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Networking isn’t rocket science. It’s common sense, common courtesy and bit of effort.

To get the most of any networking group, we suggest the following –

Show up early. Get there 15 minutes prior to start time. Show commitment and have a chance to connect with other early birds before the whirlwind of the meeting begins.

Tune in. Turn off your cell phone. Turn on your focus. Takes notes on how you can help others.

Your turn to speak – differentiate. Client stories are more memorable and compelling than a punch list of your services. Tell a recent client story that underscores what you do well.

“How you can help me” – See the “how you can help me” outline on our website. This should include key phrases to listen for, the specific niche and demographic of your best prospects, best referral sources for you, the best way to introduce you.

Be genuine. Don’t overstate your capabilities. Don’t overpromise next steps.

Be a connecter – Be the reference desk. Every connection has a ripple effect. Ripples lead to waves.

Keep your antenna up? Look for opportunities for others. Listen for “hot buttons” for your colleagues.

Recruit members to strengthen the group – Who could add more energy and introductions to the group? Who do you know that seems to be everywhere, knows everyone? Encourage them to check out the group.

One-on-One meetings – Try to meet with each member of the group to create a more personal link and to better understand their business. Prepare for this meeting. See if you can bring one introduction to the meeting. Make it a “Rolodex” meeting. Bring your smartphone, laptop or tablet with your personal database information – conversation may lead to an immediate introduction.

Follow up, follow through. Respond to introductions within 3 working days. Show a sense of urgency and sincere interest.

Keep in touch. Make sure all group members are on your E-newsletter list, Holiday list, business event/seminar list, etc.

Everyone gets caught up in the craziness of work, family and other commitments. Invariably, some things fall through the cracks. For many, that’s follow-up and follow through with regard to your networking efforts. If that sounds like you, here’s one piece of advice: today is a new day and it’s not too late to follow up.

As a rule, when you meet somebody at a networking function or conduct a one-on-one, it’s good form to follow up within three days. This may sound like a bit of a formality, but it really is another level of the networking process. Since your meeting, that person may have thought of somebody who might be a lead or referral source for you. A simple follow-up after your meeting keeps you front-of-mind.

Now, if this is something you have been negligent on in the past, guess what? You can be a better networker today by simply making a phone call or dropping an e-mail to those you did not follow up with. Most people understand that everybody is busy and that some things do slide, particularly during the summer. A belated follow-up might rekindle the networking and lead to new business.

The most important thing about networking is consistency. Attend a certain number of events per month. Conduct X number of one-on-ones per month with people you meet at events or those who are part of your networking group. Then follow up with those individuals within three days. Yet perhaps as important as doing all those things is NOT beating yourself up too badly if you don’t.

It may sound rather Pollyanna, pie-in-the-sky, but today is another day. You can spend that day being ticked off at yourself for not doing your follow-up or setting up one-on-ones or you can send out that follow up note and apologize for not doing so sooner. Better yet, give that person a call. The fact is you can be a better networker today by forgiving yourself for what you should have done and taking action today. Simple as that.

One the more important things you can do in developing a network is conduct one-on-one meetings. After all, what better way is there to get to know somebody and learn about their business than meet face-to-face? But what happens after the meeting? How confident are you that the person you just met with has a handle on what your business is all about and who your best prospects are? One way to ensure networking success is to have at least one article you can pass on to your network that they, in turn, can use to reference your business.

You might be saying, “we haven’t received any coverage in the press that really describes our company well enough”. Even if the press hasn’t covered your business, that doesn’t prohibit you from writing an article about what it is you do.

For example, if you’re a CPA, you could write an article on “The Top 10 Reasons Small Businesses Get Audited by the Government”. Or if you’re a web designer, you could write an article entitled, “The Top 10 Things to Look for in a Web Design Firm”.

You’re probably noticing a pattern with the “top 10” theme but that’s strictly to address the reason many entrepreneurs have for not having a prepared article that describes their company, “I can’t write”. Poppycock!

If writing is not your thing, that’s one thing. But you should be able to talk about the 10 best ways to work with a ___ or the 10 things you should look for in a ___. Even if you have to say it into a tape recorder first, you can communicate that. Then, it’s really a matter of finding somebody who can take that information and make it read well. And there are many resources to find freelance copywriters or firms that can do that.

Once the article is written, with your name and bio included as the byline, you’ll want to publish it somewhere to make it look official. There are hundreds of free article submission sites who are desperate for content from subject matter experts. Ezinearticles.com is one. It really then becomes a matter of submitting your article and waiting for it to be available online.

Once your article is online, you now have a tool to share with your network. You can print it out with the masthead from the publication to make it really look official. Or, you can forward the link so your network can e-mail it to potential prospects. The recommendation here is to print it out—keep it to one page if you can—and hand it to your network as you conduct one on one meetings.

One thing you’ll find about networking that it places a premium on your collateral marketing materials. How well those pieces describe what you do gives your network the ammunition to generate leads for you. So even if your company brochure or website aren’t up to snuff, a bylined article can give your network all it needs to trumpet your capabilities.

And that’s key to making your network work.

“It’s not what you know, but who you know.” How many times have you heard that in business and in the course of everyday life? Yet when it comes to networking, it’s who you don’t know that dictates your level of success.

What that means is many business owners attend networking meetings or functions with the intent of networking to find people with whom they can share leads, referrals and perhaps even do business. Yet how many times do you find yourself at a networking meeting talking most of the time to somebody you already know fairly well?

That’s not to downplay reconnecting with business owners you have a relationship with. Those kind of events can help that relationship evolve. Yet the primary goal of attending a networking event or meeting is also expanding your network. You can’t do that by only talking to people you already know.

So, when you’re attending a networking meeting or function, make a point to introduce yourself to visitors or people you have not met. If you are in the middle of a conversation with somebody who is part of your network, encourage them to walk over and introduce yourself to people neither of you know. A lot of times it will be easier to break the ice if two people approach a newcomer to a meeting or function rather than just one person.

As you approach new people at a networking , do so with a time limit in mind. Ask them about their business and who their customers are. Find out about where they’re from. Ask if they know people that you know from that same town. If there’s somebody there you think they should meet, find that person and invite them over to continue the conversation.

This is not to say that people who are new to a networking group should not be making that first step to mingle and get around. They absolutely should. But even if somebody’s networking skills aren’t up to where they could or should be, it doesn’t mean they might not be a great source of leads/referrals or business. So, make that little effort to break away from the people you know to meet business owners you don’t. You literally have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

We’ve all been on that date where the other party does nothing but talk about themselves, blah, blah, blah. On a date, you have to at least pretend to listen. As a good networker, you must always listen.

Why? Well, to be a good networker, you have to be willing to pass a lead or referral in order to get one. That requires you to be an engaged listener and actually register mentally or on paper what the other party wants or needs. If listening is not your strong suit, you can always get better by following a few simple guidelines:

• Turn your body toward the person – Facing and turning towards the people you are networking with conveys respect and interest and is a gesture that invites them in.
• Make eye contact – You want to look people in the eyes when they are speaking and avoid any tendency to look anywhere but at the person you are speaking to. Keeping eye contact makes you a better listener.
• Nod occasionally – This is part of being an engaged listener and lets the other person know that what they say is being heard. It doesn’t mean you agree or understand everything, but it does encourage the other person that you are there.
• Have a calm presence – Avoid fidgeting, rustling papers, twirling pens and so on. Not only does it make a less than favorable impression on the other person but it distracts you from listening for those key points that are critical to passing leads and referrals.
• Be curious and ask questions – If during the course of your one-on-one you hear something that piques your interest or you don’t understand, ask the question. This does a couple of things. It lets the other person know you are listening, but more importantly it makes the meeting more of a conversation. We always remember more from a two-way conversation rather than a one-way lecture.

Sure, there are many other things needed to be an effective networker, but it all starts with listening. Fortunately, it’s an easy skill to practice, especially if you are in a networking group like My Pinnacle Network. You can easily make each elevator pitch an opportunity to practice the above techniques by pretending each speaker is talking directly to you. You’d be amazed how that can translate to effective listening habits in a one-on-one meeting.

As a small business owner, being in a networking group gives you resources you might not ordinarily have. For example, the public relations firm owner who now writes an e-newsletter for the CPA who is a member of the same networking group. While that is certainly a benefit of a networking group, it can also be a detriment if people view their fellow members as potential customers first, lead sources second.

Recently, a residential real estate broker approached My Pinnacle Network about visiting a meeting. As a courtesy and caveat, the realtor was reminded that My Pinnacle Network is a business-to-business networking and it might not be the best fit for what she was looking for. The response was a bit defensive:

“I’ve been a member of business-to-business networking groups with the same professions as the ones in yours and I passed lots of referrals. I hired the web guy for my website and the accountant did my taxes…”

You get the idea. Nowhere in the response was mention of leads or referrals passed, probably because it did not happen. Why? Because people whose customers are consumers travel different traffic lanes than b2b businesses. Consequently, it’s a bit more difficult to pass a lead or referral.

That’s not to say people in b2b networking groups aren’t guilty of the same thing. You can even make the very valid argument that there’s no better way to get to know your fellow members than to hire them for your company. Still, it’s a very distinct and different approach to sit down for a one-on-one with a fellow member and be more concerned with “how can I help you” than “who do you know, here’s how I can help them.”

As business people, we all know the potential downfall putting all your eggs in one basket (AKA having one client or customer make up too large of a percentage of your company’s income). Does the same hold true for networking?
Some organizations stipulate exclusivity as a part of the terms for being in their networking group. And that does make sense on some levels. After all, you do want members to pass leads and referrals to each other. Yet what if the networking group members in your sphere of influence don’t pass you leads or referrals right away? What if after a few referrals, the leads stop?

At My Pinnacle Network, we feel networking should resemble a marketing plan. The more successful plans include a mix of things—PR, advertising, social media, e-mail marketing, etc. All those tools promote your business and typically complement the other—e.g. posting your press release on your Facebook page and tweeting coverage. Your networking efforts are the same.

It’s great to make a networking group your primary leads/referral vehicle. But that should not preclude you from attending other networking events, being a member of a chamber or informal networking with people you knew from previous work and business efforts—even if it conflicts with professions of members of your networking group. The reality is utilizing multiple networking vehicles makes you more valuable to members of your primary networking group?

Why, you might ask? By putting your networking eggs in several baskets, the more likely you are to meet people who you can be leads/referrals for your business and the people in your primary networking group.

If you’re in a networking group, there is no substitute for a one-on-one meeting. In addition to first-hand information about your fellow group member’s business, you invariably learn a bit about them as a person and that can make it easier to connect them to potential leads and referrals. But there is one thing every person in a networking group should be doing in addition to one-on-one meetings and that’s being more social—social media, that is.

If your fellow networker has a Facebook page, like it.

If they have a Twitter page, follow it.

A LinkedIn profile, connect.

Finally, if they have an e-newsletter, sign up for it.

This will not take the place of a one-on-one, but will provide you some background information beforehand and enable you to stay current with what’s going on with them afterwards.

And if your group has its own social media presence—like My Pinnacle Network—do the same as above. Also, get in the habit of posting your social media posts to their social media pages.

A common complaint frustrated networkers voice is about not receiving leads or referrals. That can be a valid complaint, but on your end, you have to make sure you are doing everything in your power to make it easier to refer you. Making your networking group part of your social media efforts can be a great way to stay front-of-mind with your fellow networker.

Ordering flowers for your sweetie for Valentine’s Day seems like a slam dunk, no-brainer and an easy way to get in good graces with your better half. Yet if those flowers have a generic card with little or no sentiment, you can see why the gift may not be as well received. The same can go with networking.

During the course of a one-on-one, if you’re listening closely, you may think of people who can help your fellow networker. Well intentioned, you give your fellow networker a phone number or e-mail address and say, “Call/write Bill and tell him you know me”. Unfortunately, this can be a dead end for a number of leads and the reason why is very similar to the Valentine’s Day flowers: it lacks your full participation.

If there’s someone in your address book who you think would be a good lead for somebody in your networking group, go one step further. Make the introduction yourself. While it may not be practical to do so in person, an e-mail introducing your fellow networker and your contact adds a seal of approval.

“Bill, I’d like to introduce you to somebody from my networking group. He’s in the ___ business. I thought you two might be able to help each other out. I’ve cc’ed him on this e-mail so he can reach out to you directly.”

Does this guarantee a successful referral? Not necessarily. But what it does is take a cold lead and warm it up a bit so that when you do reach out to the lead, they are not blindsided. And the further you are from a cold call, the more effective your networking efforts will be.

Did George Washington really say, “I cannot tell a lie…” when asked whether he cut down the cherry tree? Whether he did or not is probably not important as important as the message itself. And it’s a great motto to take into your one-on-one networking sessions—honesty.

That’s not to say that people lie while networking. But it’s fairly safe to say some networkers are prone to exaggeration when it comes to talking about their company’s capabilities. For example, the website designer claiming to be an SEO expert, when in fact it’s a service they farm out. Not that there is anything wrong with offering a service that you don’t actually do. Just be up-front about that.

When somebody refers business to you it’s more than your reputation on the line. It’s theirs too. Overpromising on what you can deliver puts several relationships at risk.

Lead and referral passing is supposed to be a win for all—the person who gets the business, the person who passes the referral, and the business who benefits from getting services from a trusted source rather than having to do an extensive search on their own. By maintaining an honesty is the best and only policy, you ensure that win for everyone and earn trust for future referrals down the road.