I’ve been privileged to hold many Strategy Sessions in the past few days with business owners of varying industries. What I’ve discovered, is that no matter what profession we are in, what ties us together is the bond of simply being human.
While my clients are very pleasant and likeable people, they are very often introverts. This fits – distaste or fear around marketing comes mainly from people who don’t feel comfortable talking about themselves to strangers, whether in person or digitally.
One powerful way to get the word out about your business is good old fashioned networking. The kind where you put down your mouse and physically leave the house to enter a room where you may only know very few, if any, participants.
For someone who has never done it, or has only been a very few times, “going networking” could be beyond uncomfortable – for some it could be terrifying.
Walking into a room where you know no one and talking to strangers about our business in a manner that would attract them to want to learn more…. For some, that is a Herculean task. Yet, networking still works after all these decades. Even through the digital age, it works. That’s because people do business with people; as a small business owner, whether you want to admit it, your business is to sell yourself and your ability to solve someone’s problem or offer a desirable product or service.
While introducing this topic to my clients, I often hear, “do I have to?”. Yes, you do!
Here’s the secret: enter the room with a strategy that you feel is manageable. If you aim to meet everyone in the room and walk out with 5 new paying customers, this will never happen.
After many years of networking, belonging to various organizations and even taking on leadership positions, whenever I go to a new event, I still feel those newbie jitters. Here’s what I usually “talk myself into” before even getting in my car:
- What I offer is valuable to a few people in that room, I just don’t know who they are yet.
- Someone in that room came here hoping to meet someone like me.
- I will have a short introductory conversation with 3 or 4 people.
- I will have one in-depth conversation with 1 new person.
- I will re-connect with 2 or 3 people I’ve met previously.
- I practice my pitch, and practice is always helpful.
That’s it – that’s my simple strategy. I don’t want or need everyone in the room to get my card. I don’t even expect everyone will be listening when we go around the room with introductions. I just want a few people listening, and maybe 3 or 4 people think they want to hear more.
Can you do that? Of course, we all can, if we go with the best intentions and the most positive attitude. Now check the web for a new networking meeting in your area. Get in your car and go!