Video:Small Business Networking Tips

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Transcript:Small Business Networking Tips

Amateur fighter, three-time Golden Glove Champion, retired undefeated professional fighter, trained several world champions, the number one personal boxing trainer in the world, my name is Terry Claybon with LB 4LB Boxing Gym and I'm here with About.com.

I worked at several gyms, and had some really big clients: Denzel Washington, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Tyra Banks, the list goes on and on, and I was bringing those types of clients into another person's business, and I felt I could do better if I opened up my own business. And the reason I wanted my own gym is because I can go as far as I wanted with my mind, and I wanted to go ahead and pursue those different ideals.

Word of Mouth Networking

The number one way of networking is word of mouth. Once a person goes in your door, that means they're pursuing to see what type of business you have, so it's very, very important to make sure you have something to offer that's a little bit different than the other clubs. I see new people every day, and what gets people talking about it is it's different, and it's something that I designed. I want everything to be my responsibility to bring in the type of clientele, my responsibility to bring in people, and my energy and the way I think to be the right type of way expand and spread the word about LB 4 LB.

Methods of Networking

It starts with one. That one is so important, because that one turns into two. Next thing you know you've got three, and you have to create a following. Each and every person that walks through your door is so, so important. You have to go out, you have to hustle, you have to send flyers out, you have to get your internet system going where you're able to send e-mail blasts, where you're able to have a good web page. We have lb4lbboxing.com, we do different types of events, I promote boxing shows, a lot of different ways that we put the word out. You have to really, really hustle your business.

What inspires me is growth. It has to be something that's in your heart, it has to be a business that is a part of you, that you can make grow, that you want to get up early, get there - you want to be first there, you want to be last to leave, you want to put the hours in, you want to put the hard work in, you want to do whatever it takes. You come in, and you have a picture, and you start painting one line at a time and then you start with one color at a time and little by little it gets you on a natural high. Wo growth gives you that inner power, because you're able to see the picture growing.

I'm how I think. I'm what I think that I am. So, the best advice is not to ask for advice, because a person's opinion can be your setback. a ton of confidence in your ideal, or what you want to do, can be drowned by an ounce of doubt. so my best advice is not to ask for advice - go off of your thought. Because you are what you think, and you can do whatever you think that you can do. So don't ask for advice, just go out and do it.

Thanks for watching, to learn more, visit us on the Web at About.com.