Follow up on an introduction

If you are networking with the right attitude, you will receive introductions and referrals from people from your network.

Now it is up to you to do something with them.

It seems like quite obvious advice, but in reality I see other behaviour !

There are always two actions to take:
1) contact the person who you are introduced to
2) give feedback to the person who did the introduction

Most people fail to do the second one. And that is a pity. It not only gives you the opportunity to have an extra contact moment with this person, but also to develop a better relationship with a potential unlimited resource of introductions and referrals in the future !

Some people also fail to do the first action. And that is a real pity. People offer you their help and you don’t do anything with it. That wouldn’t encourage them to do this a second time for you !

One of the reasons people don’t contact the person they are introduced to, is that it is not the right person or profile. If that is the case, contact the introducer and explain him why this is not a good introduction. In this way (s)he can think of other people.
To your success !

Jan

Inspiration needed?

Sometimes we need inspiration to solve a problem or provide a creative solution.

One of the easiest things to do is to go through your contacts.
Just browse through your contact folder in MS Outlook or another e-mail program.
or through your folder if you still prefer the paper way.

Three things will happen:
1) Just by reading names you get ideas.
2) You come across people who can help you rightaway, but who were not on top of your mind anymore.
3) By reading the names of your contacts you think of other people who can help you.

If you are not convinced that this works, just try it and be amazed by the results !
To your success !

Jan

Why word-of-mouth publicity fails for most organisations part two

In my post of two weeks ago, I explained why word-of-mouth publicity doesn’t work for most organisations. In that post I focused on the situation where current customers didn’t give introductions or referrals.

There is also another situation: between people who are member of a professional trade or network organisation.

Many times I hear people say: “I just heard that they bought a similar product as ours with another company while we already know each other for so long.”

The problem in this case is that the other person probably doesn’t really know you. How many people do you have in your network that you only know vaguely? Many people don’t talk about each other’s business anymore after they have met for more than three times. They think they know what the company of the other person has to offer. Or worse, they don’t know, but are afraid to ask, because after three times they feel they are supposed to know what the other person offers or wants.

That’s why it is very important to think about your Elevator Stories and to help other people to tell their Elevator Story to you.

Read some previous posts about the Elevator Story to get started:
– The difference between an Elevator Story and an Elevator Pitch
– What is important in an Elevator Story
– The importance of an Elevator Story

To your success !

Jan

Networking and travel

Luuk Christiaens sent me an e-mail about a networking concept for travellers. 

I was told that this is not the only website of its kind, there are apparently other initiatives like this.

If you have any suggestions, I’m always happy to receive them !

Jan

Why word-of-mouth publicity fails for most organisations

Many people tell me: “Jan, our organisation has good products and we deliver excellent service and still we only get a referral or introduction once in a while. Word-of-mouth publicity doesn’t work for us. What can we do about it?”

In fact the answer to this question is very simple. Ask for it !

Most people are nowadays so busy that they don’t think about introducing or referring people. Just consider your own situation: how many people did you introduce or refer to someone else in the last month?

But we are all willing to do it almost right away when someone who delivered really good service or sold us a really good product.

So: just ask your current customers for an introduction or referral. Word-of-mouth doesn’t really fail, it just has to be triggered from time to time.

This tip doesn’t apply only to sales, but also to suppliers, partnerships, new employees or information of any kind. Just ask and see what happens !

Have a great networking day !

Jan