Yes, there are lots of ways to “mess” up your business networking. Here are some of my favorites!
Getting Caught Up with Selling
We have all probably done it! Nobody will ever be more excited about our products and services than us! When networking, sell your excitement about your work but don’t sell your thing to those you meet when networking. They are not your prospects unless they tell you they are!
Not Being Clear About What You Do
I know this sounds obvious but many financial advisors, brokers, agents, and even business owners in other professions are often not able to express what they do in a clear, concise way. Keep it short, sweet, and to the point. What do you provide and how does it help your clients?
No Ideal Market
What industry, profession, market segment, niche, dynamic, demographic, and geography do you serve best and therefore wish to serve most? Who is your ideal client? You may want to avoid using company revenue as a measure of your target market as it often doesn’t create as much “gravity” than if you simply mentioned a company name or specific profession that you’re targeting.
Virtually, a Poor Impression
Of course, many of our meetings are still online. Although there are plenty of ways to make a bad impression live and in person, it seems to be easier online. A bad background. Tech issues (some are not our fault). Multi-tasking. Walking the dog while in a business meeting. Eating. Recently, I saw someone at an online networking meeting leading what appeared to be another online meeting. It’s all about the impression you want to make and how referable you want to be.
Just by paying closer attention to these four potential @#$% ups will help you make more and better connections in the New Year!
P.S. We’re starting a new 8-week training camp on Knock Out Networking to help producers generate more referrals. Email me if you would you like to join us?