5.0 Don’t Sell–Educate
NETWORKING >> Each section contains key Action Items located within the downloadable Action Guide >> Click to Download Action Guide.
DON’T SELL TO YOUR NETWORK—EDUCATE THEM
When entrepreneurs try to develop a qualified, consistent and dynamic circle of networking partners who are going to provide them with referrals for new business, their tendency is often to “sell” those individuals on their product. It’s as if by showing them all the finer points of what’s available, convincing them to try their product and closing the sale with their networking partners, they’ll somehow realize an influx of referrals.
I don’t disagree that in order for the members of your networking group to refer you effectively they must be familiar with what you have to offer; however, it’s important to resist the urge to sell to group members. What do I mean by that?
Educating your networking group’s members about the type of referrals you want—specifically, where applicable, even giving the names of the individuals with whom you want to meet and develop relationships—is much more important to the success of your networking in a closed contact network than selling to other members. This demands a shift in how you see your networking partners. They’re not the clients; they are, in effect, your sales force. And for your sales force to sell you effectively, they have to know to whom to sell you and how to sell you.
Here are four tips for incorporating this educational style into your networking meetings:
1. Teach your network members what your “dream referral” looks like.
If you could go to your next networking meeting with a walking, talking
dream referral in tow, what would he or she be like? Describe this person
in detail to your networking partners. The more details you can provide,
the greater the chance that your partners will recognize that person when
they come across him or her outside the meeting.
2. Share customer profiles and case studies of current customers.
This is a highly effective way to educate your networking partners about
what it is you’re looking for in a new client. By sharing the qualities of
your current clientele, you’re painting a picture of your best referral for
your group. When appropriate, consider bringing in a customer or client
to talk about how you’ve helped him or her. These kinds of interactions
go a long way toward educating the group as to the type of person you
wish to have referred to you.
3. Break your business down into its lowest common denominators.
It’s very tempting to start your personal introduction with a statement
like: “We’re a full-service XYZ.” Resist this urge! When you have 52
opportunities over the course of a year to talk about your products and
services, don’t highlight one aspect of your business by painting with the
full-service brush. Get detailed! Educate your networking partners week
by week about the specific things you provide. Bring support material to
provide a visual. Do demonstrations when possible.
4. Ask specifically for the referral you want.
I often hear members of networking groups say things like, “Anyone
who needs . . .” or “Everyone who’s looking for . . .” Usually, when I
hear “anyone” or “everyone” I tune out, because I know so many
anyones and everyones that I end up referring no one. This is an
interesting dynamic that has to do with information overload. When
you’re asking for a specific type of business referral, your request from
your networking partners should be specific. Using a broad, generic
catchphrase will limit the effectiveness of your results.
By keeping your focus on educating your networking partners about
what type of referrals you wish to receive, you’ll find that the referrals
you begin to get will be of a higher caliber and offer more chances of
becoming closed sales than if you try to sell the members on what
you’re offering. You should be trying to educate a sales force instead of
trying to close a sale. Shift your intention in the group, and you’ll find
that the quality of your referrals will improve.
QUESTIONS:
Do I need to educate my network on what I actually do, make, or sell?
Yes. You break your business down into the lowest common denominator. You talk about one product, one service, one benefit of your product or service. By explaining what you do at some level of detail, you’re educating people rather than trying to sell to the very people you need to be out there referring you. And if they are going to be referring you, they need to know how to do that; that means you have to train them.
Telling success stories, then, is a good way to illustrate exactly what your business can do to help a specific referral or prospect?
Coming in with success stories is a great technique to use. I’ve seen home improvement specialists or interior designers come into networking meetings with an entire book of before-and-after pictures. This is a very powerful technique to train people about some of the specifics of what you do. They communicate the services you have to offer.
Should you be looking for the possibility of getting an introduction to the individuals with whom your networking circle has contact?
You might be interested in that, but it shouldn’t be your emphasis. The goal is not necessarily to sell people sitting there in that room your product or services. Your goal is to train them on how to listen for referrals.
For example, an auto broker stood up and told people that one of his specialties was selling limos to limo services and individuals. After talking about that process and how he did it, someone in the room said they had a relative in Europe who was looking for a limo. This man knew that it actually cost more money to buy a limo in Europe than it did to come to the US, buy a used limo, and ship it to the UK. The limo broker ended up selling two limos in Europe as a result of being specific in training his sales force. Clearly, no one in the room was going to buy a limo, but he was hoping they might know people who would want one—and, in fact, they did!
So educating your network helps them listen for your dream referral.
It does and you may know, as you are educating them, that this service or product you’re talking about isn’t relevant to anyone in the room. That’s okay. Because the goal here is to explain it in a way that they then can explain to others so it’s relevant.
ACTION ITEMS: Complete the Action Items in your Action Guide.
Create your “dream referral” description. This will help you to start incorporating this “educational style” into your networking.
Make it brief and concise—no more than a sentence or two.
Example: The U.S. Center for Entrepreneurship offers step-by-step classes that make it easy for anyone to learn how to launch a new product, service or company. USCFE specifically wants to reach inventors, dreamers, retirees, individuals who have recently lost their jobs, employees who are sick of the rat race and anyone who wants to start a new company.
Now craft your “dream referral”:
Craft a letter or e-mail to your network describing your dream referral.
Example: Dear ______, I really believe in the process of referrals and my goal is to further establish our relationship together by having each of us provide our “dream referrals” to one another. Would you please send me a description of your perfect client or customer, so that I can pinpoint the contacts in my network that might be good for you?
As you may know, the U.S. Center for Entrepreneurship offers step-by-step classes that make it easy for anyone to learn how to launch a new product, service or company. USCFE specifically wants to reach inventors, dreamers, retirees, individuals who have recently lost their jobs, employees who are sick of the rat race and anyone who wants to start a new company.
Is there anyone that comes to mind right now that you can refer me to?
I look forward to doing the same for you and I hope that we can help each other in our search for new clients and customers.
Now craft your letter or e-mail:
PRESIDENT'S CLUB