Things have been a little quiet around here lately.  What have you all been up to?  Tell us about your latest networking event that you attended - online or offline - meet any new exciting or interesting people? How about some new JV partners?

Netweaving is really a lot of fun and it is the latest, best way to utilize your network.  You can position yourself as a Resource, a go-to person, if you will, one that has a massive contact list and knows just the right people for the right situation and is willing to share that information with others.

You could also position yourself as a Connector, one who helps others by introducing them to key people that may be needed to help develop their business to the next level, or may simply have a need for their services or products.

By helping someone else, focusing on others, your networking efforts are laser-sharpened and people will respond.  By doing these activities without the thought of what's in it for me (WIIFM) or without any anticipated immediate personal payback you are truly netweaving!  You may never be able to attribute a growth in your business from one particular person or event, but you WILL benefit by paying it forward.  I'd love to see you all concentrate on doing that, see what the results are - I know you will be absolutely amazed!  Givers do gain - sometimes the gain is a whole lot more than financial wealth.

A great example of netweaving is exactly what we are doing in our Skype Room network. When someone is having a problem with their blog, Squidoo lens, or website, and need advice on how to fix or solve their problem, they turn to one of us.  We are here to help one another!  Do we expect to be financially paid for our help - no, we don't.  We simply help one another and by helping one another, we all grow.  There are exceptions to this when two people contract with each other to work together and that's perfectly okay - there's nothing saying that services and/or products cannot be paid for - we are running businesses!  But the paying it forward opportunity excels right here, in this network.   I hope you are all aware of the rich contacts you have made here and will continue to help one another - together we will all grow and be wildly successful!

If you're interested in joining our Skype Room Connections, click here.  You do need to have Skype installed on  your computer (it's a free service, you are able to talk computer to computer anywhere in the world, free!) and please be sure to develop your profile on Skype!  As a community, there is a lot of great information that is shared with others and we would love to have you participate too!   We also welcome your comments and your help in generating conversations!

So now tell me - who have you connected with lately?  Have you helped someone grow their business by connecting them with someone in your network or have you helped them solve some sort of problem with their business?  If you are looking for some help for yourself or your business, the easiest way to ask is to start with "who do YOU know WHO . . ." and netweaving begins!  Keep it moving forward and help someone else - share your knowledge, time or talents!  When you are able to help someone else, and they insist on paying for your help, simply ask them to go out and find two (2) other people that they can help in some way.  By giving them the opportunity to help someone else, you are providing them a rich opportunity to grow - giving them the opportunity to wear the "Netweaver's Glow!"

I invite you to join in the conversation here, post your comments and let us get to know more about you!  I'm always available to serve you just let me know.  I'm looking forward to learning more about you and your business!  Make it an awesome day - help someone do something, meet someone, or simply share a business-building tip - you'll be glad you did!

Carol Deckert - Netweaving Expert

Carol Deckert is a Networking Coach and the Netweaving Expert for Group Mastery.  She's the founder of Referrals Unlimited Network, has more than 6,700 first-level connections in LinkedIn and approximately 1,800 “friends” on Facebook and more than 3,000 followers on Twitter!  Carol knows you do need the numbers before you can accumulate quality connections, because not every connection will be a good one for you. Through her netweaving work, she helps others learn to do what she did, save them lots of time and heartache, by teaching them how to network efficiently and effectively.   Contact Carol on Skype: deckert1116

I heard a definition of an expert several years ago that still has powerful meaning today: An expert is a person who applies the lessons learned from the many, many mistakes he/she has made in a particular area. In other words, through the process of trial and error, education, training, experience and more - an expert has achieved a certain level of mastery. I just love that!

The Group Mastery Experts are truly experts who have achieved mastery in focused areas of business.  Each of these outstanding professionals are well-equipped to lend their expertise to support our community of learners:

• Regina Baker - Ecommerce Solutions (Shopping Cart, Online Marketing)
• Leesa Barnes - Social Media Marketing
• Kristen Beireis - Marketing Implementation
• Lou Bortone - Online Video Production (DIY Tech Talk)
• Shannon Cherry - Publicity/Media
• Carol Deckert - Netweaving
• Charly Leetham - Blog Customization (DIY Tech Talk)
• Joselin Mane - Internet Strategy (DIY Tech Talk)
• Allison Nazarian - Copywriting
• Kathie Thomas - Blogging

Via the 90 Minute Mastery Webinar program, the monthly marketing mastermind calls, DIY Tech Talks, technology sessions, blog posts, TV and special community events, the Group Mastery Experts help our group coaches learn easy, fun and profitable ways to create, market and deliver a successful group coaching program.  Now, that's REAL learning!!

Carol Deckert, Netweaving Expert

My name is Carol Deckert, and I’m pleased to be the Group Mastery Expert in Netweaving and Networking.    My plans are to help Group Mastery learners build high-quality, long-lasting business relationships to strengthen and build their business.  My knowledge comes from real-life experience, the school of “hard knocks” if you will, from learning by doing, making mistakes and fine-tuning my skills.  At this writing, I'm connected to more than 6,700 people on LinkedIn; almost 1,300 Facebook friends, more than 1,800 followers on Twitter and 10,000+ contacts in my Outlook address book.  My passion is in developing relationships and teaching others to do the same.  Can you tell?   More about Me

Relationship building takes time and is not something that happens over night. You need to nurture your relationships so your network is long lasting. If you try to leverage relationships right after you meet people, then you will most likely not be successful because you have not built trust, friendship, and credibility.

You won’t be offered “cookie-cutter” solutions, but you will learn to build a network that is customized to your personality and your business.

Netweaving is actually a two-step process:

(1) you can be a Connector where you put two people together that can help one another, without any immediate expectation of payback to you and/or

(2) you could be a Resource - the one who others can come to when they need some type of help - the "go-to" person or the person with great connections.

Netweaving is the latest step in networking and it is based on "Paying it Forward" - having no expectations of an immediate return to you.  “Netweavers” realize that good comes back to them in many undisguised ways.

The difference between networking and netweaving is that in networking, you are looking to receive business for yourself - in netweaving, you are looking to find business for others - paying it forward will usually result in a tremendous payoff for you, at a time when it is least expected!

We will work together, in seminars and group forum discussions to help you develop your networking plan, a critical piece of your marketing plan to move your business forward.