NETWORKING ISNT SELLING OR IS IT
NETWORKING ISNT SELLING OR IS IT
In fact, the reason most sales professionals give up on networking so quickly is because they are under the impression that if they don’t make a sale (or several sales) shortly after attending a networking event that it wasn’t worth the effort.
Of course, effective networkers know that this could not be further from the truth.
In fact, the results of effective networking can not only mean increased sales to the above average networking sales professional, in most cases it can also mean easier, less competitive sales.
What’s more, the trust that can be built through networking is often only secondary in strength to the trust that is built through referral selling.
To validate this point to an even great degree, I recently saw a statistic that stated networking accounts for 15-20% of the average salesperson’s business. And I believe this statistic because I myself attribute roughly 30-35% of my business to this powerful, often underutilized business tool.
So, the question becomes, how does one become successful at networking?
Here are some suggestions:
1) Come to the realization that networking is about building long standing relationships based on trust and rapport and not about making quick sales.
2) Always follow-up with everyone you meet at a networking event (very few people do this and you will certainly stand out when you take this initiative)
3) Ask the person you met at the networking event if there is any way you help them find more business (be a giver first and the receiving will happen on its own)
4) Find ways to add value to the new business relationship (send valuable information related to their industry instead of yours for example)
5) Attend the networking event with a buddy so that you can double your chances of meeting new people while also perhaps overcoming your fear of the networking process (each of you can introduce the other to potential clients)
Finally, remember that as long as you are attending the right networking events, it is almost always worth the effort.
Why? That's simple. When you network effectively, you are not only ensuring future sales activity, you are also dramatically increasing your odds for sales success.
So, in answer to the question posed in the heading, yes, in some cases networking is selling. Just not in the traditional sense.
NETWORKING ISNT SELLING OR IS IT - To learn more about this author, visit Corey Poirier's Website.
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Networking 101 tells us that networking isn’t selling. And for the most part, I agree.
In fact, the reason most sales professionals give up on networking so quickly is because they are under the impression that if they don’t make a sale (or several sales) shortly after attending a networking event that it wasn’t worth the effort.
Of course, effective networkers know that this could not be further from the truth.
In fact, the results of effective networking can not only mean increased sales to the above average networking sales professional, in most cases it can also mean easier, less competitive sales.
What’s more, the trust that can be built through networking is often only secondary in strength to the trust that is built through referral selling.
To validate this point to an even great degree, I recently saw a statistic that stated networking accounts for 15-20% of the average salesperson’s business. And I believe this statistic because I myself attribute roughly 30-35% of my business to this powerful, often underutilized business tool.
So, the question becomes, how does one become successful at networking?
Here are some suggestions:
1) Come to the realization that networking is about building long standing relationships based on trust and rapport and not about making quick sales.
2) Always follow-up with everyone you meet at a networking event (very few people do this and you will certainly stand out when you take this initiative)
3) Ask the person you met at the networking event if there is any way you help them find more business (be a giver first and the receiving will happen on its own)
4) Find ways to add value to the new business relationship (send valuable information related to their industry instead of yours for example)
5) Attend the networking event with a buddy so that you can double your chances of meeting new people while also perhaps overcoming your fear of the networking process (each of you can introduce the other to potential clients)
Finally, remember that as long as you are attending the right networking events, it is almost always worth the effort.
Why? That's simple. When you network effectively, you are not only ensuring future sales activity, you are also dramatically increasing your odds for sales success.
So, in answer to the question posed in the heading, yes, in some cases networking is selling. Just not in the traditional sense.
NETWORKING ISNT SELLING OR IS IT - To learn more about this author, visit Corey Poirier's Website.
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
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John PowerJohn Power, founder of Biltmore Franchise Consulting, has extensive experience developing and marketing franchises and business opportunities. He has been in and around franchising for over twenty years. From 1980 through 1990 he conceptualized, organized, and developed the American Video Association. He grew AVA to 2,000 national members, before selling the company it 1990. It was later merged into another home video marketing company. From 2000 to 2005 he worked as a contract marketing and human resources consultant to several local and national companies. In 2005 Mr. Power began working as a franchise development consultant on a full-time basis. Since that time he has helped more than three dozen companies initiate and develop their franchising program. He notes that there are many companies interested in developing a franchise program, and who need his specialized assistance. Mr. Power is a “hands-on” franchise consultant. He said, “I am the ‘nuts and bolts’ person who tends to the details for my clients.” Mr. Power holds a B.S. degree with a major in Marketing. See: www.biltmorefranchise.com You may contact Mr. Power at: jpower@biltmorefranchise.co - Visit John Power's Website |
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Staging DivaDebra Gould, aka The Staging Diva®, is President of Six Elements Inc., an internationally recognized home staging company. Inspired by many requests from aspiring home stagers wanting to start similar businesses, Gould created the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program. Gould has trained over 1000 Staging Diva Graduates worldwide to start staging businesses. Buying decorating and selling six of her own homes in four years lead to an interest in real estate staging which she turned into a career with the launch of sixelements.com in 2002. Since then she has staged hundreds of homes in addition to teaching home staging training. Gould is the author of several home staging resources including a series of popular ebooks made up of a Design Guide, Color Guide and Portfolio Guide. For more information about Debra Gould visit stagingdiva.com. - Visit Staging Diva's Website |
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Jay Kubassek(Jay's Full Bio: EvanCarmichael.com/jaykubassek) In five years, Canadian-born entrepreneur Jay Kubassek went from selling mufflers at a Midas franchise to revolutionizing Internet marketing with the 2004 launch of CarbonCopyPRO, a online marketing education company, now worth over $20 million with customers in over 160 countries.
As an independent film producer, his upstart film fund Aliquot Films is currently producing a films with Spike Lee and Abel Fererra (starring Ethan Hawke and Dennis Hopper.)
Jay's entrepreneurial spirit is irrepressible. He’s the owner of five companies, a professional speaker and trainer, international real estate developer/investor, extreme sport enthusiast and emerging philanthropist. Jay resides in NYC with his wife Jamie, son Milo and dog Cooper. Visit Jay's official website: www.JayKubassek.com - Visit Jay Kubassek's Website |
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