Networking is one of the most important things you can do to grow your business. Normally, I like to give tips on what to do to maximize your networking. Today, I’m going to share something you should avoid in order to maximize your networking.
I’m going to be honest here. THIS is one of the biggest mistakes that I see women make when networking: The need to generate sales leads at networking events.
It’s understandable. We are often giving up family time to attend events so we feel we have to maximize every networking opportunity. And, in our minds that typically equates to getting new sales leads.
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What’s wrong with that, you may ask? While generating sales leads is a possible outcome of networking, it should not be your sole reason for networking. The real purpose of networking is to build mutually beneficial relationships. It’s not about coming home with a new list of prospective clients.
Another driver for this mistake is the incredible number of women who are now working in direct marketing businesses. Please don’t see this as me taking an opportunity to discredit network marketing. This is not what I’m trying to communicate. I am a big fan of direct marketing companies. I think the business model is genius and I love seeing women growing and thriving within them. But, I’m hearing more and more complaints that networking events are no longer enjoyable because attendees feel they are being attacked by network marketers.
Because they are rewarded for adding new people to their business, I see them run through networking events like a buzz saw. No one in attendance is safe from being asked if they are interested in joining their team. Most of the time its without knowing anything about the person they are inviting. They vomit their sales pitch over anyone who will listen because they have to sign up two new people before midnight. And if they don’t feel they will be able to close someone on the spot, they immediately move on to the next person. I often hear them say, “my philosophy is to not beat around the bush and to just throw the invitation out there to everyone I meet. The worse they can say is no, right?”
I get that and I’m a firm believer that you will never get what you want if you aren’t willing to ask for it. But using this as the excuse for accosting every new person you meet will tarnish your reputation and cause people to avoid you. I already know professionals who have stopped attending networking events because they end up dodging direct marketing people all night. Those who don’t understand the value of building genuine relationships are giving the good ones a bad name.
If you own your own network marketing company, I applaud you. But I will also encourage you to set yourself apart from the masses and not use networking events to meet, pitch, and close new team members on the spot.
And, as a reminder to all of the other business owners out there hustling every day, use networking to meet new people and begin developing relationships. It is fine to tell people what you do and who you help. That is, after they have asked you of course. But, resist the urge to go into a sales pitch at this point. Swing the conversation back by asking questions so that you get to know others better and start building rapport. This will be the foundation that will help you discover whether your business is a right fit for them and if they are a right fit for your business. You company won’t explode in size overnight but it will grow the right way. And people will stop trying to avoid you at events. They will instead start trying to identify people who would be good customers for you and will be excited about helping you make your business grow.
STACY OLDFIELD
After nearly 25 years in Corporate America, Stacy launched Minerva Management Partners as a way to combine those years of business experience with her life coaching certification and love for coaching women. Minerva Management Partners is a business coaching practice designed to support women entrepreneurs committed to launching and growing their business. Also, as a Results Coach with Robbins Research International, Stacy helps business women to focus their ideas and efforts and holds them accountable for achieving their goals. Whether it’s helping women discover creative solutions to their business challenges, coaching them to be clear and decisive, or helping them see and take action on new opportunities, Stacy guides them to achieve the business and career results they are seeking. Stacy is also the creator of the Minerva 3-Day Networking Challenge and the Network Like a Boss Lady On-Demand training program. Stacy has been invited to speak to many audiences within South Carolina including the Center for Women, Women Entrepreneurs of Charleston, the Women of the Workforce program of the Naval Information Warfare Center (SPAWAR), Charleston Women in Business, Association of Fundraising Professionals, SCANPO, graduate classes at both The Citadel and the College of Charleston (CofC), and Leadership CofC. She currently serves as a mentor through the Women of Excellence Program at Xavier University and previously served on the Board of Directors for the Beautiful Gate Center and on the advisory board of the SC Women’s Business Center.
