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The Joy of Networking
By Gayle Buske, President and CEO, Team Double-Click®
I have a new favorite book that I’d like to share with you: “The Go Giver” by Bob Burg and John David Mann (available on Amazon). I’ve mentioned my friend Bob in other articles I’ve done on sales and marketing. “The Go Giver” is a great, short story that truly shows the joys and benefits of networking.
Have you tried networking – really networking? You’ve got to try it! Trust me, if you get into it you’ll have the time of your life. At Team Double-Click® we’ve always practiced networking, but more recently we’ve kicked it up a notch. We’re actively seeking value-added partners who offer services and products that will be of benefit to our clients and virtual assistants.
While this may sound like a very bland task, it’s actually a constant high and very fun. You simply can’t imagine the rush when you selflessly connect two people or two organizations that can benefit one another until you try it. Once you do, I guarantee you’ll be hooked. And that’s a huge part of networking – simply talking to other people, finding out what they do, and then connecting them with other people who can help them with whatever ails.
Once you’ve made the connection, stand back and watch what happens. You’ll see those two entities that you connected flourish. Oh, and there’s something in it for you too. Those folks will remember you when your products or services can be of benefit to them and their network of people. As if watching two people, whom you connected, grow and flourish and help one another doesn’t make you stand in awe of the process, having those connections come back to help you later will.
So how do you make connections between other people? Listen. Listen. Listen. Listen to what your connections have to offer. Ask what makes the ideal client or the ideal solution for them. Store that information in your database and in your brain. When you talk to another contact, repeat the process. Then you play the memory game and use your outside viewpoint to see who fits with whom.
Once you’ve identified a connection between your contacts, make the introduction! Call Joe and say, “hey Joe, I know someone who can help you out…here’s her information.” Then you call Suzie and say, “Suzie, Joe would be a great client for you…he needs X, Y, and Z…exactly what you have to offer.” You can simply give contact information to each party or you can go one step further and set up a conference call so you can introduce them personally.
I recommend a conference call whenever possible. This gives you the opportunity to make proper introductions and give a better background on each party, which will maximize the success potential of both parties.
In a short article like this, there simply isn’t enough space to give you all the finer points of networking. What I can do though is suggest another book: “Endless Referrals” also by Bob Burg. “Endless Referrals” will give you dozens of great tips, like the couple above, and many how-to’s for successful networking.
So get out there and start networking and find your own networking high!
About the author:
Gayle Buske is the co-founder, president and CEO of Team Double-Click®, the country’s foremost virtual staffing agency. As the head of a virtual staffing agency with over 45,000 virtual professionals in its pool, Ms. Buske is uniquely qualified to speak to the benefits for growth through virtual outsourcing as well as the ins and outs of the industry. Gayle enjoys spending her free time with her husband, business and life partner, Jim, their daughter Madison, practicing Yoga, reading, hiking, flower gardening, and playing with the family’s three dogs and three cats.
Team Double-Click® provides virtual administrative assistance businesses. Visit Team Double Click’s Web site at www.teamdoubleclick.com or phone 888.827.9129. Click to receive your free report, 101 Ways To Work With A Virtual Assistant.
