Networking is one of the easiest and most effective ways to generate leads and increase sales. This being said, I often hear people say they attend a lot of networking events but don‘t get any business from them. I then ask them a series of questions:
- How do you choose which events to attend?
- What do you do at these events?
- What do you do after the event?
Through my training, I teach my clients how to approach people by asking questions instead of walking up and trying to sell. I teach them what to say in 30 seconds that tells people what they do. I also teach them to ask directly for the type of business they want, and most importantly, what to do after an event.
The biggest problem seems to be follow up. They rarely do what it would take to turn those contacts into business. In last week’s article, “Working the Room – Network for Success”, I showed you four simple steps to turn a networking event from social hour into a successful evening of new sales and business partners. Now let’s talk about what to do after the event:
-
What do I do after the event
Immediately enter the business cards you collected into your database.
Be sure to add any notes you made on the cards during the event. I always add the name of the event and the date so I can remember where we met. If you don’t enter them in your database throw them out! Yes, it is okay to throw out a business card. If you’re not sure, band the cards from a specific event together, and if you don’t touch them in a month or two, toss them. If I send an email or a card, I make a note of that also.
-
If you say, “Let’s get together for coffee or lunch,” then make that happen.
It shouldn’t be something you just say to make conversation. You need to call, email or connect on social media after the event to set it up. A handwritten note is also a nice touch. You should send it within 48 hours after the event.
- Decide how you plan to keep in contact on a regular basis.
Once you have made the connection, interact with them. Read their posts and comment. Watch the media for the people you are interested in. If you see an article about them, clip it and send it to them with a note about doing business together. If you read an article that would interest them, send it. If they are not a potential customer build a relationship that could lead to referrals or a potential collaboration by referring people to them. If they are a potential customer, learn as much as you can about their business and the ways you might help them.
Everyone can learn to network. Salespeople and entrepreneurs need to become expert at it. Develop your networking strategy. Choose carefully the events you attend and follow your strategy to turn all the time, money and effort spent networking into business.
For more on networking read my most recent article in Connect and my related articles or go to my website and request my free e-book Connecting Your Way To New Business.
Related articles
- Working the Room: Network for Success (smartsalestips.com)
- Networking is not Selling (smartsalestips.com)
{ 2 comments }
