Let’s get started. Here’s your first lesson. Repeat after me:

I will not sell my product/service at a conference.

Say it again. Go ahead, I’m waiting.

Conferences and networking meetings are designed to expose you to a lot of people. You’re surrounded by hundreds of other people and lots of noise so you get about 60 seconds to make any kind of impression. Take a business card and make a note of how you can build that relationship.

Some relationships will bear fruit. Others won’t. I have contacts I met last year that are only now coming into fruition.

The key is to go into networking with the attitude that you want to find new people to pay attention to. You can then go home and connect on Twitter, Facebook, their blog, Whrrl, etc. As you see fit, leave comments and send notes to the people you met. Keep the fire burning. When the time is right, you’ll find a way to work together.

Am I being harsh? Does this bother you that I’m telling you to spend hundreds of dollars to attend a convention only to not come away with ROI? Think about how you’d feel if you met someone and 30 seconds in, they’re pitching their product. You’d be turned off. But take that same person, let him hand you his card and walk away. Curious, you follow him on all the channels. Turns out you’re both into baseball. There’s a conversation starter. You talk through Twitter for months when suddenly you need what he has. He’s the one you’ll go to, right?

Now you get it.

So if you’re networking with the mindset of getting something out of it, shift your thinking. You’ll reap even more benefits if you do.

Sometimes it’s hard to know that a contact will be worthwhile for a long time. I attended BlogWorld Expo last year and am only now reaping the benefit of some of the contacts I made. The point is to find people you’re aligned with. Find people you can give referrals to or that you can see working with, if not now then later.

At your first conference, you naturally might be ill at ease. Not to worry. So is everyone else. Force yourself to talk to people. Network. Soon you’ll be bonding with people who “get” what it is you do because they’re in the same or related industry. Exchange cards. Ask about what they do. Tell them what you do. Don’t be afraid to toot your own horn, but don’t push. You’re not there to sell but to start a new relationship. After the conference you can follow up and see if there’s a way to collaborate.

So in talking about how I’m branding myself, this weekend I’ve talked to a ton of people about blogger outreach, my newly found niche. I was more representing GiveDaddy, which needs branding in and of itself, but meeting so many brands and bloggers, it was only natural that the conversation led that direction. So now more people know that I connect brands and bloggers. And I made relationships that I believe will turn fruitful. How about you?

My goals for the next week are to keep doing this. I’m headed to IZEAFest next week (sigh. no sleep) so I will work harder on spreading the word on my niche and my brand.

British Airways just announced its Business Opportunity Grant program, which lets you, the entrepreneur, win airfare, hotels and shipping services for a year. They’re playing off studies that doing business in person is where it’s at, so they want to help you and your company do just that.

Got several business development trips sketched out for 2010, but not sure how to pay for them? This grant program is right up your alley. British Airways will give away 100 of these grants, and all you have to do is tell them about your company and your plans for next year. They’ll pick 100 winners, which is pretty huge!

Here’s what you’ll win:

• British Airways airfare for 10 round-trip Club World business class flights.
• 5 free British Airways World Cargo freight shipments of up to 500 kilos to worldwide destinations
• $1000 toward accommodation at Courtyard by Marriott
• 5 Regus Businessworld Gold Cards providing access to business lounges worldwide
• Canon PIXMA MX860 Wireless Office All-In-One Printer

Meeting people virtually is great, but we can’t forget the importance of face-to-face interaction. Even if it’s just an informal get together, conversations happen that wouldn’t otherwise happen online, which can result in new business for you!

So I don’t care who you are. If you have the ability to grow your business by traveling, enter this contest. Now. It ends September 30.

It’s important to get organized after the event. I know, I know, I’ve had business cards scattered all over my desk and not done anything with them for a week after an event. But it’ll help you in the long run.

Step 1. Organize your contacts. Sort your new business cards into different piles:

• Potential client
• Same industry
• Good to know

Anyone who you even touched on business with (as in you providing them with it) goes in the potential client pile. If they work in your industry, put them in the same industry pile. And for everyone else, including those people you’re not quite sure how they might be able to help you, keep in mind that they can refer business to you even if they don’t need it. Put them in the third pile.

Step 2. Send a handwritten note. For each person you meet, send a handwritten card or note saying it was nice to meet them. Include something that lets them know you’re paying attention, like a reference back to your conversation or a comment about their website. Send the very next day after you meet them.

Note: While handwritten notes stand out more than email, I do make an exception sometimes, especially if the contact is web savvy (and they contact me first via email or social media). Depending on how casual the relationship is, you can also send a note on Twitter or Facebook once you find and connect with them there.

Step 3. Connect online. As I just mentioned, Twitter and Facebook are a great way to keep up with your new contacts, and if you’re active in the social media space, it’s a great way for your new contacts to see what you’re up to. Send a note with your friend request reminding them where you met.

Step 4. Add contacts to your database. However you manage your contacts, be it in Outlook or your email program (PLEASE don’t tell me it’s a Rolodex), add your contacts with notes. If you send out an email newsletter, add them to the list.

Step 5. Checking in. Decide on a schedule to check in with contacts. Maybe it’s once a month for warm leads, every other month for everyone else. Just drop a line in whatever method of communication they like best (more and more, this ends up being social media) and just see how they’re doing. Often this can remind them of what products or services you provide and be a good source of sales.

You might need to move contacts from one category to another as you develop your relationships with them. The more you reach out, the more sales you’ll get!

But for me, and a growing number of entrepreneurs, our networking is done online. We become “friends” on Facebook. We swap stories and links on Twitter. It gets to a point where many of us have never spoken on the phone, but know each other pretty well.

So that’s why I was “eggcited” last week to attend my first Tweetup. For the unaware, a Tweetup is a get together of people who communicate on Twitter that are in a given area. I’m in Orlando, so it was people who either live here or were here visiting. We met at a bar.

Me ‘n Jim Kukral

Some of the people, like Chris Brogan, Ted Murphy and Wendy Piersall, I already knew. Others I had only communicated with online, like Jim Kukral and Melanie Edwards. Still others I knew just because of their fame in the blogging realm, like Jeremy Shoemaker and Neil Patel. So it was a great opportunity to have in-person conversations with all of these people and learn from them.

So give it a shot. You’re Twittering now, aren’t you? Of course you are. So search for a Tweetup in  your area or start one!

And remember: no one goes by their real names. When I introduce myself as Susan Payton, I get blank stares. When I intro myself as the Marketing Eggspert, I get faint recognition!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_PqUtRT_Qk[/youtube]

Here are some previous posts on social networking:

Marketing Your Business with Creative Networking and Volunteering

More Ways to Market Your Business with Networking

More Networking For Your Business

Putting the “Social” in Social Networking

• Small Business Marketing Tip #5: Marketing Your business with Creative Networking and Volunteering
• Small Business Marketing Tip #6: More ways to Market Your Business with Networking
• More Networking for Your Business

But while I’ve done it on a small scale locally in Orlando where I live, something magical happened this weekend at BlogWorld 08. I met so many amazing people, famous in the blogosphere and unknown (and in the middle). While I have some clear plans to work with some of the people I met, others are a question mark. And that’s ok. Because now that I’ve made the contact, if I or they ever have a project that would be good to collaborate on, it’s that much easier to connect.

The thing I have learned over the years, working with CEOs and Presidents and now meeting blog celebrities, is that everyone is just like you. I was a little nervous meeting these people (you may not know them if you’re not following the new media/Marketing and PR 2.0 niche, but they’re pretty well known):

• Brian Solis, blogger at PR 2.0 (here’s my interview wit him)
• Chris Brogan, social media guru
• Gary Vaynerchuck, crazy video blogger at Wine Library TV

But they were totally cool. So I got my confidence up and walked right up to these guys:

• Darren Rowse, one of the world’s best known bloggers @ Problogger (I had the balls to ask for an interview. He even gave me Australian Tylenol).
• Timothy Ferriss, author of 4-Hour Workweek

All weekend I was on cloud 9 from meeting these awesome guys and having real conversations with them. I learned so much, and I realized I can reach that level of expertise if I want to (not sure how I’d feel about people taking my picture all the time). And amazingly enough, most of them were willing to help me with projects. How great is that?

So my wrapup is that networking is, again, about that conversation. It’s about seeing how you can connect with people. I only met people I read online or who I have interest in. I didn’t meet them to say I met them. I met them because I’d love to be on their radars, and oh my gosh, yes, Darren, I’d love you to offer my clients’ products as an affiliate!

So in networking, think about what you bring to the table. As someone said at the conference, don’t come to a party and drink all the beer. Bring a six-pack. If you go into it with an open mind and heart, you’ll be surprised what you’ll get back. If you go into it wanting new business, you’ll be disappointed. Marketing karma, baby.

Here’s a great post by Teresa Morrow on Sparkplug CEO with tips for networking for your business.

• My client, BackDrop Headboards, used a video to explain how its headboard with an inner air cushion worked. It was informational and draws the viewer in by showing a visual of a product they might not see in action otherwise.
• PRWeb came up with an amusing video (see below) that explains how a press release distributed through their site works. It simplifies what can be a daunting process for some, and breaks the ice for those considering the service.
• The Onion, a hard-hitting news network, has a channel on YouTube, which helps them reach a wider audience with its broadcasts.

So, as you can see, there are so many ways you can market your business with videos. The great thing about YouTube is that once you create and upload your video there (a very simply process nicely explained here) is that it’s easy to put on your own website.

So, if you’re ready to experiment with videos, here’s your chance. Enter Egg Marketing’s Marketing Makeover Contest. You could win some of the $2652.90 worth of prizes up for grabs! If you’re a business owner who’s finding it difficult to market in economic downturn, this contest will help you get on your feet. Winners will receive consultations, ebooks and advertising from some of the top internet marketing experts today. Entry deadline is May 30, so get filming! (and if you insist, you can also enter with an audio or typed submission as well)

-Susan

Bet I can make you cringe with just one word. Watch:

Networking.

You felt a knot in your stomach, didn’t you? Believe me, I understand. I was once the shy little girl who hid from everyone. The last place I wanted to be was in a room full of strangers. Getting out of your comfort zone can be extremely difficult, especially if there’s no one forcing you to do so (I “luckily” have a husband that pushes me further than I would go myself).

But networking isn’t as scary as it seems. Just remember: everyone there feels exactly as unsure and unconfident as you do, despite what it seems from the outside.

Baby Steps

If you’re not sure about jumping into an evening event in your town, start small. There are hundreds of networking groups online that fill virtually every niche.

My personal favorite is HBWM.com (home-based working moms). It’s a network of working mothers (duh) that communicate via listservs and newsletters. The listservs are awesome if you work from home because you can toot your own horn (new client, interviewed on the news) and instantly complete strangers email you congratulating you and rallying behind you. The objective is to buy from one another or refer business to one another.
After being a member just a few days, I met Boca Beth through HBWM. She creates CDs and DVDs in Spanish and English. She’s an amazing woman (and I highly encourage you to buy her products if you have children). She first became a client, and now is a friend. In fact, my son is going to be in her next DVD (and maybe on television!).

My point is that you never know where networking can lead. It’s a great way to get new business referrals, find businesses that supply things that you need, and join a support group that you probably don’t even realize you need. But trust me, having your own cheerleading team is worth more than gold!

Here are a few of the hundreds of national networking groups that likely have local meetings near you:

http://www.bpwusa.org

http://www.bni.com/

http://www.ewomennetwork.com/

-Susan
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In a previous Networking Article, I discussed networking as a marketing strategy.  In this article, I will be following up on some of those ideas.

If you’re not getting the results you want with the typical marketing and advertising channels, here’s another idea that can generate a lot of business for you: networking.

Networking involves regularly attending meetings or events with other business people, with the intent to connect with a group of like-minded individuals. You may find that you need services or products that these people can provide, but your ultimate goal is to find potential customers.

Dive Into Network Marketing

First, do your research. There are likely numerous groups that meet in your area and each may have a slightly different focus. Some meet weekly, but most meet monthly. Some networking groups cater to either men or women, while others include both sexes. Find one you’re interested in, and attend a meeting. Be sure to bring business cards, samples of product or services if you’re able, and a notepad to take notes.

Get the business card of everyone you talk to, whether they seem like a future client or not. Sometimes networking relationships take a while to cultivate, and while someone you meet may not need your services that day, they very well may call you down the road.

Follow Up to Maximize your Marketing

The networking doesn’t end after the event. Enter the contact information from the business cards you collected into a database that you can easily access. Immediately send a thank you card to the people you spoke with, stating that you enjoyed meeting them, and if they have any need for your product/service, to contact you. Include a business card, even if you gave them one at the meeting.

Network Marketing 101: It’s All About Who You Know

You’ve probably heard that statement dozens of times in the business world. And it’s true. Unfortunately, it’s not nearly as important how talented you are, or where you went to school, but what connections you have. And it’s even more unfortunate if you don’t have any connections.

You Already know Some Customers: Tap Your Resources

Make a list of all the people you know in the business world, as well as your friends and family. Are any of them in your industry? The majority probably aren’t, but you never know who they know. Drop a casual mention that you’re looking for clients in your field, and if they know of anyone who might benefit from your services, you’d appreciate the recommendation. Once you get their wheels turning, you’d be surprised how many people they know.Your current and past customers likely have good connections. Contact them and ask for referrals.

Market by Networking Locally

There are thousands of networking groups across the country: some geared towards men or women, others toward specific industries, and others open to anyone who wants to meet other businesspeople. Find the ones that best suit your needs. The Chamber of Commerce in your area may have information on these groups.

Market by Connecting Online

As you know, the internet is a great way to meet people. There are networking groups online as well, that serve as a wealth of information for growing businesses. Not only can you get advice on sales tax and Google advertising, but you can also post services you offer and connect with people through message boards.

Don’t Stand Idly By

If you don’t put yourself out into the business world, your business will fail. It is more than a full-time job just to maintain contacts and make sales. Use your current and future contacts to generate business, and you’ll get back to having more time to do what you enjoy: running your business.

-Susan

If you’re like me, you’ve just about exhausted the usual channels for networking. While networking groups are good for making contacts, those contacts don’t always translate into sales. Attending too many meetings with different groups can sometimes do nothing more than drain your pocketbook. So how can you meet people in your community that will be interested in your product, and bring you steady sales?

Volunteering as a Marketing Strategy

Think about it. You’re working with a diverse group of go-getters for a cause. While you will all be like-minded in the sense that you want to help a particular organization or non-profit, you all work in different parts of the city and do different things. Without having a specific agenda to sell, you will build relationships with these people, who will then think of you when a need arises that you can fill.

How Will Volunteering Help My Marketing Efforts?

Think about the people you have met at church, at your children’s school, in the community. You probably know where they work, and if anyone mentions needing services or products, you immediately think of the people you know can provide them.

It works the same with volunteering. People get to know you, and they know what you do for your day job. When the time comes for them to purchase the kind of item or service you sell, you are the person at the top of their list!

-Susan