interviews celebrities who have achieved their dreams. Jill also has a TV pilot, The Good News, and an upcoming book, Networking Magic (Adams Media). Websites: www.promisingpromotion.com and www.promisingpromotion.com .
green cleaning service Park Ridge ..What's more crucial to the success of a business, non-profit... Read More
Press reviews are a common and basic feature for surveying... Read More
Created properly, an extremely effective marketing tool.It's a great concept,... Read More
If you're like most of my clients, you're probably interested... Read More
Better check out the public relations fundamental premise, then take... Read More
Demand that it pull its own weight in your boat... Read More
Media kits include a combination of information whether created for... Read More
As a mobile detailing company it is important to have... Read More
Successful buisnesses know that media attention reaches consumers better than... Read More
You worked hard to get a story on your business... Read More
Where is there a business, non-profit or association manager who... Read More
Business, non-profit and association managers get a ton of satisfaction... Read More
Some folks see the word "strategic" as a needlessly tiresome... Read More
While awaiting economic recovery, business needs to attract the attention... Read More
Be a ResourceThe media people that are likely to want... Read More
There's still time to review your public relations program like... Read More
It could, but what if it doesn't?Will you be prepared?Will... Read More
Public Relations (or P.R.) is a wonderful, yet often overlooked... Read More
I define public relations failure this way:key audience perceptions are... Read More
Mark Twain once said the rumors of his death had... Read More
The Public Relations (PR) industry is responsible for creating and... Read More
Is that what we are? Fanatic, over-the-top disciples of some... Read More
New business owners often miss out on publicity opportunities because... Read More
You've heard "them" say it, haven't you?By "them" I mean... Read More
Some financial planners think that they shouldn't share their top... Read More
cleaning help near Bannockburn ..It can bite you and waste your public relations budget... Read More
How do you make a good relationship with a newspaper... Read More
How you answer questions depends on many factors. Example what... Read More
Just happens to be public relations activity that alters individual... Read More
How cool is this? You're a business, non-profit or association... Read More
Although repetition is extremely important, there are times when advertising... Read More
You can have dozens of marvelous ideas to get free... Read More
How to write a press release is a major challenge... Read More
Publicity seekers know that Christmas can provide a bonanza of... Read More
Talkback radio offers a fantastic opportunity to access thousands of... Read More
Your public relations effort really should involve more than press... Read More
If a reporter approached you about an interview, would you... Read More
The real public relations geniuses might be managers. You know,... Read More
Why, public relations that stays true to its fundamental premise,... Read More
Wherever the fundamental premise of public relations is practiced.Look at... Read More
Do editors of newspapers, magazines and online news sites really... Read More
So many restaurants spend money on publicity and then practically... Read More
Corporations are willing to pay substantial amounts of money to... Read More
I mean public relations that presumes from the get-go that... Read More
When you pay good money for public relations services, you... Read More
Journalists are trained and often experienced at getting information out... Read More
As the comedian Steve Martin once said, "some people have... Read More
Tracking your correspondence with reporters, via phone or email, is... Read More
Do you dream of being on Oprah Winfrey's television show?... Read More
As a manager, does your current business, non-profit or association... Read More
Public Relations |