How To Make Networking Work For YOU

In last month’s post, I made reference to the importance of having a concise statement that communicates exactly what you have to offer prospective new clients and referral partners, especially in a networking situation.

That got me thinking.

As freelance bookkeepers, knowing how to network (both online and offline) is probably THE most important marketing skill we can develop. After all, bookkeepers generally get the vast majority of new clients through word of mouth, not from paid ads.

Networking is an extremely low-cost way to get a steady stream of new clients coming in. Even when you are fully booked, having more prospects coming in than you can serve helps build the confidence needed to raise your rates and/or make referrals to colleagues to build stronger strategic alliances. You should never stop networking.

But here’s the reason so many freelance bookkeepers have a real struggle finding enough clients on a consistent basis, even when they do make an effort to participate in networking events on a regular basis.

The Single Biggest Mistake Nearly Everyone Makes

In a word: Follow-up

Word-of-mouth marketing is built on relationships. To build relationships, you need to follow up with the people you meet! Hardly anyone bothers to do that. What about you?

Have you ever attended a conference with colleagues, or a Chamber of Commerce event, only to come home with a fist full of business cards and good intentions? What usually happens though?

That little pile of cards just ends up in your desk drawer, doesn’t it? When you eventually look at it again, you see the names and wonder, “Who the heck is this?” (Yeah, I’ve been guilty of that too.)

Even if you do follow up, are you doing it just once, and then dropping the ball after a little more time passes by?

Networking Done Right

The best real world networking expert I know, Ely Delaney of My Business Marketing Mentor, recently explained to me how the flow of networking should work, to result in a stream of new prospects and referrals.

.

When you network consistently and correctly, your number of referrals and new customers should grow exponentially over time. And by building a simple personal networking system, it can be an easy process that will create a new problem – being booked solid all the time. (Wouldn’t you like to have that problem?)

Here’s the simple system I’ve been using in my own business:

Before a networking opportunity

Set a clear goal for how many new contacts you want to make at that event.

I will usually only give myself the goal of 3-5 new contacts, since I am focusing more on quality than quantity. While traveling to the networking event or conference, I think about the type of people I might meet there, and what I may be able to offer them for free to build a win-win connection.

During a networking event

Keep your Ideal Client and Benefits statement clearly in mind (as mentioned in last month’s post).

Here’s exactly what I do to make new connections:

1.  Get to know the people I sit next to during the event. This takes a little pressure off, since I’m not super gregarious in a crowd. I ask “tell me about yourself” type questions so I can learn about the person and their business. I’m looking for common ground and ways to build a friendship.

2.  Discern whether they would make a good referral partner, or if they themselves may benefit from my QuickBooks services. This will usually become evident during the conversation.

3.  Conclude the conversation with either an exchange of contact information and agreement to follow-up, or bid a pleasant farewell if we are not compatible and I do not wish to add that person to my networking contacts.

Immediately after a networking event

Start the follow-up process.

I send out an email to thank my new contact for the conversation and recap any key points we discussed. If I promised to provide additional helpful information, I include it with the email or mention that I’ll be dropping it in the mail to them right away.

I end the follow-up communication with the next step to be taken (either by my new contact or by me).

I then set up a task in Outlook to remind me to follow-up (even if the other person is the one who is supposed to take the next action) and stay in touch.

My system is not perfect, and admittedly, sometimes I’m not as diligent as I should be with following up. In fact, I recently found out that there are some easy ways I can substantially improve my system and even automate it. Ely Delaney will be doing a special webinar on this topic this Thursday called, “The Ultimate Prospect Follow-Up System” that lays it all out. Since it’s limited, I’m getting in on this class now! (If you want to improve your follow-up system too, see the link in the Resources section below.)

The results from steadily building and nurturing your networking contacts can bring you amazing new customers and friendships. (I know this from personal networking experience.) In turn, you will create a stream of new customers and referral partners on which to solidly grow your business for many years to come.

So what are you going to do this week to improve your networking system?

.

Resources:

“The Ultimate Prospect Follow-Up System” online training by Ely Delaney of My Business Marketing Mentor

“Fearless Networking” – simple, no-fluff book that lays out a solid and do-able networking system for new business owners or the shy and not-so-aggressive self-promoter

.

Please note, some of the links in this post are affiliate links

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

Tagged As: follow-up system, grow your business, low-cost marketing, Marketing, networking, promotion, prospecting, referrals, strategic alliances