Do you cringe when you hear the word networking? If so, you’ll want to listen to this short clip and learn two ways to practice networking that leave both you and your clients feeling good.
Ideal clients are the cream of your legacy entrepreneur business, so it’s wise to have a viable networking plan around attracting ideal clients and keeping them.
There are two key strategies that I recommend be a part of any entrepreneur’s networking plan.
The first one happens to be an old school strategy, but it’s one that should not be ignored.
It’s having real concern and care for what’s going on in your clients’ lives.
It’s simple, and truly unfortunate that this is considered old school.
A great way to practice this strategy of showing that you genuinely care is through follow up. And I don’t just mean checking in with them at regular intervals to find out if they’re ready to purchase your product or service. I mean following up with them about what’s going on in their lives.
I check in with my clients periodically to inquire if they need anything from me. Sometimes the answer is that now is not the ideal time.
Of course, I let them know I completely understand that now is not a good time. But I go on to ask how they are doing (because I am genuinely interested to know). If they tell me they are overwhelmed at the moment because they are preparing for a big family event, I make a note of the date of that event. And then I check back with them shortly after the event is over to see how it went. I also ask how their life in general is going, if work is going well, etc.
Remembering what they talked about when you last spoke lets your ideal clients (and prospective clients) know you’re listening, that they are important to you and you care about what’s happening in their lives.
It’s a sadly underutilized tool these days.
The second tool that is indispensable for building a thriving business is list-building.
I regret to say, it’s something that took me a while to understand the importance of.
I did not start building a list of people who could potentially benefit from my coaching services until quite a few years after the inception of my coaching business.
There are a few ways you can go about building a list for your business.
You can do it via LinkedIn and other social media platforms.
You can create an opt-in pop-up on your website that gives them an opportunity to sign up for weekly or monthly tips or newsletters.
Or you can do it at live or online networking events by just asking if they are interested in being on your list.
These are two of the most useful and powerful tools for building a strong business and staying connected with your ideal clients.
Is your work situation frustrating you? Do you hate your job, but have no idea what to do instead? Attempting to navigate those waters without support is not fun (yes, I do know, but that’s another story). I’m excited to announce that I’ve created The Job I Love Toolkit, with all the resources you’ll need to finally clarify how to get paid to do you.TM To be the first to hear more details, join the VIP Wait List.
And if you know a friend or neighbor who could use hearing the advice in this article or needs The Job I Love Toolkit, please forward this to them.
