Have you been with a friend when they are attempting to purchase something, and they finally end up deciding based on it is easiest just to stick with what they went with before? Sometimes they go with what they have used in the past even if it means paying more money? Most of us go with what we trust; it is rarely about the money.
In a networking group, where does the sale begin? It begins with the members being sold on you; without the sale on you, they can’t be sold on your product or service. Does that happen over night? No, we need to focus on building relationships over time.
Since the first step is selling yourself, how do you go about doing that?
Make your message clear: who are you, what do you do, what kind of business are you looking for?
It is not a race; it is a marathon – sell in pieces that people can remember. I have found members who believe they must present everything their company does at every breakfast meeting, making it too hard for the other members, who they are trying to train about their products, to grasp anything they cover.
Give someone too much to think about in the morning, and you can see them starting to drift away, or talk to the person next to them.
Here are a couple of suggestions to get people to focus on your conversation:
- Come up with a simple 8½ x 11 flyer that covers one or two products or services your company provides.
- Remember “Show-n’-Tell” from school, was that an awesome way to learn about a subject? You had an opportunity to see, touch, and smell; all using more of our senses for memory than simply hearing. Plus, wasn’t it harder to think about something else when the item had your full attention?
What sample of your business can you bring in? For example, we have had auto salespeople bring in vehicles to show. Since you are “selling in pieces,” just bring one thing, and save the next item to discuss at a follow up breakfast meeting!
- Show how you add value to someone’s life? Give examples of how well your product or service worked for someone else, people love stories. Use the same stories you tell your prospects, or tell in your company training meetings, shouldn’t be that hard, right?
Recently, I heard two members who had excellent 7-minute presentations. You know when you see one, because you stop looking at your watch and focus on their conversation. They may run overtime, but no one cares, and members ask a lot of questions at the end. Here they are:
- One of our members, who did cost optimization, compiled a two-sided flyer, professionally done, printed two-sides on glossy stock. When I first saw it, I thought it was way too much information. However, the backside was ALL testimonials covering a multitude of successes he had with controlling costs for businesses, and the front laid out his whole process…and everyone could take the information away with them. Simply, marvelous information!
- Another member, specializing in remodeling, had a full color, professionally printed, booklet of his before and after photos of his projects. The members had a real look at what he does for residential AND commercial remodeling.
Plan on what you are going to present, and bring something to pass out, so people are using more than their ears to learn about what you do and what you can offer the referrals they will be sending you.
Copyright Wayne A. Curto 2019