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All small business owners are told about the importance of networking; of getting out there glad handing, meeting prospects and drumming up business. To be honest, it's not my favorite pastime, and I haven't always had the best luck on that front. Truth be told, I'm not what one would call a born networker. Even for those who excel at the process, this can be a rough time in the networking world. I was speaking to a business owner the other day who was explaining that he'd never gone to so many lunches and mixers in his life but most of the time he discovered that the people he was talking to were hoping he could send some business their way. He explained that it was tough enough going out there and trying to meet prospects to pitch his service to, but discovering that most of the people he was talking to were desperately trying to sell him, made things really depressing.

Don't get me wrong, networking can be an incredibly powerful business tool and there are people out there who are experts at it; but not everyone is born with that networking gene. Although it should be a part of your marketing mix, networking on its own is not a marketing strategy. Do your homework and make sure the mixers or networking events you're going to are appropriate. Don't just go to make yourself feel like you're doing something. There are times that action for action's sake can work against you. Also, be sure and prepare yourself before you head off into the wild world of networking. Know what you're going to say and how you're going to present yourself. Remember you're not there to sell your product or service; you're there to explain your value, show how you can solve problems, and offer solutions. You're there to show your prospects why they want to work with you.

So whereas it's important to keep networking as a part of your marketing mix, start thinking in a broader based approach. Consider using public relations and social media to establish yourself in the market place. By launching an effective public relations campaign you establish yourself as a news story. You gain the credibility and validation of being featured in a magazine, newspaper article or on a TV or radio segment. You become an expert in your field. Utilizing blogging and social media, you establish a presence on the net and are able to talk directly to your prospects. By combining media relations with a social media approach you can magnify your press coverage through the various social media sites - and that can be an extremely powerful marketing approach. It also makes networking all the more effective. When you do go to a networking event or mixer and your prospects see that you've been featured in the media as an expert in your field, you'll be way ahead of the competition.

Copyright ? Anthony Mora 2011

I'm Anthony Mora, President and CEO of Anthony Mora Communications, Inc. and author of Spin to Win. We specialize in public relations, image development, media training and Transformational Marketing, http://anthonymora.com

By Anthony Mora
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