If you are like most independent professionals and small business owners, you put hard work into getting your name out there and distribute your business card wherever you go.

You may even attend a weekly or monthly networking group or occasional business conference where people share leads. And like most people, your time and effort isn’t generating a steady stream of new business.

The problem is that most people think that business networking consists of telling as many people as possible what they do, and handing out as many business cards as they can. They waste the few precious moments they have with new and existing contacts by focusing on themselves.

Its possible to meet someone in the airport, hand them your card after a brief conversation, and have them call you to request your services, but this random approach is like playing the lottery. You can’t count on it to produce results.

It is a Push and Pray technique: you push your information out to others and pray that they respond.

It rarely works. Your contact loses your card or simply forgets about you, or the timing wasn’t right, or, in spite of the connection you thought you’d made, a single conversation usually isn’t enough to launch a client relationship.

That initial conversation should be about understanding your prospects’ problems, needs and concerns, and collecting their contact information. The objective of business networking is not to expound on your credentials.

Spend the time you have with prospects (or people who might know a prospect) asking questions and collecting information. Then you can determine whether they would have any genuine interest in/need for the solutions you provide. Use this client problem centered networking strategy to initiate and build profitable relationships.

Pull Information

1. See how many cards you can collect from prospects, and don’t worry about how many of your own business cards you distribute. Some successful marketers don’t even have a business card.

2. When you meet people, use the time to gather information from them, including:
• Primary concerns about their business
• Problems they want solved
• Unmet business needs.
• Areas where the solutions you provide overlap with their needs
• Their contact information

3. Continue to expand your network. Whenever you make a contact, ask for referrals to other prospects.

4. Once you have this information, enter it into your database or contact manager.

Build Relationships

1. People have short memories. Follow-up after your initial contact and then stay in touch with your network on a regular basis. If you let more than a month go by without making contact they’ll forget that you exist and that you are the best person to solve their financial, legal, human resource, design, or other problems.

You’ll want to make personal contact with some people on your prospect list, but in most cases, a letter, newsletter or ezine will do the job. Use the merge function in your software to personalize your mailings.

2. Demonstrate the value of your expertise or products by sending prospects and clients an idea or suggestion they can use right away. You could present this in an article you’ve written, or one you’ve read. Your contact will then associate you with the problems you solve.

Pull information from prospects and clients to grow your network, stay in touch and regularly demonstrate the value of your products and services.

Networking should be one of the core small business marketing tactics of most independent professionals and small business owners. Use client-centered networking to lessen your reliance on costly and time consuming cold calling/telemarketing and advertising. Over time, this business building strategy will reward you with a steady stream of new clients.

It’s not what you know but who you know that gets you in the door. Over time effective networking can generate a steady stream of referrals and help your business grow.

Your networking strategy can largely replace cold calling, advertising and other less productive marketing efforts.

2. Most people lack an understanding of how to network to fuel business growth or further their careers.

The result is that most people spend too much unproductive time networking with friends and colleagues and have little to show for their efforts. If you’re an extrovert, meeting lots of people may be your idea of fun.

If you’re an introvert, it can be a struggle unless you understand how to network to get more clients. For most people, networking without a clear strategy is like investing by throwing darts at the stock page blindfolded.

3. The primary objective of networking should be gain an understanding of others’ concerns and problems.

Then you can make quick assessments as to whether they would have any interest in the solutions you provide. The objective of networking is not to expound on your credentials.

Most people waste the few precious moments they have with new and existing contacts by focusing on themselves. Better is to spend most of that time asking questions and collecting information.

4. There are many effective ways to network, some far more productive than the typical personal conversation. Its more useful to:

• Have a succinct “elevator speech”, a 30 second description of the problems you solve, is an essential networking tool.
• Use questions to identify individuals primary concerns and at least one piece of personal information.
• Refer your contacts to people in your network who can solve their problems. The benefit of this approach is twofold. First, you’ll be seen as a problem solver, and second, those people who benefit from your referrals are more likely to provide you with referrals in return.
• Provide valuable information on a regular basis for free. A weekly or monthly newsletter is one way to establish your credibility. When this missive provides solutions, it will be shared by people in your network, further lengthening your list of contacts.

5. Most people rely on serendipity for results. It certainly doesn’t hurt to let people you meet know about the types of problems you solve, but if you want to get better results and increase business, target your networking.

Identify the people you want to make contact with, whether prospects or potential marketing alliance partners, and make carefully researched efforts to build relationships. This approach takes more time on your part, but it gets results.

6. Your networking efforts will be a waste of time without effective data management. When you meet or contact people, enter the information you learn into your contact management software; make note of their interests, what you’ve shared with them, and when and how to contact them next.

7. People have short memories. Follow-up regularly with members of your network or they’ll forget you exist and more importantly they’ll forget that you are the best person to solve their financial, legal, human resource, design, or other problems. Contact the people in your network in some way at least once a month.

Nine times out of ten, the conversation ends when you hand someone you’ve just met your business card, and you never hear from them again. Wouldn’t you like to use these opportunities to generate interest, get a conversation going and have prospects contact you?

All of your marketing materials should be written and designed to prompt prospects to take action.

When you meet potential clients or customers, whether in person or through your brochure or web site, you want to lead them to ask you how you can help them and to call or email you later for more information. A typical business card does neither of these things.

You don’t have much real estate on a business card to work with, so use it well. Start by looking at the basic elements of your card.

Most business cards include titles. Your card may say, “Broker”, “Consultant”, or “Vice President”. What does this tell prospects about what you can do for them? Titles only give people a vague idea of what you do and rarely explain how you help people. If you include a title on your card, make it descriptive of your role in the company or your work with clients.

Instead of or in addition to your title, put your small business marketing message on the card.

This is a one-sentence description of how you actually help clients. When prospects read your card, they’ll quickly learn the problems you solve, and they’ll want to know how you can help them or someone they know. Your card then becomes a catalyst to conversation and gives you an opportunity to learn more about this prospect’s needs.

Another way to use your business card to pique prospects’ interest is to include an offer on the back. You might offer a free report or guide of interest to your target market.

For example, if you are a real estate agent you could offer an article on “10 Simple Ways to Increase the Value of Your Home”, available on your company’s web site through the link provided. When prospects visit the site, ask them to provide their name, email address and phone number, and then deliver a well-written and informative article.

The first step is to get a prospect’s attention and their contact information. Then you can stay in touch with them on a regular basis, offering more helpful ideas and information about your services. Building relationships in this way is well worth the additional cost of printing on both sides of your cards.

Before you rush to redo your business card, you’ll want it designed so it is easy to read and moves your prospects to contact you. If you want it to look professional, hire a graphic designer to help put your marketing objectives into print.

Stop exchanging business cards as a ritual and start using your card to attract new clients.

Reconsider your title and include your brilliant small business marketing message. Add a free offer your prospects can’t refuse. Your business card will help you start conversations, generate more leads and grow your business.