I’ve just returned from a wonderful vacation in Maine. While there, I had the chance to enjoy the hospitality of good friend, Jane John and her husband, DeWitt John. Jane also owns an information business, On Point Research, and we frequently talk long distance about our businesses. It was great that our husbands were able to enjoy each other’s company, because the conversation kept drifting to business, and Jane and I relished the opportunity to talk in person.
Jane talked about networking – not for landing projects, but for enhancing projects. In the information industry, it’s no longer enough to run an online search and hand the resulting documents to our clients. One of the ways that we add value to our projects is to bring in other experts to include different skills and perspectives.
Jane has done a great job of putting together a network for this purpose. She has tapped into professional associations, local business groups, and connections from previous employment. As a result, her clients are always pleased with the results, and they generally become repeat clients.
When you’re building your network, think about the kinds of skills that would improve your service or product. Decide how and where to meet these people, and go out and network!
