Why Do You Network?
After disbursement the last four old age organizing concern networking events, I still don't have got the reply to why some people travel to them.
The lone end for most people who go to networking events looks to be to accumulate concern cards. They have got the feeling of a great event if they come up back place with 30 or more than concern cards.
How many of you follow up with everybody after each event? How many people who you met follow up with you?
When One develop people on networking, either one-on-one or in a grouping and inquire those two questions, I usually have got the same answer.
"Oh yes I follow-up, I direct an electronic mail the adjacent day". My adjacent inquiry is, "What make you make after this email?" and the usual reply is, "Well, nothing, because I don't cognize what to make next".
So what is the intent of disbursement two to three hours at a networking event and pay $20 to $50 each time, if it is just to travel and state hullo to some people who you will never reach again. Repeat the procedure two to three modern times a week, and this is a large waste material of clip AND money.
I recently attended a concern expo, and, of course of study I met a figure of people. I didn't take everybody's' concern cards, only the 1s I had an involvement in. I also spoke with the proprietors of two different booths, because they had a merchandise I was interested in purchasing. I asked all of my questions, explained why I needed the product, gave them my card, and asked them to reach me to fold the sale after the expo. This was a very easy sell for them, but invitee what? None of them followed up with me or even returned my e-mails. Well, they both lost a sale, because I didn't happen them to be very professional.
I think that if they didn't follow-up with me, opportunities are that they didn't follow-up with other people either. So what was the intent of having a tabular array at this expo?
What is your end when you go to a networking event? Are you trying to acquire new contacts to purchase your merchandise or service, or make you give the chance for people to acquire to cognize you, as the first measure of your networking system?
People are always surprised in my preparation when I state that I never seek to sell anything during an event. One of my secrets is that my concern card mentions, "The Connection Queen", which usually acquires me tons of remarks and questions:
"How make you talk with strangers?",
"How make you present yourself without being pitchy?"
"How to you go forth people if you are not interested in what they are doing?", and so on.
My only intent is to listen to people, see how I can give them a contact, a resource, or some advice. It demoes them my expertness without merchandising anything, but offering them to take part in my free e-course, "15 Way to Maximize Your Networking Results", to acquire the reply to all of their questions. Offer them my free e-course is a manner to acquire them to sign-up for my weekly newsletter and acquire a opportunity to cognize me, trust me, and later, purchase my merchandise or service when they are ready.
I go to networking events to construct a long-term relationship with people, not to accumulate concern card game or to sell anything.
So why make you network?
Try to believe of your scheme for a moment. Diagnostic Test different approaches; halt merchandising and start implementing a follow-up system. You will acquire much more than consequences and will pull your ideal clients, and only your ideal clients, the 1s who really appreciate your services. Clients who like and trust you, clients who regard your cognition and experience, and, very importantly, clients who will work with you in the long term, will mention you to people like them. This agency more ideal clients.
Labels: business card exchange, meeting, network, Networking, partnership, referal, small business owners