Are Networkers confused about farming?

Is your Business Network fallow, fertilised or blooming ? I read this article and liked the way it explained why networking is compost for your business. Before you read that, what are three ways to check if your network has what it needs to produce a healthy crop? The top tip might help.

Welcome back. Or if you’re new here and find it useful, get the latest posts, special offers and top networking tips by signing up to RSS feeds at the top right hand corner of this page.

What is a fallow network?

This is totally different from the farming term where a “fallow” means taking a rest, typically, to avoid a build up of the wrong components for growth. It has potential yet a network shouldn’t be left fallow for too long. Otherwise it will not produce a healthy crop next time seeds are planted.

Some networks seem fallow yet there is no plan to reinvigorate so it’s actually redundant. Is there anyone who has introduced you in the past that doesn’t know how it ended up? Feedback is a great way to follow up and, if done with care, can lead to further crops. There may be a need to plant further seeds but get the feedback first. It may also give you the opportunity to fertilise.

How does network fertilisation work?

Seeds are the messages you give to your network. After seeds have been planted, they must get what they need to flourish. The wrong fertiliser will produce the wrong result. The results of previous crops will provide useful feedback. If you’ve planted seeds that blossomed once and haven’t lately, the fertiliser needs to change.

When networking, everything you do can be considered as either planting a seed, fertilising it or tending to the crop. If the seeds are in fallow ground there’s no point fertilising them. Once you have got the right balance of nutrients (feedback), you can plant seeds (messages), fertilise them (help your network get what they need) and reap what you’ve sown.

Is your network blooming?

Who in your network should you be catching up with? Is there one person that has made a valuable introduction for you in the past that you haven’t been in touch with? Or is there someone that keeps making profitable introductions for you yet are in fallow ground? These are fields that can bloom again and again.

Does anyone in your network need nutrients, seeds or fertiliser? What else have I missed?

Wrap up: Feedback is sometimes a missing ingredient. Business Networking and introductions keep your crops weed free. Seeds and fertiliser ensure a regular supply of qualified introductions.

Top Tip: The grass is greener where it’s watered. Spend 5 minutes today thinking about whom you can give feedback to.

Sign up to our RSS feed at the top right of the page to receive regular articles,  plus details of events and promotions that could help you or your network improve results.