As we enter the summer season of “making hay,” we’re
receiving a lot of requests and having many discussions with firms across the
country about their renewed commitment to business development. It made me think of the importance of
the activities I highlighted in my January 28, 2009 post, Must
Do Busy Season Marketing Activities, and specifically on the
need to broaden your team members’ involvement in personal networking.
As Brian Tracy, a best-selling author said, “Get around the right people. Associate with positive, goal-oriented people who encourage and inspire you.” Expanding your network of potential influencers and creating quality relationships are a few of the many benefits of networking. If you’re like most professional service firms, your practice relies heavily on referrals and word-of-mouth marketing. Because of that, networking and referral relationship development are critical to your success.
So, how are you doing in your networking activities? Do you have regular networking activities on your calendar on a monthly (even weekly!) basis? Are you teaching others in your firm to network?
Consider a few networking “must-dos” that will help you smooth out the peaks and valleys in your revenue stream:
• Get involved – Find an organization to which you can commit – or recommit – to actively participate. Make sure it’s one that you’re inspired by and where you can build quality relationships and referral sources. If you’ve been involved in an organization or group for awhile, identify a new leadership role you could take on or evaluate whether you should join another organization or association to augment your current networking activities.
• Participate in online networking activities – At a minimum, join LinkedIn! Yes, we consider online social networking technologies, like LinkedIn, Plaxo, and Facebook, to be worthwhile networking investments (see my partner Jennifer Wilson’s post on Social (On-line) Networking – It's For Real! from September 23, 2008). You’ll be amazed at how many people you know, and more importantly, want to know, who are out on LinkedIn waiting to connect with you. You can begin by connecting with me and Jennifer at www.linkedin.com/tameraloerzel or www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferwilsonprofile. Then, “vampire” off of our connections to see how many of those we know are your colleagues or potential business resources and connect with them, too.
• Integrate your contacts into your other firm marketing activities – Add the people you meet through your networking activities to your firm’s database so they receive your newsletter, seminar or training event invitations, and other marketing communications. Doing so will keep them informed about what is happening with your firm and keep you top of mind between meetings.
• Ask for referrals – You network to uncover new business opportunities and so do the people you meet at the networking events you attend. Don’t be shy about this. Find out what their objective is, what kinds of clients they are looking for, and what problems they can solve and the value they provide to clients. Then share this same information about you and your firm and explain your ideal client profile and firm products and services to them. Ask who they know that could benefit from your products or services and offer up any ideas for how knowing you could be of benefit to them. Your goal is to create a win-win relationship with each referral partner so that you can increase your value to your existing clients by making appropriate referrals and develop new client business for your firm.
• Mentor others – Teach others in your firm the art of personal networking. Take at least one “up-and-comer” with you to each of the networking activities you attend. Share your goal or objective for each networking activity with them and the background about the organization. Don’t assume that they know networking basics and teach them to bring their business cards, practice their firm elevator pitch, practice their hand shake and making eye contact, and create their own personal intention for their networking activities. Also, encourage them to “shop around” and join networking organizations where they feel comfortable and that inspire them; if they aren’t truly interested in their networking organizations, they won’t participate meaningfully.
Networking is a long-term marketing strategy that could generate short-tem results when you actively participate. A referral occurs as soon as there is a need, so you want to be sure that you’re top of mind when those you network with have that need, and the only way to be top of mind is to be present and participating.
Commit – or recommit – to your personal networking plan and enroll others in your firm in doing the same. One way to do so is to attend our web seminar on networking on June 9th. Invite others in your firm to join you and refocus on networking so you each can do your part to brand your firm, develop referral relationships, and create a steady flow of new opportunities.
What action will you take to focus – or refocus – on personal networking? Post a comment to share your commitment with others and learn what they are doing in the area of networking, too.
Warm Regards,
Tamera
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