Developing "Contact Spheres"

The most powerful networking tool available to you is your "Contact Spheres"-those groups of individuals with interrelated types of business or people who provide a natural flow of business to one another. These groups share common goals with you and are the key to your success-and you are the key to theirs. With well-developed contact spheres, you: 1. Stand a better chance of building your successful business through referrals 2. Have immediate access to developed relationships that offer quality products and services. You can refer these individuals with confidence and know that your thoughtfulness will be reciprocated whenever possible. The more people you put together to support your common goals and needs, the more you can accomplish. To begin to build successful contact spheres, you must link yourself with others who have common goals.

There is a difference between casual & strong contacts.
Strong contacts are those close to you and willing to help you a great deal. However, they tend to be closed groups that offer the same leads and information. Casual contacts are not close associates and tend to belong to different circles than you do. You should be able to positively answer the following questions about a casual contact before he or she is added to your contact sphere for personal referrals: * Are they genuinely interested in you as an individual? * Do they support your business? * If you were to give them an unscheduled call, would they accept the call? * If they accept the call, would they know who you are without hesitation? * Is the quality of the product or service they offer at a level you feel comfortable to refer potential business?
TRACKING: The process of tracking (taking inventory) includes knowing the needs of the individuals in your network of key contacts as well as the goods and services they provide. By utilizing the technology of computers to track your activities and the people you meet, all that lost opportunity can easily be turned into opportunity- making time.

A strong set of "contact spheres", developed from your network of key contacts, can be the most valuable networking tool available to you. Knowing someone who can get a job done shows true power and unselfishness in business. Evaluating and knowing a strong contact versus a casual contact is a skill you can and should master with practice to maximize your success as a networker. Making yourself available for referrals is the main purpose behind contact spheres and a network of key contacts. What are you doing now to develop a natural flow of opportunities?