Networking is done by a number of ways and there is no better time to lay out your goals than now!
Start looking for 4-6 message board communities with similar goals and members as yourself. If you do decide to join the board - BE A PARTICIPATING MEMBER! Don't just go to multiple different boards and post about having your own business! Join so that you can be an asset to the community and give back what you are getting from there. Search engines will also pick up your links if you use your URL in your signature. And, just a word of caution - NEVER post anything on a community that you wouldn't want the entire world to know about!
Join Top Sites Lists and make sure that your voting information is placed correctly on your site. These are gaining in popularity all the time when someone wants to find a particular item. It's nice to just "shop" the links.
The number one person that needs to get the word out about your business is YOU! Make sure to always keep business cards with you to pass out to others and that they have your phone number, email address, and website on them! You'd be surprised how many people save these cards and remember them when the time comes to purchase something. Don't be left out of their possible shopping circles.
Create an informative newsletter for others to view. Ok - so what exactly is "informative"? Don't go into a selling pitch! Have a newsletter that is informative about several things that you think others would be interested in. Maybe your readers like recipes... find some links for them to view with great recipes! Maybe they would like some other sites to see new items - give them some of your friends links that might offer something you don't. Don't be afraid to steer them somewhere else once they join your news group. But, keep the newsletters current, archived if possible, and informative. Also, only send them at a monthly rate. There is nothing more annoying than receiving a newsletter daily or sporadically. You will find that if you succeed with these goals - your readers will look forward to your newsletter! And it is ok to add if you're having a special sale or added a new item to your site too!
Networking is EVERYWHERE! Don't be afraid to put flyers up at your grocery stores, Laundries, Dry Cleaners, or anywhere they have a public bulletin board.
Print up return addresses for your "snail mail" and include your website address on it.
Join networking groups! This could be a Small Business group, local Chamber of Commerce, Expo group, etc. Find out what others are doing to promote their business and sales. Find out what's working for them and decide if you could incorporate it somehow in your promotional items. You may even be able to work out a "group promotion".
Pick out a description for your business that is easy to remember for others. Then when someone asks "What do you do in your business?" you just automatically say it.
Have a few friends or family members that will help you network. It's true that if you tell a friend - they tell 2 and so on. Make sure you use the resource at hand to your best benefit. Give them extra business cards to pass out so they have them on hand too.
Write up a "mini brochure". One of my clients had me design her brochure the size of a bookmark. It works out great! She didn't go into an extreme amount of detail but just listed the basic products she carries in her store, her business address, and phone number. Of course, there were some cute little graphics on it to make it "cute keeping" material for saving and using as a bookmark.
There are numerous ideas for networking and you need to use whatever means you come up with to get the "Word OUT about YOU!"
Copyright © 2005 All rights reserved - Written By Debbie Goodrich of Faithful Friends Online and Debbie's Books & Gift Shop. Debbie has over 20 years of computer background experience and has been in business online since January 2001.
**IMPORTANT: The following articles were written and contributed by Debbie Goodrich, owner of Debbie's Books & Gift Shop & Faithful Friends Online Division. Do not copy, reprint or duplicate in any manner without specific written permission from Debbie Goodrich. If permission is granted, articles must be copied EXACTLY with all copyrights and bylines intact.**
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