Every day, business owners are reminded that their network is the most critical asset to their business. Social media, email marketing, networking events, and more indicate that who you know could be the difference between success and failure. But the secret is in more than the numbers. It’s in more than who you know. It’s in how you utilize who you know.
Simply having Joe Millionaire on speed dial probably won’t help you too much toward your goals, but having a lead-exchange lunch with Joe Millionaire definitely would!
Exchange Knowledge
Knowledge is power. Even if your relationship with another business owner or potential client is brand new, you can benefit immensely from exchanging knowledge and ideas. This is a fantastic way to strengthen new connections. Host a business owner’s mastermind call or group event, share what you know, and encourage everyone attending to share something of their own. This can be anything from new tech recommendations to time management tips to enjoying downtime. It’s a great way to spend an afternoon or an entire day with like-minded people learning, growing, and helping each other succeed.
Establish Affiliates
Once you’ve built a solid relationship with clients and other business owners, establishing an affiliate agreement can take it even further. Often, the people and businesses in your network are those within the same market or complementary market to yours, which means they will have products and services of interest to your clients/customers – and vice versa. By setting up an affiliate arrangement, you agree to pay other entrepreneurs a certain amount on every sale they refer to you, and you can also get paid by referring sales to them. Everyone, including the client/customer, wins!
Exchange Testimonials
When we think of testimonials, we usually think of nice things our clients/customers have said about us. However, having testimonials and endorsements from other businesses can sometimes have an even more powerful impact. Consider exchanging real and truthful testimonials/endorsements with some of your top connections, and you will strengthen each other’s chances for continued growth and success.
Host Joint Ventures
We’ve all either been to or heard of joint venture events—perhaps without even knowing what they were. Everything from combined workshops to summit events and even joint webinars would fall into this category. By teaming up with one or more other businesses, you gain the benefits of a combined audience, new possible leads, more exposure, and higher credibility. You also open the doors to even more joint events, affiliate relationships, and possibly even new product offerings.
These are just a few ways you could be tapping into your network’s potential right now, and chances are you probably aren’t realizing its full potential. I encourage you to try out these tips starting TODAY.
