networking process | Dr. Ivan Misner®

4Feb2013

Welcome to International Networking Week!string(41) "Welcome to International Networking Week!"

This week marks the 7^th annual celebration of International Networking Week which is recognized each year by thousands of people around the world.

International Networking Week is about celebrating the key role that networking plays in the development and success of business around the world. It is about creating an awareness relating to the process of networking. Not just any kind of networking, but what I call “relationship networking”–an approach to doing business based on building long-term, successful, genuine relationships with people strategically through the networking process.

International Networking Week has been acknowledged by many governmental organizations (including a joint resolution of the California State Assembly and Senate) and is celebrated in many countries across the globe through . Start the new year out with more business by using this week to build your networking skills and expand the opportunities within your reach. If you belong to any networking groups, be sure to tell them that this is International Networking Week (Feb. 4-8).

CLICK HERE to view a short video about International Networking Week 2013. Please feel free to share the video with others and show it at your networking meetings this week.

For more information and a list of worldwide events, please visit www.InternationalNetworkingWeek.com.

So what will you be doing to recognize International Networking Week? Please share your plans in the comment forum below.

21Jan2013

Get Ready for International Networking Week 2013!string(49) "Get Ready for International Networking Week 2013!"

International Networking Week® 2013 is almost here and with it comes tremendous opportunity for businesspeople across the globe to grow business through the development of powerful new connections!

International Networking Week® is an initiative of BNI® and its focus is to celebrate the key role that networking plays in the development and successs of business around the world. It’s about creating an awareness of the process of networking. Not just any kind of networking, but “relationship networking”–an approach to doing business based on building long-term, successful relationships with people through the networking process.

Over the past several years, International Networking Week has been gaining momentum worldwide and for the past few years, the Week has been recognized by tens of thousands of people around the world and acknowledged by many governmental agencies and high profile organizations.

The number of people participating in this year’s celebration of International Networking Week®, through hundreds of large events and thousands of smaller events, is expected to be even greater than it was in 2012.

You can join in the celebration of the Week by:

Watching the 2013 International Networking Week Video by CLICKING HERE. Please feel free to share the link with everyone in your network and post it on any websites you may have.
Visiting www.InternationalNetworkingWeek.com for more information and a list of worldwide events.
Participating in this year’s recommended special International Networking Week networking exercise by bringing an individual who has been a significant influence on your business/life to the networking meeting or event you’ll be attending during International Networking Week. For full details, please click on the link below.

SPECIAL NETWORKING EXERCISE–INTERNATIONAL NETWORKING WEEK 2013

How are you planning on celebrating International Networking Week? I’d love to hear your ideas on additional ways to celebrate this year so please leave your thoughts in the comment forum below. Thanks!

3Dec2012

Networking Is an Acquired Skillstring(31) "Networking Is an Acquired Skill"

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!

6May2010

Time Equals Money in Networkingstring(31) "Time Equals Money in Networking"

May 6, 2010

Ivan Misner

networking process, Networking results, networking strategy, networking success, Referral Institute Survey, Referrals, secret to getting more business, time spent networking Business, Networking, Referral Institute, Referrals, Survey 6

The secret to getting more business through networking is . . . spend more time doing it! OK, well, it’s a little more complicated than that because you have to spend time doing the right things. However, based on the recently completed Referral Institute study on business networking, we finally have a definitive answer about how the amount of time spent networking impacts the amount of business that is generated.

The most dramatic statistic I have found shows that people who said “networking played a role” in their success spent an average of 6.5 hours a week participating in networking activities. On the other hand, the majority of people who claimed that “networking did NOT play a role” in their success spent only 2 hours or less per week developing their network.

What does this mean? It means there is a direct correlation between the amount of time you devote to the networking process and the degree of success that you realize from it. To illustrate this further, there is a graph below which demonstrates the “average” percentage of business generated from someone’s networking efforts in comparison with the amount of time spent on networking activities. Here you can clearly see that people who are spending between five to nine hours a week networking are generating (on average) 50 percent of their total business from this activity.

People who spend, on average, more than 20 hours a week networking are getting almost 70 percent of their business through referrals.

Based on this study, it is clear that people who devote six hours a week or more to networking are generating a large percentage of their business through their efforts. So, it’s time to ask yourself . . . how much time are you spending developing your personal network and what kind of results are you starting to see?