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Networking.

Article Excerpt
[check] This checklist is designed to help you to develop your business networking skills, in order to retain and gain customers and suppliers, and to expand your range of beneficial contacts.

Definition

The term 'networking' produces different responses from different people. As an activity networking is not new. It is a long-established activity of building and maintaining relationships for which the term 'networking' has now become accepted.

Networks embrace the range of informal and formal relationships in which we are involved. Networking implies an awareness of our relationships and of their potential value both to ourselves and to other members. Networks overlap; A and B may be in the same network but each will have contacts in other networks. Our networks are not static--they may evolve, expand nor shrink depending on the perceived needs and actions of the networker.

Networks are generally of three kinds--personal, professional and organisational. These may provide access to information, development opportunities, support and influence. The focus of this checklist is on personal and professional networking.

Benefits of networking

Active networking enables you to:

improve and extend the quality of your relationships

create opportunities to meet more potential customers

be better informed and share information with others

share your network's interests, thus enhancing your business relationships

meet your peers in other organisations.

Disadvantages of networking

Networks don't just happen: they require the investment of those rare commodities, time and energy. They also require a disposition to give as well as take. Many of us are happy to do this; for those who are not, the time...

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