From the on-the-street salesperson to the doctor, from the entrepreneur to the accountant, endless referrals are the cornerstone of business. Without a business based on endless referrals from present customers and clients to everyday contacts, the fate of anyone's business is a nerve-wracking mystery, dependent upon current economic conditions and buying moods.

But a business based on endless referrals brings peace of mind. Endless referrals is going to sleep at night knowing that the chances are good that you'll have new business waiting for you the next day, and the next, and the next for as long as you desire.

Networking: What It Is, and What It Does for You!
I like to define networking as cultivating mutually beneficial, give-and-take, win-win relationships. The end result is to develop a large and diverse group of people who will gladly and continually refer a lot of business to us, while we do the same for them.

We are not dependent on each other; nor are we independent of each other; we are all interdependent with each other.

Each of us has a personal sphere of influence of about 250 people. And so does every new person we meet. All things being equal, people will do business with, and refer business to, those people they know, like, and trust.

It isn't just what you know, and it isn't just who you know.

Business cards are not a big deal. We need them mainly to get the other person's card.

Sphere of Influence
Are you familiar with the term sphere of influence? Sphere of influence is simply the people you know -- people who are somehow, some way a part of your life, directly or even very indirectly.

Your sphere of influence includes everyone from immediate family members to distant relatives: close friends to casual acquaintances, the person who delivers the mail, the plumber, the tailor, the person who cuts your hair -- practically anybody who in some way touches your life and whose life you touch. Those who know how to use the tremendous strength of a network realize this very important fact: "We are not dependent on each other; nor are we independent of each other; we are all interdependent with each other."

The true strength really comes through when we realize that all the people in our network are also part of other people's networks that we ourselves don't personally know. And that, indirectly, makes each of those people part of our network too.

Have you ever heard of Joe Girard? Based out of a Chevrolet dealership in Detroit, Michigan, he was one of the world's most successful car salespeople. Officially, he was actually the most successful car salesperson in the world for 14 years. That's how long he was listed in the Guiness Book of World Records for selling the most cars in the world in a year's time.

In his book "How to Sell Anything to Anybody" Girard explains what he calls Girard's Law of 250. Basically, the law states that each of us has a personal sphere of influence of about 250 people.

Therefore, figure that every time you meet someone new, that person, even that average person, also has about 250 people in his or her sphere of influence. You know that once that person becomes part of your network, another 250 people indirectly become part of your network as well. Cultivate a network of enough new people, and your personal sphere of influence will soar to incredible heights.

This Network Will Increase Our Sales
Internet buyers are different. They are educated, trained, and skeptical. They are backed by consumer protection laws. The adage caveat emptor, "let the buyer beware," is no longer apropos. Probably the biggest difference of all is that Internet buyers are much more relationship-oriented.

"All things being equal, people will do business with, and refer business to, those people they know, like, and trust."

This is absolutely the bronze, silver, golden, and even platinum rule of networking. Let's take this one more step forward. We also want these people to want to see you succeed and want to help you find new business.

You might say we want these people to be your personal walking ambassadors. That goal isn't particularly difficult to accomplish. All you have to do is put a link on your homepage that mentions why you like doing business with the other person. Promote them -- make them important. They, in turn, will provide a reciprocal link back and refer business to you!

It Isn't Just What or Who You Know
Sure, we've all heard the old axiom, "It isn't what you know, it's who you know!" That saying was usually related to us by a crusty old, macho businessman type, while he knowingly put his arm around us, proud of himself for sharing his eternal wisdom.

Of course, what you know is also important. We must be able to provide proper guidance to our prospects, customers, and clients. Also, if we can't provide excellent service after the sale, we can rest assured we won't be doing business with that person ever again. We will also lose out on the business of those in their 250-person sphere of influence.

Let's face facts, though. In today's world of sales and business, often, in order to get the opportunity to do business with someone in the first place, who you know has become vitally important. But that's not all there is to it. Who you meet can be equally important. Exchanging links on the Internet can quickly build a worldwide sphere of influence for you.

What Networking Isn't
Since we've been discussing the basics of what networking is, let's talk a bit about what it isn't. You see, networking really is the buzz word of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Everyone seems to use the word, and yet many people don't really know what it is and isn't. Generally, the term networking is thought to be when a person hands his or her business card to everyone in the world that he or she meets or comes into contact with. The often aggressive shoving of said business card in said contact's face is many times followed by, "Give me a call. I'll cut you a deal," or "If you ever need to buy a whichamahoozee, I'm the one to call."

That is not networking. That is hard-selling, which is the antithesis of networking. For now I want you to forget about business cards. Well, don't forget about them altogether -- they do serve a purpose, albeit a very minor one. In fact, as far as I'm concerned, business cards have three main benefits:

1.You can win a free lunch at a local restaurant by dropping your business card into a fish bowl.

2.You can include your business card with your bill payments or with a tip after your meal.

3.Finally, you can use your business card to get the other person's business card. As far as I'm concerned, this is the one truly legitimate benefit of business cards.

Although I make light of business cards, and totally believe they are not worth much more than the paper stock on which they are printed, when used correctly, they do have some genuine value.

What I'm trying to point out, and even emphasize, is that business cards by themselves are not about to make you, me, or anyone else successful. They are simply an extension of ourselves and what we are doing right.

What you'll discover is that networking involves giving to others and helping them succeed in their lives and careers. When accomplished in a pragmatic and organized fashion, we find that we get back tenfold what we put out, both personally and professionally.