You may have heard of the term ‘Netweaving’, coined by Bob Little from Atlanta. The concept is that all those ‘in the room’ are trying to make the right connections for each other, not just for themselves. Netweaving is about positioning yourself to help others connect and being a resource for others to create relationships. Since August 2008 we’ve been putting this idea into practice at the Australian Businesswomen’s Network. Each quarter we bring together members who are in similar stages of business and introduce them to each other as part of an initiative called ‘herViews Member Advisory Groups’.
Each member introduces themselves to each other and we discuss the business needs and issues of those in the room, looking to see if we (the ABN) can help them, but ALSO giving those in the room each the opportunity to be of help (through the products and services that they each provide) to each other. The members who have attended these events have become our most loyal and participative customers as a result of the value they received from attending. And, they have been instrumental in the development of new, and improvement of products and services. Our investment into these customers and their business networking has been very worthwhile for all involved. TODAY’s TASK Can you create an opportunity for some of your clients/key contacts to meet each other for mutual benefit? Arrange an meeting (a lunch or small event is all you need) for key clients who may be in complementary industries. Let people know the purpose of the meeting and don’t be surprised if you have RSVPs flooding in. This program is about taking action. I know that, once again, I’m inviting you to initiate a networking opportunity. A few days ago I invited you to host a networking meet up. Today’s task is similar but it requires you to extend the opportunity from the point of view of YOU being the connector. Have fun with it. What goes around, definitely comes around.
Oh.. here’s a comment from one of our members who attended a herViews session:
“ I have been a member of the ABN for more than a year now. Being a member of the network has been a great tool for my business on a number of levels – education, information, networking, delivering a great service to my clients and growing my business! Through using the various member benefits available, I have had two business opportunities and I continue to have ongoing work with these two businesses. This alone has delivered a healthy ROI on my first year investment of becoming a member of the network. I have also utilised the network for other business objectives – one of which was to get some quality face-to-face time with a key speaker at an ABN event who was a key media contact for my business and my type of clients. After an introduction had been facilitated by the team, I spent some time with the high profile Editor and have since developed a relationship with him. This has lead to two of my clients receiving quality media coverage in the AFR. My clients, needless to say have been delighted with the result. Their satisfaction has lead to ongoing work and referrals. So you see – the network delivers so many benefits to a growing business on a number of levels. It is all there waiting for you to tap into as a member.” Gemma Manning – Manning and Co
