How Would You Handle This?

We have been talking about choosing groups to participate in that meet your needs and goals as a business professional. Once the decision is made on which groups to belong to, then a certain level of participation is required in order to achieve the individual goals set by the business professional.

Whenever I attend a function, I always have a goal of meeting ten people whom I do not already know, and finding out how I can best help them in their business. What happens, though if, when I enter the function, someone who I already know, approaches me and begins a lengthy conversation that could best be handled at a different time and place? How do I break away to complete my goal of meeting ten new people?

This has happened to me frequently and I have found this technique to work well. As soon as there is a break in the conversation, I let the person I am listening to know that I need to excuse myself, because I must meet some new people to accomplish the goal I came to the function for. I usually say what the goal is- to meet 10 new people. I also state that I would be happy to continue our conversation as soon as I have "hit my quota", ( I always say that with a smile), and also offer to continue the conversation at a later time if necessary.

The idea that someone would come to a networking function with a specific goal in mind is foreign to many participants. I suggest that you have a goal for all functions that you participate in . It is an easy way to track accomplishments. If my goal is to meet 10 people and I have a certain amount of time to work with, I know how much time I can devote to each person to accomplish my goal.

There is no reason to walk away from a networking function with unfulfilled goals because someone that couldn't help you accomplish your goals monopolized your time.

Your goal may be to meet a specific person who you know would be able to help you, if you had a chance to speak with them and build a relationship with them. Next week, I'll tell you how to break into "cliques" that may be formed around the person you would like to meet.

Nancy Roebke, is the Executive Director of Profnet Inc, a professional business leads generation corporation. We bring business professionals together in a non-competitive environment to help each other make more money.

mailto:execdirector@profnet.org http://www.profnet.org

Copyright c Nancy Roebke

---

Mortgage Marketing - Viral-Email, Referral Marketing Strategy

This is a devastatingly powerful way to extend your marketing... Read More

Costly Web Copy Pitfalls

One secret to a site that sells: Look at your... Read More

Key Marketing Questions - Planning Your Marketing Campaign

So you started a business. How's it going? Did you... Read More

The Seven Deadly Sins of Ineffective Nametags

Your nametag can be your best friend. It can be... Read More

The Truth About The Fallacy Of 7

Ted Nicholas is a marketer with a proven track record.... Read More

How to Set (and Get) the Right Prices

Which product feature of yours is every buyer keen to... Read More

Survival Strategies

1. Do the moneymaking things first.For an entrepreneur, generating income... Read More

Four Super-Deadly Marketing Sins - And How To Fix Them

It seems nowadays every marketing guru and their brother-in-law has... Read More

Marketing Strategy 101: 10 Marketing Strategies I Learnt From My Oral Surgeon

This is how the conversation went on my follow-up visit... Read More

Marketing From Both Sides Of The Ball

In the world of business, marketing is often conveyed as... Read More

The Value of a Customer

The Driver of All Marketing EffortsYou need to determine what... Read More

Marketing Is A Long-Term Investment

"Dig your well before you're thirsty" is the title of... Read More

Fundamental Strategic Marketing Mistakes to Avoid

This is a pretty tough global economy and it is... Read More

How to Develop an Effective Company Profile -- and Why

What is a company profile? ... Read More

Want To Be A Stronger Marketer? Work Your Marketing Muscles!

You want to be more flexible? You have to stretch... Read More

Four Keys For Successful Foundation and Corporate Fundraising

Earlier in my career, I worked for a training and... Read More

To All Internet Marketers - How To Get My Business?

More and more people are realizing that the Internet offers... Read More

Getting Ideas for Your Postcards

If you're going to do postcard marketing on an ongoing... Read More

Translation and Your International E-Commerce Strategy

Most businesses realize that they are simply a click away... Read More

Business Cards that Make Them CALL

How would you use business cards for gift certificates?I asked... Read More

How Effective Customer Surveys Will Help Innovate Your Business

Have you ever wondered why the phones aren't ringing the... Read More

Identifying, Creating and Using Your USP?

What's your USP? Don't know, or worse still, you've never... Read More

Cause-Related Marketing

Altruism. Corporate responsibility. Philanthropy. These are often used to describe... Read More

Loan Officer Marketing ? How to Target the Right Agents

Once there was a loan officer, who marketed his services... Read More

How to Put Law & Order into Marketing Your Legal Practice

First in a series of three articlesRegardless of your law... Read More

Guerrilla Marketing in Action

Guerrilla Marketing is using time, energy and imagination to market... Read More

7 Simple Marketing Tips

Here are 7 simple marketing tips to help you boost... Read More

Eight Steps To A Great Marketing Plan

Step 1: Where Am I Now? Before you decide where... Read More

Effective Lead Generation

How to Gain your Prospective Clients' Attention and Generate the... Read More

Newsletters - A Great Way to Build Business Relationships

This is an excellent way to grow your business using... Read More

How Nearly Going Broke Taught Me The Value Of Niche Marketing

If you want to learn how effective Niche Marketing can... Read More

Three Ways to Put Fresh Spins on Old Marketing Concepts

Are you struggling to find a new twist for... Read More

The Real Path To Big Bucks On The Internet!

"Instead Of Wasting Time Trying To Hit The Lottery Of... Read More