In my last post Networking Made Easy Part I: Michael Angela Caruso,
I shared 4 Secrets for networking more effectively and a terrific video
of Caruso sharing a relevant story. The key learning? The sales
conversation is never about you, get them leaning forward like a good
kiss
and if you get lost in the process of asking questions just revert to “tell me more about____________” and fill the gap with the last thing the prospect said.
Today I’m going to make your networking a snap. In Caruso’s video the key to success is to lead
the prospect down the yellow brick road to where you identify a need or
pain you can fix, “Ispeak about how to get sales people to work a full
day”.
If
your questions don’t lead you there and the prospect asks you “what do
you do” how do you get the conversation back so they are talking again
and you remain in rapport?
Check this idea out from Jeffery Gitomer. This will make your networking sooooooo easy.
How
easy is that? More importantly think of all the networking you have
done and watched others do and ask how unique is that? Being
remembered is really the goal in a networking environment.
Take note that I didn’t say selling the is the goal of networking because that is absolutely the last thing you should be doing. Build rapport with great questions, have a unique response to “what do you do” and gain agreement to a meeting.
But back to Gitomer’s video for a moment. Think about the power in this approach. With the key to networking being to keep the prospect talking (and you not) to keep building rapport then Gitomer’s approach nails it.
“So James what do you do?”
“Well Anita what one word comes to mind when I say business planning?”
“Oh…I know I should have one but I hear they take too long and there’s no value in them”
“Ah really and so tell me Anita why do you say you should have one?”
I’m
still asking questions, I have full disclosure from Anita about how
Anita feels about what I do and I now have a litany of questions
available for me to explore her pain more…but I’m not talking.
How cools is that?
With these two posts you are now ready to maximize on all of your networking and you don’t 
have
to remember a long script about what you do (because no one cares until
you have rapport) that you’ll fumble over anyways. Please go out and
use these approaches and come back to this post and share the outcomes.
Now
you are ready to attend my next Radical Focus Workshop on May 10, 2014. For full particulars just click right HERE.
ocus & Commitment
“A good coach will make players see what they can be rather than what are.” 
for doing what needs to be done and Measurement to ask the two great questions Why and What do I do about it. 
You
see with innocence they know we don’t. After all they are surrounded by
teachers and coaches every day, every hour (including us), enabling
them to build skills and a mindset for greater success in math, reading,
dance, hockey and professional pursuits. Having coaches is a way of
life for children.
