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Networking: 2 Minute Training #11: Not Every Network Meeting Is For Sales

Learn more about Tyler Dockery, and the Dockery Design team at www.DockeryDesign.com.

Two minute Tips Networking: 2 Minute Training #11: Not Every Network Meeting Is For Sales

Networking: 2 Minute Training #11: Not Every Network Meeting Is For Sales

In networking groups, people from lots of different businesses come together with the hopes of getting to know one another. Sure, many newer businesses use these meetings as a time to pitch their businesses or services to the networking individuals at the meeting.

This is wrong for several reasons [and really a subject for a different training tip]. But the important point you need to consider and understand, is that not every meeting is for generating sales.

For many people in networking groups, the meetings are purely social in nature. For you and your business, if you haven’t grasped this theory, it could be time to take it to heart. Here are some ways you can promote your business without making every networking meeting about generating sales.

Deliver the Goods
You provide a product or service. For some people, seeing is believing. Rather than trying to boost your business, why not present your product for all to see? If you complete a business deal with a Networking Group member, why not deliver your product to them at the meeting. Show everyone what one of your customers will receive. Talk about each piece, or talk about the result they shall expect within the next day/week/month. Go ahead, deliver the goods.

Give A Testimonial
Have you or somebody you know worked with one of the networkers in your group? Give a short testimonial about how their services helped you or someone you know. Talk about the general and the specific things that you enjoyed about it. Talk about the professionality, skill, or emotions involved in the process. Give credit where credit is due.

Present
Present your product or service. Talk about the concrete results people receive, and talk about a topic in your industry, or a part of your industry people should know about. Present with an eye to educate, and people will find they understand your business without feeling like you sell at every given opportunity.

Recognize A Story
People are touted in newspapers, newsletters, on television and on the internet every day. Take some time to recognize the movers and shakers in your area. Rather than repeating your sales message over and over, take some time and recognize the members of your networking group who have achieved some local or national recognition. Not only does it tell people you are interested in them, but it lets the other group members know that you are keeping tabs on them all. It tells them you read the paper, that you watch the local news, and that you search the net for individuals.

Compliment The Networking Group
Have you benefitted from being part of the networking group? How have you shown it? Sure, you come to the meetings and pay your dues. Have you ever considered having a “show me the money” moment? Stand up, and with no reservations, tell the group how you have personally benefitted monetarily from being in the group. After 12 months of meetings, if you raised $10,000— why not let the group know? Show them that their support means a major difference to your bottom line. Tell them about how successful your business has become because they have helped you to grow.

Make A Commitment
“This year, I am giving 10% of revenues earned from this group to orphans.” You might be surprised to find that once the focus of your business goes off sales, and onto a committed act, people will look at you differently. Also, the act of committing to a large group of individuals forces you to follow through. You might be committing to weight loss, exercise, monetary gifts, deadlines, charitable giving… but you are committing. This lets people know that you are motivated, and there is a human side of you beneath the business exterior.

Provide An Opportunity
Are you running a workshop? Well, why not? You are and industry professional with a wide working knowledge after all, aren’t you? Are you hosting an event, and asking everyone to come? Are you offering internship opportunities? Are you traveling to an exotic location and asking networking members to join you? Givers gain. Why not offer the networking group a little something special, with no strings attached. I bet they sit up and take notice.

When you talk business all the time, people tune you right out. Take a break from the hard-sell or the soft-sell, and talk about something other than business. Let people grow the relationship you have, and together, new business will arrive on the horizon. Has one of these methods worked for you? Let us know!

April 19th, 2010 | Tags: , , , , | Category: Business

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