Schewanick Computer Services

Choosing a name for this article was difficult because
every one I came up with paled into insignificance
beside the greatest title ever devised:

"How to Win Friends and Influence People."

Dale Carnegie literally wrote the book on networking
long before the skill even had a name.

That wonderful book has deservedly sold millions of
copies worldwide, yet the skill of effective networking
is still vastly underestimated.

There are seven magic words that every person in
business should engrave on their hearts:

'People do business with people they like.'

Networking, as it has come to be understood, is a two-
part equation:

1. Expand your list of contacts.

2. Make each of your contacts your friend.

There is simply no point in knowing someone who hates
you, or even has no opinion of you. You must have a
positive connection. Nothing else will do.

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To attract good fortune, spend a new penny on an old
friend, share an old pleasure with a new friend and
lift up the heart of a true friend by writing his name
on the wings of a dragon.
-- Chinese Proverb

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There are hundreds of little ways that you can be
friendly and positive towards people. I have selected
seven which I have proved time and again make a big
difference.

1. Call someone up just to say hello.

We are all inundated with calls and emails from people
who want something from us. It is the nature of this
busy world we live in.

But sometimes it is wonderful to get a call from
someone who just wants to say hello and asks how you
are. Be that somebody. Make a point of NOT wanting
anything.

2. Be the first to offer help.

Downsizing, redundancy and job loss is a fact of life.
But how we react to other people's misfortune makes a
world of difference.

When you hear that someone you know, however slightly,
is out of work, call them up and offer to help.

I was 'downsized' some years ago (it hurt) and I will
never forget a man who called me up the very next
morning and offered me a desk and a phone in his office
any time I needed it, as a base for job hunting. I
barely knew this guy, and I didn't take him up on it,
but his generous offer made him a hero in my eyes.

There are lots of ways you can offer people support -
and one day they will be riding high again.

3. If you want a meeting, suggest coffee.

Or cakes, or cookies. There is something about informal
eating that bonds people.

One of the most successful salespeople I have ever
known often took a box of homemade cakes to her
meetings. It broke the ice, showed she cared and made
her very memorable - they were great cakes.

Business people don't always want the formality or
rigidity of lunch - especially with a new contact. But
the idea of a 15 minute meeting in the local Starbucks
is often an unthreatening and welcome alternative.

4. Personalize your business card.

We all give out and receive business cards, but how
often do we really notice them?

Instead of just handing it out, pause, get out a good
quality ink pen (image is important), and say something
like "Let me save you the effort of fighting through
switchboard and answering machines - I'll write my cell
phone number down so you can get hold of me easily."

Or you can recommend a book or a movie and write it
down on the back of your card.

It is personal, thoughtful and friendly.

5. Try to do two favors a week.

At least. Get into the habit of thinking how you can do
favors for other people. If you know someone who is
unhappy in their job, log that information in the back
of your mind. When you hear that another company is
looking for staff, put them together.

If you think of a simple way that two people you know
can be mutually beneficial, act as middle man.

Don't ask for, or expect any reward - that will come in
time. But, both parties will be grateful and will
remember your generous help.

6. Send greetings cards.

However important a person might be, they still find
themselves fascinating. So show them that you do too.
It has never been easier to remember birthdays,
Thanksgiving, anniversaries, and all the dozens of
personal times.

Don't be afraid to ask someone when their birthday is.
Write it down. Diarize it. And then make sure you send
them a card. Or make it really simple, an e-card.

This tiny act of goodwill really pays dividends in the
long run.

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If a man does not make new acquaintances as he advances
through life, he will soon find himself alone. A man
should keep his friendships in constant repair.
-- Samuel Johnson (1709 - 1784)

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7. Keep in regular contact

Have a regular DIARIZED networking hour each week to
make phone calls and send emails to your growing
network. This is the time for the 'hello how are you'
calls.

Naturally you don't want to call everybody at the same
fixed time each week - that would be too obvious.
Rotate people around, but make sure you cover everybody
at least once a month.

These ideas are not rules, but they are workable
examples of some of the many ways you can ensure that
when someone says 'I do business with people I like',
they mean you.

About the Author
Martin Avis publishes a free weekly newsletter:
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