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Create a network listBy Bud Gayhart
Selling to a company is difficult, but getting an appointment can be even more challenging. Every company has its "gatekeepers," those people who prevent us from making contact with the person who makes decisions. Getting past the gatekeeper can be a challenge. That's where the value of networking comes in. Networking can be both a direct activity and an indirect activity. Direct networking takes place when you identify a target contact and then map a strategy to make a connection with your target by leveraging existing contacts that you have developed over a period of time. This approach is a conscious effort to communicate with a known contact person who either works at the target business or knows someone there. Using a known contact as a "stepping stone" to reach the ultimate target is an excellent networking technique. To be effective at direct networking, you need to be continually practicing indirect networking which results in building an ever-expanding group of people connected to you and others you know. Where is this indirect network and who is included? The answers may surprise you. Your network includes family and friends, neighbors, former coworkers, former classmates, members of your service club, members of your church, people you work with and people at businesses you visit - like the gas station, auto dealership, hardware store and grocery store. Your network is as large as your world, but making use of your network takes some effort. You may have to call friends or relatives a few times before making a connection and asking them if they know anyone at a company you'd like to meet with. Don't stop there; ask them if they have a friend, relative, or acquaintance that may know someone at that business. Use your network to connect with other networks. This concept has spawned a variety of research, much of it focused on the "small world problem" theory that implies there are six degrees of separation. In other words, you could contact anyone in the world if you had the ability to build your network with the right five people. With advancements in communication such as cell phones, Internet and e-mail, some researchers suggest that the range of separation has been reduced to just two degrees. The networking process is amazing and the benefits can be huge. To begin, create a list of people you know at various companies, organizations and governmental offices. Next, develop a list of relatives, friends, neighbors, acquaintances (service club members, church members, hobbyists, past school chums, etc.). Include information you already know about each contact such as address, phone number, place of employment, and job title. In essence you are filling in a "contacts data base." If you have access to Microsoft Outlook or a similar tool you can use this to organize the information and link the records to a PDA like a Palm Pilot, Handspring, Blackberry, Psion, or similar device. This provides you with the ability to take your contacts list with you and update it at anytime. Creating the contacts list is only the beginning; you need to maintain the list so that it remains current. If you invest time developing a network, you will be well positioned when you need a contact. Your network can be an invaluable tool for expanding sales or providing you with an "in" whenever you are seeking something from the target company or organization. Bud Gayhart is interim director of the Center for Innovation and Business Development at UW-Whitewater. madison.com ©2009 Capital Newspapers. All rights reserved. |
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