Business by Referral I Take The Lead B2B 3-4-11 part 2

1. Don’t confuse Networking with Selling.  They are not synonymous. Do not attend a networking event with the intent of making a sale.

2. Be yourself.  People sense when you are putting on ‘airs.’

3. Be sincere. 

4. Put your ‘best face forward.’  When you look good, you feel great!  I have a good friend who built an entire business just on this one concept.

5. Come prepared with an introduction that is specific, short and gets people asking for more information.  AKA Elevator Speech

6. Take an interest in others.  (Be genuine when doing this. If you are asking questions while looking at your watch, you are sending the wrong message.)

7. Set your goals ahead of time. For instance, perhaps you only want to meet 1 new person and socialize with old friends.

8. Be known as a connector.  People will come to you to ask for introductions, when you are a connector.

9. Work on the proper hand shake.

10. Did I say?: “Networking is NOT selling.”

Referral groups do not seem to work well for some industries. If you are a business sales person, who calls on other businesses, instead of the individual consumer or individual business owner, a Business to Business Network Referral Group is probably a great way for you to increase your sales. 

I never truly understood the power of networking until we first started our Business to Business networking group program back in 2004.  Until then I was familiar with the typical Small Business Networking group.  I’d even been a member of our largest competition organization in the past…..twice. You always have the residential realtor and the lender, along with an insurance agent, a MaryKay cosmetics representative, chiropractor, etc.  Initially people do pass leads…..everyone enjoys the weekly meetings….well, at least in i Take The Lead Networking Referral Groups.  However, too often in a Small Business Networking group, once everyone is done doing business with the other members, the referrals dry up. Because the decision makers generally are not part of the Business to Business Network Group, the members are forced to bring in outside referrals. 

Here are some tips to keep in mind if you want to have success in any referral group:

• Get Clear on who your target market is
• Learn how to educate your Business to Business Network partners the best ways to send referrals to you
• Be sure to follow up with referrals quickly
• Thank the person providing the referral
• Let the others know you have followed up quickly and thoroughly
• Bring value to the team

Referral groups are a great way to increase your sales, but bear in mind that the purpose is to share referrals, not to sell to each other.  Keep in mind that Networking is NOT the same thing as Selling

1. To increase your visibility.  Establishing top of mind awareness is critical in any marketing campaign, and make no mistake about it; attending business networking events is a key marketing strategy if done properly. One of the most important elements-and one of the most overlooked-to getting the biggest bang for your networking buck is to make sure your face and your message get in front of the same-and the right-people on an ongoing basis.

2. To start relationships that will lead to strategic alliances, joint ventures, and referrals.  Contrary to popular belief, very few people walk away from a few hours spent at a business networking event with a fistful of contracts. Meeting people at the networking function is merely the important first step towards reaching your client attraction goals. It’s what you do after the event that is more important. Follow-up is key to deepening the relationships that will increase your bottom line. 

3. To stay current on trends in your industry (and those of your target market). Attending networking events given by “i Take The Lead” allows you to glean information about current and future trends. The information you gather at these functions can easily give you a leg up on your competition. 

4. To become connected to key influences in your industry and within your target market. Instead of going to every business networking event in town, select the referral group you attend wisely and attend regularly. With i Take The Lead you will get the biggest return on your investment of time, money, and energy. 

5. To learn from and to be motivated by powerful speakers. i Take The Lead has speakers who are experts in fields that will be of interest to you and to your target market. In addition to imparting important information, many of these speakers can often be the spark that jolts you into action. 

6. To find suppliers and solutions to your problems. A lot people think of referral groups as a place to pursue business. Equally important though, is the fact that we might be able to give business to other attendees and solve some of our problems at the same time.  Referral groups can be a great place to find accountants, printers, salespeople, etc. for yourself and for your clients. 

7. To hone your marketing message. Use your referral group to practice and refine your elevator speech. Make sure it conveys, in 30 seconds or less, what solutions you provide, for whom you provide them, and the benefits of doing business with you. Practice, practice, practice until you feel confident that you are conveying your message in the most powerful and compelling way. 

8. To socialize. Human beings are social animals and need the type of stimulation available when interacting face-to-face with others. Today, as more and more people work out of their attics, basements, or spare bedrooms, it has become increasingly important for us to socialize, recharge our batteries, and preserve our sanity. 

9. To recruit talent. If you are looking to expand your business and hire staff, business networking events are a good starting point for your exploration of the marketplace. You will be able to enter into conversations with potential employees and get clear on what your needs are. You may well find what you are looking for right in front of you! 

10. To uncover the “hot buttons” of your target market. To deliver powerful solutions that will make life easier for members of your target market, you’ve got to know what challenges they face and what they are looking for. Capitalize on the conversations you have at every business networking opportunity to uncover what makes prospective clients tick and what ticks them off. Then create products or services that will alleviate their pain and make you a hero/in their eyes.

Ronnie Noize http://www.veronikanoize.com is one of the most talented professionals I know. I think you will agree that this article reveals her wit, as well as her wisdom. Ronnie knows how to market your business or how to market you, if you are your business!

Not long ago, I was highly motivated to join a gym.  I did my research, and identified two gyms to check out.  After making appointments to speak with a sales person at each gym, I felt confident that I would find the right gym for me. 

The sales person at the first gym welcomed me, showed me the weight room, the swimming pools, and the women’s locker room before politely showing me the door.

Standing in front of the gym after my quick tour, I wondered why he didn’t ask me to sign up on the spot, and I came to the conclusion that there was something wrong with me.  I checked my breath, then (embarrassing but true) I opened my jacket to see if I smelled. 

Nope.

Obviously, this was not the gym for me, so off I went to the next gym.  This time I was prepared with my credit card in my hand during the tour so that there would be no doubt that I was ready to buy.  Again, the sales person greeted me warmly, showed me the amenities, and showed me the door.

Ouch.  I knew I didn’t smell, but wondered if I were too old, ugly, fat, or offensive to join a gym?

Get a grip, I told myself.  Both of these sales folks are very young, just out of college, so perhaps they know of a new sale technique that is not familiar to me.  Perhaps they are trying to build my desire to join a gym to a higher level.  That must be it: They want me to really want it!

Secure in the knowledge that I had figured it out, I waited for the follow up call that I knew would come.  After all, hadn’t I been very specific about my interest in joining a gym sooner rather than later?  Hadn’t I made it clear that I was ready, willing, and financially able to assume a gym membership?

Maybe so, but was anyone listening? 

Neither sales person (now you see why I have not referred to them as sales “professionals”) bothered to call me to see if I was ready to join. 

The lesson?  OK, not what you might think: Not that young sales people are not competent, which it might seem to be, because I have experienced similar situations with sales folks of all ages.

No, the lesson was that it is the seller’s responsibility to facilitate the solution the prospect is seeking, and ask for the business.

And then it hit me: I was equally guilty of the same thing.  I was making the very same mistake as the greenest guys!

How many times had people come to me for help solving a marketing problem, and after determining that I could help, I failed to ask for the business?  Did I expect my prospects to demand that I accept them as clients? Force me to accept their money?

I cringe at the memory of how some people must have felt after a conversation with me that did not result in a clear invitation to work together.

Asking for the business is possibly the single most effective thing you’ll ever do, but more than that, it is your obligation as the professional to let your prospects know that you want to help them and are able to help them.  It is your responsibility to invite them to work with you.  It is your responsibility to ask. So if you are not asking, you’re making a mistake. STOP IT.

Searching for the right words to use to ask your prospects for the business?  Choose the words or phrase that works for you, or be inspired to create your own way to ask, but for your clients’ sake, ASK them to work with you!

A Marketing Mistake to Stop Making © 2006-9 Veronika Noize.  All rights reserved.

If Networking is NOT about Selling, then what good is it?  Here are some ways to gain from networking:

Power Partners - By joining a referral group (i Take The Lead is just one of your options http://www.itakethelead)  you will meet others you can classify as your Power Partners. These are professionals/businesses who call on the same clients as you. Having Power Partners can lead to Joint Ventures.  This can be a very effective way of duplicating  your efforts.

Referrals – Networking is a great way to get referrals, in addition to providing them. Want to be your clients hero? Refer them to someone you know, like and trust, who can solve their biggest problems.

Public Speaking – Many events/referral groups have a 10 minute spot where members take turns to making a presentation to the group.  You have the opportunity to build up your skills by practicing first with your 60-second commercial every weeki.  This is an excellent way to practice your speaking skills in a supportive environment.

2. Have clear goals in mind. What are you attempt to accomplish?

3. Remember there are all different ways to network from established referral/leads groups to church to rotary to Meet Ups, etc.  What are your interests?  

4. Always be yourself. Networking is about building relationships, so why would you try to be someone you’re not?

5. Be known as a connector. Be the one people come to when they want a professional.

6. Help others be comfortable by pretending to be the host, even if you are not. I talked about this in a different post.

7. Ask open-ended questions, rather than questions that elicit yes/no answers. This will get the conversation going. The one thing everyone loves to talk about is me!

8. Follow through quickly on all referrals you receive.

9. Be sure to thank everyone who refers to you/connects you. Recognition can be so powerful!

10. Elevator Speech – Have a well crafted answer to the question “What do you do?” I have a great friend who can help you with this: http://www.veronikanoize.com