Networking - can you define it?

What exactly is "network marketing"? It's a bit hard to define.

The new marketers are attached to the Internet as though by an umbilical cord. We are the baby in that scenario and the Internet feeds us, gives us sustenance.

I hate to burst your bubble, young guns, but network marketing was popular before the Internet was a glint in Al Gore's eye. (joke, or is it?) Some people think of the days before the Internet as Neanderthal style existence. It's a little like black and white movies that my kids would not be caught dead watching.

May I be so bold to suggest that you can learn a hell of a lot from older folks like, well, me! At least I can offer my perspectives. Hint: not everyone in the 1960's was a hippy. In fact, almost all of them were not hippies.

Does the Internet give us all we need to survive and prosper as a marketer? I don't think so. In my opinion, we need to do a lot of self-study to bolster what we learn reading stuff through a monitor. We need to visit our library. There are plenty of books on networking these days at your local library. It's a hot topic. Know what? You can learn things in books that are not on websites. No kidding.

More than that, I think we need more real human contact. This can be done on the phone if not at parties and chamber of commerce meetings. We need to stop text messaging so much and actually calling people on the phone more.

To that end I am asking people to call me. Often they will call because they have something to sell. Perhaps they think I may buy their service or at least tell someone else about it. And that is OK. I want to hear about what they do and the product they offer.

What I don't want is for the caller to jump into his or her sales pitch, their elevator speech if you will. I want to spend a little time finding out about their lifestyle. Married or single? How many kids? Favorite sport or hobby? Once we establish a rapport it might be possible to grow that relationship into something more powerful.

Here is a great question you can use on or offline. I found it through Christine Lewick who is a business and life coach. She has clients around the world.

The question she poses at offline network meetings is this: “Can you describe your ideal client so when I recognize her I can send her to you?"

That is a very powerful question. It tells the person you met that you are interested in helping him or her. That is your first concern. Implied in the question is that you could use his help as well. What an extraordinary way to get acquainted!

Greg Cryns
http://www.workathomeprofiles.com
http://www.ziparticles.com (tell me what fresh articles you need)
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/calgreg