SmallBusinessNewz

It's always kind of funny when someone asks a question and then doesn't stick around to hear a complete response; assuming you're doing the answering, this saves you time.  But the questioner is left clueless, and so it's not wise for anyone to adopt a similarly impatient attitude towards business networking.

Perhaps an example is in order.  Suppose, at trusty old Target, a customer asks about a certain toy.  They turn away after hearing it's out of stock, never learning that a truck is coming, or that another nearby store has plenty.  Talking to other businesses with a focus on immediate gratification is also shortsighted.

Ivan Misner writes, "Looking back over two decades of building an international company, I can clearly see that no one person or company brought something to the table that launched my company to the next level.  Instead, it was the cumulative effect of many people, many strategic alliances and many well-nurtured relationships that over time catapulted my business higher than ever imagined in the early days."

Especially in times like these (the Dow's down over 100 points so far today), then, be willing to network slowly, and hang onto phone numbers and email addresses even if they aren't of any immediate use.  Whatever miniscule amount of Rolodex or hard drive space they take up is well worth a chance at increased future profits.

Who knows?  You might even soon bump into a sort of the-toy's-next-door scenario.