How I Put My Networking on Steroids

Anyone who knows me knows I’m serious about networking. I depend on it to generate leads, qualify the new contacts I make, and grow my business. Sales is the fuel that keeps everything else running. But a while back, I ran into a problem.

1. I couldn’t keep up with the number of business cards I was collecting. (You know the problem. They just procreate on the desk.)
2. I wasn’t following up effectively with the contacts that did make it into my system. (This defeats the whole purpose of networking, right?)
3. My lead stream was beginning to shrink. (Shrinkage!? How horrible?)

This was a VERY big problem for me and one I made a point of addressing before it became an issue. I decided to find or define a more effective way to follow up with my new contacts and reduce the work required by my team and me to implement it.

It took some trial and error. What I’m showing here is my current “best practice” which is the result of a lot of experimentation. I think you’ll find that the solution works nicely and is something that’s very doable by any sales personnel or business owner.

Overview

Networking for me starts when I'm attending a networking event and collecting business cards. I strike up a conversation. We chat. I learn something about them. We exchange business cards.

Because I build websites and run Internet marketing campaigns, I don't have to be very discriminating. Anyone can use my services. The process I describe can be adjusted accordingly to meet just about anyone’s needs.

In the old days, I would write them a “hello” email message reminding them where we met. I would send them a handwritten note. If you count my first encounter with them at the networking event, the email message, and notecard I sent them, I “touched” them three times.

I would then add them to my email list so they would receive my monthly blog message. In blog articles like this one, I showcase some aspect of the services I provide. Once a month, these new contacts and old ones get an email message with a link to the article on my site.

My biggest problem was the amount of time it would take me. I had to enter their contact information into my email system, accurately I might add, write them an email, handwrite the note, and mail it. The even bigger problem is that the three touches this process provides from me, as time consuming as they may be, is minimal. Read any sales book and you know it takes 8, 12, and even more touches to complete a sale.

Click here to get to our Larry Jacob GAP process for networking on steroids.