Don’t accept lower standards because the economy is down. Yes, clients can walk away and make different priorities during slow times. But with this action plan you can steer your business towards growth.

Are you ready to work with new clients? Then I have an easy-to-adopt business strategy for you, that makes a big impression in your regular business.

I start off saying: Focus! You can’t do it all, so choosing a strategy that is easy to implement and doesn’t take much extra time helps you achieve your goals faster.

1. Get ready. Dress yourself representable and have ample business cards with you.

2. Pick and choose 2 networking events every week. These could be in the early mornings, during work hours or after work. Whatever suits you best. Find networking events where your target market is.

3. Make your appearance consistent. Not everyone was expecting your arrival at that networking event. So attend a couple of events in a row, so people can get to know you and see that you are reliable.

4. Talk to people, don’t be shy. You are making the best impression if you ask a lot of questions. People like to talk, so if you let them talk they feel they had a great time. ☺ The other good thing is, that you can always prepare good questions. Asking what they think about the weather, doesn’t steer you in the direction of potential business; therefore, ask them about business goals, how do you network, have you been to this event before and why have you decided to attend? Let’s hope its not just for the free snacks or drinks. ☺ Always end your conversation with a thank you and ask for their business card. Don’t take too long to talk with someone, you are networking, leave the good stuff for a next appointment to talk some more.

5. And then… you arrive home with a pile of business cards. The first thing you do, is enter your business cards in an address book on your computer (Outlook, Gmail, Hotmail, etc).

Before you are ready for step 5. I want to make sure:

A. Are you on LinkedIn?
B. Are you on Facebook?
C. Are you on Twitter?

You might have heard from one of them, if not, all of them. Make sure your profile is there and it’s a decent and filled out profile. You need to provide enough information so that it adds to your credibility, and so that people recognize you. Does your profile on these websites have the same information as is on your business card? Upload your picture, this is not optional.

6. Just to make sure you’re not skipping this: Set up your profile on the Golden 3!: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook.

7. When you have setup your profiles, you can go to each of these networks and import your address book. All these networks have a tool for it, and it will find the connections you have in your address book that already have a profile on LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook. Find your connections and connect with them. This is a 3-step process. So you are done in 5 minutes. You are connecting with them, because they might be able to give you business, but far more important – they can lead you to the right sources that give you business.

8. Send each person you connected with a personal message on each of these networks. On Facebook and LinkedIn you can do this when you are making the connection with them. On Twitter you can send a separate message.

Normally the effect of visiting an event is over in 2-4 weeks. When you are connecting with people from events on online websites as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook, the effect is as long as you keep your profile active. In searches your name will pop-up. If you update your latest projects all your connections will be notified, even people you have met on events years ago.

9. Follow up on those: “I need to make an appointment with him/her” by email or phone. If there is potential business, take care of it.

10. A great way to not only keep the relationship in tact, but see if there is more (potential) interest in your company (maybe later on) is in offering to send a newsletter. Send that request out about a week later and you have another contact moment with your new connection. If they like you or are interested in your business/services, they want to sign up and stay updated.

Marketing is all about relationships: having enough connections with the right people while making the right impression. Online networking websites give the leverage to networking events that you are already attending.

These 10 tips get you the best of local networking events and give a great introduction into online networking. A combination of using local events and online networking websites adds to your credibility, it makes you approachable and gives you more impressions with people you meet than you would otherwise have.

Marieke is an international published author on How to Attract your Target Market Online (Collaborative book: BusinessWise). Businesswise is the second best selling Business book on Amazon.co.uk in May 2007. Marieke is the founder of Branding Personality, which sets up profiles for clients on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn and produces daily content for clients resulting in new business generated through these new media.