Who Wants to be Sold to?

This is the question asked every month at my Chamber New Partner’s Orientation Meeting. Of course, NO ONE raises their hand. The funny thing is, out of curiosity, I Googled that phrase and NOTHING came up!!! That should tell you something.

At the Chamber orientation meeting, the question is asked to illustrate the preference of Networking over Cold Call or Direct Selling. You are a lot more likely to buy from or recommend someone you met from networking (someone who knows someone) than someone who just called you up on the phone or sent you a spam email message.

LinkedIn, for instance, is setup for Networking and NOT Cold Calling. Just try to connect with someone who is not already connected with someone in your LinkedIn network. It ain’t gonna happen.

Yet I am getting more and more Spam messages from LinkedIn. It might come as a surprise for some, but I didn’t sign-up to LinkedIn or invite you to connect because I like to be sold to. I don’t do it to others and your spam is really not going to be successful with me.

“But Networking takes to much tiiiime.” Yes, some of the best clients take a lot of work and time but, if you service them right, they remain faithful clients over the years.

Networking, either face-to-face or online takes time. Here is another shocker, the people who spend more time Networking seem to be the most successful at it. The best way to Network with others is to take the time to find out who THEY want to meet and network with and do what you can do to connect them with a lead. I am currently reading an excellent book on Networking, Networking with the Affluent and Their Advisers by Dr. Thomas Stanley. He has some great suggestions for how to find and network with the affluent.

So, instead of just ripping off a quick spam message to all your LinkedIn connections, take the time to read their postings, find out more about them, comment on it, make some connections, and find out how you can help them out BEFORE you try to sell them something. You just might be surprised at the results.