I have a confession: I have never been good at cattle-call business networking. I mean, I’ve met some very nice people, just none that had the means or a reason to contract for my skills. Give me 10 minutes in any jammed room, and I’ll have met every unemployed person and herbal supplement distributor in it. And, though I’m not particularly shy, I know I could never match the chutzpah of an attorney who handed me her card, advising me to call her if I ever went into foreclosure. (Hopefully, that was her usual spiel and not an appraisal on my future.)
So, while I admire those who can wring worth from designated networking events, for me such meetings are a waste of time. That said, I HAVE had networking success in smaller groups and chance meetings at restaurants, theaters, etc., when the relationship is created more organically. So I concentrate on this path.
When it comes to marketing, what’s wasting your time? What are you doing just because you thought you should, not because it works? Is it a blog you set up and struggle to keep updated? A web site that provides information but doesn’t push it out? Outdated materials with high printing costs that actually do more harm than good? Tons of tactics applied separately, with no cohesive plan?
It’s still early enough in the year to take stock, assess what works and change gears with a plan that is both efficient and effective. Let us know if we can help.
