Networking is an absolute must if you want to be successful in business.  

The way people buy is,  I know you,

                                           I like you,

                                           I trust you,

therefore I will buy from you.

Knowing you, liking you and trusting you is not instant, it is a build.  So the fact of the matter is that you need to see these people over and over and over.

STEP ONE- select about four or networking events that you can go to that are going to put you in front of four or five DIFFERENT groups of people - the major tip here is that the people in the four or five groups are not the SAME people.

STEP TWO -  Do not go to a networking event and talk to the people you already know.  Yes that is the comfortable thing to do and that is what most people do and it is probably what you have always done, but the fact is, as we all know, if you keep doing what you have always done, then expect what you have always got.  If you are wanting some new and different results you have to try some new and different steps.  Try this, go up to a group of people that you don't know and say, "Hi I am Vickie Magic (replace with your own name) and I am from ..........................., I am wanting to meet one person today that I don't know, would you like to be that person".  They will laugh you will laugh and you will meet one new person (or indeed on new group).  It you do that every single time, (and yes it takes gutz and it takes action) you will meet more and more people.

STEP THREE - When you meet someone new, do not look over their shoulder looking at who else is in the room and who you are going to talk to next.  Give the person right there in front of you the GOLDEN TREATMENT, treat them like they are the only person in the room, in the world.  People absolutely love to feel special and feel that you are not trying to side step them to find someone better.  Take their card and send then a short note.  Hi, I met you yesterday at the ..............................., thanks so much for chatting to me, it was lovely to meet you.  (don't try to sell them anything).

STEP FOUR - when you see the same person at a different event, it is important that you still don't try to sell to anyone. The one thing that people HATE AND I DO MEAN HATE, is someone that comes up to them and says, "Have you heard of (blah blah the thing I am trying to sell)",  they cannot get away fast enough. They will RUN RUN RUN for the hills.

STEP FIVE - Ask them questions about them, about their business, about their family, about where they live, show a genuine interest in them and again DO NOT TALK ABOUT YOU or what you are trying to sell.

STEP SIX - offer to catch up for a coffee, now this is the tricky part, I get a lot of people saying that they really don't want to waste their time catching up with the wrong people.  THERE ARE NO WRONG PEOPLE, I promise you, every single person that you meet BAR NONE, have value in some way or another, whether it be now or in the future or whether it be that they are going to recommend you to someone that they know (EVENTUALLY), Every person that you meet anywhere is worth a cup of coffee.  People knowing you, liking you, trusting you everywhere that you go is absolutely going to be one of the best ways for you to build your business.

STEP SEVEN - Give referrals, give referrals, give referrals, whenever you hear someone that needs something recommend someone that you have met, you might say I haven't used this person, but I met them as such and such and they seemed great, don't ever ASK for referrals. GIVE GIVE GIVE.

I believe that these steps can give you some wonderful results.  I would love to hear your thoughts on the above, which have you used, which will you use.  Give us your thoughts.