Business Networking: Successful People Who Know How Networks Can Work For You

Why have I attended over 2,000 networking events in the last seven years? Because I know it works. It brings me the leads, referrals, contacts, visibility and branding that I want for me and my business. The people I network with also know that it works; they are willing to "suit up and show up" as one of them puts it. What about you? Are you still unsure about the benefits? Do you wonder if it is beneficial or if networking is a waste of time? If you don't want to take my word on the power of networking, here are the opinions of a couple people you might have heard of.

Muhammad Ali believes in the power of networking and relationships almost as much as he believed in the power of his own two hands. He told Harvey Mackay in "Dig Your Well Before Your Thirsty" that he learned how to build a network of promoters and endorsers early in his career. He also learned that

    "Building a network is about paying attention to what people want."

People want athletes who are the greatest and who entertain them. Ali certainly gave us that and it all came from his ability and belief in networking.

Erma Bombeck may have wondered if life was a bowl of cherries, why was she always in the pits, but she didn't wonder how networking made her career. Early in her humorous writing career, she knew that the big newspaper in her city was run by the proverbial "good ol' boys network." How to break in? They probably weren't fans of her housewife humor. But their wives were. So she went to the small weekly paper in the neighborhood where the editors lived and got the column in front of their wives, who of course loved her. They convinced their husbands to run the column.

    "The only people who are lucky building their networks are the ones who work day and night making their networks succeed."

Erma knew that she couldn't reach her target market, but she knew that she could reach the influencers within that network.

If you are looking for proof that networking is an important tool for success, think of these very different people and how it worked for them. An athlete in an industry where you don't think of connections except for glove to face. And a housewife whom millions of women identified with. If you ever enjoyed the thrills of watching Ali or laughed out loud at Erma, remember that they believed in the power of networking.

Beth Bridges has attended over 2,000 networking events in the last 7 years as the Membership Director and Chief Networking Officer of a large west coast chamber of commerce. She remembers how much her grandmother enjoyed Erma Bombeck, which is interesting because Grandma was such a good networker herself.

Say Goodbye to Stay At Home Mom Depression Today

Are you a suffering stay at home mom?

You are not alone. Thousands of women across the United States and the globe are turning away from their careers in order to take care of their families. Although you may not have figured it then, you have actually taken on more work than most 9-5 jobs! And the difference is, you never get a day off - this easily morphs into a 24 hour, never ending daily ordeal.

In a short order, the tasks you thought would be easy have become routine and tedious. You may even begin to resent your kids, or your husband for trapping you inside your home. This is a usual occurrence, and its called stay at home mom depression.

But there are solutions!

Many SAHMs have taken up hobbies, joined online forums, and are linking up with other stay at home moms in order to pass the time and have the support of others who know what they are going through. These are all good ideas. But my favorite idea is to make money.

With the advent of the internet, making money from home is easier than ever - that is, IF you know where to go as well as what to avoid. Hint: avoid "stuffing envelopes". Avoid "data entry." These programs will frustrate you as well as ending up actually costing you money.

There are many popular and reputable programs that can put you on your way to having a productive day at home, without having to give up the things that you like about staying at home. You love being there for your kids, you love being able to avoid the rat race, you love having your free time. But the guilt of not contributing monetarily in this recession or the boredom of your daily grind may be starting to wear you out.

Say goodbye to this depression and despondency by learning new skills, and making money in no time. Mind you, this is not about making huge bucks at first. But as you follow your interests and the instructions of a good program, you will find your finances will be increased as well as your self esteem levels.

I have taken advantage of other SAHMs knowledge, and found that implementation of a few ideas is a great way to dig out of a rut. The awesome thing about the internet is that its always on, and you can do things when your schedule allows.