You should be connecting with other entrepreneurs in your industry using social networks such as Sprouter.com and commenting on their blog posts.  Here are the important rules to follow for successful networking.

Mutualism:

• You have to create win-win relationships in business, making sure that you don’t benefit more than the other party.

Giving:

• Help someone out, before asking for anything in return. This makes people want to support you.

Targeting:

• You want to be very specific with the types of people you network with, in order to save time and to attract the right people to your brand.

Reconnecting:

• Never lose touch, that way networking contacts remember you when new opportunities surface.

When starting out a new business 88% of your first set of clients come from referrals of friends and family.  The larger your network of friends the larger the buzz you create.  That should help generate a fair amount of brand awareness but you are not even close to optimizing your reach.  That’s why you need to look over the rules above and begin a new type of networking and surround yourself with individuals that have the same goals and mindset that you do.

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