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This month the Bay Area Consultants Network asked its members the following question:
To what end do we network? What happens to the cards we collect? How do we make the most of networking? What will enable you to say “I know someone who can help you with that?” when someone says says “I need an XYZ”?

• Check to see whether the person is on LinkedIn and connect with them there.
• Go to other networking groups such as BNI. Networking is about relationships built up over time through regular meetings.
• Go through your database every week and e-mail, call, or write to someone with a suggestion that can help them.
• Keep in mind that the search for the ultimate contact manager is like the search for the Holy Grail.
• Stay in front of people you network with by being visual: send a gift or postcard which is attractive with your contact info on the back so they’re constantly reminded about you.
• Try to find something right away that might help that person. For instance, go on the IMC database and look for someone and pass on the name. They’ll remember your helpfulness.
• If you can be a resource to someone that creates a better relationship.
• Note: don’t automatically add people to your newsletter if they give you their cards. This is more likely to anger than attract them.
• Don’t take cards from anyone you haven’t had a real conversation with.
• Forward job announcements from your new contacts to your distribution list. The position will be filled and the contact will remember you.
• Be clear about what you do and what it is that you want.

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There was a record turnout at today’s Bay Area Consultants Network meeting this morning, where I was speaking on a panel about “Virtual Marketing Magnets.” For those who couldn’t make it, there’s a web version of my PowerPoint (complete with the text of what I said, or at least, the text of what I was planning to say) and a clickable imagemap of my handout. You need Internet Explorer to view the PowerPoint properly, I’m afraid.

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As January got underway, I noticed something strange happening with my pointer. It would start wandering across the screen when I wasn’t anywhere near the trackpad or the stylus. The problem got rapidly worse, until I couldn’t do any “mousing” at all. (And I was right in the middle of something that really couldn’t be done by keyboard navigation alone when it happened, of course.)

After a brief interlude of panic, I remembered that when I bought my used Dell Latitude 610, it still had time on the service contract the original purchaser had signed up for. So I dug up the information and called Dell Gold tech support.

To my considerable astonishment, I found myself connected almost immediately with a living, breathing human being—and a native speaker of English, to boot. After asking me a few questions and attempting a couple of diagnostics, the consultant on the phone arranged for a repairperson to come to my house the next day to replace the parts most likely to be the source of the problem, to wit the keyboard and trackpad.

The repair guy showed up comfortably within the allotted time, carrying a stack of boxes. He lacked a bit in the personal hygiene department, but made up for it in efficiency. The repair was finished in less than half an hour, and the computer works fine now.

I’m not normally the type to sign up for service contracts, but I’m sure glad I had this one!

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