Networking: What Happened to that Connection?

Checking In and Re-connecting - It's Part of Networking Too!
by Karen Frank, Linguistic Alchemist, Networking Trainer

Let's face it it's a "set it and forget it" world. 

We're all caught up in day to day 'stuff' and sometimes finding a connection to someone is like checking off an item from your "to do" list.

Ah, I've been looking for a contractor as a strategic ally - check!  I've made one phone call - check! We had coffee - check!

And then silence.

Or maybe the only time you check in with someone is when you have a connection for them.

Aha! I found someone that needs Sally's services! And then you contact Sally only to find out that she doesn't actually do the thing your friend needs. She used to - but not anymore.

It's kind of weird, actually.

**this article will be continued in the next blog post :)

Networking Expert, Karen Frank publishes Networking News, a semi-monthly newsletter devoted to helping you avoid marketing disasters and networking faux pas.  Get the home study course "The Seven Deadly Sins of Networking and How to Avoid them" Free when you sign up for Networking News at www.7deadlysinsofnetworking.com


www.GoABRA.com
Look for ABRA Houston on LinkedIn and facebook.

Here is the networking equation for getting new clients:
Networking leads to Referrals which leads to Direct Contact/Follow-Up which leads to Presentations which leads to Sales

Are You Carrying Forward Your Legacies?

In past history, legacies were taught by family elders (often in the form of stories) to younger generations who then carried the legacies forward and then taught it the next generation, and so on. Eventually, man created separate elders for family, spiritual, political and business situations and slowly man began to disconnect from his legacies as they became less interwoven and interdependent. Each of the four legacies began to grow independent of each other.


www.GoABRA.com
Look for ABRA Houston on LinkedIn and facebook.

Here is the networking equation for getting new clients:
Networking leads to Referrals which leads to Direct Contact/Follow-Up which leads to Presentations which leads to Sales

Are You Connected with Your Legacies?

Through the centuries, with amazing technological advances in transportation and communications, man has become more and more separated from his legacies. This separation has occurred at all levels but, starting at the family level and encompassing our legacies at the spiritual, political and business levels, too. While family, spiritual, political and business legacies each had their own character; they were very much interwoven and interdependent, too.


www.GoABRA.com
Look for ABRA Houston on LinkedIn and facebook.

Here is the networking equation for getting new clients:
Networking leads to Referrals which leads to Direct Contact/Follow-Up which leads to Presentations which leads to Sales

Are You Lost in the Sales Cycle?

"Marketing and sales operates on a predictable cycle, with four separate stages:

1. Filling the Pipeline
2. Following Up
3. Getting Presentations
4. Closing Sales

The activities that take place within each stage of the cycle will vary depending on your business, but the cycle is the same for everyone." ~ C.J. Hayden in her book: GET CLIENTS NOW!

Sales is not that complicated and there is no "secret formula" to success. What we have to do is determine the top activities that will produce results for us at each level of the sales cycle and then execute those activities consistently in as excellent a manner as possible.

Networking is a proven venue for moving through the four stages of the sales cycle.

Here is the networking equation for getting new clients:
Networking leads to Referrals which leads to Direct Contact/Follow-Up which leads to Presentations which leads to Sales

www.GoABRA.com
Look for ABRA Houston on facebook and LinkedIn

Marketing Is A Happening!

"You can't just sit there and wait for people to give you that golden dream; you've got to get out there and make it happen for yourself." Diana Ross as quoted in C.J. Hayden's book: GET CLIENTS NOW!

The main thing in life is to do something every day towards your dream(s) and goals and purposes. Of course, if we plan what we are doing and analyze the effectiveness of what we are doing and make adjustments accordingly, we will be more successful.

In marketing and sales, one of the top things we can do is network with others. Effective networking will bring us closer to our goals and dreams.

Here is the networking equation for getting new clients:
Networking leads to Referrals which leads to Direct Contact/Follow-Up which leads to Presentations which leads to Sales

www.GoABRA.com
Look for ABRA Houston on facebook and LinkedIn

You Better Get Personal!

In her book, GET CLIENTS NOW!, C.J. Hayden states that the most effective way of getting new clients is via Direct Contact and Follow-Up. While not practical for all businesses .... you won't see McDonalds or Wal-Mart with a national outside sales force; it is most effective for professionals, consultants, and coaches, as well as local SMBs. Hayden says; "Direct contact means making personal contact with a prospective client by phone, in person, or by mail, fax, or e-mail. To get results, your first contact must be truly personal, not a form letter or broadcast email. If you make contact in writing, personalize your your communication by addressing it to a specific person and mentioning some issue you know he or she is facing. If you don't do this, you are merely generating direct mail, which is an advertising strategy."

Here is the networking equation for getting new clients:
Networking leads to Referrals which leads to Direct Contact/Follow-Up which leads to Presentations which leads to Sales

www.GoABRA.com

Marketing is Like Football!

"Think of marketing strategies as the highest-level organizing principle for your marketing and sales activities. When you are trying to decide if you should spend more effort on networking or publicity, for example, remember that networking is ranked as more effective.

Every strategy is made up of one or more tactics, or to put it another way, you use specific tactics to execute a chosen strategy." ~ C.J. Hayden in her book: GET CLIENTS NOW!

Marketing is much like football. On defense some teams have adopted more of a passing strategy and some teams have adopted more of a running strategy and some teams have adopted a balanced strategy. Whatever their strategy is; they then design plays/tactics to execute their chosen strategy.

www.GoABRA.com

Who Knows You, Likes You & Trusts You?

"There is an old saying in sales and marketing: "People do business with people they know, like, and trust." If a potential client gets to know you, learns to like you, and believes that he or she can trust you, you probably have a sale. Without your having at least one of these factors in place, getting the business will be an almost impossible task." ~ C.J. Hayden in her book, GET CLIENTS NOW!

As we develop our marketing strategies, we should design them with these three factors in mind. How we approach each factor may differ slightly depending on the service or product we offer. One sure fire way of accomplishing all three factors is through a consistent and well executed networking effort. To be a successful networker one must show up consistently to the same group(s) and then must execute their part of the networking experience in a competent manner. This includes meeting and introducing ourselves to people during open networking times and at mixers and other functions. Competent execution of networking involves being friendly, putting others' interests ahead of our own, giving an effective elevator speech, making compelling presentations, introducing others to potential clients, and following up in an appropriate and timely manner.

www.GoABRA.com

Why Do We Fail at Marketing?

"People who market (themselves) rarely fail due to lack of information about effective sales and marketing techniques. They fail because they don't use the information that is right at their fingertips." C.J. Hayden in her book; GET CLIENTS NOW!

Marketing and sales are not big mysteries. There is an incredible amount of information available to help us to be successful. We need to educate ourselves, become focused and take action ... and do it consistently to be successful.

ABRA is a leading business networking, referral and education association that is right there in front of you to take advantage of. You can increase the effectiveness of your marketing by joining an ABRA chapter today! www.GoABRA.com

Do You Know the Magic Formula?

"The magic formula for professional services marketing and sales is choosing a set of simple, effective things to do, and doing them consistently. ... You need to choose a direction, take action, and keep moving forward in order to succeed." C.J. Hayden in her book, GET CLIENTS NOW!

Personally, I've spent years and countless hours of reading and seminars and tapes and CD's trying to find the "magic formula" to successful sales. As a manager I have always told my people that they didn't need to be "rah, rah - jump on the table" type people to be successful in sales. I know that when I have been most successful is when I was persistent and consistent in my sales efforts. I'm certainly no Zig Ziglar but, have been considered in the top sales echelons in several organizations. I believe C.J. Hayden has hit the proverbial nail on the head when she talks about "choosing a set of simple, effective things to do, and doing them consistently" and "choose a direction, take action, and keep moving forward". Successful salespeople know what they have to do every day and they consistently do those things.

So choose just a couple of things you can do to be successful and focus on doing them consistently every day and you, too, can be very successful in sales!

www.GoABRA.com
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