Business associates often jokingly tell me, “I have never met anyone who networks as often and as focused as you, Gordie Allen.”   Folks, that’s a badge of honor I am proud to wear.

Intelligent, purposeful networking is the catalyst which powers my business. In prosperous and now in hard times, I credit my two nurturing networks as my secret weapons!

First, my online network of 12 loyal, rabid, referral-givers. We depend on each other to openly share, frequently in addition to our weekly scheduled 1 hour online Group Discussion. Our individual payoffs have been huge.

Second, my 2 major face-time networks in Central Florida: BNI’s Central Floida Region of 30 robust chapters including Referral Masters, my home chapter; and CEO Peer Groups facilitated by 4 Vistage International (TEC, before Feb 2009) Chair Persons.

Today, I’ll discuss my online network I aptly describe as loyal and rabid. Certainly, strong but applicable words. How did WE become this way? Slowly, over seven months. Guarded, at first until the currency of trust and mutual respect melted our individual reservations.

Admittedly, I was the impatient one! Until the calmness and sanity of my wife intervened to remind me we were all coming to the table with different networking histories. Even though we were all active BNI members in chapters within our diverse, local communities. It took seven months before we melded together for openly sharing serious, timely referrals which gave us easier, ethical access to decision-makers. 

Unselfish Reciprocity was and still is the key. Not every business consultant, I met online or in-person at another BNI Chapter in my Central Florida Region; at other local face-time business functions was ready to make this degree of commitment. Some promised and didn’t deliver. Terminating these few was as easy as deleting their e-mail addresses. 

Like the Marines, we were seeking a few good b2b consultants. Just 11 other professionals who got it and realized the exponential ROI of an exceptional, closely-bonded online referral network. Quality not Quantity was and still is the critical variable. 

We share these 5 traits:

1.  An understanding of each other’s best referral types, industries, and contact-levels.

2.  Conversational Comfort with each other’s elevator speeches.

3.  Confident Advocate-Level Communicators. 

4.  Openly Sharing Referrals when hot, NOT when one is given.

5.  Valued Online Respect, weekly, to stay informed!   

For now, 12 is our magic number. It permits us each to manage our online and face-time consulting practices and to stay in touch with like-minded and committed professionals. By concidence, we are fellow members of BNI; geographically dispersed from Orlando to Portland; former or current ToastMasters International members; and, all self-employed b2b consultants for at least 6 years.

While age nor gender have any bearing, most are males over 50, with me being the only 65 year old affectionately, known as “Old Dog”.

Certainly, I’d like to hear from you about your online and/or face-time networks, so feel free to share.