Using an extract from the chapter of my newly released e-book ‘It’s What You Know and Who You Know’, it is time to dispel one of the common myths about networking. Many people think that successful networking is the same as successful selling. This is not, in fact, the case.
Directly selling is the single most common mistake a person can make in being effective when networking. Networking is all about building relationships.
In being effective as a networker the aim must be to be the person that others want to talk to over and over again on many occasions. If you begin to do a hard sell - pulling out brochures and talking pricing in the first minute or two - this is just not going to happen.
Networking develops referral business and the majority of the time this happens through Knowing then Liking then either Buying or Referring.
You may never sell directly to some people that you network with and they may still become your most valuable referral partners.
Focusing on building relationships rather than the hard sell is vital because:
You are more relaxed without the pressure of a sale and this means you will make a better impression. It is really not about the person in front of you, it is about who they know. A network that will consistently bring you business is developed over time; a network that is about sales will be hit and miss depending on your future offerings. You will become the person that people want to talk to as you are interested in them rather than the person people like to avoid as they know you want to pressure sell to them. The value you gain from your network is much more than the initial sale you may or may not get – think of introductions to the right people, repeat referrals etc. People will buy from or refer to those they know, like and trust – this happens when you relate, not when you do the hard sell.
Here are 5 ways to know if you are relating rather than selling.
1. You have two ears and one mouth and use them in proportion.
2. You want to listen to the person you are talking to without interrupting to tell your story.
3. You realise that the conversation you are having is not just about you and them – it’s also who they know.
4. You know that you will have an opportunity to talk to them further about what you do if they are interested and you have a solution for them.
5. You are looking at what you can do to help them and strengthen the relationship.
This is one of 10 tips that are offered around effective networking in the book. To download your copy, go to www.abundantyou.com and fill in your details. You will also receive regular (but not too regular!) business and networking tips from the Your Abundance Now blog and newsletters.
Ruth Thirtle is a success coach and trainer with her company ‘Your Abundance Now’. She has also worked with the world’s largest and most successful business referral organization, BNI www.bni.com as an Assistant Director. She knows the power of maximising word of mouth referrals and how this can greatly help small business and in the past few years has presented to hundreds of small business owners on exactly that. She can be contacted on 0404 090016 or ruth@abundantyou.com
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