|
Networking Tips
|
Make Networking Successful for YOUWhat exactly is networking? Is it going to at an organised networking event with the purpose of meeting other people, hopefully somebody that's in your target market, who you then hope to conduct business with? That's kind of like going fishing, not knowing what kind of fish you're looking for and having no clue about the type of bait to use. So, is there a way to make the most of our networking opportunities? Absolutely! Let me get straight to the point. Networking is not about attending an event, collecting business cards, socialising with other business people and leaving satisfied that you made the effort. That's only a starting point. Networking is only effective when you do something with those contacts you made. In other words, it can be fun and relaxing to go to the lake and fish without the expectation of catching anything, but if you're there to catch fish you need to be prepared to do just that! So you've been to a Networking event and you've gathered some business cards of people you'd like to get to know better or qualify for your product or services. Now what? Let me share with you a basic system that will do more to generate qualified leads for you than any other type of marketing. It's called the R-I-S-E system and its aim is to produce referral partners out of the people you meet at these networking events. R is for Relationship. Meet this person for a one on one meeting so you get to know them better and they know you. Introduce your businesses and understand specifically what a good referral is for each of you. Reach a clear understanding regarding specialty. I is for Identify. Once you've established a relationship now it's more comfortable to share information. Identify who it is they know and who you know that meets the criteria each of you are looking for in a referral. S is for Strategy. Once you've identified who, the next step is to identify how to approach the prospective client. Can an introduction be set or a call be made that will ensure the prospect will meet? E is for Engage. Now that you have a strategy, it's time to engage the prospective client. It's important to make sure the referral partner is part of this initial process. Networking events do not work if you're there to have some fun and relax with little or no expectation about doing business. If you're passionate about growing your business use these events to find other like-minded individuals, and then use the R-I-S-E system to create referral partners and the best qualified prospects. |
| 23 The Crescent Penrith 2750 | P 1300 381 560 |