The problem is that most people think that networking consists of telling as many people as possible what they do, and handing out as many business cards as they can. They waste few precious moments they have with new and existing contacts by focusing on themselves.

Its possible to meet someone in airport, hand them your card after a brief conversation, and have them call you to request your services, but this random approach is like playing lottery. You can’t count on it to produce results. It is a Push and Pray technique: you push your information out to others and pray that they respond.

It rarely works. Your contact loses your card or simply forgets about you, or timing wasn’t right, or, in spite of connection you thought you’d made, a single conversation usually isn’t enough to launch a client relationship.

That initial conversation should be about understanding your prospects’ problems, needs and concerns, and collecting their contact information. The objective of networking is not to expound on your credentials.

Spend time you have with prospects (or people who might know a prospect) asking questions and collecting information. Then you can determine whether they would have any genuine interest in/need for solutions you provide. Use this client problem centered networking strategy to initiate and build profitable relationships.

The key is having KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, SYSTEMS and TOOLS to create and implement your marketing plan.

KNOWLEDGE While service professionals and small business owners are experts in their business, they often don’t have marketing knowledge they need to grow their businesses. If you aren’t attracting dozens of new prospects each week and converting at least one of them to client status, you need to learn what to do to market your business.

Depending on your budget, you can: 1. Visit your local library and read a dozen books on marketing. 2. Spend one or two hundred dollars on a couple of marketing manuals from marketing masters on web. 3. Hire a marketing coach or consultant to help you learn what to do and how to do it. 4. Pay a marketing expert to do your marketing for you.

SKILLS Once you have a marketing plan you’ll need to develop some marketing skills, no matter what your role is in your organization. The three most important skills are:

1. Asking Right Questions Open-ended questions are best way to direct prospects to engage prospects, direct their thinking and learn what they want. Do you know: - What your prospects care about? - The problems your prospects want to solve? - What information your prospects want?

Use questions to get answers. Put together 5-10 questions to ask your prospects.

2. Listening Listen carefully to understand, provide a synthesis of their responses and use a problem-solving approach to provide link between symptoms and causes.