Networking Insight

Attend Events to Further Build Your Existing Relationships

Attending business events is one of several efforts that you can participate in to build new relationships. It is important to meet people face-to-face so you can interact live in person. Meeting in person vs. on a computer screen allows you to see how people react to your conversation with non-verbal cues. Also, in person allows you have to a more open conversation because you are unrestricted by a computer screen.

With that said, attending events is also a great way to further build your existing relationships. It is critical that you are visible with people in your network. So, by regular attending events, you will be able to interact with those who you already know.

Over time, you will start to see many of the same people at the same types of events. When this happens, you will start to build a certain comfort level and trust with these people. So, your relationships with strengthen.

The more you interact with these people at events, the more that you will be able to help one another. Many times you will be able to introduce new people to one another while attending an event. Also, this will happen more frequently outside of the event as well.

To build a great network, you need a diverse set of relationships and some very strong influencers and connectors. By regularly seeing people, these types of relationships will form.

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Book Review: Sales-Free Selling by Steve Fretzin

Sales-Free Selling was written by Steve Fretzin who has transformed thousands of sales professionals, entrepreneurs, and professional service practictioners into business development superstars through his proprietary system of Sales-Free Selling.

The author shares his sales techniques through a fictional but real world story of three professionals who struggle with sales. These three professionalas are the clients of a sales trainer who teaches them through an 11 week class.

Each of the below chapters in the book equate to a week of training:

Week 1: Getting in the Right Frame of Mind

Week 2: Planning for Success

Week 3: Building a Strong Foundation

Week 4: Setting Strong Agendas

Week 5: Questioning to Drive Urgency

Week 6: Obtaining Commitment

Week 7: Getting to the Decision Maker

Week 8: Financially Qualifying Prospects

Week 9: Rating the Prospect's Commitment to Close

Week 10: The Presentation

Week 11: The Role Play and The Final Ahas

During the story, the clients learn the above process, implement it, and then share their stories. The dialogue and aha moments are very practical and demonstrate that selling is a process that develops into new business over time. When done right, the sales process becomes seemless and natural.

Throughout the book, the author challenges the conventional sales methodologies because many of the old techniques are now obsolete. He believes that a new way to sell is upon us as demontrated by his clients' sucesses.

The author would like you to get past the negative perception of selling and to start enjoying it with a renewed sense of excitment. The techniques shared in this book can assist you into becoming a top performer with a new business development strategy that is less about selling and more about building relationships.

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Memorial Day Relationship Building Tips

With the Memorial Day weekend comes a great time to build relationships. Most of us spend time with family and friends in a relaxed environment. So, take advantage of this time of the year further deepen your relationships. Here are a few tips to consider:

• Get to konw people more on a personal level - Spend additional time getting to know your friends by meeting their families and learning more about their lives.

• Show your personal side - It is important that people get to know your personal side better as well. Let people into your world so they can get to know you bettter.

• Spend additional time with people - Take extra time to get to know your friends by spending several hours together at a BBQ or on the golf course.

• Meet new people - When familiy and friends get together during the holidays, new people are usually invited. Get to know these people as well.

• Have fun - Most importantly, have fun during the holidays. This is a good time of the year to enjoy yourself and relax.

What other tips can you share?

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10 Follow-Up Tactics That Matter

Following up appropriately with new business contacts is extremely important to build your network. Below are 10 follow-up tactics:

1. Connect on LinkedIn to start integrating your business worlds.
2. Email to set up a call or in person meeting.
3. Email to send information that you may have promised when you met.
4. Call to continue to the conversation and/or to set up an in person meeting.
5. Mail a handwritten card to show your appreciation for meeting one another.
6. Follow the person on Twitter.
7. Become friends on Facebook to get to know one other's personal side.
8. Post a comment on a blog post written by the person.
9. Sign up for the person's newsletter if he/she has one.
10. Sign up the person for your newsletter if you have one.

What other follow-up techniques do you use?

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