Since the advent of voice mail, one of the real drawbacks of using the telephone is that people will only return calls to callers with whom they want to speak. The pervasive telemarketing industry has soured many people in returning calls to names of people and/or phone numbers they do not readily recognize. Additionally, people are so busy these days that it is extremely difficult to get them to answer the phone the moment you call. You could play "phone tag" for days on end, which wastes a lot of your valuable time.

Hence, if you prefer to network by phone, develop a list of names, titles, companies, and phone numbers of the right selection of people to call. Make at least ten to fifteen calls per day.

From these calls, you may generate one to two great leads for opportunities. If you do not make ten to fifteen calls a day, you will not build up a head of steam and keep the momentum going.

Another point in phone networking is to:

• Make a call.
• Follow it with an e-mail.
• Follow the e-mail with a follow-up call.

If you receive no response, go on to the next contact. In your phone conversation, do not come across as being desperate.

Refrain from making repeated calls or queries to someone who neither returns your calls nor responds to your e-mails. In other words, do not be a pest. There is a fine line between being persistent and being a pest. You do not want to be a pest, particularly if the person you are calling is actively avoiding you. If he does not want to speak with you, chances are he will not hire you. So, why waste your time?

David Hale, Ph.D., PCC, a Corporate Performance Consultant, University Professor and Professional Certified Coach, is an internationally recognized speaker, author, and seminar leader. He is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the DHI-Communication. For more than 20 years, Dr. Hale has trained professional coaches, ministers, clinicians, executives, teachers, government agents and private individuals using the coaching methods and skills that he has designed.

David is the author of The High Performance Entrepreneur: 12 Essential Strategies to Supercharge Your Startup Business published by iUniverse in 2008. His newest book, Straight Talk From Corporate America's 10 Most Requested Speakers and Trainers, is written with the intent to make his personal and business success skills and principles widely available. David's work and books have been featured on national television, radio, and print media.



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When I was laid off once before, I remember spending hours and hours on the telephone at the career center cold-calling everyone I knew, company after company. You know? It was a grand waste of time. I learned that the hard way.

Our job consultant told us that networking was the best thing to do and to call everyone on our contact list. Well, I did just that, and it was a huge waste of my valuable time. Telephoning for the sake of telephoning is not very productive.

Instead, find those individuals who can provide you with good leads, advice, and help. They are the ones with whom you want to spend your time on the phone. Do strategic phoning, not telemarketing. People hate telemarketing and telemarketers.

Make your phone calls work for you. You have more important things to do than just "shoot the bull" with friends and relatives across the country. Do you realize that some people actually do that? Because they can use the career center phones for free, they call all of their friends and relatives throughout the country just to chitchat. What a waste of time ... not to mention taxpayers' money!

Make Your Calls Count

Every person is predominantly either a talker or a writer. If orally oriented, you would probably prefer to network face-to-face in person or by phone instead of by e-mail. Making phone calls is good, but just making phone calls for the sake of making phone calls is not good. Cold-calling is a waste of time. We must focus on making calls to the right people in the right places at the right time.

In a CareerJournal article, Perri Capell said, "Perhaps it's not just lack of time that's holding you back, but lack of confidence. It's unnerving to make calls when you doubt the person you're about to contact wants to hear from you. However, when that nice e-mail comes back, the anxiety melts away. Take some time and try it."

David Hale, Ph.D., PCC, a Corporate Performance Consultant, University Professor and Professional Certified Coach, is an internationally recognized speaker, author, and seminar leader. He is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the DHI-Communication. For more than 20 years, Dr. Hale has trained professional coaches, ministers, clinicians, executives, teachers, government agents and private individuals using the coaching methods and skills that he has designed.

David is the author of The High Performance Entrepreneur: 12 Essential Strategies to Supercharge Your Startup Business published by iUniverse in 2008. His newest book, Straight Talk From Corporate America's 10 Most Requested Speakers and Trainers, is written with the intent to make his personal and business success skills and principles widely available. David's work and books have been featured on national television, radio, and print media.

Dave has twenty-three years' experience in design and delivery of training programs for public, private, government and non-profit centers. He also has twenty years' experience in coaching and training individuals and groups in state and federal agencies, and profit and non-profit corporate settings as well as coaching and counseling individuals on a private, fee-for-service, basis. After twenty years of developing and leading coach training programs David founded DHI-Communication, an international coaching and training consultancy, specializing in communication principles. Dave is widely regarded as one of the top business coaches for Web 2.0 Entrepreneurs. He can be contacted at http://www.HiPerEntrepreneur.com or DrDave@HiperEntrepreneur.com

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I think one of the best sources of clients are the references you have already cultivated in your network. The references are your contact points. Develop those nodes. I acquired consulting jobs because of networking. I obtained most of my regular projects through networking. Networking is the best source to find business and employment. Hence, start developing your network by developing good references.

Look for about five companies that you really want to perform work for and do the due diligence on these companies. Gather information, develop contacts, and keep up with the companies. Gather information from each company's Web site. Try to "break in" to meet and chat with employees within those companies.

Continue to develop your skills and experience that every business wants. Here is the best route:

• Prospectus. Continue to "beef up" and polish your company prospectus and executive summary.

• Organizations. Join a professional organization or two in your career area of choice and place them in your prospectus.

• Service. Get involved in serving on committees, run for office, and participate in meetings of these professional organizations.

• Education. Take additional courses and certifications in your business area of choice that you can add to your prospectus.

• Bullets. Continue to do great things at your present internship or job to develop good bullets to add to your prospectus.

• Meetings. Attend conferences, seminars, workshops, and trade shows in your business area of choice.

• Papers. Prepare papers for presenting at these conferences and publishing in their periodicals.

• Articles. Write articles to be published in these professional organization periodicals.

• Book. Write a book on your business area of interest and get it published.

Here are a few of the methods that will turn out clients in droves if implemented properly. Research your prospective clients, figure out what method would best attract them, then do it!

David Hale, Ph.D., PCC, a Corporate Performance Consultant, University Professor and Professional Certified Coach, is an internationally recognized speaker, author, and seminar leader. He is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the DHI-Communication. For more than 20 years, Dr. Hale has trained professional coaches, ministers, clinicians, executives, teachers, government agents and private individuals using the coaching methods and skills that he has designed.

David is the author of The High Performance Entrepreneur: 12 Essential Strategies to Supercharge Your Startup Business published by iUniverse in 2008. His newest book, Straight Talk From Corporate America's 10 Most Requested Speakers and Trainers, is written with the intent to make his personal and business success skills and principles widely available. David's work and books have been featured on national television, radio, and print media.


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If you do these things, you will have a dynamite prospectus and executive summary. You will receive many calls for work. You will perform well in negotiations and obtain several clients. You will be able to negotiate the best deal you can get with every offer. You will be able to leverage one offer against another to maximize your final offer and project. You will be able to prepare more "beefy" summaries for each new project you secure. The process will continue ad infinitum.

The Best Way to Break into any Company and Locate Client

The best way to break into any company is to have someone on the inside working to get you in. This is why networking is one of the most important strategies for seeking a good job. If it were not for networking, I would not have obtained most of my jobs. I would not have been on the consulting gigs I acquired if it were not for networking. Take maximum advantage of networking.

There are many ways to network. You can network in person. You can network on the phone. You can network with e-mails. You can network with letters (or snail mail). You can network using fax messages. You can network using text messaging on your BlackBerry. You can network on the Internet. You can network using teleconferencing, videoconferencing, and Web cameras on your laptop. You can network in chat rooms. You can network in Web logs (or blogs). The list goes on and on.

David Hale, Ph.D., PCC, a Corporate Performance Consultant, University Professor and Professional Certified Coach, is an internationally recognized speaker, author, and seminar leader. He is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the DHI-Communication. For more than 20 years, Dr. Hale has trained professional coaches, ministers, clinicians, executives, teachers, government agents and private individuals using the coaching methods and skills that he has designed.

David is the author of The High Performance Entrepreneur: 12 Essential Strategies to Supercharge Your Startup Business published by iUniverse in 2008. His newest book, Straight Talk From Corporate America's 10 Most Requested Speakers and Trainers, is written with the intent to make his personal and business success skills and principles widely available. David's work and books have been featured on national television, radio, and print media.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Hale

Build a network of people who provide mutual help. This is the most productive use of your time. However, there is a method to this madness. You must network smartly. Do not network for the sake of networking, but network for positive, constructive results. If you do not achieve good results, you are not networking effectively.

Build a network and achieve the following:

1. Build a network of people who provide mutual help.
2. Develop a wide network of friends and collaborators.
3. Develop a fine-tuned network of mutual, complementary job-searching peers and helpers.
4. Attend networking meetings and events.
5. Cultivate good job references through your network.
6. Join ClubNet (Job Club) and participate in professional networking.
7. Network through the deans of your college.
8. Network with friends of a friend.

Fallacy: "Network with Everybody and Anybody"

You can waste more of your valuable time following this bad advice. Judy Rosemarin, founder of Sense-Able Strategies wrote, "Networking does not mean making thousands of contacts. Instead, write provocative letters introducing yourself, then arrange ways to discuss mutually interesting subjects with a few key people. If you view your search as a personal research project on a compelling subject-your own future-you'll find it easier to collect critical information and ideas."

As the broader base of your business network triangle increases, the number of people you need to speak with to reach the right decision makers increases. Hence, the time it takes to reach the key decision makers increases.

You do not have enough hours in the day to talk with everyone. This is why it is not such a good idea to speak with every neighbor, postal delivery person, milkman, yardman, church member, door-to-door solicitor, friend, relative, former employee, classmate, and stranger in the marketplace. They may all be well intentioned, but are not connected to the apex of your business network triangle. Hence, you need to be judicious about whom you talk to in your networking activities.

It is more productive and effective to talk to people in your industry who know of business openings in their companies and within their networks. This approach enhances your focus and effectiveness, and further increases your odds of finding the clients you are seeking. A side benefit is that you can validate your value, experience, and credentials with those in the know within the industry of today's business market.

David Hale, Ph.D., PCC, a Corporate Performance Consultant, University Professor and Professional Certified Coach, is an internationally recognized speaker, author, and seminar leader. He is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the DHI-Communication. For more than 20 years, Dr. Hale has trained professional coaches, ministers, clinicians, executives, teachers, government agents and private individuals using the coaching methods and skills that he has designed.

David is the author of The High Performance Entrepreneur: 12 Essential Strategies to Supercharge Your Startup Business published by iUniverse in 2008. His newest book, Straight Talk From Corporate America's 10 Most Requested Speakers and Trainers, is written with the intent to make his personal and business success skills and principles widely available. David's work and books have been featured on national television, radio, and print media.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Hale

If your networking is not helping you get a job or business, helping you meet people who can get you a job or business, or providing you information to help you obtain a job or business, then you are wasting your time networking. Do not mix and confuse career networking with business networking. If you are starting a business and seeking clients, your primary responsibility is to make contacts. Hence, if you are networking, it should be for capturing a contact or a client. After you obtain the business or contact, then you can continue your business-advancement networking.

Networking to create solid business referrals and future contacts is a critical element of your business start-up. Keeping in touch with your network contacts must be routinely done on a regular basis... even after you land your most important client.

Referrals really do happen more casually than you might expect. Your college roommate's husband's friend is as likely to land you your next gig as your roommate herself-but only if she knows you're looking for a job when she hears about one.

Networking is extremely important in consulting. I initially started consulting for Hughes Aircraft Company through a good program manager friend of mine. That first gig at Hughes grew into other subsequent consulting gigs, which resulted from networking that I had established while working there.

The following seven rules for networking success:

• Ask for information, not a job.
• Be considerate of others' time.
• Listen first; then ask questions.
• Expand your network.
• Follow up.
• Reciprocate.
• Send a thank you letter.

Successful networkers show a sincere interest in their networking contacts. They are constantly developing relations, establishing their credibility, and sharing information. They follow the rules of the game where everyone has something to gain. Like the lottery, you have to be in it to win it.

Dave Hale, Ph.D., PCC, has twenty-three years' experience in design and delivery of training programs for public, private, government and non-profit centers. David founded DHI-Communications, an international business coaching and training consultancy, specializing in business development and communication principles. Dave is widely regarded as one of the top business coaches for Web 2.0 Entrepreneurs.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Hale

Networking is defined as establishing contacts, exchanging information, and/or developing relationships with others in informal networks for the purpose of obtaining employment or a job, getting a date, or furthering one's career. The key to networking is to be a good reference and to cultivate good references in informal networks.

Definition of Networking Terms

What is the difference between "reference" and "network"? A "reference" is a person who provides either you or someone else (on your behalf) with a letter or phone response (i.e., verification/validation information) of you and your background, capabilities, and desirability. A "reference" is also the material/information that a "reference or referrer" gives about you to others. Hence, a "reference" may be both the person providing the reference information and the material/information itself that is provided.

A "network" is the list of names and contact coordinates of your "references." A "network node" is a specific person on your network list. Hence, a "network node or networking node" is a specific "reference" or person on your "network" list of references.

Types of Networking

There are several types of networking:

1. Job or Employment Networking-network to land a new job, business, or customers.

2. Career Networking-after you land a job, career networking follows to advance your career.

3. Social Networking-this is a lonely hearts club or networking for dates and/or a future mate.

You can enhance the success of your personal and professional skills by learning all you can about each of these networking types, then employing those that work best for you.

David Hale, Ph.D., PCC, a Corporate Performance Consultant, University Professor and Professional Certified Coach, is an internationally recognized speaker, author, and seminar leader. He is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the DHI-Communication. For more than 20 years, Dr. Hale has trained professional coaches, ministers, clinicians, executives, teachers, government agents and private individuals using the coaching methods and skills that he has designed. David is the author of The High Performance Entrepreneur: 12 Essential Strategies to Supercharge Your Startup Business published by iUniverse in 2008. His newest book, Straight Talk From Corporate America's 10 Most Requested Speakers and Trainers, is written with the intent to make his personal and business success skills and principles widely available. David's work and books have been featured on national television, radio, and print media.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Hale

At every chance you get, you should have a crisp business card or two ready to hand out to potential clients. Networking business cards is the best way to add to your connections, both clients and allies in the business.

There are plenty of ways to make sure that your business card networking will be effective but you only need to remember these few but cardinal rules to broaden your set of contacts.

3 simple rules to networking business cards success

1. Be ready to give

Never leave home or the office without your business cards. It would be best if you leave a set at home, one in the office and one in your car. Keep in mind that you need to replenish your set if your supply is running low.

When you order your business cards, make sure that you make wholesale purchases. Not only do you save on the cost of bulk order, you will also get a sense of security that you have the year covered and that you would not run out of business cards, at least not in the very near future.

2. Seize the moment

The reason why you always need to have an ample supply of business cards wherever you go is because you will never know when an occasion to hand out cards to important people may rise.

The person sitting next to you in the mall might be your next biggest supporter and client. Or a friend of your friend may be sponsoring a trade show that you have been wanting to take part in.

What you think is a simple day in the office or just one of your usual Saturday nights may be your saving grace in the future.

3. Make it worth looking at

You spend so much time making yourself look good and presentable to your clients. You should also do the same with your business cards. They have to look good and worth keeping since this card will represent you whenever you are not around.

Online printing of business cards offers plenty of ways to help you achieve just this. Starting with the design, you can get hold of professional looking business cards designed by professional graphic designs at low or even zero cost. You can also get custom jobs which include size, shape, ink and finishings. You can get a regular sized card or those with bigger dimensions. You can also request for business cards with rounded corners, or irregular shapes. As for finishing, you can get scored or folded business cards. You can have thermographic letters or those that have been embossed.

Making your business cards appealing does not only make it worthy of being kept in another person's wallet but it also increases the name recall significantly.

Networking business cards is not an easy task. You need to have an eye for opportunities, as well as identify people who you think could help you, and whom you can help through your business. However, you know that it's all worth the work, especially once you start reaping the benefits of being well-connected.

This article aims to inform readers how to come up with quality business cards through online printing.

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