Hopefully, you’ve made a great connection with them and gave a lot of value in the interaction. When networking you should be giving 51% more value. Always try to add more value to help that person in this relationship. No, that doesn’t mean selling them all of your products. Ask a lot of questions and try to find out what they need help with and help them.
Maybe they told you they just bought a new house and the roof needs replaced. Make special note of that because it will be very important in a moment.
You left a networking event, and you have a handful of business cards from the new people you met. Here is what you should and should NOT do with them.
1 The next day, email them or shoot them a call. Here is where you will provide value because you are going to help them out. If they need a new roof, you are going to send them the names of some of your friends in the roofing business. Maybe they mentioned they needed to find a gift for their husband’s birthday coming up, so you send them some awesome gift ideas. This is where you will create tremendous value.
*DO NOT automatically add them to an automated email list or send them an automated email. They will most likely take it personally (and not in a good way), and you will end up destroying all the value you just worked so hard to create. You must ask before adding them.
Also, if you do recommend another company’s services, please make sure they are very professional and won’t make you look bad. Once again that will kill the value you just worked to build.
2 Send them a handwritten note. This is something that is extremely overlooked and is still an excellent way to build your personal and professional network. It doesn’t have to be long or anything about yourself, just a nice quick note saying it was great to meet you and look forward to connecting more. You can even throw in a call to action saying, call me and we can do lunch soon!
Trust me this goes a long way and shows the other person you care enough to take the time to write them a note.
3 Get social. Find the people you connected with not just on LinkedIn but across all social media. Let’s be honest; business is no longer just done on LinkedIn but across all social platforms. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat. By becoming friends with people on social media, you can start building the relationships more AND finding out more about them and how you can continue to create value for them. As most of us do, we talk about our businesses success and have other people talk about our business successes on social media. This is a great opportunity for them to see others talking about your successes, which in turn is a great way for that person to see how you can help them without you saying, “look how great me, my products, and my services are!”
What we are doing here is a ninja approach to selling. You are working to create so much value to other people, allowing them to see that you actually care about them, and want to help them.
They will see your accomplishments and other boastings about the value you create, which in return will get them to finally contact you and say, how can we work together. OR even if they can’t use your services but since you created so much value for them, they may refer you to other people who you may be able to help.
Remember people do business with people they know, like, and trust. So ask yourself when making a call, sending an email, or going to a meeting…How can I add so much value to this relationship and will this help build my know, like, and trust factor?
I’d like to leave you with this-
There isn’t a lack of business, money, or opportunity in this world there is only a lack of people going after it!
Find me on all social media platforms @DennyCorby and please come say “hello” at the next Network Magazine event.