business success from home

WHY YOU SHOULD GET GOOD AT NETWORKING

Business success from home begins by leaving home.

Unless you’re building your business entirely online, you’re going to be meeting people – lots of people – face to face, in one-on-one conversation or in groups, so now’s the time to make peace with the whole networking thing.

I say this because I once reached a point in my business where I didn’t “feel like” getting out there and meeting people and exchanging cards and all that.

I didn’t like it and I didn’t want to do it.

But you know what?

After finding a couple of really good networking organizations where I felt I “belonged,” I realized why I had been hesitant about networking.

It was because I was a lousy networker! That’s right. I was one of those people who glanced at your name tag, politely said “hi,” and then, before you could make eye contact with me I was on to the next person, trying to distance myself from anyone whose name tag looked boring or whose business I knew nothing of.

Little did I know I was going at it all wrong. In later years, thanks to my affiliation with eWomennetwork, I learned how to go into a networking environment in the spirit of: “What can I do for you?”

Now when I meet people I actually have fun learning about their businesses, listening carefully for opportunities to refer them or introduce them to others. Or recommending other networking groups or just encouraging them in their business endeavors. Business success from home often means supporting other home business owners!

(NOTE: Look for networking opportunities in your area through groups such as your local Chamber of Commerce, Business Network International, LeTip, and eWomen, as well as trade associations and organizations related to your industry.)

In his book How to Win Friends & Influence People, Dale Carnegie talks about taking a genuine interest in other people. One story he tells about a man he met at a dinner engagement. He spent the evening asking a lot of questions of the other guy, expressing a sincere interest and hardly talking about himself at all.

Later the man talked about what an impression Dale Carnegie had made on him, stating he was one of the most fascinating people he’d ever met!

When you network with people in this way, it takes the edge off your motives. People will remember you for being a generous listener. Keep showing up and talking to people and business will come to you.

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