Networking with Decision Makers

"I need to be networking with decision makers and budget holders" or something similar is a phrase I hear often. It is often a result of a misconceived idea about networking. The idea that networking is about finding a room full of prospects, exchanging business cards then moving on to the next. That is not networking, it is selling.

Business networking is about building relationships with your peers so that over time you help, support and introduce each other to opportunities to sell your services. Over time you build trust through a series of exchanges or networking transactions. The people you meet in business networking are decision makers and the route to those budget holders you want to meet. They are constantly making decisions about whether they like you, trust you and are prepared to refer you.

The quickest way to get them to make a negative decision is to constantly sell to them. In short, as I have said and written before, networking is not selling!

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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Networking is still not about selling

I have blogged before that networking is not selling yet I still meet people at networking events that are intent on selling to the room. I was at an event the other day where a couple of people were complaining that they had got clients the first couple of times they attended, but those sorts of people didn't come any more.

What a shock. They were probably put off by people selling to them all the time. As I often write networking is not about selling directly. If you build relationships in the right way then you don't have to sell. Your network does it for you!

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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Have you ever had the hard sell at a networking event?

I went to a great event last week where I got to make some good new contacts, followed up with a few people I had met previously and caught up with a few that I knew well. A really enjoyable experience and an efficient use of time like many well organised and structured business networking groups.

A speaker at the event gave some tips on the use of Social Media and online Social Networks. His number one tip was that networking online is no different to offline, it is not selling it is relationship building. I found it ironic that someone then gave me the hard sell!

He approached me and said, "I saw you on the list can I ask some questions?"

"Of course," I replied.

He proceeded to ask his questions and then said, "the reason I am asking is because of what I do..."

Then it turned into a straight sales pitch and the more he pushed the more I resisted until I just switched off altogether. When he gave me his business card I made a note on it to file it in the appropriate place.

He was not interested in me at all!

Remember that business networking is about building relationships first and as Dale Carnegie famously said "You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you!"

If you are looking for business today from the people you meet, that is selling. Successful networking builds your business for tomorrow. More in this podcast, 'The difference between Networking and Selling'

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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Corporate Networking

In this post here >>> Andy Lopata shares some insights into current Networking thinking in Corporates. He interviewed Jeff Schick, the vice president of social computing software for IBM Corporation in New York, who described a software initiative, 'Lotus Connections' based on their own internal systems.

There appear to be 2 strands when referring to Corporates & Networking - internal & external networking.

1. Internal networking
Perhaps the IBM inititative suggests they know that networking is the way it all works anyway so why not make it more efficient. I remember talking to Keith Willett of Sanderson & Neale about some software tools that they use with Corporates. They have a product called networker to establish the real lines of communication and influence within a business. Definitely not the world according to the org chart.

2. External networking
I often get asked why Corporates don't attend networking events. Often the question is asked by someone who wants to sell to larger companies and this reveals some confusion about what networking really is. Networking is not selling and you are not going to get Corporate representatives flocking to somewhere to be sold too. On the other hand Corporates (banks, insurance, telecoms etc) often see the small business networks as places where their customers congregate and send their salespeople (to sell!) or sponsor their own or other events.

My experience is that Corporates do network externally. Mainly with their peers, and in places where they see it as appropriate to engage. An example of this is with Industry specific networks. When I was in the Telecoms Industry I belonged to the UK based Telecommunications Executive Network. Three quarters of that community are CEO/Director/VP.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke

The Advocacy Model: Follow Up

Once you have made a good connection the best way to follow up is to arrange a OnetoOne meeting to discuss things further.

These One2One meetings can often go wrong for 2 main reasons;
1. People use it as an opportunity to go straight into a sales pitch. Networking is NOT selling, the advocacy model for business networking is all about building relationships for the longer term. A good advocate will recommend you and your products and services time and time again without being asked or paid.
2. The meeting becomes a social chat with no agenda or purpose.

In order to get to the next stage the purpose of this meeting is to:
· Discuss mutual interests
· Validate your initial assessment (do you still like them?)
· Research their business
· Appraise qualification, experience, ability (your judgement)
· Balance potential value versus risk (your time)

If your assessment is positive then you need to undertake some actions in order to move into the forming relationship stage. With each you are extending more trust and helping your continued assessment:
· Invite them to a regular networking group you attend
· Introduce to a trusted contact
· Send some useful information to them

For more on the Advocacy Model of Business Networking see the following posts:
How to build trust in business relationships
Business Networking: The Advocacy Model
The Advocacy Model: Making a Contact

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

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Are you listening or shouting online?

I have listened to Graham Jones speak at seminars at NRG Business Networking Events a couple of times recently. His theme has been 'How to double your Web Site Traffic'. His advice has been gratefully received (and hopefully acted on!) by the participants.

More and more people have asked him about Twitter during the presentations and he has given a couple of great examples about how you can use Twitter (and other Social Media) to listen for conversations relevant to you and your business and then engage in those conversations. Many business people have looked at Twitter and assumed it is for shouting about your services rather than engaging in conversations. This is a bit like going to a networking event and selling to the people there. I have written in previous posts that networking is not selling.

I have a couple of automated Twitter searches set up for Networking and NRG Networking specifically. On more than a few occasions recently I have been alerted to comments about NRG from members and guests and then responded directly to questions from people who replied to those comments.

For more on this subject take a look at Graham's excellent Beginners Guide to Twitter.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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How much should you give away?

In Nigel Temple's excellent Internet Marketing Masterclass yesterday there was a discussion about how much of your knowledge you should give away. A few years ago I sat in discussions where people argued that you should give nothing away. Yesterday most people were happy with the notion of giving away about 20%, but holding back the rest to charge for. It's the old 'Sprat to catch a mackerel' notion.

Most of us, however, are unhappy when we feel someone is holding something back. It gets in the way of building relationships. If you want people to refer you or do business with you that might be a problem!

The World has been changed forever with this thing called the Internet. Most knowledge is now freely available somewhere if you search for it. Some people will pay for your knowledge, but mainly they will pay for the the value you add.

Consider this statement from someone who is very successful in developing his business with networking. This was part of his response to the NRG research into business networking:

"I do not do any cold calling. All my business comes from networking and referrals. Networking is not about selling, it's about building relationships.

Much of the business is a result of doing a presentation where I share ALL my secrets so people know how to do what I do.

Mostly, they prefer to ask me to do it for them. Even though I've explained how they can do it for themselves!”

Nigel was a living example of this in his Masterclass yesterday. The only thing the people attending were really paying for was the cost of the room for a few hours. He was then giving away his knowledge freely for a couple of hours.

Some of those people are now paying for his help to implement the stuff!

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

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Does Your Selling have the Partnership approach?

Many business owners and professionals are strangers to the world of selling and can run into problems with a misunderstanding of the approach required. Richard White's The Accidental Salesman® is often a very apt description. Successful selling is not about being pushy and looking to 'close' everyone you meet. The best networkers are very clear about what they do and for who - their target market. They are friendly, helpful and constantly looking for opportunities to connect their network with people, knowledge & opportunities. They also understand that people will buy from them when they are good and ready and adopt the same approach of helping and educating prospects.

I attended an excellent Client Attraction Techniques Masterclass from Small Business Marketing Expert Nigel Temple yesterday. I am sure Nigel's stuff will inspire a good few blogs in the days ahead. He touched on the psychology behind the new sales & marketing several times. A powerful illustration was the experience of shopping at the John Lewis Partnership. The Sales Assistants there are truly deserving of that 'assistant' title. They are`there to assist us in making an informed buying choice. Always ready to answer questions and leaving us with the decision at all times. They understand something I learned from a Sandler trainer about Newton's Third Law and the way it also applies in selling. The law of reciprocal actions states, 'To every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction: or the forces of two bodies on each other are always equal and are directed in opposite directions'. If you try and push someone to buy something they will push back. I know what my reaction is when I get pounced on as I walk through a shop door.

Nigel suggested spending some time in John Lewis watching them in action. Not a bad idea if you have the time.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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Seminars and sharing your expertise with your network

For someone to advocate you and your services they will probably need some experience of what you do at some stage. One of the challenges in building your network of advocates is how do you give others this experience when they are unlikely to be customers.

One great way to do this is by delivering seminars and a number of networks include this type of activity. In fact most of our NRG networking events include a member delivered seminar.

In the business networking research we commissioned a couple of years back one respondent shared this:

"I do not do any cold calling - all my business comes from networking and referrals. Networking is not about selling - it's about building relationships. Much of the business is as a result of doing a presentation where I share my secrets..."

Would your expertise lend itself to a good seminar?

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

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Networking is not Selling!

I went to a "networking event" last week that was promoted as an opportunity to "meet your best potential client". The expectation this sets is all wrong and leads to inevitable disappointment.

Networking is about building trusted relationships with other business people who introduce you to your "best potential client" time after time.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke

A simple way of standing out from the crowd

I recently changed the email address I use to send out emails. I am still using the old one and have not informed anyone that I am using a new address. I did it to simplify the way things get dealt with in my office. What I find interesting is that new messages to the older email address have dropped by over 90%. Further analysis shows that the vast majority of regular emails (excluding spam) are replies to me rather than new ones. This is not unusual as most people react to events rather than initiate them. In other words most people are reactive rather than proactive.

In business networking this means that most do not follow up after you have connected at a networking event. This gives you a great opportunity to be different by becoming one of the proactive few. By simply getting into the habit of following up first with that nugget of information or that helpful introduction.

'Be Proactive' is the 1st habit of highly successful people according to Stephen R. Covey in the best selling Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Read about 'applying the 7 habits to your business networking here'.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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How to become a proactive networker

I have been doing some work with an NRG member on developing an online training course for networking. She came back with an excellent insight this morning after reviewing the material;

"I would definitely get more benefit from my networking after doing this training by being more focused on objectives, rather than just expecting things to evolve/happen."

It is not unusual for people to wait for things to happen in networking rather than concentrating on things to make things happen. The most successful networkers, though, get on and don't wait.

In Applying the 7 habits to your business networking I wrote that habit 1* is 'Be Proactive'. You need commitment and the right attitude. Take the lead in conversations, make connections, and share your expertise.

So just how do you make yourself proactive in networking?

The first thing is to decide your objectives and then set yourself targets for the things you can do to help you achieve those objectives.

These podcasts may help you discover what you want and what you can do.
1. 'Why are you networking & are you prepared?'

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2. Developing a Networking Strategy

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Then it's down to you to do it!

*From the best selling Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

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Are you networking with the right people?

I met someone last week at one of my regular networking groups. When he explained what he did I advised him that the group may not be great for him and his business. He sold cosmetics and the group was made up of professionals and providers of business services.

He said, rightly, that everyone there either used or knew people that used the types of products he sold. I said that was true, but they were all there because they shared the same target market. They were not selling directly to consumers of domestic products so the best network for him would be with others selling directly to the same domestic consumers.

Successful networking is all about building relationships with the right people. A good place to start when selecting a networking group is to find one where the other members sell to the same target market as you.

Good Networking!

Dave Clarke

Educate, educate, educate

I attended an excellent marketing masterclass by Nigel Temple this evening. One of the points he made about differentiation was the importance of freely sharing useful information in your marketing. He said it was better to be seen as an expert than to just claim you are. His point is illustrated beautifully by the amount of free resources at his own website, nigeltemple.com.

It reminds me of a quote from an NRG member in some research into business networking that NRG conducted a couple of years ago:

"I do not do any cold calling - all my business comes from networking and referrals. Much of it is as a result of doing a presentation where I share my secrets so people know how to do what I do. Mostly, they prefer to ask me to do it for them, even though I've explained how they can do it for themselves! Networking is not about selling - it's about building relationships."

This demonstrates nicely how Nigel's good advice applies equally in the relationship building context in business networking.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke

Are you networking with the right people?

I met someone recently at one of my regular networking groups. When he explained what he did I advised him that the group may not be great for him and his business. He sold cosmetics direct to consumers and was there to generate leads for his business. The group was made up of professionals and providers of business services.

He said, rightly, that everyone there either used or knew people that used the types of products he sold. I said that was true, but they were all there because they shared the same target market. They were not selling directly to consumers of domestic products so the best network for him would be with others selling directly to the same domestic consumers.

Successful networking for business development is all about building relationships with the right people. A good place to start when selecting a networking group for business is to find one where the other members sell to the same target market as you.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke

 ps Visit the new home of the business networking blog for the latest posts

Look for Synergies

People new to networking will often look to 'network' with people from completely different businesses. Last week an IT provider said he was reluctant to attend an event because many of the other attendees were also 'in IT'. I asked one of these other people who he preferred to network with. He said, "Thats easy. Other people in IT services and support. They know what I'm talking about and we very rarely compete even though it may look like we do something similar. The opportunities for working together or referring each other far outweigh any competitive concerns."

The reality is that people in similar businesses can form relationships much quicker than with those in different fields.

As I wrote in As I wrote in 'Applying the 7 habits to your business networking' habit 6 is 'Synergise'. Look for synergies whenever you meet people and add them to your network. The value of future collaboration will exceed the sum of what each of you could achieve on your own.

According to Wikipedia a synergy is where different entities cooperate advantageously for a final outcome. Simply defined, it means that the effect of the whole is greater than the sum of the effects of the individual parts. Although the whole will be greater than each individual part, this is not the concept of synergy. If used in a business application it means that teamwork will produce an overall better result than if each person was working toward the same goal individually.

*From the best selling Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

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Follow up is the difference

Someone asked me this week "What is the main difference between people who are effective in their networking and those who are not?"

I replied that there were generally a number of factors. The first being that there are those that 'get it' and those that don't. By that I mean there are those who understand how networking works and some who have the idea that is some sort of selling or purely social activity.

The big difference, though, is with those that set aside time to spend following up with others. Investing time in getting to know, like, & trust them and then connecting them with the things they need to know and the people they need to know to help them achieve their busines objectives. You only get to know the relevant content and contacts in the context that is right for them by spending time with them.

In 'A simple way of standing out from the crowd' I wrote how you can stand out by becoming one of the proactive few who regularly follow up.

One simple way of ensuring you do this is to get in the habit of setting aside time in your diary for follow up and 121s after networking meetings.

I talk for a couple of minutes on follow up in this podcast, 'Follow up, Follow up, Follow up!'
Listen here:

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Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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Networking or Selling?

A couple of weeks back a contact said to me "I really need to be networking with Companies with more than 250 employees."

We explored this a little more & established that her target market includes companies with more than 250 employees. She is selling into those companies not networking with them. The C level executives of those businesses network with their peers. As an independent professional providing service to those businesses it is important to build a network with other professionals with complimentary products and services in that space. It is those trusted relationships that are the route to market.

If you are looking for business today from the people you meet that is selling. Successful networking builds your business for tomorrow.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

Do you get networking?

I was chatting with a couple of people yesterday after a networking meeting that I facilitated. One of the people said, "The great thing about this group is that all the people get it"

I asked what he meant by 'get it' and he said "They are a likeable, intelligent and friendly bunch with solid businesses. Everyone is there to help the others achieve their business goals first and foremost. They are relaxed, not desperate and not selling to each other."

A wonderful summary of the attributes of great networkers!

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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Is Facebook good for your business?

I am often asked "Should I be on Facebook?". The people who ask are often the ones who think they can 'get business' from Facebook.

Facebook is a Social Network, not a Business Directory. See Social Networking in Plain English for a great quick video on the subject.

Participants in a network are involved in relationships around some sort of mutual exchange. Social networks like Facebook are great for keeping up to date with your friends, acquaintances and peers.

The subjects discussed in social networks include business so should you spend business time interacting with people on Facebook? That really depends on what you are selling so ask yourself a question;

'Is facebook a good place to find and connect with those people with access & influence in my market?'

If the answer is yes then join and start adding value in groups that are relevant. Start your own group to interact with those people that you already do business with and they like interacting on facebook. I do that and generate well qualified paying guests for our membership groups. They are attracted or invited by people they know, like and trust already.

Participants in a Network like facebook or subsets of it may be part of your target market so the question to ask then is 'Does facebook have good numbers of potential customers?'. If that answer is yes then you may want to investigate facebook advertising.

Good Networking
Dave Clarke
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