Joining any networking group and expecting immediate results is unrealistic. I am often asked by people in networking groups how long it takes before seeing benefits (referrals)?
One way to answer the question would be for you to ask yourself, "How long does it take for me to make a buying decision when I'm the prospect?" Do you normally begin doing business with someone after one meeting, one networking event, one phone call discussion? Probably not.
You have to invest the time in building rapport with others to get the most out of your networking efforts. If you're not willing to invest the time, then you probably should find a thick phone book and get busy making cold calls.
The lesson to be learned here is to be patient, spend time building rapport with others, and make sure you let everyone know that you want to help them first. When you've accomplished those things the referrals will come your way.
One way to answer the question would be for you to ask yourself, "How long does it take for me to make a buying decision when I'm the prospect?" Do you normally begin doing business with someone after one meeting, one networking event, one phone call discussion? Probably not.
You have to invest the time in building rapport with others to get the most out of your networking efforts. If you're not willing to invest the time, then you probably should find a thick phone book and get busy making cold calls.
The lesson to be learned here is to be patient, spend time building rapport with others, and make sure you let everyone know that you want to help them first. When you've accomplished those things the referrals will come your way.
2 comments:
Tom:
Your tip about making sure to let everyone that you are sincere in your desire to help is spot-on. That was one of the first and best things I learned when I decided to get serious about improving my networking skills. Wasn't it Zig Ziglar who said you can get anything you want in life, as long as you help other people get what they want first?
Mark
Mark:
Yes, Zig did say that. I had an opportunity to actually meet him years ago. I have an autographed photo of Zig in my office.
He has spoken about what he calls his 'wall of gratitude'. Everyone has people in their lives that have inspired them and we should express gratitude for those people.
I've certainly benefited from reading his books and attending events where Zig was one of the keynote speakers.
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