Network Your Way through the Economic Downturn

By Shelli Howlett

Ok, so we had the sub-prime mess and then all the news from Wall Street. Now what?

Well, it's time to check up on your network. Here are important questions to ask yourself:

• Who are my primary business advocates who regularly give me referrals?
• What organizations do I currently belong to and am I active in?
• Who can I meet with in the next few weeks to "refresh" my networking relationship?
• What am I doing this week and this month to get to events and meet new prospects?

Testimonies have proven that if you have a well-developed network, you probably aren't going to be greatly affected by a softening economy. I just spoke with a woman in San Antonio who said the realtor in her BNI chapter was having her best year ever.

When you build a solid base of advocates for your business, it will continue to thrive no matter what is going on. The referrals won't dry up, because you are on the inside track with referral partners.

This is a good time to tweak your 60-second and 10-minute presentations for your BNI chapter. You must always ask for a specific referral in order to receive what you are looking for. Ask for referrals into growing companies and companies that prosper in softer economic times.

Being on the inside means you leverage the relationships of other people. Did you ever think of networking with a recruiter who knows which companies are relocating or expanding in your city? How about with a human resources manager who is in charge of moving people into your city? Can they use your product or service?

You see it's all about attitude! It's about working smarter and building trusting relationships with your referral partners. A strong network can outlast economic cycles. I like to think of it as a foundation on a house-solid as concrete.

If your network is not built up right now, you can start out by getting active in a chamber of commerce, women's networking group, industry association, business/social networking events, and other service clubs (e.g. Rotary). The point is to get back out there, dust off your business cards, put a smile on your face...and remember that a referral can pop up in seconds.

You never know what great opportunity can come out of one conversation!

Shelli Howlett is a 15 year Executive Director for BNI DFW, Austin and San Antonio, TX. Weekly she oversees 120 chapters and has won dozens of awards from BNI HQ.