Increase Sales Blog

Posts Tagged ‘business networking events’

Salesperson are in many cases the first contact for their representative organizations. Between the business to business networking events, the civic organizations, the chambers and other associations, sales people are the ones meeting and greeting.

Unfortunately, so much of the sales training coaching programs fail to look at leadership skills and focus more on specific sales skills such as:

• Asking probing questions
• Overcoming objections
• Delivering  “killer” presentations
• Closing the deal (I truly dislike this phrase and prefer “earning the sale” however closing the deal is a key search word phrase.)

In the last few days, I have read several great posts about leadership. In all cases, these individuals were in sales even if they held a non-selling title.

For example Tim Berry shared his 5 crucial business lessons learned the hard way. Leo Hindrey wrote about the CEO shortsightedness. Then Kevin Eikenberry discussed leadership respective to the current oil spill.

Years ago Peter Drucker, noted management and respected guru, said “Leadership is all about results.”  In my book and numerous articles, I have enhanced his definition with this clause: “Using clearly articulated positive core values.”  This is why I believe selling is about results and ethical behaviors and why I write so much about both of these topics. Sales Training Coaching Tip:  The different between leadership and management is managers partner with others to secure the results.

When the belief is adopted that everyone is in sales from parents selling education to children to teachers selling learning objectives to students to management selling the vision, values and mission to their stakeholders, then everyone must demonstrate great leadership.  Just imagine what could happen if everyone became leaders who delivered results while modeling positive core values (behaviors).

Business networking events generate a lot of first time marketing opportunities. These events range from the simple chamber luncheons to the more formalized trade shows to even sales training workshops  seminars.

Yet these opportunities to meet and greet showcase the basic values of those involved. A recent post by Kevin Callahan addressed how some less than ethical salespersons to small business owners see business networking as a one way street. These folks could care less about you, but truly only want to either sell you or use your extensive contact list for more potential sales. Kevin does share his values by this question: How can I help you? Sales Training Coaching Tip: I, too, have found this a great question to learn about others.

Social media is another place where this appears to be happening.  From folks using LinkedIn discussions to either soft sell or hard sell their products or services to direct messages where again the goal is not to know about you, but is rather all about them. And what is even sadder, some of these folks are truly clueless about their behaviors.

The sales process combines both marketing skills and selling skills.  In today’s highly competitive global marketplace, it is critical to distinguish yourself from everyone else.  The demonstration of key positive core values is a must if you truly want to stand out in the crowd and as I often have said or written in be the Red Jacket in the sea of gray suits.

One final closing thought. People buy from people they know and trust. Ask yourself or better yet ask someone who will be honest with you this question:  Are my business networking behaviors demonstrating that I am a trustworthy individual with positive core business ethics and values?

Each day I receive notice for another Social media training workshop be it for LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter.  Yesterday a potential customer contacted me about if he should attend one being offered by a local social media expert and business coach.  Believing in never knocking the competition, I suggested that many of these learning or training engagements be them a social media class, social media seminar or even a college course presume that you have an effective website. Further conversation with this potential caller revealed he was not happy with the lack of traffic to his website. And this my friends is the fatal presumption.

Until this obstacle is overcome (an efficient and ineffective website), then learning more about social media will not help you as much as you want it to. In social media, the ultimate goal is to drive traffic to your website. If your cyberspace storefront is not key word rich, easy to navigate, you will have visitors who stay less than 10 seconds and how exactly does that increase sales? And this my friends is the fatal flaw.

Now efficient and effective for me is defined as doing things right and doing the right thing.  With respective to marketing, this translates into a quality, content and  keyword rich website that delivers high traffic and eventually more profit regardless if the business is engaged in selling services, products or a combination of both.

The majority (at least 50%) of small business owners who have websites have invested hundreds if not thousands of dollars to create and maintain them.  Yet, these hard working entrepreneurs are receiving little to no traffic and the situation is not improving.

What I find incredibly interesting is this blog and the website for my business ADVANCED SYSTEMS receives 3 to 10 times more daily unique visitors than the majority of firms who specialize in search engine optimization and building websites not to mention other business coaches, executive coaches or organizational development consultants.

Now I am not a “tekkie” person. If fact I am technology challenged. However, during the last 5 years, I have invested thousands of hours to improve my website on my own time.  This improvement can be traced directly back to my business action plan and how I dramatically revised both my marketing action plan and sales action plan over 5 years ago. In other words, I am not engaged in spraying and praying my activities with the hope that something will stick.

Five years ago I had one of those I could have had a V8 moments or what I call a Swedish FHEM (Flat head experience moment). Being a single office/home office entrepreneur, I had neither the resources nor expertise in marketing. Sure I attended local business networking events, chamber luncheons and other opportunities to meet and greet. However, the results were not in proportion to the efforts being demonstrated. I realized there had to be a better way.

One of my mentors, Ray Overdorff, shared with me if I invested one hour per day in expanding my knowledge of marketing in one year I would become an expert.  He was on target. In the book <a hrewf=”http://www.amazon.com/Outliers-Story-Success-Malcolm-Gladwell/dp/0316017922″>Outliers</a>, the author Malcom Gladwell suggests it takes 10,000 hours to be truly successful.

For the last 5 years I have planned my marketing and worked my action plan. Now with over 1,700 written articles, contributing author for sites such as:

• EvanCarmichael
• EzineArticles
• NBiz Magazine
• Post Tribune of Northwest Indiana
• Sales Bloggers
• Sales Gravy
• Top Sales Experts

I am reaping the rewards of my education based marketing efforts because my site is found and continues to attract new visitors each day. So if you are considering taking any social media training make sure your website is operating at close as possible to full warp power. Then take that social media training to supercharge your marketing warp engines and then you will find all of your efforts truly helping you increase sales.

Now with warmer weather, business people are ratching up their business networking attendance. In their desire to increase sales, these fine folks may be violating common etiquette.  Books abound about effective B2B networking.  One of my favorites is by Lillian Bjorseth – Breakthrough Networking. (I actually wrote a review at Amazon.)

Additionally, the skill sets necessary for great business networking extend into what Daniel Goleman explains in his book – Working with Emotional Intelligence (EQ).  Sheila Savar in a recent posting connects emotional intelligence to Etiquette through EtiquetteEQ.

Credit: www.flickr.com/photos/aidan_jones/1234618279/

One consistent mistake I have consistently observed in business networking events is the lack of appreciation and acknowledgment.  For example, during conversation I may mention a particular article that I am aware of that is pertinent to the conversation. Then I am asked to send the article if possible.  Business cards are exchanged and within 24 hours I honor my commitment.  Common courtesy would suggest a short email saying thank you. Yet very rarely does this actually happen.  My sense is these people have very low EQ scores.

Before you attend that next event, take time to review your own behaviors. Use the recommendations in Savar’s posting as well as just returning to what your mother or grandmother told you about being polite and respectful to others in public. And do not forget to say thank you after someone has made that extra effort to honor her or his verbal commitment. Who knows maybe you will be the Red Jacket, will  increase sales and will establish some long-term relationships in the process?

So what have been your experiences about business networking? Please share with others.