Q: Anna-Vija, am I networking enough?
A: It depends.
- Over the last year, what progress have you made towards meeting your networking goals? Take a minute and review your networking goals. Which goals have you met? Even though the “job is done,” is this a process you can replicate? For instance, if you’ve met your goal of meeting and developing 5 referral partners – why stop there?! Update goals you have met to keep your momentum going. What progress have you made towards your remaining goals? Consider what adjustments you can make toward meeting these goals and refocus your efforts for the rest of the year.
- Have you maximized use of your networking budget? Recall your networking budget – where are you at in using your total budget? What specific items did you budget for that you haven’t taken advantage of? What budget items are in progress? You’ve allotted yourself a certain dollar amount for networking, so take advantage of it! As you’re reviewing your budget, consider the efficacy of individual items. Maybe you’ve had success with a certain flyer or promotional item. Consider adjusting your budget line items to maximize the productivity of your networking efforts.
- Is networking part of your regular routine? As you get more comfortable with networking, your strategy will come into its own. Networking will be less of an event, and more of a practice. For example, networking events are a time to gather information. Your strategy in the following days are where the real work of networking comes in. Make sure to block off time for networking in your schedule – follow up calls, meetings, lead development, etc. In order to be successful in networking, it’s important to build it into your daily activities and keep it in the forefront of your business strategy.
- Have you developed meaningful relationships from your networking efforts? Like I mentioned above, networking is not just about the event; it’s what you do after the event that matters. One way to measure your success in networking is to evaluate the number and quality of relationships you’ve developed. With your follow-up strategy, including personal contact, coffee, and data gathering, you’ll tease out who fits to pull into your network, whether as clients or referral partners. Don’t forget to add all of your new leads to your recurring marketing drip campaign!
After considering the answers to these questions, how confident are you that you are networking enough? The bottom line is, what works for one person, may not work for the next! Give us a call at Piccolo Marketing at 615-348-7768 and we’ll help you review the efficiency of your networking strategy.
Looking for a new networking opportunity? Join us at our next Nashville Locals event!