Business Networking and Sales Tips for Success
Business Advice for Women Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses
If you have been invited to the fifth networking business event this month and you are contemplating whether you should attend and how to make it the most productive for yourself and your business, today’s blog post will help you make up your mind. We hope our networking and sales tips which Women TIES President Tracy Chamberlain Higginbotham shared yesterday at the Tioga County Chamber Business Show will help you too.
Networking and Sales Tips:
1. Before you go to any networking event you must know your target market and whether a majority of your target market will be at the event. Sort out business invitations by asking the company producing the event for the demographics of the audience. They should be able to tell you. If it appears your first or secondary target market will be there, go and network well. If they aren’t, pass on the opportunity and make sales calls to your current prospect list instead.
2. When you attend a networking event, don’t approach someone and give a “used car dealership speech” shaking their hands and sliding your slick business card into their palms. Those days are gone – that is the kind of networking that comes from “your need” not your contact’s need. My best tool to get someone to warm up to me is not talking about my business but to ask them about theirs. Only through asking can you glean insight into what you can offer personally or professionally to help someone.
3. The 5 Call Rule – Once you meet people networking you must conduct follow-up phone calls to try to secure their business or schedule another time to meet with them to learn more about them and their company. Like most people, you might try reaching them once or twice before giving up on them, but statistics say you need to try 5 times before you give up. Don’t stop until all 5 fingers on your hand count for each sales call attempt to one person and then give yourself a “high five” for your effort. I bet you have an appointment set up or a sales by the fifth time.
4. While you are waiting for new people you met to call you back, take the time to connect with them on social media specifically Facebook or LinkedIn and start developing a warmer relationship before you connect in person. This may give you insight to their likes, dislikes, and personality.
Bottom line, you need to attend networking events if you are an entrepreneur but be smart about which ones you attend, be strategic about the information you share with them, follow-up with phone calls and online marketing connections. This formula will make your next networking experience much more valuable.
Women TIES 