February 2018
Who “they” gonna call?
Answer the following question:
If you need a real estate agent who would you call?
Chances are you either did not have an immediate answer or your answer was someone you had already met.
If you are a part of a networking group like BNI or BON or attend networking events like ours, you most likely answered the name of someone you network with regularly.
So, what does this mean for you and your business?
It means that visibility and top of mind are some of the the key components to business development. After all, if someone does not know about you, they cannot possibly think of you.
I cannot stress this point enough- your name and service must be known by someone at the very time they or someone they know needs your service.
This allows you to not only be the first person someone think about when they need your service, but it also means they have someone (you) to recommend to others that need your service,
This is why consistent networking is the grand payoff. Each time you meet someone again, you are making your name and service more ready available to their top of mind. I liken it to a song that you hear for the first time where you don’t know the lyrics or the melody so well. But after you hear the song 2 or 3 times you know them better, And, maybe, by the 4th or 5th time you can sing along. After this, you can usually sing it through because it has been placed in your memory bank and most likely for good. Make it a point to meet someone several times (i like a minimum of 5) and make sure your name and service are made clear to them each time. This is why I personally love name badges, by the way.
Through networking you give yourself the opportunity to be present when someone needs your service. And, through your consistent contact with them you give yourself the opportunity to be top of mind when you are not physically present and someone needs your service.
Meeting someone several times = Top of mind = More business
Frank Eff
January 2018
The Trust Factor
There have been many studies on why people make decisions on products and services and who they select to provide them.
Since we are talking networking, let’s focus on the ‘who” they select.
When needing a service or product why does someone select a particular person to provide it? Studies have shown that it’s about trust. Sure, they want to know them and like them but the defining factor here is trust.
When asked how much someone trusts someone else when they know about them, but have not met them, the answer is a consistent average of 20%.
When asked how much someone trusts someone else when they have actually met them the percentage jumps to a consistent average of 70-80%.
If you consider that an introduction and some conversation more than triples the trust factor percentage in the decision making process for utilizing a particular person for a product or service, it seems clear that the more introductions and conversations you have with others, the more it will lead to more people choosing to do business with you.
Meeting more people = More trust = More business.
Frank Eff