---

Guest post by: Jim Dryburgh Become an Author

Tweet

---

---

We all need to create three bucket lists in order to truly network with purpose. The first bucket contains a list of all your current connections. We are all connected to far more people than we realize. If you were to take 10 minutes and write a list of past and current work colleagues, industry contacts, friends, family and social acquaintances, you'll likely be surprised at how long a list you have.

Ask yourself the following questions about the people on this list:

• Who are they?
• What have you done for them?
• What have they done for you?
• What are you going to do to keep them?

Your next list is people you want to make connections with soon. Ask yourself the following questions about these people:

• Who are they?
• What can you do to attract them?
• What do you want from them?
• How will you connect with them?

The final list is people you hope to connect with in the future. Ask yourself the following questions about the people in this bucket:

• Who are they?
• What can you do to attract them?
• What do you want from them?
• How will you get in front of them?
• How will you connect with them?

The thing to keep in mind as you answer these questions for each name in each bucket is that the more you do for them, the more they will do for you. The more you do for them, the more important you will be in their life. The more likely they will be to take your call. The more likely they will be to meet with you. Why? Because you have brought them value in the past. So the emphasis has to be on what you can do for them... NOT what they can do for you.

Value Based Networking is all about your willingness to give value first. It's the process of creating and actively maintaining relationships where you can help others achieve their goals and they can help you achieve yours. Value Based Networking involves determining your networking purpose, defining possible contacts, developing a plan of action and committing the time and energy necessary to produce meaningful results.

Now take your top ten contacts, maybe five from bucket one, three from bucket two and two from bucket three, and write one action item next to each name with a deadline to complete that action within the month. The action can be just about anything - send them an email, write them a letter, give them a call, or set up a lunch or meeting. Ask them about a trip they took recently or a conference they attended; send them an article or book you think they would enjoy; introduce them to a contact of yours. But whatever it is, focus on providing value to them.

If you do this each and every month, you'll have made 120 meaningful value based connections over the next year. Now that's meaningful!

Related Articles

  How Do You Network?
  Is there a leak in your bucket: Eliminating energy drains in your life and business
  How Many Buckets Do You Need for Retirement?
  The "Lunch Bucket Salesperson"
  A Business Network Makes You Powerful – Article 3 of 8
  Personal Boundaries: The Key to Creating Work and Life Your Way
  Writing Your Lust-For-Life List
  Formal Networking Groups
  How to Outperform and Outlast the Competition
  Building a Large Audience on Twitter Ninja Tips
  “The Awesome Power of TO-DO Lists, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”
  Be “On Purpose”
  Recession Proof Networking
  You, A Crowded Room, NOW What?
  Profit Boosting Tip - Network with a purpose
  A Bad Call, Start to Finish
  10 Ideas about Life Purpose
  Are You Confused About Social Networking?
  Build your network faster with smarter questions
  How Do I Get More Referrals?

Referred by: http://www.MichelePW.com

Related Forum Posts

Re: Make Friends...Literally BUILD them!
Marketing 2012
Removing Toxix People
Re: How can a social networking site make serious money?
Re: Make Friends...Literally BUILD them!

Share this article. Fund someone's dream.

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Pipeline Management Tool

How To Reduce Waste At Shopping Malls

Why Do Referral Efforts Fail?

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.