Step 4 - Developing Desire - " The Heart of Networking"

From the book, by Dan Williams

'Tales From The Networking Community'

"Networking, Like Life, is a Process not an Event"

(chapter 29)

Now Available on Amazon.com

People justify that you are trustworthy in their “heads” but ultimately the decision to refer you business comes from their “hearts.”

The motivation that comes with Desire (Step 4) can only be generated after successfully moving though the first three stages of Awareness (Step 1), Interest (Step 2), and Trust (Step 3).

According to the physiologists, we develop the desire to do business with others by experiencing the following traits and characteristics in them (spelled out with the acronym CLASS-R):

C onsistency
L ikeability
A uthority
S ocial status
S carcity

Last but not least is Reciprocity, which is all about putting your desires aside and helping your fellow networker with their desires. Why does helping others bring about reciprocity?

We all have survival skills. Our first survival skill is taking care of ourselves. If you can put that on the back burner and worry about someone else – figure out how you can help them - you won’t ever have to worry about creating your own financial security and independence. They will do it for you.

It sounds good, like motherhood and apple pie. But why does it work?

Here’s why. When someone buys you lunch, you feel obliged[VJH2] to do so as well. . When a doorman opens a door and takes your luggage to your room even though you didn’t want him to, you feel obligated to pay him a tip.

This is the key to networking. When you go out and unselfishly help others with their business, they are going to be left with a strong feeling of desire to repay the favor.

The desire step can best be summed up with the quote, “They don't care how much you know until they know how much you care."