4. Leverage existing relationships. Most people know at least 200 people. Do the math: If you know 200 people and they each know 200 people, that's 40,000 potential contacts! Spend time developing relationships with the people you already know-clients, colleagues, people you meet through professional networking organizations, friends, and even family. It's like the Breck Shampoo commercial, okay I am dating myself, one person tells two friends, and they tell two friends, etc.
Start by making a list of all the people you know. Next, prioritize your list into As, Bs, and Cs. A's are your advocates. These are the people who feel strongly about you. They're the "cheerleaders" who would refer business to you right now. B's could become advocates if they knew more about you, so you need to spend time with them to educate them. C's are those people you don't communicate with often enough. You may keep them in the loop, but they need more time and nurturing before they'd refer any business your way. If any names remain, delete them.
Keys to success: Educate, don't sell. The key here is to build relationships. These develop over time as you create credibility and trust. To be truly useful, you must always be on the lookout to help your network. Start from the perspective of giving more than you ask, and your network will become your most valuable marketing tool. As they say in networking communities, "Givers Gain."