Post by Bill on Feb 15, 2007 12:04:27 GMT -5
Kevin posted:
alking with one of my buddies, a restaurant owner. He goes to local networking meetings, usually I go with him to the same meetings. Everybody want his business. It is almost embarrassing seeing all the people come up to him, offering this, offering that. insurance agents, contractors, promoters, marketers.... lol...makes me feel like chopped liver.
When he goes to these meetings, its a night out away from shop. The last thing he is thinking about is business. He states he needs nothing from the group, but the group wants everything from him. He just goes to drink beer. So talking with him, after our third or forth thingytail. I asked " So why did you choose my service to clean your restaurant" He said "Being close friends as we are now, I`ll tell ya.. because you didn't try to push your service down my throat, it seemed that you were at the networking meeting for the same reasons I was, to have a good time and meet new people..He then laughed and because you bought me like 5 beers...."
I laughed also.
Remember: Decisions for business are made in the hallways, prior or after your meeting.
What that phrase means is your never going to get approval in a board room or office meeting, unless the powers at be have already discussed what is going to happen prior to you being involved.
When you go to your Chamber meetings or local network meetings, don`t think of it as you have 30 seconds to give the person as much information as possible.
Blah, Blah, Blah my cleaning service this, my cleaning service does that, you should choose us, Blah, Blah, Blah.
Your main goal should be listening to the person that you want to be in business with. Asking them friendly questions that have nothing to do with business. Just go to these network meetings to have a good time and meet people. Don`t Overdue It
And... as all decisions are made in hallways, all network groups have meetings or afterhour events after the meetings. Get close to this group. This is where you want to be. The afterhour meetings is where the real networking happens. I have closed more deals over a beer and a bite to eat, than I ever closed in a managers office, in most cases. When I go to the managers office, he already has instructions from the powers at be, that we will be performing service.
alking with one of my buddies, a restaurant owner. He goes to local networking meetings, usually I go with him to the same meetings. Everybody want his business. It is almost embarrassing seeing all the people come up to him, offering this, offering that. insurance agents, contractors, promoters, marketers.... lol...makes me feel like chopped liver.
When he goes to these meetings, its a night out away from shop. The last thing he is thinking about is business. He states he needs nothing from the group, but the group wants everything from him. He just goes to drink beer. So talking with him, after our third or forth thingytail. I asked " So why did you choose my service to clean your restaurant" He said "Being close friends as we are now, I`ll tell ya.. because you didn't try to push your service down my throat, it seemed that you were at the networking meeting for the same reasons I was, to have a good time and meet new people..He then laughed and because you bought me like 5 beers...."
I laughed also.
Remember: Decisions for business are made in the hallways, prior or after your meeting.
What that phrase means is your never going to get approval in a board room or office meeting, unless the powers at be have already discussed what is going to happen prior to you being involved.
When you go to your Chamber meetings or local network meetings, don`t think of it as you have 30 seconds to give the person as much information as possible.
Blah, Blah, Blah my cleaning service this, my cleaning service does that, you should choose us, Blah, Blah, Blah.
Your main goal should be listening to the person that you want to be in business with. Asking them friendly questions that have nothing to do with business. Just go to these network meetings to have a good time and meet people. Don`t Overdue It
And... as all decisions are made in hallways, all network groups have meetings or afterhour events after the meetings. Get close to this group. This is where you want to be. The afterhour meetings is where the real networking happens. I have closed more deals over a beer and a bite to eat, than I ever closed in a managers office, in most cases. When I go to the managers office, he already has instructions from the powers at be, that we will be performing service.