The textile industry is nothing but a memory in Danville, Virginia. Dan River Inc., once an icon and at one time employed 15,000 workers is slowly being dismantled.

After being in business for nearly 126 years, the company filed for bankruptcy protection in March 2004, but gained ground in 2005 after paying off some of its debts.

On a dreadful day in January 2006, Indian Textile Giant GHCL purchased Dan River Inc. for $93 million. Hundreds of workers lost their jobs, but the community lost a century of tradition that will never be replaced.

People from all over the region raised their family by working long, hard days and nights at the mill. Some were guaranteed a job as soon as they completed high school, because a family member worked there.

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The Schoolfield Mill sits on 93 acres of land where each building is now being salvaged for its material. Soon, all that’s going to be left is a vacant lot. A once vibrant part of our culture will disappear right before our eyes.

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While satisfied customers may be your best sales force, that doesn’t mean they’re the only sales force. There are lots of other people out there who can send business your way if you make the effort to network with them and make it worth their while.

The concept of networking and word-of-mouth marketing is a very hot topic in business today for one simple reason: So many people are starting small businesses that need to find other businesses they can work with for mutual benefit. That’s why you will find no shortage of business,

professional or service organizations through which you can meet other people. The key is to pick them wisely, choose only one for a few organizations that will be good for business networking and ignore the rest. Otherwise you’ll be spending all your time meeting and socializing and not working. Marketing without producing is another surefire formula for bankruptcy.

How do you decide whether or not to join an organization or go to its social functions? Let’s ask another question “Am I likely to meet people there who will buy from me or refer customers to me?” If the answer is no, don’t go unless you have some other reason for going.

The world is full of professional joiners who never met an organization they didn’t like. They go to all the meetings. They hold offices and serve on committees and boards, and since they do all that free work, the organizations love them. Nothing wrong with that. It’s just that when you run a solo business you can’t delegate your work to others while you go out and play social butterfly. Your networking time needs to be marketing time. This means putting yourself in front of customers or people who will send customers your way. With that in mind here are six guidelines for networking with others mutual gain.

#1. Look for businesses that complement yours to network with. for example, put a tax accountant, financial planner, estate planning attorney, stockbroker and insurance agent together and you have five people who can refer customers to each other endlessly. Similarly, a wedding photographer would find it profitable to network with caterers, jewelers, bridal consultants, florists, churches, synagogues and reception halls. When a customer buys from you, what other products and services is he/she likely to want or need? Those are the type of businesses that would be excellent ones for you to network with.

#2. Competitors can also be an excellent networking opportunity. Just because you go head to head with other businesses doesn’t mean that you can’t work together sometimes for mutual gain. Have you ever noticed how one airline will book you on another carrier if it doesn’t have a flight to

the destination or at the time you want? Airlines have an agreement whereby they book business for each other in return for compensation. You may find it useful to work out such an agreement with some of your competitors. Or you may have an informal agreement whereby you refer one of your

competitors to customers for no pay. I frequently refer other speakers to potential clients if I can’t do a date or provide the kind of service at the price the client wants. Other speakers do the same for me as well.

#3. Before going to a networking function, prepare in advance. Bring plenty of business cards. If you want to be remembered, have your picture printed on your business cards and do something with your name tags that will attract attention. Also before going compose and memorize a brief

memorable statement and unique sales proposition when writing the description. For example – if I were going to a networking function my description would be “I like to work smarter through my books, CDs and seminars. My latest work is focused on teaching people how to become financially independent working in a one person business. I know first hand that it can be done and I want others to profit from what I have learned.”

#4. Once you get to the meeting make good use of your time. Arrive early and leave late. That way you’ll meet more people. Don’t stand around and wait for others to come to you. Act like a gracious host. Go up and introduce yourself to others. Find out what they sell and what type of people

they want to connect with. If that’s not you, do you know others who might be of some help to them? If so, pass their names along. Encourage others to tell you about their businesses and you will be remembered as a brilliant conversationalist. If you know someone who might be a potential customer for them, pass the information along.

After you learn about their work, be sure to deliver the short message about your business to everyone you meet. Exchange business cards and write anything you need to remember about them on the back of their cards. Don’t be abrupt, but try not to spend more then 10 minutes with any person. Remember you are there to market your business and to help others. The more people you meet the more chances of forming a few good profitable relationships.

#5. Be sure to ask for leads and referrals. That’s why you’re there. After describing your business to someone ask “who do you know – who?” and describe your typical customer. It might be that person or you remind him/her of some one who could be your next big customer. As you get leads, write them down and follow up fast as possible.

#6. Always remember the Great Law of Life: (What goes around comes around.) If you want to get referrals you need to give referrals. Reciprocity is the basis for all good relationships and it’s especially true in business. When someone sends a customer to you, acknowledge it with at least a thank you note. A small gift is even better and sending him/her a customer is better yet. Keep in touch with those you network with. If you see an article or item of interest to them clip it out, fax or email it to them.

Finally, When you refer a customer to a business make sure it’s a quality business. If The customer gets poor treatment, it’s going to reflect poorly on you.

If you’re operating any kind of online business, then you’re one of the 90% who have problems getting qualified subscribers to your email list. Whether it’s an ezine, newsletter, or report, the following techniques can help you attract more subscribers.

First, you’ll want to make your website attractive, functional with content that is an attention gabber. With 5 billion web pages to search through, a web site visitor landing on your site is something you shouldn’t take for granted.

How can you expect your visitor to return tomorrow, or next week? If you do not have a sign-up form on your site now, you are throwing away your greatest marketing opportunity. This is the most important marketing tool you can have to build your own database of eager prospects. But, placing the opt-in form on your home page is not the answer. Make it part of your entire site. Build navigation tools that will guide your visitor to fill out your form.

Today’s task of getting people to fill out an email form is like pulling teeth from a Bear’s mouth. However, when you give web users more options to subscribe, they experience greater wonders.

This technique may require a little programming on your part, but it’s well worth the effort. Put your subscription box on other web sites. Look around and find a site that will complement yours. Contact a friend that his/her “niche” is the same as yours. Call or email them and ask if they would be willing to exchange subscription form space with you.

This works best when you ask your partner to put your sign-up form on their site in exchange you putting theirs on your site. Make sure the page on their site is available for the space, because this will require space (depending on the size) to accomplish this. Placing your opt-in form can be done on the left, on the right, or in the middle of any page as long as your partner agrees to it. The same will apply to you when placing their opt-in form on your page.

If you are not familiar with the programming, which is required, ask a webmaster you know to build one that will fit your partner’s page. By doing such an exchange puts your subscribe box in front of people who ordinarily doesn’t visit sites like yours, and definitely grabs their attention to want to subscribe.

This method works extremely well. It will also depend on the site your subscription box is located on. More traffic means more potential subscribers. If you were having trouble getting more subscribers, this proven method will open another door for additional sign-ups.

If you’re starting out to build your email list, you might consider teaming up with other email marketers. There are hundreds, even thousands out there who already own a email database. Contact them to see if your newsletter or ezine can complement theirs. Check and see if they offer ad space of any kind and negotiate a deal for a simple ad exchange. It never hurts to request ad swaps, article inclusions, or even banners.

Viral marketing practices can make a huge impact to your sign-ups. If you only have a small amount of people you send email to, include a forward to a friend link in each message along with a sign-up link for new readers. In the past, you’ve more than likely received a newsletter or promotion from a friend – right? You read it over and want to subscribe, but discover there’s no sign-up link.

Always include your sign-up offer at the bottom of your everyday email. Make sure you have a link to your sign-up form in order to keep the momentum going. Always remember, your email may get forwarded to someone else, so it’s wise to promote your sign-up offer at all times.

If you operate a newsletter or ezine, make every effort to get listed in directories, search engines, and social bookmark sites.

Building your list using offline methods are no different than online, except when it requires a little more ingenuity. You will want to make it a part of your brand identity for starters. Every piece of paper that leaves your office should have a link to your site and/or your email subscription information.

Post your subscription information in your lobby or reception area, at your front desk, or self-standing signs with carry out cards. Place a basket full of business cards next to it, and better yet, let people sign-up right there on the spot. You may even want to include a computer that’s already logged onto your web page sign-up form. The same applies to trade show booths. If you rent a lead retrieval machine from the show vendor, be sure to customize it so you can capture email and permission information.

If you sell in-store items, ask your customers if they would like to receive email notifications from you. When you ring up a purchase, simply let them know what they will be getting and how often. You’ll be amazed how many might say – YES!

Create special business cards with your email subscription information. Like any event, pass out the cards, get to know people you meet. Even if you don’t sponsor any exhibits or have a trade show booth, talk with them face to face and let them know you have valuable information to share.

Promote after the sale. Let’s say your customer didn’t want to get on your email form when given the chance at checkout. They still go home with printed packaging of some form, whether it’s a shopping bag, gift-wrap, or the product packaging itself. Promote a subscription there, too, because (1) they might change their mind and (2) if they’re giving it to someone else, you’ve gained another opportunity.

Send a post card to a rented, permission based list of people. It doesn’t have to be fancy with bright colors. Sometimes that is all it takes to get people on your list. Let them know about your offer and they can start receiving it by email. If you have trouble finding a list, look in the yellow pages in your phone book to find potential subscribers.

Did you know that placing an ad can be as difficult as renting an email database? I’m not talking about placing an ad in Times Magazine. Your local newspaper, your neighborhood newsletter, your Laundromat’s bulletin board. start looking into promoting your offer in everything you read and everywhere you go. The point is – be innovative about your promotion.

When using the telephone, ask everyone who calls if they would like to sign-up to receive further information from you. You will be surprised to find what their response is when they are told what you have to offer. If they call you first, then you have the right to inform them of your sign-up offers.

Use an existing contact database you already have. You probably have one, you just don’t know it. Dig deep into your address book or database to find anyone you ever had a relationship with – anyone who ever bought from you For example; send them a one-time mailing (via email or mail, use whatever contact information you have) explaining that you are starting a newsletter or periodic emailing and ask if they’d like to sign up. Assure them that this is a one-time mailing, and then keep mailing only if they give you permission.

You will want to make sure your email list contains well-targeted, opt-in, permission-based, low bounce/low unsubscribe names. Only use an opt-in or double opt-in subscription method. Double opt-ins are made of the highest quality, since you are guaranteed direct permission from the subscriber and a valid email address.

In conclusion, and most importantly, you will want to offer your subscribers value and relevancy in exchange for their contact information. Tell people up front what they are going to receive. In fact, when you do this, only the interested ones will end up in your database.

The key to successfully building a high quality, opt-in, Permission based email contact list is to realize it’s a continual process. Don’t expect 20,000 names to appear from your opt-in form overnight. But the sooner you start, the sooner you can start building rewarding relationships for years to come.