From Business Cards to Business Relationships: Personal Branding and Profitable Networking Made Easy, 2nd Edition

Connectors are powerful relationships, but only if there is a sense of reciprocity. The power is in mutually beneficial business relationships. You may not be able to contribute in the same way or to the same depth. For example, your connectors may already have significant contacts and thus may not be looking to you for access to your less influential network. Therefore, you need to “earn your keep” in some other way such as supporting your connector's favorite charitable cause or offering insights in your area of expertise. Perhaps explaining how social networking works, including them in an adventure they wouldn't normally have, or simply by bringing joy to their lives are options that can all contribute to the goodwill account.

Target Market

Ultimately, this is your list of prospects who need to move into the sales process or perhaps they already are in your revenue funnel. The goal of the sales process is for you to move people into the client, connector, or general categories rather than have them stay as a prospect forever. A name that never becomes a yes or no will drive you crazy and keep you from being profitable. A no is better than an imaginary maybe. Pick up the phone, ask the right questions, and make success happen.

If you've identified someone as being in your target market, there must be a reason. Somehow you must perceive that they have a problem for which you could provide the solution.

There are two types of people in a target market or prospect list: suspects ...