Are you serious about building your business through networking? Then you need an approach designed to build long-term, mutually beneficial relationships.
It seems obvious that the purpose of networking is to find prospects, right? So you scout the room, identify the most likely candidates, launch into your 30-second intro and follow up with the ten reasons why you should get together for a meeting next week.
On the odd occasion this may net you a sale, but for the most part you'll just be met with glazed eyes and a blank expression. Because the other people in the room have come, not to buy, but to sell their own products or services.
How do you get to the point then, where your networking contacts start buying from you, rather than trying to sell to you? Follow these tips, and you'll be well on your way:
1. Settle in for the long haul.
Networking is not a speedy promotional solution. It's a way to build a network of business contacts who know, like and trust you; a network of people you stay in touch with, and become friendly with.
Once you have that network, you will start to find that you're receiving business, leads and referrals from all directions.
2. It's better to give than to receive.
Concentrate first on bringing value to the people you meet, and to the groups you join. Your listening skills, and your willingness to offer free advice and assistance, or to make connections will make you much more memorable than your elevator speech ever will.
For every person you meet, ask yourself the following questions:
· What are their objectives and goals?
· How can I help them achieve those objectives?
· How might they benefit from connections with other people I know?
· How could they benefit from my information or ideas?
· What can I do right now to be helpful?
· How can I help them achieve those objectives?
· How might they benefit from connections with other people I know?
· How could they benefit from my information or ideas?
· What can I do right now to be helpful?
3. Stay in touch.
Without follow-up your networking activities will be waste of time and money, and yet it's the easiest step to ignore.
Again, though, if you follow up with a sales message you'll turn people off. Rather, try following up with some advice on a challenge mentioned at last night's meeting; or a link to a website your contact may be interested in. Try putting them in touch with someone they should meet.
You'll be establishing yourself as someone worth knowing, and definitely laying the foundation for a mutually beneficial relationship.
4. Use Social Media.
One of the easiest ways to invite people to stay in touch these days is to invite them to join you on social media. It's an invitation that is non-threatening and widely accepted, and it gives you the perfect vehicle with which to stay top of mind as an expert in your field.
5. Be Clear.
Finally - and yes, it's just as important as all the above - be clear about what your business has to offer.
While you're building those relationships and helping other people, it's obviously crucial that you are communicating clearly what your own business is, and what solution you provide:
· Create an elevator speech that succinctly states (a) what problem you solve, (b) how you solve it, and (c) for whom.
· Take printed materials that are professional and branded. They should summarize what you do, and provide details of websites, social media sites and other sources of information.
· Follow-up with communications that are clearly branded with your 'signature' or tagline, explaining what you do.
· Use social media and internet marketing activities designed to establish you as an expert in your field.
· Take printed materials that are professional and branded. They should summarize what you do, and provide details of websites, social media sites and other sources of information.
· Follow-up with communications that are clearly branded with your 'signature' or tagline, explaining what you do.
· Use social media and internet marketing activities designed to establish you as an expert in your field.
