Business Sooner than Later
Why is it that we hang on to old ideas expecting different results? You know the one. I know Jane and Jane knows me…we have coffee or breakfast once a week or once a month…after a period of time she will send business to me and I will eventually send business to her. We hear from all the networking organizations, “Build relationships overtime. Eventually someone will do business with you or they will send you business.” It takes time to build that relationship before there is an exchange of business. My retort is,” Why not make that business exchange sooner than later? Let’s do business now!”
I know Janie. She and her parents own a winery in Northern California. Her husband owns a construction company. Janie and I saw each other at least once per month at a business lunch for more than a year. At these lunch meetings we either sat next to each other or across from each other. We became good friends.
At the same time, I belonged to an exclusive networking group. During this time I sold health insurance to the self-employed. A member of my exclusive networking group gave me a health insurance referral to Janie’s husband’s construction company. Janie was the contact at her husband’s construction company. Through our contact during lunch for over a year Janie did not know that I sold health insurance to the self-employed.
The old idea of building a relationship before selling is an important concept to understand. However, we can take purpose in building that relationship sooner than later. You might say that I could have done a better job of telling Janie that I sold health insurance to companies like her husband’s. How did it happen that I did not get that message out there in over one year of interaction? The answer is having a scripted message that is conversational and clearly articulates what it is that you deliver and who you deliver to (target market.) At that time, I lacked such a statement. Today, I have one.
Today when asked, “What do I do?” at a networking event, I answer with a results oriented statement. It speaks to prospective clients needs, wants, and desires. Today’s statement is, “I work with people in business who want to attract the right prospects and generate more referrals.” Regarding Janie, during our time together, I might have said, “I work with the self-employed who want health benefits and to their protect assets.”
The results oriented statement allows me to create two results oriented questions. Today I ask, “Are you interested in attracting the right prospects and generating more referrals?” When receiving a “yes” answer I can ask, “Might you be interested in spending five to ten minutes to see how we might help you attract the right prospects and generate more referrals?” When I get the second “yes” (99% of the time), I book an appointment. The first time I met Janie I would have used my results oriented statement. Today, within less than a week, I ask my two results oriented questions. How might that have changed the results? Probably not much in terms of selling insurance to Janie’s husband. When I met Janie the time was not right to sell her husband insurance. However, how many people did Janie meet during that year that she might have referred me for health insurance?
Once you have laid the ground work you continue to grow the relationship with good service. Find ways to stay connected with everyone you meet to build relationships. One way to stay connected is a monthly article of value about your product and service. An article of value allows you to strengthen your relationships. People with whom I have maintained valued contact with over the years have become clients. From the initiation of the relationship to becoming clients may have taken three to four years. Others become clients in less than 30 days. Some become clients on the first meeting because of the results oriented statement. Some clients have stayed clients for years due to the clear focus of what we offer.
It is important to maintain tradition. Old ideas will come and go. When it comes to providing a valuable product or service, why should you wait to do the transaction? Create new traditions. Find ways to provide value before you collect the check. When we can find immediate value we will build relationships quickly. Use your soft service, articles, referrals, and books that you create to provide value. Give something of value once. Post things on your website. Build relationships by referring them to your soft services.
Gerry Rose runs INTEGRITY Networking Solutions in Oceanside, CA. He works with people in business who want to attract the right prospects and generate more referrals. More than 10,000 businesses have been presented the INTEGRITY Networking Solutions system in San Diego, Riverside, and Orange Counties.
Gerry’s stimulating presentation Unlimited Prospects, Unlimited Referrals is ideally suited for small business owners, home-based businesses, and independent professionals who want clearer direction and want to attract more prospects, develop dynamic systems, and strengthen their companies’ accountability. Gerry does one on one consulting, conducts a range of keynote speeches from thirty minutes to full-day education workshops.
His book series, Unlimited Prospects, Unlimited Referrals, are available on the website, www.integritysd.com.
Gerry has more than 20 years’ experience directing business owners how to grow their businesses. He is a networking dynamo. Those who know him will assure you that he does a great job of bringing people together—which is why he started INTEGRITY.
Involved with networking organizations since 1984, Gerry is a Distinguished Toastmaster, a member of Toastmaster International, and has chaired numerous chambers of commerce and non-profit organizations.
Are you truly committed to attracting the right prospects and generate more referrals? If so then contact INTEGRITY Networking Solutions for availability and information. You can contact Gerry by mail at 1610 Quiet Hills Drive, Oceanside, CA 92056. Direct dial (760) 439-4623; e-mail to gerry@integritysd.com. For more information, go to www.integritysd.com
