Stefan’s advice is simple: Only network if you have a purpose. Here’s how he explains this in his new book, The Open Innovation Revolution: Essentials, Roadblocks and Leadership Skills (available on amazon.com):
Many people don’t realize that networking is a learnable skill, just like any other business ability. They mistakenly believe that some people are natural-born networkers and others (usually themselves) are not.
We all know what they about first impressions…you only get one chance to make a good one. Make sure yours is a positive impression by having your business cards at the ready at all times.
The reasons business goes south in a hurry are legion and as varied as the types of small businesses out there. But your best defense against all of them is the same: networking and more networking.
Here are some things I’ve learned in the past year and a half that I wish I’d known when I started. I hope they help other newbies like my friend move up the Twitter learning curve faster than I did.
Author Jeanne Yocum, creator of SucceedinginSmallBusiness.com, has written an insightful guide to help you succeed at self-employment. Learn more about The Self-Employment Survival Guide: Proven Strategies to Succeed as Your Own Boss and download the first chapter for free.
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