Link to Part One

Here's the question I always ask in response: "Really? Well, what are YOU bringing to the game?"

I belong to a Friday morning leads group through our Chamber of Commerce. Leads group - so it's one person per industry. Shouldn't be too tough, then, to get a lead or two every now and again, right? Except for one guy. We'll just call him the Cranky CPA.

Every Friday he'd show up, sit away from everyone in a booth with his buddy, mumble through his 30-second intro, never speak to anyone before or after the event, and spend the whole hour texting. Yes, texting! Whenever I glanced over at him, there he was, texting. He didn't pay attention to the speakers or anything else that was going on.

When his renewal time came up, he emphatically declined. Know what his reason was? "I never get any business."

Seriously? He never got any business? But how could that be? Here's a tip for old CC from the Arizona Lottery: "You've got to be in it to win it."

If you've been in a networking group for a while and you're not getting any business, there could be a few factors at work. It could be that it's just not the right group for you. It could be that you're not doing as good a job as you could at teaching people how to refer business to you. Or ... and this may be a bitter pill to swallow ... it could be that the problem is you.

A Checklist to See How Well You're Doing

• How often do you come late and leave early?
• How many people in the core group do you know by name?
• How many people know your name?
• How many people's business or industry do you know?
• How many people know your business or industry?
• How often have you given a lead to someone else in the group?
• How often have you talked about anything other than business at a meeting?
• How often have you invited the members to coffee or lunch?
• How often have you sent a handwritten thank you or congratulations note?
• How often have you brought a door prize?

If you're honest, and these answers* aren't where you know they should be, you may have some work to do before you (a) blame the group for not working or (b) quit. 

Networking does work. It's not rocket science, but neither is it a magic potion. It takes time, energy, commitment, enthusiasm, and input. If your networking's been a bit sluggish lately, try a little attitude adjustment and see if things don't begin to look a little sunnier.

Here's a tip about the answers: the more the better for all but the first one.

Do you live in the Phoenix, Arizona area? Are you thinking about making a change in real estate companies? Give me a call at 602-595-8900 or e-mail me. Let's talk about your marketing strategies - and how to get the most out of your networking experience. PhoenixPropertyShoppe.com