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10 Tips for Successful Business Networkingby Stephanie SpeismanEffective business networking is the linking together of individuals who, throughtrust and relationship building, become walking, talking advertisements for oneanother. 1.Keep in mind that networking is about being genuine and authentic, buildingtrust and relationships, and seeing how you can help others.2.Ask yourself what your goals are in participating in networking meetings sothat you will pick groups that will help you get what you are looking for. Somemeetings are based more on learning, making contacts, and/or volunteering ratherthan on strictly making business connections.3.Visit as many groups as possible that spark your interest. Notice the toneand attitude of the group. Do the people sound supportive of one another? Does theleadership appear competent? Many groups will allow you to visit two times beforejoining.4.Hold volunteer positions in organizations. This is a great way to stayvisible and give back to groups that have helped you.5.Ask open-ended questions in networking conversations. This means questionsthat ask who, what, where, when, and how as opposed to those that can be answeredwith a simple yes or no. This form of questioning opens up the discussion andshows listeners that you are interested in them.6.Become known as a powerful resource for others. When you are known as astrong resource, people remember to turn to you for suggestions, ideas, names ofother people, etc. This keeps you visible to them.7.Have a clear understanding of what you do and why, for whom, and what makesyour doing it special or different from others doing the same thing. In order toget referrals, you must first have a clear understanding of what you do that youcan easily articulate to others.8.Be able to articulate what you are looking for and how others may help you.Too often people in conversations ask, "How may I help you?" and no immediateanswer comes to mind.9.Follow through quickly and efficiently on referrals you are given. Whenpeople give you referrals, your actions are a reflection on them. Respect andhonor that and your referrals will grow.10.Call those you meet who may benefit from what you do and vice versa. Expressthat you enjoyed meeting them, and ask if you could get together and share ideas.Seven Steps to Successful Salesby John MehrmannBeing a successful salesperson does not happen by accident or blind luck. Successis the result of diligent effort applied to a structured system with commitmentand passion. These seven steps are designed to help develop a system in a matterof minutes. Building on success to achieve your dreams is determined by howpassionately committed you are to achieving the dreams of your customers. Thefirst step is as easy as listening to them.1. Introduce Yourself, Then Shut-Up and Listen

The sales experience is not about the sales associate, it is about the customer.It is a courtship ritual to determine if the customer values the goods or servicesenough to invest in them by making a purchase. There is only one way to find outwhat the customer values, wants or needs and that is to listen intensely. If youare thinking about the next thing that you are going to promote then you can notconcentrate on what the customer is telling you. Rather, think about how you canrepeat what the customer is saying in your own words and you will be forced tolisten intently to what they tell you.A successful sales professional can reflect the emotion as well as the content ofa customer conversation.2. Why the Offer is Important to the Individual CustomerAs new sales representatives learn about the company, products or services thatthey represent it is a natural inclination to initiate conversations by spewingfacts and features like a walking commercial. Don't assume that the customer careshow you do something, how long you have done it or what you have been told makesyou unique. The customer has a life with priorities, deadlines andresponsibilities of his or her own. Show the customer what aspects of your offerare important from the customer perspective and resist the urge to talk about anyother things that are not relevant. Of course, you will only know this if you havelistened to your customer.A successful sales professional focuses only on the specific attributes of theoffer that are relevant to the customer.3. Get Confirmation, Then Explain the DetailsGet buy-in from the customer that you are on the right track. Ask the customer forfeedback to confirm that the focus is on the appropriate facts, features orfigures. Once you have provided feedback on your value as it pertains to theinitial customer requirement, it is common for some customers to change the focus.This is an opportunity to find out if the customer has additional concerns orconsiderations. Listen with intensity and restate customer focus and topics inshort sentences, reiterating each item that is important to the customer. Thenexplain the details of your offer that support all of these interests.A successful sales professional keeps the customer involved during the process ofexplaining relevant details of the specific offer.4. Credibility, Show the Customer Why You can be TrustedIf the offer is on target with the customer requirements then it is appropriate todemonstrate reasons that the customer should trust you. This may be accomplishedby using specifications for products, white papers and case studies for services,independent articles or references. The manner of demonstrating credibility variessignificantly by industry and market. If there are no documents or history to useas reference, it is possible to demonstrate credibility by making promises andkeeping them. A promise may be as simple as a commitment to follow-up withadditional information by a specific time. Even if the customer was a referral andcredibility was implied, never take it for granted.A successful sales professional earns the trust of every single customer throughcommitments and actions.5. What to Do and What It will CostIn addition to providing the price, also provide the details of what needs to bedone to complete the transaction and what will happen after the sale. If thecustomer needs to take some action before, during or after the purchase then besure to explain this in detail. In some cases there may be a registration, licenseor contract associated with the sale, so be sure to remove any mystery or doubt bystating the facts. Make sure that the customer is aware of any additionalrequirements or renewals. As an example, it would be incredibly disappointing fora customer to excitedly unpack a new printer and then discover that is itnecessary to go back to the store for cables to connect it to a computer. Keep thecustomer satisfied and confident by providing step-by-step explanations andexpectations.

A successful sales professional knows the process and educates the customer.6. Schedule Next StepsIn many cases there may be several steps in the sales cycle. If ongoingnegotiation is necessary then schedule the next meetings and milestones. Ifregistration or installation is necessary after the sale then initiate discussionsto accommodate the customer schedule. For significant purchases and investments itmay be necessary for the customer to review budget or finances, in which case itis appropriate to schedule periodic follow-up to accommodate these considerations.A successful sales professional fills the pipeline by keeping a consistentschedule for continuous customer conversations.7. Ask for the SaleDon't assume that the customer is going to ask for the sale. Ask for the sale todetermine if it is time to stop selling and time to start processing the purchaseand assisting with the appropriate next steps to support the customer. Some salesassociates are so passionate about the product that they keep promoting it longafter the customer has made a decision to purchase and can actually lose acustomer in the process. Stop pouring when the glass is full.A successful sales professional will periodically pause to ask for the sale.Seven Step to Successful Sales1.Introduce Yourself, Then Shut-Up and Listen2.Why the Offer is Important to the Individual Customer3.Get Confirmation, Then Explain the Details4.Credibility, Show the Customer Why You can be Trusted5.What to Do and What It will Cost6.Schedule Next Steps7.Ask for the SaleCut out the Seven Steps for Successful Sales and keep it handy to prepare andreflect before each customer conversation.Make some notes for personal reference that pertain to your specific product orservice for each of the seven steps. Put it in your own words. Know your processand listen intensely to your customers. Know where your customers are within theseven step process. Take care of your customers and continue your conversationsafter every sale to repeat the cycle and nurture your pipeline.Words of Wisdom"The essence of selling is understanding your customer's needs and convincing himthat you're the best one to meet them."- Fred Blalek, co-founder, National Semiconductor Corp"In the modern world of business, it is useless to be a creative original thinkerunless you can also sell what you create. Management cannot be expected torecognize a good idea unless it is presented to them by a good salesman."- David M Ogilvy"Companies are no longer setting the agenda for what customers want. They'refinding out where the agenda is being set and enhancing it. The customers decidewhat's important. Your job is to listen and respond."- Avram Miler, Technology Consultant