Welcome to Rob Brown Council!

After delivering three seminars this week on Referral Marketing to some terrific people in the East Midlands, one thing is clear:

Even great networkers don't have a networking strategy!

Let me give you some context. People network for a number of reasons. Here's a few that great door-opener Simon Bozeat, founder of the Midlands-based Bozeat Business Clubs, gives for networking:

"New sales opportunities, make money, save money, source local suppliers, build a stronger local presence, PR, personal development and just to hang around some great people!"

Whatever your motivation, you've got to have a plan to wrap your good intentions around. For pretty much everyone, there's an element of business development in mind. Indeed, my definition of networking is attending business-related events to fulfil your commercial objectives.

Yet it's unlikely you'll find your next best client or customer directly through networking. It's more likely you'll be referred to them through somebody you met networking. Craig Bunday, who runs the brilliant Leicester Business Club, offers an induction to his members to help them identify what they would like to achieve from membership and how they can get the most out of The Club. Now that's the beginnings of a strategy!

Charles Walker is founder of the 500 Clubs, based in Derby and Leicester. Charles is most prolific referral giver I know, and has passed over £200,000 of referral business to his contacts personally in the last month! He runs focus groups within his clubs to develop referral partnerships. His aim is to generate £1m of business for his members in the next year. Knowing Charles, he'll have that done by Christmas!

Over the next few weeks I'll be talking more about your networking strategy in a series of referral marketing seminars I'm running for the Referral Institute East Midlands. If you really want to know how to double your business by referral and generate a load more referrals from your networking, reserve your place here>>