3 Ways to Turn Your Networking Into Business

So many people attend business networking events, participate in online business networks and have networking meetings. But what do they get back from all of that time and effort? The answer is usually very little. They struggle when it comes to turning networking into business. To explore this, I use the phrase ‘CTC’ in my many networking and referral seminars. It stands for any of the following:

• Card to Client
• Contact to Customer
• Card to Connection
• Connection to Client

You get the idea. It’s about turning a business card into a sale. It’s about converting your networking leads into paying customers and clients. It’s also the hardest thing for most networking business people to do. Here are five reasons why:

1. Sexy Networking. For most people, the working the room stuff (networking, chatting, swapping cards, having conversations, shaking hands) is the sexy part of networking. Following up and keeping in touch isn’t. it’s hard work and takes a lot of discipline.
2. Fortuitous Timing. Most people place too much emphasis on ‘good timing’. They hope and expect that people they meet will need exactly what they are offering at that moment in time. Of course, it rarely happens, so rather than keep in touch, they move onto the next networking prospect.
3. Poor Organisation. Few people actually are disciplined enough to follow through, make dates and reminders, keep to lists, make the calls and do the keeping in touch slog. You’ve got to be right on top of things with a good CRM and email system.
4. Poor Skills. Many people struggle in mastering the technology needed to sustain a network. As a result, so many good conversations and potential partnerships leak into nothing. Even basic phone skills, email skills and time management skills are lacking.
5. Task Overload. Some people have the skill, the will and the systems to follow up and keep in touch. They just can’t find the time. They get bogged down with other things and let those potentially valuable contacts go to waste.

There are more reasons for a lack of CTC success. But these cover 95% of the networking ‘not follow up’.  Here’s the lesson:

DON’T GO TO THE NEXT NETWORKING EVENT UNTIL YOU’VE FOLLOWED UP FROM THE LAST ONE!

So here are 3 of my best tips for more success in networking CTC.

1. Spread your networking out. Then you’ll have time to follow up between events or online sessions. I don’t are how good you are, back to back networking taxes even the most dedicated networking professionals.
2. Work on your follow up skills, particularly with the technology. Get good on the phone, and get the right follow up CRM systems in place.
3. Leave a half day or more after any networking event or conference so you have the time to follow up the leads and contacts you’ve made.

There endeth the lesson – happy networking!

Tagged as: business card, business networking, cards, conversations, Human Interest, networking meetings, partnership, partnerships, phrase, potential partners, profession, reminders, seminars, shaking hands, Social Issues