Making a Name for Yourself

By Robert Middleton

People like to do business with people they know. And one of the very best ways to become known is to network. It's a great way to get started as an "InfoGuru" and it's a great thing to continue to do because it generates lots of referrals.

In fact, the more you network, the more referrals you get. It's a simple matter of visibility, familiarity and trust. People who see you, get to know you and have a better sense of what you do are more likely to refer others to you than people who don't know you well and don't know what you do. So networking can and should be a key referral generation strategy.

Often I ask people how their networking is working for them. A photographer told me that 85 percent of his business came from referrals within his professional organization. Another, a car repair shop owner, said one-third of his business—or one-third of a million dollars in business—came either directly or indirectly from his networking group! (He had belonged to this weekly morning group for 17 years.)

To be successful at networking, you need to jump in and get involved. Later in my career, I began networking at the Institute of Management Consultants (IMC). This was a great place for several reasons. Not only did I learn a lot about consulting, but most of the participants were good prospective clients. I served on committees, did presentations and invited clients as guests. At one session, I looked around during the dinner meeting and realized that there were one or two of my clients at every table of eight. Now if that isn't effective networking, I don't know what is!

Types of Networking Groups There are many different types of networking groups you can join. Here are some of the most common ones:

• Chambers of commerce. These groups are populated mostly by small business owners like yourself. Most have regular meetings and seminars. The key to success here is involvement and visibility and going for the long term. Showing up for a few after-hours networking sessions won't do much for you.
• Professional groups in your field. Your peers often can be a great source of referrals—especially if you have clearly differentiated your businesses. If your core marketing message stands out, you are likely to receive referrals from people who do similar but not overlapping work.
• Professional groups outside your field. I've seen this work very well for some people. For instance, a financial planner might frequent construction industry gatherings and become known as the financial person to the construction industry. There will usually be very little competition for your services in a group like this.
• Leads or networking group. These groups typically meet weekly early in the morning. They are made up of business owners in noncompetitive businesses. These groups can be great, or they can be a flop. It all depends on the makeup of the group. If you work as a chiropractor or sell real estate, for example, such groups can be great. But if you sell to large corporations, the membership needs to sell to the same kinds of corporations or you'll never get any leads.
• Start your own group. Maybe this is the only way to bring together like-minded people and start networking actively. You might start with a monthly breakfast meeting. Get to know each other and grow the group slowly with the right kind of people. Encourage participation. Give presentations about your business. Hold co-events for your clients. The possibilities are endless.