Andy Lopata Articles

When, if ever, is it time to quit building a relationship with a potential referral source? - Click To Read Article
I was recently asked this question on Twitter. It's a very interesting question. Referrals come from people with whom you have built relationships over a period of time. In some cases the relationships may take years to develop. So how do you know when to focus your efforts elsewhere?

Do you feel lucky? - Click To Read Article
Luck has come up a lot in conversation in the last week or so. How much of our business success do we put down to good fortune and to what extent are we able to create our own luck?

CONNECTING IS NOT ENOUGH: Busting the Myth - Click To Read Article
This article originally appeared in The National Networker It’s time to shatter a few illusions now. I’m sorry but networking groups do not produce referrals. That may disappoint a few people who have spent a lot of time and money joining groups in the hope of generating new business. Hours spent at breakfast meetings, lunches and chatting over canapés when you could have been watching The Apprentice…..all wasted.

CONNECTING IS NOT ENOUGH: When Week is Strong - Click To Read Article
This article originally appeared in The National Networker How often do you interact personally with your customers? Whether it’s working directly with them, speaking to them on the phone, visiting their offices. If you’re not in regular direct contact there’s a good chance it’s impacting on your ability to either upsell to them or to inspire them to refer you.

CONNECTING IS NOT ENOUGH: The Anatomy of a Referral (Part One) - Click To Read Article
This article originally appeared in The National Networker Growing a business without developing a flow of good quality referrals can be tough. Yet so many companies try to do so.

Yes We Can! The networking lessons businesses can learn from Barack Obama's successful election campaigns - Click To Read Article
Barack Obama's victories in both the Democratic Primaries and the Presidential election went against the predictions of many of the pundits. It's been widely discussed how Obama used social networks to an extent not previously seen. But how did networking in general contribute to his unexpected success?

UK Business Network Celebrates 10th Anniversary - Click To Read Article
Reproduced with the kind permission of nationalnetworker.com Ecademy, the online UK business network, recently celebrated their tenth anniversary. Andy Lopata looks at the last ten years and the future of online networks.

The Village Effect - Networking in Wales - Click To Read Article
This article originally appeared in The National Networker. Andy Lopata looks at networking groups in Wales and the importance of relationship building to break down borders.

The Recognition of Relevance - Click To Read Article
How well do you know the people around you? Who do they know who you could connect with or would benefit from introductions you can make? The key to successful networking lies in recognising opportunities to connect other people. But to achieve this, sometimes we have to change our natural interactions.

The Scene is Set - Click To Read Article
Business Scene has set itself the task of becoming 'The Ticketmaster of Business Events'. Andy Lopata looks at the growth of a network of networks This article originally appeared in The National Networker

The Importance of Networking in a Recession - Click To Read Article
We may be facing tough times, with businesses going to the wall, budgets being slashed and thousands of jobs being lost. There are things we can do, however, to give ourselves the best chance of surviving, and even thriving in this crisis. The ‘dog-eat-dog’ world of business painted by TV programmes such as The Apprentice is not necessarily the way forward in business today. Instead businesses are more likely to achieve positive results through collaboration. Sharing experiences, expertise, ideas and contacts is essential to business success. In short, networking is vital. It helps businesses become better known, better equipped and achieve better market penetration than they could manage on their own. So, how can networking help you get the edge you need to succeed and overcome the current recession?

Ten Reasons Businesses Fail to Make Business Networking Work for Them - Click To Read Article
With the New Year fast approaching, I thought it would be a good time to reflect on what you might be doing to stop yourself making the most of your business networking. Have a look through this list and ask yourself where you are falling down. Perhaps that will give you some food for thought as you consider your new year's resolutions on January 1st.

The Conference Commando - Click To Read Article
Do you attend business conferences? How much planning do you do beforehand? Where is the value in the conference for you. Andy Lopata looks at a recent event he attended and how he made it the most rewarding conference of his career.

SOCIALLY CHALLENGED? - Business and the Social Networking Revolution - Click To Read Article
Far from the days of the old school tie and unusual handshakes, the last decade has seen an unparalleled rise in business networking. Many of the traditional networks, such as the IoD, Chambers of Commerce and Rotary have had to rise to the challenges posed by a host of groups, both international and local. Opportunities abound, ranging from breakfast meetings, through lunch and into dinner. There have even been twenty-four hour charity ‘networkathons’, so you don’t even have to go home for want of an event to go to! There’s a new kid on the block now, however, and he’s making a big impact very quickly. Over the last ten years there has been a slow but steady growth in the number of networking organisations appearing on the internet.

'Playing the Game' or 'Politics'. How do women approach networking in a large company? - Click To Read Article
Is it a manipulative game, using people for one's own ends? Or simply a key part of building a career, of particular importance for a woman in a male-dominated world? Andy Lopata looks at the importance of networking for women in corporate life.

Making an Exhibition of Yourself - Getting the most from business and trade shows - Click To Read Article
From 'Grow your own Business' to 'The Franchise Show'; from 'Ideal Business Show' to 'E Commerce 08', there are a wealth of business exhibitions to choose from. I recently attended the Business StartUp Show in London and its success was clear to see. The exhibition hall was buzzing all day, some of the bigger stands had swarms of people around them and queues for the business seminars snaked around the hall. Among all of the activity there were some wonderful examples of how to, and how not to, network at an exhibition. Events like this are, naturally, great ground for networking. Whether you are an exhibitor or a visitor, it's an opportunity to grasp with both hands. Here are some of my top tips for networking, both as a visitor to a business exhibition, and as an exhibitor based on what I observed on the day:

Like a Rolling Stone - Andy Lopata interviews London's Queen of Networking - Click To Read Article
This article is reproduced with the kind permission of The National Networker - http://www.thenationalnetworker.com Carole Stone is a former BBC Producer who boasts over 33,000 names on her database. How does she keep in touch with them all and what do you have to do to get to the top of her list? Andy Lopata met Carole to find out.

Fashion, Rebels and Angels - Click To Read Article
This article originally appeared in The National Networker - www.thenationalnetworker.com Andy Lopata looks at the growth of niche social networks and wonders whether the online networking map is shifting

Executive Networking - Click To Read Article
This article originally appeared in http://www.thenationalnetworker.com Networking isn't just for small companies or for sales executives. In the US and in the UK Chief Executives and senior directors are getting together to discuss their challenges and issues, and to give each other support. Andy Lopata looks at how CEO and Leadership Networks are having an impact in the UK.

Does Networking Really Work? - Click To Read Article
"Networking" is the word on everybody's lips, yet for many it is still a dirty word. Is it all just hype and bluster, or does business networking really work?

"Do you Come Here Often?" The ten best (and worst) ways to start a networking conversation - Click To Read Article
Following a recent comment on my blog, I promised to suggest some good icebreakers to start conversations at networking events. Rather than just share my own thoughts, I thought I would poll a few of you and find out how you go about it. I asked the question on Twitter, on my Facebook page and through my newsletter. Thank you for all of the responses, with a diverse and interesting range of approaches and stories being sent in.

Connecting Business - The Growth of Networking - Click To Read Article
More and more people are leaving corporate life to set up in business on their own. With the growing number of small businesses setting up, networking is becoming more and more vital. Are you grasping the opportunity with both hands?

Corporate Connectivity – A Social Networking Revolution - Click To Read Article
An interview with Jeff Schick, VP Social Computing Software, IBM Corp.

Connections that Count – Making Networking Events Pay Their Way - Click To Read Article
Networking is booming at the moment with more organisations being formed every week. Many of us, however, attend networking events because someone says it is a good idea or we hope that we will meet someone of interest. Beyond that, few people have a clear vision of what success will look like for them.

CONNECTING IS NOT ENOUGH: The Need for a Strategic Approach to Networking - Click To Read Article
The first of a regular article based on the premise, Connecting is Not Enough. Looking at why and how to develop a networking strategy for businesses to thrive.

CONNECTING IS NOT ENOUGH: Will you be my Friend? - Click To Read Article
Have you experienced that strange sensation recently? A feeling of importance, of celebrity, of previously unmatched popularity. It’s the feeling that the lucky kids at school all understood but that the rest of us could only dream of. All of a sudden everyone wants to be your friend. From Facebook to LinkedIn, from Plaxo to Fastpitch and from Xing to Friendster, people are asking to be friends. And they’re not just people we know, have met or who share mutual friends. They are people from all over the World, with varied backgrounds and different interests. Yet they all want to be our friends and share in our lives.

CONNECTING IS NOT ENOUGH: It’s a Question of Trust - Click To Read Article
It wasn’t what he expected to hear, that’s for sure! I was half way through a 1-2-1 with a new networking connection when I surprised him. “I don’t trust you�, I said.

CONNECTING IS NOT ENOUGH: The Networking Journey……How networking has changed and where it is heading - Click To Read Article
May saw me celebrate a ten-year anniversary. On 11th May 1999 I started work for Business Referral Exchange, then a new networking organisation founded six months previously and with just four groups running in London, Hertfordshire and Essex. At the time networking as a formal activity was little known in the UK, with a few independent groups supplementing the networking offered by Chambers of Commerce and community groups such as Rotary. How times have changed! Networking is now a key activity for millions of small business owners across the World and, with the rise of social online networks, is being recognised as a key skill for everyone, from jobseekers to global corporates.

CONNECTING IS NOT ENOUGH: The Top Ten Ways to Ensure Your Networks are More Effective and Produce Results - Click To Read Article
Last month I wrote in my blog about a friend of mine who struggles to get any return from his networking despite always being generous with his time, his contacts and his support. I got a lot of feedback on the piece, with many people either recognizing themselves, or people they know well, in the description of my friend. So why do so many people struggle to attain a real return from their networking? There are a host of possible reasons but I thought this might be a good time to share some ways in which you can get more of a return from your networking.

Caught in the Web - Is Business Embracing Social Media? - Click To Read Article
The second of three articles based on an interview with Jeff Schick, VP social computing software, IBM Corp. In this article, we explore how businesses are using social media more and more.

Becoming a 'FIT' Networker - Click To Read Article
Do you have a strategy to develop referrals for your business? Or do you just leave it to your customers to refer you if happy? Most businesses will admit that referrals and recommendations are their most effective source of new leads, but most do anything proactive about it. Business Networking Strategist Andy Lopata looks at how you can be more proactive about generating new leads through your existing network.

An Enterprising Initiative - Click To Read Article
National Enterprise Week becomes Global Entrepreneurship Week as the UK's scheme to encourage enterprising youngsters takes hold around the world

2008 - Was this the dawn of a new age of networking? - Click To Read Article
This article was originally published in The National Networker Has this been the year networking has grown up in the UK? There certainly seem to have been more changes in the last 12 months than any comparable period in the last decade.


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