Does your network sell for you?

I was interviewed last night by Richard White of The Accidental Salesman on the theme, "Does your network to sell for you?".

This was done as a live webcast and will be available as a download to members of Richard's Accidental Salesman Club.

We spoke about some of the mistakes that people make when networking and I shared the NRG four stage model of going from first meeting someone to have them become an advocate:
1. Make contact
2. Follow up
3. Build relationship
4. Develop advocacy

Read the full article at this link, "Does your network sell for you?".

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

Morgan PR and the Great Blogging Adventure: NRG giving!

I saw this post today from someone who came to our Reading Group's networking lunch & seminar;

Morgan PR and the Great Blogging Adventure: NRG giving!

It made me feel really good. How often do you leave positive feedback & testimonials?

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

Getting serious about Word of Mouth

A couple of weeks ago I attended a seminar at a PR Company in Reading. The theme was "Grow your own business through effective sales, PR & Marketing". There were some good tips on traditional sales, PR & Marketing. Social Networking, however, was completely absent from the presentation. I asked one of the presenters if they saw it as important. I was left with the impression that Web 2.0 was not something they had embraced.

The same week I saw a presentation from Steve Clayton of Microsoft on "Web 2.0, Social Networking, Blogging & more". He underlined the importance of utilising the technology and getting serious about Word of Mouth Marketing.

As Philip Calvert put it in a recent NRG Business Networking Seminar, "If you're not on Google, Facebook & Myspace you don't exist!"

How are you utilising Social Networking in your Word of Mouth strategy?

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

Who else sells to your target market?

I had a couple of conversations this week where I raised this question.

In the first the person trained people interested in starting their own beauty therapy or related business. There are many college courses helping Women start in business developing links with those may be a good start.

In the second the person had a busines that halved the cost of fixed to mobile telephone calls. When I asked who else sold to his market he said everyone. I asked if it might be a good idea to focus particularly on developing relationships with others that sold complementary telecoms related products and services to his target market.

Who else sells to your target customers?

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