Have you ever purposely sought advice from your network members?  If not, you should definitely take advantage of this opportunity because we all need advice at one time or another and seeking advice from your network is a win-win situation.

You see, people like for others to listen to their opinions and advice.  By inviting your network members to talk, you can get better acquainted with their knowledge, decision-making ability, and attitudes.  Receiving someone’s advice also gives you a perfect reason to contact her again, thank her, and let her know what you plan to do.  This is a great way to keep your resources informed and, of course, to get their opinions about what you are doing.

When preparing to ask your network for advice, here are some important tips:

• Ask your network member for advice or opinions on something she enjoys talking about and to which you expect her to have an answer.
• Listen carefully and respond appropriately.
• Direct your questions toward what your network member says in conversation.
• Have a logical reason for wanting the information.
• Avoid potentially controversial and sensitive issues.
• Don’t ask your network member to give you advice that she would otherwise charge you for.
• People are more likely to remember their own words than others so if you want someone to remember your conversation, let her do most of the talking.