People do business with people they know, like and trust.
But trust doesn’t happen overnight, nor should it.
I am a member of Business Network International (BNI), currently wrapping up the second term as President of my local chapter, one of many in the region.
One reason that this style of networking stands out is that it’s method is universal. This has proven out, when applied to business networking in hundreds of countries.
You see the same approach achieve the same outcome; consistent, “warm” referrals, being given and received.
Take the time to get to know the people you meet, within the networking groups you attend. Slow down, strike up a conversation, don’t try to work the entire room in one sitting.
The beauty of being consistent with the groups you attend, is that you have the chance to touch all three of the interactions that result in new revenue.
-Following up with a customer who you’ve done work for, to see if they need additional support.
-Following up with an individual who you’ve built rapport with, but hasn’t yet become a customer.
-Building rapport, with someone you’ve just met, by making it about THEM
This last part can’t be stressed enough. Not only is it the right thing to do, to grow your business, but it will help you get over those occasional jitters that pop up when meeting people for the first time.
Ask questions that let the other person open up about what their needs are; find out what an ideal referral looks like for their business; find out what they’re most excited about, that day, within their business and ask permission to give them your card at the end of the conversation (and don’t forget to actually follow up, requesting a 1-1 meeting for further discussion, away from the larger group setting).
To honor the members of my BNI group, and the global principal of “Giver’s Gain”, upon which it is built, I encourage you to please consider the list below to be my “A List”, my trusted advisors in their respective fields.
You can click on any of their names, below, to learn more about and contact them!
And I would not hesitate to endorse…(click the name to get contact information)
Ada Roman – Westlake – Residential Real Estate – Keller Williams Realty
Adam Miller – Westlake – Credit Card, Merchant Services – Payscape Advisors
Alicia Honesto – Westlake – Residential Cleaning – The Cleaning Authority
Corbin Blackburn – Cleveland – Financial Services – Skylight Financial Group
Carl Fischer – Westlake – Employment & Payroll Services – Accurate Data Payroll
David F. Long CPA, CVA – Westlake – Certified Public Accountant – Corrigan Krause
Fred Grenke – Westlake – Bank Services – First Merit Bank
Jeff Hujo – Avon – Residential Mortgages – Primary Residential Mortgage
Kevin Stockdale – Columbia Station – Landscape Services – Morton’s Landscape Development Co.
Kyle Donato – Elyria – Commercial Bank Services – First Merit Bank
Michael Muir – Rocky River – Advertising > Direct Mail – Impact Marketing Group
Neil Wensink – North Olmsted – Chiropractor – Superior Spine Care
Paul Dooney – Westlake – Heating-Air Conditioning-HVAC – Bay Furnace
Ronald Gogul – Westlake – Attorney – Estate Planning – Gogul & Associates
Stacy Acker – Bryte Technologies – Westlake – Web Marketing and App Design – Bryte Technologies
Stacey Kitchen – Westlake – Roofing-Gutters – Brad Smith Roofing, Co.
Thomas Mays – Westlake – Attorney – General Practice – Thomas C. Mays, Attorney at Law
Todd Mazur – Cleveland – Insurance > Property & Casualty – Evarts Tremaine Flicker Inc.
William Barack – Bay Village – Certified Financial Planner – Lindisfarne Investments
And, of course, to set up an initial, free, organizational evaluation with our own Simon Ellett, call us on (440)-385-6737!