Don't Forget the "Other" Network For Your Top Home Business!

Of course most of us couldn't live without the Internet which has and continues to be an enormous help toward making our home based small businesses successful! We thrive by having access to information about almost everything we need from the world wide web.But the "other" network is also very useful and there are those that think it's even more important than the Internet network. This "other" network I'm talking about is the group of people whom you associate with on a regular basis. It's like-minded people who have top home based businesses like yours, who are striving to be successful with a new and/or seasoned work from home company. It's people who can help catapult you to as well as maintain your success.It is way too easy these days to have a relationship with your computer and not so easy to build a relationship with real people. It's real people who have been where you've been and may be going where you're headed. People who can help open doors for your at home based business, and people who can share with you the many "tricks of the trade".If we do get an opportunity to actually socialize in this meaningful environment, we tend to spend most of our time talking about ourselves, our businesses, what we need, what our products can do, etc.How often do you meet someone and ask them what they do -- then, and this is critical -- really listen to their answer? In today's fast paced society, I think we've lost the art of truly listening.I worked hard to develop the "fine art of small talk" so that I could build my network of associates that could not only help me -- but whom I could help as well.Here are three important conversation rules of making the kind of opening that will trigger others remember you:(1) Ask open ended questions;(2) Truly listen to their answers; and(3) then immediately follow by asking a follow-up open ended question.You know I try to listen at least 2 times more than I talk. I figure God gave me two ears and one mouth, so that must be a pretty strong hint!When I'm with a business associate, I always ask -- what kind of customer are you looking for and what's the best way for me to get them to you? It's not a promise that I will get any -- but if I run into someone that matches the criteria, then wouldn't it be great if I could pass a sale his way?Just in case you didn't know, this kind of abundance mentality where it's a, "I help you, you help me" thing, will come back to you many times over and over with what you put out.So if you want your at home based business to flourish, even if you're just trying to earn extra money from home, remember it truly is "who you know". Cultivate those relationships carefully!