In this month’s Practical Marketing we suggest an approach that might just change all of that with a very simple change of approach.

Just imagine the last Chamber of Commerce or breakfast business club meeting you attended. Think first about your approach. Did you go along with a clear purpose and clear message – your 30 second introduction to your business (commonly know as your elevator speech or audio logo) that crammed in a few benefits, something memorable and let the person you were speaking to know you were available for business?

An experienced networker would certainly say ‘yes’ to all of these points (inexperienced networkers may want to follow the link at the end of this E-bulletin to more articles on the subject)

Now think about the approach that others were taking. Would it be fair to say that on reflection there was a bit of a mismatch – in that everyone was selling and no one was buying? Well there’s the trigger for you to do something different. Refocus and rethink. Why are you networking? If your immediate answer is ‘Because I want to promote my business, its product and services’ maybe you’re being too blunt and brutish – and certainly if that’s the attitude of everyone else in the room networking won’t be a pleasant experience.

Why not take another approach and see the networking event as an opportunity to meet some new people and find out more about them – with a view to maybe developing a long term relationship with them in the future. I almost wrote ‘doing business with them in the future’ but that’s not really what I mean – after all this implies a trade of some kind and you might have an effective business relationship with someone for years and never sell them anything or buy anything from them. HOW? I hear some of you ask.

Well, it’s simple – they are part of your network – they give you advice in areas where they have expertise. They ask for and follow your advice. They refer you to their clients (and vice versa) and they can help you find new, reliable suppliers.

The approach you take to develop this kind of relationship is not all about selling – it’s about asking, listening and learning.

The approach is simple but there are a few simple rules to follow;

1. Ask a few carefully chosen questions – the other party won’t want to feel like they’re being interrogated. The kind of non-threatening general questions you might try include ‘How did you get into training / the internet business?’ Perhaps followed up with: ‘What’s do you enjoy most about what you do at the moment?’
2. Listen really carefully to what they say – you’d be amazed how much useful information and buying signals you can hear. And refer back to what they’ve said with things like – ‘you mentioned you…….’ ‘I’m interested that you…….’ This really shows you’ve been listening and are interested in what they’re telling you.
3. Give something back - there’s a bit of a danger that if you focus too much on the type of approach I’m suggesting you’ll leave the other party feeling great (after all, we all feel great when we’re encouraged to talk about something we enjoy or are proud of) but with little impression or memory of you or your business. So use opportunities to drop in a few pieces of information about your business or goods. For example if you’ve been talking about their business and the type of market they work in comment on whether this matches or differs from your own area of focus.
4. Ask how you can help them get business. After all this is why they’re at the event and you are now giving them permission to give you their sales pitch but without them or you having to feel like they are selling to you. So try something like ‘We’ve been chatting for a while but I’m not sure I know what type of work you’re looking for – can you tell me.’
   

It’s unlikely that having followed this type of approach the other party wouldn’t ask you the final question too – and even if they don’t you can respond with – ‘Well for me – my best prospect would be …..’

Now even if you never do business with them that person has gone away (a) feeling good about themselves (b) believing they’ve met someone useful who was interested in them and their business (c) with the ability to refer prospects to your business in the future.

What’s more, because you’ve probably has a more general discussion they may also be able to make recommendations to help you in other areas of your business – you may be wanting to find a new accountant, change telecom supplier or be looking for someone to develop your website. And all because you’ve stepped outside the ‘I’m here to sell’ box.

For more ideas on Networking read:  Networking - A Sure Fire Way to Grow Your Business;  Do's and Don't of Networking and A Model to Grow Your Business.

Article written by Teresa Harris of Second Opinion Marketing. Second Opinion Marketing is an independent marketing consultancy specialising in communication solutions and the customer experience. Contact: Teresa on 01789 740396 or tah@secondopinionmarketing.co.uk.

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