First of all, STAND UP! (You will be perceived as being more authoritative that way, and your audience will be better able to hear you.
Have your note cards in front of you so that you don’t forget anything important. As a general rule, in a networking meeting, you’ll have approximately 1-2 minutes to describe what our business is, what differentiates it from your competitors and what types of clients you would most like to have.
Don’t think that just because the company name on your card says Professional Pet Sitter that people will understand your business. They may not know for instance, that you ALSO provide pet obedience training, or that you can arrange to have someone stay overnight in the owner’s home.
If you own Claudia’s Clutter Control, your prospective clients may not realize that you can also help them write their business memos and letters or perform simple office administrative tasks for them. The more you can offer your clients, the better the chances that they will seek you out in the future.
For your 1-2 minute presentation, you’ll want to ask yourself just exactly what ARE the highlights of your business. For instance, what ‘extra’ services do you provide that your competitors do not? To what extent can you work within a client’s modest budget?
When it comes to networking, consistency counts. If you only attend one meeting each quarter, chances are you won’t be memorable to anyone. Visibility is key and your job is to ensure that people remember you the next time! After all, they can’t call you if they don’t remember who you are!!
Trust is a tricky thing to cultivate. Usually, it happens spontaneously, where one person says to the other, “Oh, I’ve just found this XZY carpet cleaner. Why, do you know that he actually moved that heavy sofa for me without charging me a cent more? And voila, a referral is born.
The bottom line is that people choose to do business with those they know, like and trust. So, if your best friend has used a company and they’ve treated her right, chances are that she’ll tell you about it, and you’ll already feel as though YOU can trust them too!
After the meeting, send an e mail or a post card to everyone you met. But, here’s the thing: DON”T ask them for their business! Instead, after saying how much you enjoyed meeting them, tell them that you believe your two businesses could complement one another and proceed to tell them exactly how. Suggest a follow-up visit where the two of you can sit down and discuss details.
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