By Jim Pagiamtzis
November 6th, 2013 Edition
There are events and seminars happening throughout the month that you are attending and taking the time, energy and money to network. You must be prepared for the opportunity and be able to follow up with goals to achieve the desired results.
Networking is a concept that needs to be done on an ongoing basis to create momentum and yield results. Attracting qualified clients that you can offer specific packages is the goal.
Connecting
Building your list is important to do on a daily basis whether you are meeting people online or offline. These are important resources that will begin to add up with connections on LinkedIn and other social networking sites you belong to.
Your business is your billboard and is the most important marketing tool you have. When you are at a networking event or going bowling with friends, being prepared for any opportunity is the best strategy to remember. American Express has a great saying “never leave home without it” same goes for you business card, it’s part of you like the clothes you wear every day.
Information
You have an expertise in specific areas from networking and a wealth of resources you want to share. One important aspect of networking is that you are able to fill the needs of others. Recently at an event, I noticed an attendee didn’t have a website for his construction business. I highly recommended that he should have a website that prospective clients could visit, and offered to email him some of my contacts to assist him.
When you hand out your business cards you can advise your contacts that “you appreciate referrals and will to offer compensation for completed transactions”. This will create a strong signal of confidence in your abilities and will create a win-win situation.
Monetize
The most important part in creating a strong networking system is the ability to monetize easy and effectively. Knowing your product and the package that would be best for you potential client.
Have a follow-up system that will create results with every contact you meet will allow you to set up a meeting.
Making follow-up calls within 24 hours is imperative. The ability to pick up the phone is the only way to create a strong connection. Do not rely on only sending emails, adding them to your LinkedIn connection or to your monthly newsletter. This can be done a later time.
Your goal is to deal with the strong leads in a timely manner. Increasing you database is an important part of the networking strategy which needs to be done.
