Networking is the most efficient way to spend your marketing dollars. You socialize with great business owners, eat, drink, and you might possibly get new clients in the meantime.

There are five steps to effective networking:

1. The Meeting - Make eye contact, shake hands, introduce yourself, and ask what they do, ask them how they got started in that business, ask them what they enjoy most about what they do, ask them who is a good prospect for them, make notes on the back of their business card.

2. Getting to Know Them - Talk about their family, occupation, and recreation.

3. The Follow-Up - Send a handwritten follow-up the next day. The note should include your picture and your contact information. The note should read: "Thank you. It was nice meeting you at the (name of event) mixer. If there is someone I can refer to you, I will."

4. Send notes to them for about three weeks.

5. Ask for referrals.

Have fun networking!!

Cindy Freland
Maryland Secretarial Services, Inc.
www.webmss.com