Business Networking – It’s All In The Followup
Many moons ago, when I was involved in Multi-Level Marketing (MLM), I was taught to talk to everyone about the opportunity. We were told that there were so many people looking for a chance to own their own business, they may be standing in line with you. So we were supposed to strike up a conversation with complete strangers at the bank, the supermarket, waiting to pay a bill or going to vote. I always found this to be very awkward.
I can get up in front of a thousand people and give a speech with no problem at all. If I’m invited to someones home for a party I can converse with the best of them. While I’m working, I can go into a business facility and give a 15-30 minute spiel on how using our services can save them money. However, for some reason I feel stupid starting a conversation about corn flakes and then turning it into a presentation for a business opportunity.
It’s probably because when I’m buying a part for my car, the last thing on my mind is a business opportunity. This is true whether it’s me doing the offering or someone making an offer to me. In fact I try to tune out people who start talking like a salesman when I’m focused on something else. The only time I will hear out a salesperson is when I make the initial contact. In other words, if I enter a business with the idea of purchasing something of value (TV, Camera, Car, etc), I will listen to a salesperson. Otherwise I don’t want to be bothered.
On the other hand if I am in “Business mode” I have no problem getting into a spiel. What I mean is, if I am traveling for business, I’m in “Business Mode” and can get the conversation going my way without missing a beat. I can do it without even letting on that I changed the subject from favorite books to what I can do for you. The same is true if I am waiting in the lobby of a business and there is another salesperson there. I can give a 5 minute condensed version of my pitch and exchange business cards before my appointment comes to get me from the lobby.
Fortunately, over the years technology has allowed us to devise new and interesting ways to get the word out about our business. Not only do we have web pages but you can create your own blog, sign up for the social web sites and place signatures in your emails. They even have video business cards that you can attach to emails. I find those a little spooky. You can also write articles and have them published in numerous online article directories.
No matter how you decide to do your “Business Networking” the key to success is followup. Those who are in sales, already know the importance of followup. For the rest of you, what is the point of making a contact if you are not going to do something with it? Once you’ve made a contact by whatever means, you should make a call or send an email within 24 hours, unless other arrangements have already been made. After the initial contact continue to followup and stay in touch on a regular basis.
One of my greatest success stories was based on constant followup. The initial meeting was very easy to setup. I arrived to find that a team of people had been assembled to hear my pitch and then give me a detailed tour of the facility. After the tour I was asked to provide three quotes. Within 24 hours they had the quotes and I waited. A couple of days later I called and got an answering machine so I wrote an email and received no response. I continued to call and email every Tuesday for 13 months. During that time I spoke to the key individual, maybe three times, and learned that they had some changes going on and would be taking on even more work for their key customer. I only received two responses to the emails. The first was when I sent him an email telling him that my work number, cell phone number and email address had not changed. He responded with ” That was a great email. I’ll be in touch”. The second response came a month later when he asked me to meet with him the following week. After that meeting I picked up three new contracts which had nothing to do with the quotes I had previously provided. Those contracts came later.
The point is that there are a lot of ways to network and you need to check them all out and find the ones that suit you. When you DO make the contact, continue to followup until you are SURE that you have gotten everything you can from it and then continue to contact them every few months. You never know when things might change on their end or yours. If you do decide to drop a contact, be sure it is on good terms. Never burn your bridges behind you, you never know when you might need them.
Like I said, there are a lot of ways to let people know about your business. For all the information you need on Business Networking go to www.biz-net.TellMeAboutThat.com.
