3 Important Things To Consider About Networking

If you're in sales or self-employed, you probably want more business. One of the best ways to improve your sales is to network. I'm not talking about using social media sites like LinkedIn, but physically meeting people in person. So if you're planning on attending a chamber after hours or realtors' association event? Consider a few things before going.

Relationship selling is better than transactional selling. People who network build relationships. If your sales are just transactions, your clients won't have any reason to stay loyal to you as a customer. I have built relationships with people at networking events that have led to them becoming clients or great sources of referrals. I'm not going to get those kinds of results by just asking people to buy, like car lots do. I want to get to know my prospects needs, personally, professionally and financially.
Go to networking events often. Here again, you won't build any of the above mentioned relationships if you show up once, never to return. Too many times I've seen people show up at an event expecting immediate results. We even had a gentleman show up with applications ready to be filled out on his first visit. He left that day, angry that we weren't lined up waiting to give him our money. Some of my favorite events happen on a monthly basis and if I miss one or two, that's fine. Relationships are built over time.
Networking can happen anywhere. I've gotten clients at wedding receptions, after school presentations and sports events. This doesn't mean you are constantly handing out your business cards at social functions, but always be prepared to discuss your work and the other person's work as well. Rapport can be established anywhere.

Image may contain: 2 people, people smiling, meme and text

Networking can be a great way to meet people, make friends, meet new prospects and generally have a good time with people who are may also be looking for referrals.

Comments

My Short Post On Social Media

Are you leveraging social media to help your business? Are you posting daily and creating content like the "experts" say to do? Most importantly, are you getting results? I've tried using most of the more popular platforms for my insurance business, as well as my writing and speaking business. To say the results are "mixed" would be generous. This may be because I really haven't invested much into advertising on these platforms. The way I see it, when Facebook, for example, allows me to set up a free page for my business, that is like a "free trial" to see if I can get any interest in my product or service. After nearly 15 years of this trial period, I have garnered little to no business. One can come up with two arguments here. The first is why would you throw money at advertising when you haven't seen any returns. The other side is that "you could have done better if you had quit being a tight ass penny pincher." Fair enough. But ...

How To Prevent (Or Lessen) Momentum Killers

Have you had a great sales run, with the wind at your back as you continue to sell and make money, only to have some event or holiday slow down your momentum? It's happened to all of us. I compare it to running at full speed down a field, and out of nowhere comes a patch of mud and tar, designed specifically to slow you down and make you work harder. An example of this is the holiday season. For some industries, the end of the year is a great time to make those last minute sales and thin out inventories. But for others, it can be horrible. Let's face it, the holidays are about spending money on fun stuff, like electronics and clothes. No one is even thinking about buying insurance, unless they have to. "I can't spend any money on life insurance because I have to buy Christmas gifts," is what I hear each year. (Nice priorities, by the way!) Having been through this for a few years I now plan ahead. Instead of beating my head against a wall trying to get people to...

Keeping Your Pipeline Full

One of the biggest hurdles I've faced in my career has been finding prospects, moving them through the sales process, and turning them into clients, all while constantly being on the hunt for more prospects. It's an endless cycle. (In my industry, it can be even harder to sell something when people ultimately don't want to buy. If your client is a young couple with kids and a mortgage, do you think they would rather spend money on a vacation or a life insurance policy?) Having a good referral system and making networking effective are the best ways to start the process of keeping the pipeline full. Having a center of influence or creating a friendly relationship through networking can save a lot of time and be much less expensive than buying leads. One of the most effective things you can accomplish is to establish a "referral network". This may take some time to get going but if you can find four or five good sources who are willing refer to each other, you can...

You're Going To Be Great At This!

Search This Blog