If You Don’t Like If You Don’t Like Networking …Networking …You Must Like Cold CallingYou Must Like Cold Calling

Jim Rochfordjimrochford@actioncoach.com

(203) 453-1642

Your Presenter ... Jim Your Presenter ... Jim Rochford ...Rochford ...

24 year career in Executive Marketing & 24 year career in Executive Marketing & Product Management positions in Product Management positions in Fortune 500 companiesFortune 500 companies

Responsible for organizations and Responsible for organizations and product lines up to $100 Million and 150 product lines up to $100 Million and 150 peoplepeople

Started Business Coaching practice in Started Business Coaching practice in 20042004

Works with Business Owners and key Works with Business Owners and key staff to identify and take actions that staff to identify and take actions that build the value of their businesses / jobsbuild the value of their businesses / jobs

Someone who networks for a living!Someone who networks for a living!

1 Belief YOU have 1 Belief YOU have about ...about ...

Networking … What is Networking … What is your …your …

OwnershipOwnershipAccountableAccountableResponsibleResponsible

BlameBlameExcusesExcusesDenialDenial

Are you Above or Below the Are you Above or Below the Line?Line?

Destination Mastery Destination Mastery ......

So, Why Do People Stay So, Why Do People Stay Away from Networking ... ?Away from Networking ... ?

A word about A word about Time ...Time ...

An organized collection of your

personal & business contacts … and THEIR

contactsFriends, family, neighbors, classmates, colleagues, etc., etc.,

etc.

Process of building and maintaining relationships

*Before You Need *Before You Need Them*Them*Help others & help yourself

What it is …

What it is NOT…

1.1. You should have done more networking before You should have done more networking before and you damn well better do a lot more after …and you damn well better do a lot more after …

2.2. The “stigma” of the joblessThe “stigma” of the jobless

3.3. Needs & Solutions (just like Sales)Needs & Solutions (just like Sales)

4.4. Benefits not Features (just like Sales)Benefits not Features (just like Sales)

5.5. Its easier if they like you (just like Sales)Its easier if they like you (just like Sales)

6.6. Devote less time to the internet & job search Devote less time to the internet & job search support groupssupport groups

Networking = Marketing Networking = Marketing StrategyStrategy

Increased exposure = Increased exposure = leadsleads

Relationships = Relationships = leads + marketing ideasleads + marketing ideas

Networking partnerships = Networking partnerships = leadsleads

““Warm” leads = Warm” leads = higher conversion ratehigher conversion rate

Dialogue = need / lead qualification for Dialogue = need / lead qualification for higher conversion ratehigher conversion rate

Results & Feedback = Results & Feedback = strategy strategy improvementimprovement

Networking Process ...Networking Process ...

3 Steps To Successful 3 Steps To Successful NetworkingNetworking

Identify and schedule network Identify and schedule network opportunitiesopportunities

Strive to meet people beforehand (i.e. Strive to meet people beforehand (i.e. committees)committees)

Set objectives - focus on specific outcomesSet objectives - focus on specific outcomes

Have Business Cards & PenHave Business Cards & Pen

Dress appropriatelyDress appropriately

Name tag Name tag

3 Steps To Successful 3 Steps To Successful NetworkingNetworking

Arrive EarlyArrive Early

Meet Many – No long conversationsMeet Many – No long conversations

Firm handshake – Go for the webFirm handshake – Go for the web

Conquer F.E.A.R. - You are not Selling!Conquer F.E.A.R. - You are not Selling!

Elevator Speech – Unique, enthusiastic, Elevator Speech – Unique, enthusiastic, benefits orientedbenefits oriented

Leave LateLeave Late

OLD Selling vs. NEW Selling OLD Selling vs. NEW Selling ……

Smile – Be upbeat and personableSmile – Be upbeat and personable

Keep body language positive / openKeep body language positive / open

Match and mirror body, language & Match and mirror body, language & voice (create harmony)voice (create harmony)

Make eye contact and ACTIVELY listenMake eye contact and ACTIVELY listen

Find common groundFind common ground

Traditional Traditional ApproachApproach

Who you are – Name and CompanyWho you are – Name and Company

What you do – Creative and BriefWhat you do – Creative and Brief

How you and your organization can helpHow you and your organization can help

Why you and your organization can make a Why you and your organization can make a difference – Strive to create dialoguedifference – Strive to create dialogue

WIIFM – Solutions matched to needsWIIFM – Solutions matched to needs

Succinct, memorable, defining & understandableSuccinct, memorable, defining & understandable

If they want to know more – If they want to know more – It works!It works!

Alternative to 30 Second Alternative to 30 Second CommercialCommercial

Try to determine who you are meeting and introduce yourselfTry to determine who you are meeting and introduce yourself

Ask a provocative question designed to invoke response and Ask a provocative question designed to invoke response and immediately qualify the prospectimmediately qualify the prospect

Did you make enough money in your business last year?Did you make enough money in your business last year?

How many weeks did you work less than 40 hours this year?How many weeks did you work less than 40 hours this year?

Prospect answers lead to more questions from you – Prospect answers lead to more questions from you – they do they do most of the talkingmost of the talking

Whet their appetite for your solutions and ask for follow-up Whet their appetite for your solutions and ask for follow-up meetingmeeting

Success depends on the your ability to keep questions Success depends on the your ability to keep questions flowing and successively more specificflowing and successively more specific

3 Steps To Successful 3 Steps To Successful NetworkingNetworking

Telephone or email the next Telephone or email the next morningmorning

Schedule appointment to follow upSchedule appointment to follow up

Show enthusiasm for your new Show enthusiasm for your new relationshiprelationship

Speed is of the essence!Speed is of the essence!

3 Steps To Successful 3 Steps To Successful NetworkingNetworking

Networking is predictably Networking is predictably unpredictableunpredictable

Ever shifting cast of charactersEver shifting cast of characters

Familiarity breeds trustFamiliarity breeds trust

““You gotta be in it to win it!”You gotta be in it to win it!”

The The Marketing Marketing Process:Process:

Moving Moving Prospects to Prospects to a Sales a Sales AppointmentAppointment

Go Where Your Prospects Are: Create connections via participation in groups, organizations & associations

Communicate Clearly & With Impact: What you do and its benefits – Your USP

Rub Elbows Frequently: Break down resistance through repeated contact

Identify Ways and Means to Provide Value: Information, articles, contacts, etc.

Find Deeper Ways to Demonstrate Your Value: Seminars, Web demos, Testimonials, Talks, etc.

21.5 Best Places to 21.5 Best Places to NetworkNetwork Chamber of Commerce BAHChamber of Commerce BAH

High level Chamber of Commerce Event High level Chamber of Commerce Event (committee or board meeting)(committee or board meeting)

Event sponsored by Business Event sponsored by Business Publications – seminars, breakfasts, etc.Publications – seminars, breakfasts, etc.

Networking Clubs or Business Networking Clubs or Business OrganizationsOrganizations

Someplace where like-minded people Someplace where like-minded people meetmeet

Any type of class you take to improve Any type of class you take to improve yourself (i.e. Dale Carnegie, yourself (i.e. Dale Carnegie, Toastmasters)Toastmasters)

Civic Organizations (i.e. Rotary, Elks, Civic Organizations (i.e. Rotary, Elks, Lions, etc.)Lions, etc.)

Cultural EventsCultural Events

Get involved with a Charity or be a Get involved with a Charity or be a Community VolunteerCommunity Volunteer

Your Trade or Professional AssociationYour Trade or Professional Association

Your Best Customer(s) Trade or Your Best Customer(s) Trade or Professional AssociationProfessional Association

Trade ShowsTrade Shows

Private Club (i.e. golf, food, boating, Private Club (i.e. golf, food, boating, etc.)etc.)

Meal networking – invite a prospect to Meal networking – invite a prospect to dine. Invite a prospect for them.dine. Invite a prospect for them.

Health ClubHealth Club

Sports EventsSports Events

Parents of your children’s friends (i.e. Parents of your children’s friends (i.e. on the sports fields)on the sports fields)

Happy HourHappy Hour

KaraokeKaraoke

Neighborhood Homeowner’s / Condo Neighborhood Homeowner’s / Condo AssociationsAssociations

The AirplaneThe Airplane

# 21.5 – Anyplace and any conversation # 21.5 – Anyplace and any conversation – Show up with a purpose– Show up with a purpose

Tip - Get your spouse or significant Tip - Get your spouse or significant other to help!other to help!

Jeffrey Gitomer

Qualifications of a Good Qualifications of a Good Network Partner (Strategic Network Partner (Strategic Alliance)…Alliance)…

They …They …

Reflect well on youReflect well on you

Share the same target market(s)Share the same target market(s)

Deliver a quality product or service at least as good Deliver a quality product or service at least as good as yoursas yours

Are responsive and fast to actAre responsive and fast to act

Reinforce your relationship with the client/prospectReinforce your relationship with the client/prospect

Follow up promptly Follow up promptly

Give you referrals or other meaningful help in returnGive you referrals or other meaningful help in return

The foundation for successful sales …

Sales is the transfer of Sales is the transfer of enthusiasmenthusiasm

The Identity Iceberg...The Identity Iceberg...

HAVE

BE

DO

8 Keys to Lasting Relationships8 Keys to Lasting Relationships1.1. Natural AffinityNatural Affinity

2.2. TrustTrust PredictabilityPredictability IntegrityIntegrity Protectiveness Protectiveness

3.3. SpeedSpeed

4.4. Apparent Expertise – state unique claim clearly & Apparent Expertise – state unique claim clearly & convincinglyconvincingly

5.5. Sacrifice – “the cement of human relationships”Sacrifice – “the cement of human relationships”

6.6. CompletenessCompleteness

7.7. Magic Words Magic Words ThanksThanks How are you doing?How are you doing? WelcomeWelcome Their NameTheir Name

8.8. PassionPassionHarry Beckwith

The greatest obstacle to The greatest obstacle to buying …buying …

The greatest obstacle to selling …

3 Tools of Communication 3 Tools of Communication ......