Networking

You may think marketing your business to the widest possible pool - trying to be all things to all people - is your best chance to succeed. Unfortunately, this approach is limiting your ability to make money and attract customers.

Positioning yourself in a niche is a powerful approach to marketing. It is a strategic process to match your expertise and passions - and it sets you apart. It helps distinguish your company in the minds of your target audience.

Remember, you are competing with a lot of noise in the market to get your potential customers’ attention - and their business. If you can stand out with a unique benefit (such as your niche specialization), you are a lot more likely to get noticed because you are distinct from your competition.

By choosing a precise niche, your prospects and customers understand precisely what it is that you offer. Your services are clear and precise. The narrower your niche, the easier it is for clients, prospects, and referrers to remember what you do. Additionally, a niche makes it much simpler to develop your marketing program. You know exactly where to focus your efforts and what your message will be.

Here are some of the specific ways defining a niche will help your marketing:

* You will know exactly where to advertise.

* You can optimize your website so that your niche market can easily find you.

* You can create advertising and promotions that appeal specifically to your target market.

* You’ll know exactly what your target audience views as challenges, so you’ll be able to more easily develop products and services to solve these problems.

* You can learn everything about your target audience - allowing you to position yourself as the expert in your industry.

* You’ll know how to network with your target audience because you will know the conferences, trade shows, and/or seminars they attend.

You can develop your niche based on a number of factors. It can be determined by the type of customer you want to work with, the type of services you provide, the way in which you provide your services, your style or approach, geography, or your network of influence. It can also be a combination of these things.

One way to begin to drill down to your niche is to evaluate your current customers. What group are you serving right now? What do they find unique and valuable about your company? If you don’t know - ask them. It is important to understand your services from the customers’ point of view.

As you examine your current customer base, you may be surprised to find you have already carved out a niche. If you haven’t, choose an area of focus in which you are passionate and have some knowledge. After all, if you don’t enjoy working with your customers, why bother? It also makes it easier if you pick a niche you already know well or one that will be fun for you to research.

Once you define your niche and position your company as an expert, there really is no limit to your business growth (and the amount you can charge for your expertise).

Wendy Maynard, your friendly Marketing Maven, publishes REMARKABLE MARKETING, a free weekly ezine for entrepreneurs, business owners, and freelancers. If you’re ready to skyrocket your sales, easily attract customers, and make more money, sign up for her FREE ezine and marketing report now at http://www.gomarketingmaven.com

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Several years ago, “networking” was the hot buzzword. Everyone was talking about building their network, because this was the secret to becoming incredibly successful. Well, yes, networking is a great way to build a business, but not necessarily the way a lot of people went about it.

Networking is still one of the best ways to get new customers, and maintain relationships with existing customers. But you have to do it effectively.

Going to every meeting you can find, and thrusting your business cards into the hands of every person you can corner isn’t networking. To do it right, you have to be with the right groups, and make connections with the right individuals. Networking doesn’t mean having fleeting contact with as many people as you can, it means building relationships with the right people.

Who should be in your network? Customers, potential customers, entrepreneurs in other fields who serve the same types of customers you do, people who can mentor you, people you can mentor, people with information you need, and maybe even your competitors.

Here are some ideas to keep in mind:

Choose a networking group based on the type of people you want to meet. Who are your best prospects–business owners, HR professionals, writers, nurses, lawyers? Participate in groups catering to them.

Don’t overlook your “competition,” but don’t expect to build your business there. Many of us join groups with others who do what we do. That’s great for getting information about the industry and making connections within it, but you probably won’t find customers there. Don’t focus all your attention on your industry group.

Choose a few groups and attend regularly, rather than attending one meeting each of dozens of groups. Just as with other marketing methods, people need to see you or hear of you several times before they feel comfortable enough to do business with you. Plus, most people won’t remember you all that well if they’ve only met you once. See the same people many times, and you will become familiar.

Look for relationships where you can contribute, as well as benefit. Networking is a two-way street. If you are doing all the receiving (or all the giving) it won’t last long.

Practice your 10-Second Brag(tm). You need to be able to get your message across quickly and effectively, so know how to say what you do in a short, benefit-oriented statement.

Offer to speak to groups which include the people you want to reach. It’s a great way of making yourself visible and sticking in the minds of your prospects.

Take on responsibilities. Become an officer. Write a column for the newsletter. Join a committee. Truly become a part of the group.

And don’t just focus on formal networking “groups.” You can build connections any time you meet someone who is a good fit for your network. Next time you’re standing in line at the office supply store or post office, strike up a conversation. Pick up the phone and call someone you’ve only met once (or perhaps never met), someone you think you could help and could help you. Get to know people online–they can be important members of your network.

Your network can be a source of business, of friendship, of support, of information, of the things you need to build your business and lead a satisfying life. Something that important shouldn’t be done scattershot. Put thought and effort into surrounding yourself with the right people, and being an important part of their networks as well.

Copyright Cathy Stucker. As the Idea Lady, Cathy Stucker can help you attract customers and make yourself famous with inexpensive and free marketing ideas. Get free tips, articles and more at http://www.IdeaLady.com/.

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Following social rules for politeness does not get us what we want in business. Hand in hand with rules for polite communication, must be the rules for when to change those rules to suit the situation. Business manners are different than social behaviours.

Waiting until someone asks us about what we do, rather than proudly talking about what we do to make our living, might be polite, but when we attend a networking function, we want to build a network of people with whom we can do business. Too polite is unproductive. Confidently telling others what we do, how well we do it and what we want to grow our business is more likely to bring the business we desire.

When Networking:

Come prepared with business cards, flyers, brochures etc.

Know what makes a great referral to you and tell others.
Speak about your skills and successes.
Ask for the type of business referrals you want.
Use “I want” messages.
Move about the room.
Do not chat with the people from your own company.
Offer your business card and promotional material.
Be prepared to talk about your fees and charges.
Leave your fear of rejection at home.

I joined the Chamber of Commerce to assist me in my business networking. Chamber referrals have been a major contributor to my business success. I use Chamber member’s services for my needs and provide service to members and their associates, friends and families. Everyone knows someone who knows someone who needs our services.

Marilyn Barnicke Belleghem M.Ed., is a registered marriage and family therapist with a private practice in Burlington Ontario Canada and author of books on personal growth through travel. Questing Marilyn: In Search of My Holy Grail (Quest Publishing Canada 2003) takes the reader through sacred and historic sites in England and Ireland and involves the search for the authentic adult Self. It explores: “Who can I be when I am free to be my Self?” Questing France: Deepening the Search for My Holy Grail (2005) is the process of holding onto the Self when in a marriage relationship. It explores flirtations, infidelity, qualities of a functional marriage as well as parenting children through marital conflict. Questing France explores the questions: “Can I be me when I am with you?” and “Why do people stay in a marriage after an affair?” http://www.questpublishing.ca

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