All Business Networking: Proposition

Showing posts with label Proposition. Show all posts

Are you trying too hard for the perfect pitch?

Many networking events have a slot where you have to introduce yourself to the group. People can get so wrapped up in this that they think this is what networking is all about and spend ages trying to craft the perfect 'elevator pitch'. Forgetting that time is better spent in building relationships.

I was asked by someone last week for feedback on their pitch as they were not getting much out of their networking. When I asked what else he was doing in the way of helping others and following up there was a long pause in the conversation!

As long as you are able to express your proposition confidently & consistently when asked that is enough. The important elements are your target market, the problems you solve and your stories.

In my top 10 networking tips I explain the really important things to spend time on. Finding other business people who operate in similar markets to you. Then helping them and building relationships to earn the trust that is vital in business networking success.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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How to explain what you really do

In 'How to answer that awkward question' I included my podcast on how to answer that tricky question "What do you do?"

My latest podcast is all about giving your answer in a way that is easily understood and gives an insight into what you really do. Listen here:

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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business networking | business networking events | business networking tips

Getting in front of the right people at the right time

Many people in business networking often say that they have no problem selling. Their biggest problem is getting in front of the right person. I feel they often need to add something else. It is not just getting in front of that person, but doing it at the right time.

Business to business and professional services are usually bought when someone has a problem or issue they need to solve. You need to have a very good idea of these problems and issues within your target market. The critical thing then is to educate your network with the signs that identify someone with those needs. They can then advocate you and your services to the right people AND at the right time.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

Who do you want to talk to?

In a One2One this week a mutual acquaintance was mentioned by my friend. She said this about him "I really like and trust him, but I have no idea how to help him in business because he is really vague about who he wants to talk to".

Later I was able to relay this message and ask the person who would be a good prospect. After a few minutes I understood clearly the frustration felt by my friend. He committed to work on the problem and come up with something to help his network to help him.

It is really important to get people to know and like you, but it's equally important to be clear about who and what you are looking for.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

Are you clear about what you do and who for?

After a seminar yesterday on building business with the effective use of offline & online networks I had a conversation with a couple of the attendees about clarity of message. During the seminar there was general agreement that the more specific you can be about proposition the better. If people know exactly what you do and who for it is much easier to find referrals for you. One person mentioned someone they knew, liked and trusted but found it too difficult to find opportunities because they positioned themselves too generally and for any business whatever the size.

It is much better to be a specialist than a generalist. It is also much better to have a specific target market or market sector. Being a generalist for everyone is a very crowded space. The following image helped people to focus on this:

If you do not consider yourself to have a specific market sector then at least try to position yourself as a specialist. And if you really are a generalist at least try and define a market sector. That could be for example by business type, size, geography or a particular problem that you solve.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

How to answer that awkward question

I wrote yesterday about how to start a conversation at a Networking Event, but what if you are on the receiving end? Someone asks "What do you do?" and all of a sudden it becomes one of the hardest questions you have ever faced.

In this Podcast I explain how you can always answer quickly, confidently and effectively.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

Can you explain what you do so others can pass it on?

Many providers of business to business and professional services find it hard to explain their expertise in simple terms. In 'Dominating your niche through Business Networking' I wrote about how Chris Bose did just that.

Chris explained in simple terms the relationship between complex Power Laws and Internet Traffic. He did it so well that others are able to pass on his message and his expertise. I overheard a conversation during a London NRG-networks lunch yesterday where someone was explaining Chris' ideas to someone else struggling with generating enquiries from their website. This was someone who had attended one of Chris' Seminars at NRG a year ago!

If you can find a way that others can pass on your message, no matter how complex, in simple terms it's a real help to those that want to advocate you. Those that have got to know, like and trust you.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

Getting referrals by being the answer to their problems

Last week someone introduced himself at one of the Networking Groups I facilitate by saying that one of his main client groups were charities who often pay too much of a particular type of tax. He didn't just say he was an accountant. There were immediate referrals because he had succinctly expressed the help he was able to give for a particular problem for a specific market.

In 'Dominating your niche through Business Networking' I wrote about talking about your business with regard to the specific issues that your target market have, where they are and what they will be saying about their problems.

It is much easier to find referrals for someone obviously the answer to a specific problem for specific organisations.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

Dominating your niche through Business Networking

One of the temptations in business networking is to speak about your business in very general terms in case you miss a possible opportunity. The problem with this approach is that everyone misses the specific opportunities they could refer you to. Presenting your business in terms of the specific things you do for a defined target market produces much better results.

Last week Chris Bose explained how the Internet works in a seminar before the NRG London City Business Networking Group Lunch. The seminar was called, 'Dominate your online niche to survive and prosper'.

Chris demonstrated real expertise by explaining in simple terms how you can get well qualified web traffic through the search engines by presenting content that specifically answers the things your potential clients are asking. It is much better to get the 100 real prospects for your business than 100,000 who may or may not be interested. You can find out about real google searches with their free tool at www.google.com/sktool.

The same applies in business networking. Talk about the specific issues that your target market have, where they are and what they will be saying about their problems. There are two simple ways to establish what questions they are asking. You can use the same free google tool and you can ask them!

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

What business are you really in?

How many potential profitable business relationships do you leave behind you in your business networking without fully exploring the possibilities. The way you ask and answer questions determines the quality of the initial conversations you have and the connections you will make.

Many of the people I meet networking will give their business category when asked "What do you do?". They will say "I am a solicitor or accountant or business coach or web designer or marketing consultant or insurance broker or financial adviser or whatever their line of business is. This often means little or does not interest & engage the person who asked the question.

In an excellent talk from Rod Sloane yesterday on how to sell more products and services he reminded us of the question that Theodore Levitt asked Corporate America nearly 50 years ago. He asked what business are you really in. At the time the US Railroad companies answered Railroads rather than transport and subsequently lost out to the car industry. He argued that to to succeed your business must not focus on selling, but on providing solutions to your customers. If you focus solely on your industry your product may become obsolete, but if you focus on your customers you can adapt to changing needs. Ground breaking ideas and insights in the early 1960s and still good advice today.

So next time someone asks what you do answer with what your customers really buy from you. If you don't know that then ask a few of them.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

How to Barack Obama your Business

Tonight I am attending an event where guest speaker Rod Sloane will be talking about 'How to Barack Obama your Business - a special evening programme for business owners who want to sell more products and services'. Rod first used this great headline after the US Presidential elections. It captured the imagination because of Barack Obama's great marketing and is in language that the audience can immediately understand. The sub heading addresses his target market and the problem they have.

If you struggle to get your message across think about presenting your business in the language of your clients. What is your equivalent to 'How to Barack Obama your Business' and 'business owners who want to sell more products and services'?

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

Mapping the Business Problems You Solve

I mentioned Grant Leboff and his seminar on how marketing has changed in my last post, 'Benefits are only benefits when someone is ready to buy'. A couple of people asked me yesterday how they can work out the real problems they solve with their business services. Grant's book, 'Sales Therapy: Effective Selling for the Small Business Owner' includes a whole section on Problem Maps.

It's worth buying the book for the section on Problem Maps alone without the other good stuff! For an example see this blog from Grant on the Marketing Donut, 'Get your sales messages right: Part 3 – Getting clarity in your sales process'. Helpful stuff for your networking and marketing in general.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

Telling a story to illustrate what you do

One of the attendees at a seminar I presented last week on effective business networking shared that she had used some of the advance material at a breakfast meeting that morning. She had used her one minute there to tell a story about a client and felt that people fully understood for the first time what she did.

One of the exercises we use in NRG Business Networking Seminars is to try and help people communicate what they do in a way that people will understand more readily.

Some people have a tendency to over complicate their explanation of what they do. One very simple way to help people understand is to tell a quick story. The elements needed are a quick explanation of the situation one of your clients was facing, what you did and the result. With practice you can make sure the example represents the type of client you deal with, the problems they have that you solve and the results you achieve. It's no accident that the media use human interest in their stories so why not do the same?

Here is a quick example from one of our NRG networking groups. A new partner in a professional firm needed to generate his own clients from scratch within a limited time and with few local connections. He joined one of our networking groups and spent time each month connecting with other professionals and building a small number of good relationships giving support and making referrals where he could. A year on and he has a steadily increasing number of referrals and new clients from the time invested in these relationships.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

Are you crystal clear about what you do?

My colleague Martin Davies related a great story about being clear about your target market in his recent post 'Be really specific when defining your Target Market'. It's great advice and the other really important thing is being absolutely crystal clear about what you do for them. The person in his story was very clear.

To get results and referrals from your networking you want your advocates to promote you and what you do when they spot an opportunity. Are you giving them a clear enough message to help them do this?

If you are not sure then ask a few of your good contacts to tell you what they think you do and who for. It can be a real eye opener and help you adjust your message to something much more effective.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast