Do's and Don'ts for generating inbound leads for your business.
Building your business with networking is important, but you need to make sure you do it right. To ensure that you do it correctly and don’t make common mistakes, here are the dos and don’ts of networking at local events.
Networking Do’s
* Thoroughly
practice your thirty-second elevator pitch so you can get all of the points out
that you need to express to people in just thirty seconds. It should be second
nature, so when you meet people on the fly you can tell them what you’re all
about.
* Social media is
great, but so are face-to-face meetings. When your online contacts are in the
area, plan time to meet face to face. Attend regular meet-ups in your area as
well. Those face-to-face meetings are great for making connections.
* Have a good
handshake. A handshake says a lot about a person. Make it a good, firm
handshake.
* Always have
your business cards at the ready. You really never know when you’re going to
meet someone, so be sure you carry business cards with you at all times.
* If you make a
promise, then be sure that you follow through on it. Follow up with the people
that you meet. This is going to build those relationships you made nice and
strong.
* Keep in touch.
Have regular meetings with your network, and be sure to offer them your
assistance when asking for their help on something. If you’re having an event,
then invite the people in your network too.
* Ask for help.
If you’re looking to expand your business, then you need people to help you get
the word out. Make sure you ask your network to help you out with spreading the
word on whatever you’re working on or whatever you need help with.
* Set goals.
Having measurable goals in your networking will help keep you on track and get
your business where you want it to be on a specific timeline.
* Be grateful.
Saying thank you to your contacts will go a long way in showing your
appreciation for what they have done for you.
* Find ways to
give back to your network. This is a great way to show appreciation, but it
also builds those relationships even stronger when you can help out those who
have helped you. No one wants to feel used, so that’s why it’s so important to
give back.
Networking Don’ts
* Hard sell. If
it’s the first time meeting someone, then you shouldn’t do a hard sell on your
product. This should be a time of getting to know you and what you are all
about, not about getting money out of someone for your product.
* Monopolize the
time talking about yourself. You should be finding out about the person you’re
meeting rather than telling them all about you. If you show interest in the
other person, then they will be more interested in you as someone who listens.
* Drink too much.
Give yourself a two drink maximum when you’re networking. It will make sure
that you are coherent when you talk, and that you don’t say anything you later
wish you hadn’t.
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