Invest Time | Dr. Ivan Misner®

If you want someone to learn about the value of your products or services, you have to spend time learning about the value of theirs. The best way to do this is a personal meeting. Master networkers meet regularly and invest time to raise each other’s understanding of their businesses.

“John, I’d like to be able to refer more business to you, but I need a deeper understanding of what your company does and how you operate. Could we get together next week to discuss this?”

Although you don’t say so, John understands that he’ll learn something more about your business at the same time. It’s not always easy to know how confident your contacts are in referring you. By having a personal meeting, you show interest in helping them to grow their business. Therefore, they will also be interested in helping to grow your business.

Ask yourself if you invest time to learn about others

Am I being realistic about the time it will take, in my profession, to gain the critical level of confidence?
Am I regularly making stimulating, educational presentations to my fellow networkers about the value I provide to my clients?
Am I doing business with others in my BNI chapter so I can give them dynamic testimonials and steer business to them in hopes they’ll return the favor?
Am I meeting regularly with my networking colleagues to learn about their businesses so I can confidently refer my contacts to them?

If you can endorse the quality of products or services offered by a networking partner — that is, increase others’ confidence in them — your partner will be disposed to return the favor. Testimonials from one or two of your partners may, in turn, trigger a much larger and more valuable referral from another partner who was waiting for more evidence before taking a risk on you.

If you’re following these simple tactics, then you are well along the road to getting all the referrals from others’ networks that you deserve when you invest time to learn about others.

The Third Law of Notable Networking: Networking Is an Acquired Skill
(Click Here to read about the First Law of Notable Networking and Click Here to read about the Second Law)

Most people are not born networkers; they develop the skills through education, training, the right attitude, and long practice. Any technique of value requires a commitment to learning how to use it effectively. The next generation of business professionals will operate under a different model of management, in which networking will be an integral element. Take advantage of every opportunity you have to learn to network more effectively. It is a skill that will only grow in importance.

Remember Will Rogers’ statement about being on the right track: “If you’re just sitting there, you’re going to get run over!” If you are active in a networking organization, you’re “on the right track.” The key, however, is to take advantage of the opportunities that these groups have to offer. This means you need to be an active participant in the networking process to get any substantive results.

Curiously, many people invest time in networking, but not in learning how. This is like trying to play tennis or golf without lessons. Sure, you can perform, but how well? Simply attending meetings is not enough. You need to listen to CDs, read books and articles, talk to people who network well, and most important, practice what you’ve learned. This is no less than what you would do to learn how to play golf, manage people, or sell a product.

Always keep in mind that in order to develop a successful word-of-mouth-based business, you must attend every networking event that you can and practice, practice, practice! Practice greeting people, handing out your card, asking for their cards, listening, excusing yourself, and introducing yourself to others. If you have questions about what to do (and/or not do) in order to most effectively greet people, exchange cards, listen, excuse or introduce yourself, please let me know in the comment forum below. I’m more than happy to do follow-up blog posts on any/all of those specific aspects of networking (as well as any other aspects you may have questions about). Thanks!