Follow up Archives - Page 2 of 2

19Nov2012

Are You Using Networking Tools Effectively?string(43) "Are You Using Networking Tools Effectively?"

The Second Law of Notable Networking: Learn How to Use Networking Tools Effectively
(Click Here to read about the First Law of Notable Networking)

A Notable Networker must have and use the right tools to network skillfully. All professionals need the tools of their trade to conduct business. A painter needs a brush, a teacher needs a blackboard, and an administrative professional needs a computer. To achieve success, networkers need their own tools as well. Good networkers’ tools include:

name tags to identify themselves to others,
card holders to carry their business cards, and most important,
card files to carry other people’s business cards.

It has been said that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce coined the term “networking.” Over the years, I’ve gone to many Chamber of Commerce business mixers. Unfortunately, too many of them seem to practice a passive form of the technique. However, depending on the chamber, some mixers can be an outstanding way to meet many new people. At Chamber of Commerce mixers, people from a variety of businesses get together with the idea of meeting one another.

At these meetings, I often encounter people who don’t wear a name tag. Of those who do, many neglect to put their company name or profession on the badge. I can’t imagine anyone going to a business meeting and not telling everyone what business he or she is in! You’ve got to let people know who you are and what business you’re in if you want to reap the full rewards of networking.

I also run into people who don’t have any business cards with them. Business cards are one of the most inexpensive forms of advertising available and a crucial tool for networking. They should be well designed and present a professional image. Most important, you need to have them in your possession! A large stack of cards sitting in the desk drawer at your office doesn’t help much at a business mixer. Always carry a small card case full of business cards with you and keep a large box of business cards in the glove compartment or trunk of your car for restocking your card case on the spot. Use the backs of any cards you get from others to make notes that will jog your memory about each individual or about the conversation you had.

In addition, you should go a step further and carry a vinyl or leather card-carrying case or book for the cards of the people you network with. These are people in your own personal network of contacts, people who presumably are storing your cards and referring you as well. Always keep three or four of their cards so you can hand one to anyone interested in their services.

One way to enhance your networking efforts is to use computer software. When you get back to your office, you can enter the new names and information you’ve acquired into a contact management program to help you organize your information and enable you to easily handle follow-up activities. In addition to these, several general database programs, such as Relate2Profit, provide contact management capabilities. You can log in new information and contacts, get reports of your progress, and reminders. If you’re not already using a program such as this, rest assured that the learning time is a couple of hours or less.

Do you have a favorite networking tool or a particular software program that you’ve found to be especially useful in enhancing your networking efforts? If so, please write about it in the comment forum below–I’m always interested in hearing about new tools for increasing networking effectiveness. Thanks!

1Oct2012

The Ten Commandments of Working a Networking Mixerstring(50) "The Ten Commandments of Working a Networking Mixer"

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a video blog about the Third Commandment of Working a Networking Mixer–Act Like a Host, Not a Guest (Click here to view that video blog). I promised in that post that I would provide more information on the Ten Commandments of Working a Networking Mixer today, so below is an explanation of each of the Commandments which will help you feel more comfortable at networking mixers and events.

Have the Tools to Network with You at All Times. These include an informative name badge, business cards, brochures about your business, and a pocket-sized business card file containing cards of other professionals to whom you can refer new business.
Set a Goal for the Number of People You’ll Meet. Identify a reachable goal based on attendance and the type of group. If you feel inspired, set a goal to meet 15-20 people and make sure you get all their cards. If you don’t feel so hot, shoot for less. In either case, don’t leave until you’ve met your goal.
Act Like a Host, Not a Guest. A host is expected to do things for others, while a guest sits back and relaxes. Volunteer to help greet people. If you see visitors sitting, introduce yourself and ask if they would like to meet others. Act as a conduit.
Listen and Ask Questions. Remember that a good networker has two ears and one mouth and uses them proportionately. After you’ve learned what another person does, tell them what you do. Be specific but brief. Don’t assume they know your business.
Don’t Try to Close a Deal. These events are not meant to be a vehicle to hit on businesspeople to buy your products or services. Networking is about developing relationships with other professionals. Meeting people at events should be the beginning of that process, not the end of it.
Give Referrals Whenever Possible. The best networkers believe in the Givers Gain® philosophy (what goes around comes around). If I help you, you’ll help me, and we’ll both do better as a result of it. In other words, if you don’t genuinely attempt to help the people you meet, then you are not networking effectively. If you can’t give someone a bona fide referral, try to offer some information that might be of interest to them (such as details about an upcoming event).
Exchange Business Cards. Ask each person you meet for two cards–one to pass on to someone else and one to keep. This sets the stage for networking to happen.
Manage Your Time Efficiently. Spend 10 minutes or less with each person you meet, and don’t linger with friends or associates. If your goal is to meet a given number of people, be careful not to spend too much time with any one person. When you meet someone interesting with whom you’d like to speak further, set up an appointment for a later date.
Write Notes on the Backs of Business Cards You Collect. Record anything you think may be useful in remembering each person more clearly. This will come in handy when you follow up on each contact.
Follow up! You can obey the previous nine commandments religiously, but if you don’t follow up effectively, you will have wasted your time. Drop a note or give a call to each person you’ve met. Be sure to fulfill any promises you’ve made.

If you tend to get nervous about attending business networking functions, use the Ten Commandments outlined above to help you network your way through your next event and I guarantee you they will help you feel more comfortable and you will get more effective results for your networking efforts.

30Jan2012

Support Material & Techniques for Increasing Referralsstring(59) "Support Material & Techniques for Increasing Referrals"

January 30, 2012

Ivan Misner

Door Prizes, Follow up, Free Presentations or Demonstrations, generating referrals, Keeping in Touch, Networking Material, networking techniques, Presentation Books, Referrals, Samples Follow up, Marketing/Sales, Networking, Networking Prep, Networking Tactics, Referrals 2

If you’re not getting the amount of referrals you’d like to be getting, take a look at the support materials and techniques you’re currently using. Below are some effective ways to influence people to refer you. Some of these may not work for everyone. The idea is to select those you think you can apply in your own business or profession.

Samples. If you have an opportunity to distribute your materials, do it. Bring products, samples, brochures, or a presentation book. Many networking groups provide a brochure table where you can place these items. If people can see, feel, touch, hear, or smell samples of the product or service you provide, they are more likely to use you. Offer special, members-only prices or services. If you can get network members to use you, then they are much more likely to refer you.

Presentation Books. Everyone active in networking groups can benefit by developing a presentation book. Buy a high-quality, three-ring binder that can attractively dislplay samples of your products or services, brochures, photographs, etc. Take this to your meetings and make sure it gets circulated.

Free Presentations or Demonstrations. Many business professionals offer to speak free of charge to service clubs or business organizations as a way of getting exposure and promoting their business. If your product or service is conducive to this approach, tell the members of your personal network that you offer this service, and accept speaking engagements as bona fide referrals. Ask them to pitch you to the program chairs of organizations to which they belong.

If you’re well prepared and do a good job at these presentations, you may find yourself getting many more speaking offers and a lot of new business. This technique is effective for almost any profession, but it’s particularly helpful for consultants, therapists, financial planners, CPAs, and attorneys.

Door Prizes. Smart business professionals know that people who have tried their products or services will probably use them again. I highly recommend that you offer door prizes regularly at your networking groups and ensure that you are given credit for the door prize when it’s given. Always attach a business card so the winner knows where to get more.

Keep in Touch Regularly. Meet people outside of the normal meetings that you go to whenever you can. Write cards or letters, send articles that might be of interest, call to check in, let them know about a local business mixer, have lunch, play racquetball, tennis, or golf. Reinforce the relationship with a thank-you note. If someone gives you a referral or important information, send a thank-you note or gift basket. This reinforcement will strengthen the bond and encourage that person to think of you again.

Follow-Up. Knowing how to get referrals is really a matter of knowing how to be helpful to the people you associate with and how to ask for help in return. A successful referral marketing program involves creating an effective support system for yourself that also works to the advantage of others.

All the networking in the world, however, serves no purpose if you don’t follow up effectively with the people you meet or who are referred to you. I’ve seen people who work hard at making contacts, but whose follow-up was so bad that the contacts were lost. It’s as if they networked halfway and then completely lost sight of the potential to generate business by referral. Follow-up letters and phone calls set the stage for further contact. All things being equal, the more you’re in contact with others, the more business you’ll generate. Today, more than ever, there’s no excuse for not following up. Why? Because there are many companies on the market that produce numerous follow-up cards, thank-you cards, and contact cards especially designed for networking.

Schedule “reconnection calls” regularly. Such calls enable you to remind the new contacts who you are, where you met them, and what you do, as well as help you stay in touch with your long-term contacts. If you don’t follow up with a phone call or letter, you will surely lose many business opportunities.

17Nov2011

The Networking Attribute That Equals Success and How to Get Itstring(62) "The Networking Attribute That Equals Success and How to Get It"

November 17, 2011

Ivan Misner

3 aspects, Active Listening, Earlybird, Engaged Networking, Follow up, Ivan Misner, Kathryn Lodal Networking Prep, Networking Tactics, Success, Video Blog 2

At a recent event in San Diego, I asked one of the best networkers in the United States, Kathryn Lodal, to talk about the ability to be truly engaged, the attribute she considers to be the most important in a networker.

In this video, Kathryn and I discuss the importance of being genuinely engaged and involved in the networking process and Kathryn explains the three most critical aspects in becoming an engaged networker.

Watch the video now and then offer your thoughts about it in the comments section . . . what do you think about Kathryn’s three traits of an engaged networker? Do you possess these three qualities already, or do you have a ways to go? If you have questions about how to develop these qualities or about other ways to become engaged in the networking process, Kathryn and I look forward to receiving them!

3Feb2011

What’s Your Excuse for Not Following Up?string(46) "What’s Your Excuse for Not Following Up?"

What’s your excuse for not following up with new contacts after networking events? It doesn’t really matter what your answer is because I’m here to tell you that the correct answer to the above question from this point on is: There is no excuse for not following up, so I don’t have one.

We all know that networking without follow up can equal a big waste of time. However, many networkers still find every excuse under the sun not to follow up and the most common reasons they use are either that they’re not sure how to appropriately follow up or they don’t have time. As promised in Monday’s blog entry, today I’m going to give you two free follow up note templates (these will work whether you’re using e-mail or mailing a hand-written note) that will make it a no-brainer for you to follow up with new contacts. No more excuses!

Follow up Template for “B list” contacts (those who may become valuable contacts in the future but not right away):

Jim–

My name is John Smith, and I’m the consultant who met you the other day over at the chamber. I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed our conversation–and it sounds like you’re really doing well and staying busy.

Anyway, it was good talking to you, and if I can help you out in any way, please let me know.

John

Follow up Template for “A list” contacts (those who might become new clients or referral partners right now):

If using e-mail, use this subject line: Nice to Meet You–Chamber Event (1/23)

Jim–

My name is Jane Smith, and I’m the consultant who met you the other day at the chamber event. I just wanted to say I really enjoyed our conversation and was hoping I could learn a little bit more about what you do.

I’m thinking we can get together for a quick cup of coffee. That way, if I run into someone who could use your services, I can point him in your direction. How does next Tuesday morning sound for something over at Starbucks?

Again, great talking to you, and if I can help your business in any way, please let me know.

Jane

Using these follow up note templates provide you with a great base for building relationships with the new contacts you make at networking events. One more quick tip: Regardless of whether you choose to use these templates when writing follow up notes, always be sure to first remind the person of who you are and where you met so your note doesn’t get instantly discarded.

31Jan2011

Sorting Out Who’s Whostring(27) "Sorting Out Who’s Who"

So, let’s say you’ve just returned from a networking event where you met a lot of new people and now you have a pocketful of business cards that you’re not sure what to do with. What’s your first order of business? Your first order of business is to sort out who’s who.

You need to separate the people you think might become new clients or referral partners right now from the ones who might be valuable contacts sometime in the future but not right away. Let’s call the first group your A list, the rest your B list. (Sounds kind of Hollywood, doesn’t it? :)) When you enter them into your contact database, labeling each contact as part of group “A” or “B” would be good to include (along with type of business, address, phone number, event where you met, etc.).

Now that you’ve got your contacts filed away neatly, take a look first at your B list. You want these folks to know you enjoyed meeting them, and you want to keep the door open for doing business with them later on if a good opportunity arises. You can do this with a quick note by either e-mail or snail mail.* If you find you need to reconnect with one of these people at a later time, you’ll at least have some traction in the relationship simply because you followed up with a quick e-mail.

Now, what about your A list? These are people who have immediate potential as referral partners. You need to follow up with them quickly–within a few days, before you drop off their radars. First, initiate a “coffee connection” with each of your new contacts, a follow-up meeting where you can get to know her and find out how you can help her. Anything short of trying to find ways to help her will generally be treated as a sales call instead of a relationship-building contact. To ask for this first meeting, either a handwritten note or an e-mail is acceptable.*

At this point, you may be asking, “What about the people I meet who aren’t potential clients and aren’t in a field that can refer business to me? Should I follow up with them anyway?” Absolutely! You never know whom other people know; even a quick little “Nice to meet you” e-mail is better than not doing anything at all and hoping these people remember you later when you discover a need to do business with one of them.

Now that you know how to sort out who’s who, be sure to do this each and every time with the business cards you gather in your daily networking activities and, I guarantee you, you will start to see greater results from your networking efforts.

*Come back on Thursday to read a blog entry with specific examples of what your follow up notes to group A contacts and group B contacts should say–I’ll give you two free follow-up note templates so you’ll have no excuses for not following up with your new contacts. Trust me, following up couldn’t be any easier than this!

3Jun2010

What’s the Best Way to Follow Up?string(39) "What’s the Best Way to Follow Up?"

June 3, 2010

Ivan Misner

best techniques, card, e-mail, Follow up, follow up methods, handwritten note, managing people, phone call Business, Follow up, Management, Networking 5

When I taught management-theory classes at a Southern California college, students would sometimes say to me, “Look, you’ve just walked me through ten different theories of management. What’s the best one to use?”

I would answer, “The one you consistently apply. Why would I say this? The reason there are different ways of managing people is because people are different. They have different personalities, different approaches, and different techniques. The tried-and-true method that you consistently and effectively apply is the one that’s going to work best for you.

Follow-up is a similar issue. For example, I know that handwritten notes are considered to be the best way to follow up. The problem is . . . I just don’t do them consistently. Therefore, are they really the best technique for me? No, because I know I’m not going to do them regularly. I prefer to follow up with an e-mail message, a phone call, or better yet, a card using something like the SendoutCards.com system.

The truth is, almost any follow-up method will work if you use it well and consistently. The best method for you is whichever one you are most comfortable with and can do every time the need arises.

The reason is simple: whatever you do, you’ve got to do it well, and if you feel obligated to keep doing something that you don’t like to do, you won’t do it well–at least not consistently. And, a late-arriving, clumsy, or half-hearted note in your own messy handwriting is going to make a worse impression than a less “proper” but more heartfelt and immediate telephone call.

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