Copyright (c) 2003 by Angela Booth

Remember old saying: "it's not what you know, it's who you know"? It's true. Your contacts determine whether your business succeeds or fails, and for reasons of credibility, that's doubly true online.

Many people bristle when someone suggests that they network. If term networking puts you off, then think of it as making friends. People do business with people they know, and your prospective clients need to hear your name many times before they buy from you.

Networking should be a cornerstone of your business. As my marketer friend Sally says: "Networking makes all your business activities more effective."

Sally loves using Internet to develop new contacts. She believes that you can establish business relationships more easily online than you can offline. "I'd rather have someone email me a proposal, than phone me. And if I'm one creating proposal, I'll do a Web search on their business before I email them. The more you know about them more effective your initial contact will be. I'm flattered if I know that someone has taken time to find out about our business before they contact me for first time."

=> Making new contacts step by step

With several hundred million people online, no matter how tiny your niche market, you'll find it easy to make contacts online. Some of these contacts will be people who are in same business you're in, others will be suppliers, or prospective clients.

Note: some people hesitate to make contact with competitors. When I suggested to a copywriting student of mine that she should contact local copywriters to see they were charging, she freaked out. She didn't want to have anything to do with her competition.

This is a short-sighted attitude, because:

* whatever your business, it's a small world. People know people, and people talk. If people know you because they've had some contact with you, then when they're asked about you, they're more apt to speak kindly of you;

* you'll learn what's happening in your industry: who's hiring, who's landed a big new contract, and who's slow-paying;

* you've got someone to whom you can refer clients, if clients want something that you can't provide (and with luck, your contacts will refer people to you);

* it's educational: you can swap techniques, suppliers, and shortcuts;

* and most importantly, you can find out what other local businesses are charging, and why.

So how do you start making valuable contacts online?

Copyright (c) 2003 by Angela Booth

It's a bright and shining new year, and you've got a clean slate. What will you do with this opportunity?

Here are some ways to ensure your business success this year:

1. Keep your business moving forward

If you haven't set your goals for 2003, decide what you want NOW. Take out a notebook, put today's date on top of page and write out your business goals.

While you're at it, you may as well create some goals for self- improvement and family and relationships. To make most of your business in 2003, you'll not only need to be healthy, but you'll also need support of others.

Leave some space on right side of page for a "Due Date" column. This is date by which you want to have achieved each goal.

The next step is to create an action plan for each goal. Don't spend too much time on this, but make sure that you've broken down each goal into small, manageable steps, and have translated those steps into daily tasks.

Write or type: REVIEW GOALS into each day of your daily planner, and then do it. Look at it this way: you'll never achieve what you want to achieve unless you try. So try, and give it 100 per cent of your energy.

2. Expect to be successful, and repudiate your doubts on paper

Do you expect your business to be a success? Are you positive that your business will be successful? Are you so determined that you'll be a success that you'll do whatever it takes?

I hope you answered a loud and heartfelt "Yes!" to all three questions.

If you have doubts, write doubts down. Most of your doubts will be trivialities and hypotheticals. You'll see how ludicrous they are once they're in black and white and you'll be able to laugh at your fears.

If a doubt has real substance, by writing doubt down, you'll be able to make a plan so that you can work around challenge. Once you've made a plan, you'll get a huge surge of confidence and relief.

Remember, writing your doubts and repudiating them on paper is vital to your success.

3. Don't sweat small stuff (it's all small stuff)

Keep your eyes on prize: that is, achievement of your goals. The bumps and bruises of life will only steal your enthusiasm if you allow them to. Things will go wrong. Expect this. Handle each challenge, and get on with working towards your goals.

4. Close your office door

Block out at least two hours each day in which you can work without interruption. Close your office door, and let answering machine or voice mail take your messages.