What do you do when a networking acquaintance invites you to meet for coffee? Do you find yourself saying yes, because you’ve been told that networking is about building relationships and getting to know people? At the same time, do you find yourself wondering if this is the most effective use of your time? Read more (members only)

An often overlooked place to network and find referral partners is professional associations. These associations serve people working in a particular industry or profession and can provide you with many resources, as well as valuable connections. You may not think that networking within your profession will provide any client leads, but you’d be surprised! Read more (members only)

Have you ever considered that prospective clients who are referred to you are much more likely to become your customers than those who come to you in any other way? The endorsement of a referral carries so much weight that referred prospects ask fewer questions about your qualifications, are less likely to shop for the lowest price, and typically make their buying decisions much more quickly. Read more (members only)

My wife and I were driving home from a camping trip when we pulled up behind a car and I noticed an array of bumper stickers. I couldn’t quite make out what message the owner was trying to get across. My wife picked it up right away — they were isolationists. Read more (members only)

Browse the Internet, read the newspaper, or thumb through a magazine, and you’re bound to see an article advising you to use your network to help you grow your business. But how exactly do you do that? Read more (members only)

Recently a client asked me what to do when he received referrals he was unable to take, either because he was too busy or they weren’t quite on target. Here are some suggestions I gave him that you may find helpful when you’re in the same situation. Read more (members only)

A new client who is starting a business mentioned that while she was putting a lot of time and effort into her online marketing and networking, she had yet to see any tangible results (i.e. clients). She asked if she needed to add some offline activities, such as attending networking events Read more (members only)

Paul Williams of Idea Sandbox designed this nifty tool for filling your marketing pipeline with new contacts after attending a networking event. It’s based on the GET CLIENTS NOW! “marketing recipe” for following up with contacts in Chapter 7: Filling the Pipeline. Read more (members only)

One of the biggest challenges in marketing is getting people to respond to unsolicited calls and emails. When prospects enter your marketing pipeline as the result of your cold call, their casual visit to your website, or your finding their name on a list, you are essentially a stranger. Read more (members only)

What is it that stops you from networking? You know you need to do it; it’s on your action list and you really meant to go to an event this week… if only you knew where to go. Read more (members only)