Networking is a terrific way to generate immediate interest in what you do, and for the most part, it is 100% free. It helps increase your visibility and credibility and can generate a significant number of leads in just minutes …

 

 

Most Business Owners attend Networking Events without properly preparing a Strategic plan of action. In fact, here is a typical scenario as described by a former Coaching client of mine:

 

“Every week I checked for listings of business meetings and planned my week around them. I attended Networking Events almost daily. At these events I “put on” a smile, said hello to many others, engaged in small talk and exchanged pleasantries with strangers – only to find myself tired, frustrated by a total lack of results and discouraged by my dwindling bank account. 

At the events I attended it was all but impossible to find good leads, and – not knowing who would be a good person to connect with – I found myself wasting a lot of time meeting people who would never in a million years become a client. Occasionally I found “a good one” – a person who would ask me to follow up with them (and most of the time through the infamous chat box). But often this was even more frustrating because when I called them – as they asked me to – they did not even remember meeting me! Or know what I did or sometimes who I was!

The pile of names I collected and chat boxes copied was huge and getting bigger after every meeting – but I didn’t know how to select the best prospects to keep in touch with, and following up with everyone seemed like an impossible task. I tried sharing business tips, resources and even referrals with people I met, expecting they would do the same in exchange. But few did so I mostly ended up feeling disenchanted and discouraged by the lack of results from all my hard work.

Frankly, it felt like Networking was working only for a few of those good-looking, fast-talking schmoozers who weren’t afraid to pitch their wares at every opportunity – and that just wasn’t me!”

Sound familiar?

 

Look, if you just go to a Networking Event and proceed to tell the people you meet there what it is you do, you are wasting both your time, and theirs. No one cares what you do, so stop saying “I’m an Attorney” or “I sell Real Estate.” People care about what you can do for THEM and have zero interest in you and your business. “I own a sporting goods store” does not make me quiver with anticipation. But if you told me you “help turn an amateur weekend warrior into a pro-caliber athlete”, NOW you have my attention, and NOW I want to know more about what you do. But you cannot stop there. That brief introduction is merely a Tactic you employ to grab the attention of the person you are speaking with.

 

Now that you have their attention, what do you do next to maintain it and get them to begin the decision-making process, so they eventually buy what you sell? Whatever that sequence of events happens to be, that becomes your Sales Process for a Networking Strategy.

 

If you typically close more sales by meeting face-to-face with your prospects, then your Networking Strategy must be designed to produce that end result which is the face-to-face meeting (whether it’s in-person, or virtual). And that is where most Small Business Owners fail. They have no Strategic Plan of Action. They only focus on a Tactic, in this case, the Networking Event itself. Networking by itself is merely a Tactic. Attending one and just chit-chatting (or in a lot of cases just sitting there and saying or doing nothing), does nothing to compel the people you encounter to eventually meet you face-to-face, or do a meeting with you, or start a dialogue somehow with you, and eventually buy what you sell. But suppose you attend a Networking Event filled with your target customers? And suppose you show up armed with a Compelling Message you created, a message you spent time practicing and delivering so it instantly captures the attention of everyone you meet there?

 

And once you grab their attention, suppose you hand them your business card (if you happen to be in person), which contains the essence of that same message to remind them that they’re interested in what you do, and on the back of your card is an irresistible offer for them to download a free report, or possibly register for a complimentary webinar, or perhaps attend a free live event your hosting, or a myriad of other compelling offers?

 

As a side note here, if all you do is put your contact information in a chat box, you can put this type of Marketing and Compelling Offer in your “signature” … Remember, a lot of people who attend these events actually make a copy of that chat box … So, who knows! It is still a shot in the dark if they are not your target or ideal customer you seek … They will at least get a copy of what it is, and if you are lucky, they may send you a referral some day …

 

And once they take action on whatever your offer happens to be, then you send them a confirmation email that thanks them for their effort and reminds them again of the benefits your offer will provide to them. And then 3 days later (or so), they receive another email designed to move them to a meeting. Can you see what is taking place here? You are creating an entire series of Tactics that form a Sales Process that moves each prospect closer to the sale. This sequence of Tactics forms a Networking Strategy. You have just converted networking from a Tactic into a Strategy specifically designed from the start to produce a specific result, in this example, a meeting.

 

Unfortunately, 99% of all Business Owners that attend Networking Events show up with no Strategy in place whatsoever. They crank out their typical “I’m a Home Remodeler” spiel and then wonder why they only end up frustrated and overwhelmed and holding a bunch of cold contact details from those who are most likely not interested. Networking is a Strategy any Small Business Owner can effectively use to generate more leads and attract more clients. But to do it right, you must go into each Networking Session armed with a Compelling and Attention-Grabbing statement. And a definite Strategic Plan of Action.

 

 So, if you are in need, I will help you learn how to create a million-dollar message that is often referred to as your “Elevator Pitch” … It will be one of the most important things you ever create and do for your business …

 

 

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