Networking for Dummies: Activating your network

So you have put together a killer profile, looked around at the folks you want to network with and even started reading and commenting on their posts and creating posts of your own.  You made some friends and gotten to know a bit about them.  In other words you are well on your way in building your network through relationships, now all you have to do is to get that network to work for you.

If you want a network that will help you grow your business then you are going to have to learn the meaning of a couple of simple phrases.  "Giver's Gain" and "People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care."   These two phrases compliment each other and in a way almost overlap each other by they are the basis to having a network that will bring you business or spinning your wheels going nowhere.

Let's start with the more important of the two in my mind, "Giver's Gain."  Most online networkers don't get this simple concept.  They tend to do the exact opposite.  There's a strong streak of selfishness among online networkers because they do nothing to help others, they instead just post another ad trying to drag business to themselves.  And for the most part it does not work.  Oh yes you will get lucky and stumble across the occasional "soft sell"; the person who is ready to buy no matter what; but you have to go through one hundred or more duds who have zero interest in what you are offering to find them.  

The concept of Giver's gain means helping others to find their prime prospects.  You do what you can to help others find business.  That's the Giver part.  The gain part comes from being a part of a network of givers.  Just as you are helping others find their prospects, they in turn are helping you find your prospects.  Instead of you by yourself trying to drag in business you now have a network of others who coming across someone who needs what you have are referring them to you while you are referring them to others.  Which leads to the second statement, "People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care."

When you actively help others, they see that you care about them.  Let's say that you know two photographers and a friend wants to get pictures done.  Photographer A, does nothing but advertise his business and and ask you to give him referrals; Photographer B has sent some business your way he has helped you make a little money.  Out of the two which one are you more apt to recommend to your friend the one that expects to simply take or the one who is willing to send business your way?  So activating your network is as simple as referring business to your network.

Understand though that not everyone in your network will be a giver.  For the ones who aren't givers, it simple enough not to send business their way.  And even with givers sending you business it doesn't mean you will automatically get a sale from it, but you are getting prospects that are more inclined to buy than you would simply tossing around advertising.  And if givers are giving, not just throwing a bone now and then to make it look like they are doing something they will send you a sale somewhere along the line.  They are after all sending you interested prospects.  

But here is the catch; if you aren't building relationships with your network, how will you know when you have a prospect for them?  You won't.  So here's a tip when it comes to building those relationships, show an interest in what your contacts actually do.  Find out what sets them apart from the rest of the crowd.  What do they offer that makes them the right choice for a referral.