Just to be clear, we are NOT talking about running miles of cable from one computer to next and we are NOT talking about recruiting people for a business opportunity. What we ARE talking about is recognizing, developing and profiting from your NETWORK of contacts, no matter what business you are in.

We all know more people than we think we do. Surveys have shown that, by time we graduate college, most of us know about 250 other people. The Internet has changed all of that.

That number goes way up when you think of people you know via Internet. Let's look at five ways to develop your network of contacts, online and offline, to help skyrocket your business, no matter what that business is. Make a list of people you know and let's get ready to go!

STEP 1:

The first step is to let your group of contacts know what you are doing. Honesty is key here. HELP them see next level of relationship where you can be of help to each other in a business setting. If they are going to open their contacts to you, and you to them, you must both be comfortable.

And don't push it. If they hesitate, back off.

STEP 2:

Who let wolves out?

The internet wolves, that is.

Yeah, they're out. The wolves, that is. And they're acting like -- well, they're acting like wolves. Imagine that.

Banana tree plants do what banana tree plants do. Under proper circumstances, banana tree plants produce, well, as you know, they produce bananas.

Try as you might to change a banana tree plant's behavior, it ain't gonna happen. You can dress that tree up to look like a rubber tree. But you won't get any rubber. You're still going to get bananas.

Dogs sniff doggie butts and lick themselves. Dogs have even been known to poop on your clean floor. But hey, they're just acting like dogs. You expect this type of behavior from a dog.

What type of behavior are you accustomed to from a wolf?

You wouldn't expect wolves to show you loyalty, would you? Nope. You'd expect a wolf to take whatever it could from you. And run off into night.

Never to look back. No phone calls. No postcard. No how'ya doin', can I help? Wolves take what they can grab. Don't plan on hearing from them -- until they're hungry again. Wham, Bam, Thank You, Mam.

You could try to contact them. It'll waste your time. But you could try. Wolves don't answer phone calls or emails when their bellies are full. They only howl when they're in hunt.

Yeah. I'm referring to internet wolves. If they looked like a wolf, you'd know how to stay away from them.

But internet wolves come at you all dolled up to look like a, well, they might look like a rubber tree.

You're not stupid. So how do they get away with that?

These wolves will go to extreme lengths to fool you. They sell hell out of their trustworthiness. They'll even pretend to be real people. Just like you.