It doesn’t mean that the first person you meet, who builds WordPress sites, will be your strategic partner. You do need to get to know them, like them and trust them first. You should see examples of their work, ask other people what their impressions are and ask for case studies. If need be, look for opportunities where you can see them in action. I have had people attend my training before they felt able to authentically promote it.People have seen me present before asking me to present at their event.
You must be extremely careful to ensure that anybody you work with must have a good reputation. It doesn’t matter if they are just starting out because you might just be starting
out as well but the end result of their work will reflect on your business. That is why I only recommend people that I know, like and trust. I have to know that they are going to do a good job because if I get it wrong, and I have got it wrong in the past, it gives a bad impression of my judgement and my network might be less likely to want to work with me or ask for my recommendations.
“Look for those connectors, look for people who also work with your niche market and see where there could be a connection either now or in the future.”
Investigate who is already in your network, both online and offline contacts. I mentioned in previous sections about building relationships and investing time to have one-to-one meetings or calls with your network. This could be meeting for a coffee or meeting prior to the start of a networking meeting. Never see this as a waste of time, as any which way you invest time in building a relationship will be an invaluable one. Yes, you may state that you need to be in the office to provide your clients with support; however, you must remember that first and foremost you are a business owner and that investing time in your marketing is a must. Your clients should understand that.
If need be, it might be that you ask for a referral from your network, asking for people with particular skills or experience. Be very clear about what you are looking for and why. If you are clear about what you are looking for, the right contact is likely to be connected to you.
