Net-working At The Happiest Place In The World
By Tyler Harwood

For those of you who do not know the “NET” in BizNet Online does not stand for a computer network, but for Business Networking.  As in developing leads, relationships, and customers.

Part of the BizNet networking philosophy is that you can “Network” anywhere.  And in this case it even includes a trip to the Magic Kingdom of Disneyland.

Now if you are thinking, come-on, I’m on vacation!  I’m with my family.  I don’t want to talk shop!  Well if that is how you feel about networking, then you don’t understand what networking is all about.  Networking when it is done right is not about selling, or closing the deal.  It is about building relationships.  Remember getting customers is not a hunting activity.  It is a farming activity.  You didn’t hunt down your customers and “bag” the deal.  If you take that attitude you can forget about repeat business.  But if you are a “farmer” and plant the seeds of a relationship, and then nurture it.  Cultivating it.  Giving it attention, then only when the time is right you harvest the crop.  You will get continuing business.

Networking done right, can be done anywhere.  In this case even Disneyland. Remember we said “done right”.  Because done wrong, your just a pain in the butt sales person.  And dealing with a salesperson on vacation is a real pain!  Doing it right is about building friendships, and folks tend to be friendly when they are having fun.  And come on, who’s not having fun at Disneyland!

Now at Disneyland, what is the one thing everyone does?  Why we all stand in line!  So with every fun ride comes the opportunity to meet at least two new folks.  The one in front of you, and the one behind you.  So make the time in line more fun.  Talk to the folks around you.  Where are they from?  What rides have they gone on?  And as you talk, you will learn things about the folks around you.  As they talk about themselves, you may find a business connection can be made!  You may also find that nope, no connection there, but you had fun talking, and the line seemed to move faster.  And if your time to get on the ride got there before the conversation was done, no big deal.  You may just see them later in the day.

Now I did this very thing on a trip to Disneyland with the kids.  To say we had a great time would be an understatement.  I was amazed at the incredibly “new” fireworks show they came up with.  Let me tell you, if you have seen the fireworks show at Disneyland in years past… Well the new one will blow you away.  It is reason enough to go to the park.  In this case the one in Anaheim, Ca.

It was a lot of fun telling my kids about the rides that they were going on, I had been on when I was their age.

In “ToonTown” most parents find a place to sit and relax and watch their kids have an incredibly fun time enjoying all that great silly fun “ToonTown” stuff.  And what do folks do when they are sitting around?  They talk. And once again, you have a possibility to Network.

So remember wherever you are, if you do Business Networking right, it can be done anywhere because it is not about bagging a customer, it is about building a relationship, and that takes talking to the people around you.



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Last modified: October 26, 2010