Brenda Thomson's BLOG

Many small business owners approach networking with a plan that typically looks something like:

“Attend one networking event a week and connect with five people at each to create a quality relationship”

But which people do you want to meet and why…We recommend you network with your strategic plan clearly in mind.  Networking is simply a strategy to help you achieve your business goals  – it is not an end in itself. Knowing clearly what you want to achieve in your business is a critical first step in SMART networking and one great time to get your SMART networking plan in order is at the start of the new year.. So lets get started…  Here are three simple steps to creating a SMART Networking Plan

Step one: Begin with the end in mind

First focus on your vision for your business for the next twelve months.  Be realistic – this is not the time for a wish list.  What are the things that you want to be different in your business twelve months from now that you genuinely believe are achievable.  But please stretch yourself, if you don’t plan to move forward you are planning to stand still and odds are you will end up going backwards. Many people have difficulty creating a vision so here is a strategy to help you get started.

 For most businesses success is dependent on seven critical factors. By describing how you want your business to be different in each of these critical areas you will be able to see clearly where you need to focus your energy.  Describe exactly how you want things to be in each of those areas in your business twelve months from now. 

• Finances – how much money will you be making? 
• Operations – what systems will be different? 
• Resources – Will you be using more or different resources?
• Marketing  – what marketing strategies will you have in place?
• People  – what will your team look like?
• Innovations – What new products or services will you have implemented?
• You – What will be different about you and how you live your life?

Step 2: Action Steps

Next write down ALL the things you will need to do the next twelve months to make it happen.  You may find that a lot of them are dependent on just a few critical activities.  For example being able to achieve what you want in all areas may be dependent on your making more money in area one.   If so then that is where you will need to focus your energy. 

Once you have written your list, identify your TOP TEN activities.  The ten most important things you will have to do in the next twelve months if you are going to achieve your business goals.

Step 3: Engage the power of TEAM

Now is where networking comes in.  Look at your top ten activities.  The things which absolutely MUST happen if you are to achieve your goals for 2010.  Now ask yourself, for each of those activities who (individual person) or what (business or profession) could help you carry out those activities more quickly, easily, effectively, economically… than you can do them by yourself?

And remember… if one of your top ten activities was getting more leads and clients, don’t expect to meet them at networking events.  After all nobody goes to a networking event to be sold to. Instead look for the people who share your target market.  Those people who can connect you with tens, hundreds or even thousands of your potential clients.  Network for your TEAM not your database.

Next look at all the “Stuff” you are currently doing that may be getting in the way of your completing your top ten activities for the year.  Are you busy, busy, busy all the time and not getting the important things done?  Now ask yourself, for each of those activities who (individual person) or what (business or profession) could help you carry out those activities more quickly, easily, effectively, economically… than you can do them by yourself?

Now you know who you want to meet at networking events… your TEAM.  Those people who can help you complete your top ten activities and achieve YOUR goals for 2010. 

Remember if you fail to plan, you plan to fail!