Power Networking

net-work-ing: -noun 1. a supportive system of sharing information and services among individuals and groups having a common interest.

definition via Dictionary.com

Networking is a good exercise in any profession. Most of us in the commercial furnishings and textiles business belong to networking groups made up of non-competing sales people where each person brings to the meeting new projects and/or contacts to share. By the definition above, a good networking group is "a supportive system of sharing information". There is a tremendous amount of trust among members of the group and unwritten rules of conduct of which everyone abides by. Some networking groups are better than others...the group has to have good chemistry. I was recently invited to join two non-competing sales representatives and hosted their "Power Networking" meeting. What made it a "power" meeting? Not only did we exchange information, we actually followed thru on making the call to set up meetings and or presentations with the new contacts shared. We agreed to invite each other to additional sales presentations we make in the coming weeks. Not only will this allow us to share in the expense of a lunch presentation, have a more focused presentation - 20 min versus a whole hour - but more importantly, it will allow our time-crunched customers the opportunity to be exposed to a wider variety of product over the hour lunch break. I see it as a win-win for everyone. How are you utilizing networking groups to grow your business?