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Jonathan
Joined: 06 May 2004
Posts: 35
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| Posted: Sun Jul 11, 2004 10:35 pm Post subject: Maximize Your Networking! |
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Given the nature of today’s markets networking is even more important than ever before. Sure, the Internet provides wide-ranging and easy access, but this doesn’t mean that personal familiarity and word-of-mouth don’t still have premium value. Seriously, if you find comparable products/services online, but know someone who can vouch for one of them, what are you going to do? More to the point, most people are even willing to pay a higher premium if they can get a personal recommendation. So, what can you do to increase such exposure? Maximize your networking! The key here is to think outside the box…think associatively and not just within “group.” Let me give an example.
Say you do wedding photography, whom should you network with? Other photographers? Well, sure it won’t hurt to do this…what if one of them is already booked for instance? If you’ve networked with them chances are you can get a referral in this situation. But seriously, this isn’t really going to cut it for you, now is it? You want primary exposure to potential customers, not secondary! So whom should you be networking with? Other wedding vendors in this case! Wedding planners, various reception halls, flower vendors, caterers, bakeries (where do you think those wedding cakes come from after all? :wink:), etc. – go around to these people, show them your work, maybe offer mutual discounts to any customers whom you cross refer to each other (say maybe 10% off?).
Obviously the particulars will be different on an industry-by-industry and case-by-case basis, but the principle is sound—figure out who will give be able to provide you word of mouth access to potential customers and start networking. |
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David
Joined: 06 May 2004
Posts: 49
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| Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 6:27 am Post subject: |
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Absolutely, Jonathan!
I have received more dance students and more website projects through word of mouth, referrals and simply telling people what I do wherever I go. I've learned to work these things into the conversation. Often I can play off something said. Maybe they say they are looking to buy a house, then I'll tell them that I am currently working on a website for mortgages. Or maybe they say they are bored because they work all the time. I'll suggest that maybe they should consider taking some dance lessons. |
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squirrel
Joined: 11 Jun 2004
Posts: 43
Location: Bucharest, Romania
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| Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2004 10:07 am Post subject: |
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| David, that happened to me too... :) |
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