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Networking – even the word is enough to send many capable business owners diving for cover with excuses like “I’m just too busy, maybe next month”, “I’m really not good at that sort of thing”, and “I’d rather die!”

Well. it’s time to take a whole new look at networking because targeted, planned, well executed networking can be the most effective marketing activity you will ever do.

Great networking is a very cost, time and energy efficient marketing activity – something all businesses love! But before we delve into the details of what great networking entails, and how to use it effectively in marketing your business, let’s just clear up a few misconceptions…

What effective networking is not

• Net coffee
• Net meeting
• Net chatting
• Net drinking
• Networking is work!

What effective networking is

• Networking is all about building relationships with others for mutual gain. It’s an opportunity to work together with people to grow your business while also ensuring that they are receiving benefits from their relationship with you. It’s a two-way street of mutual support and assistance.
• Networking is a very active marketing tactic. It’s an activity you need to plan, prepare for, set goals around and regularly evaluate and measure the effectiveness of.
• Networking is a very low cost or even free marketing activity. It doesn’t take large amounts of cash or require a big proportion of your marketing budget.
• Networking is a very effective way to gain the people and practical resources you need to grow your business. It is a tried and true method of finding customers, suppliers and staff, learning about your competitors and gaining new skills to assist you in managing and growing your business.