Networking Strategy

Networking Strategy

Written By Jeffrey Gitomer
@GITOMER

KING OF SALES, The author of seventeen best-selling books including The Sales Bible, The Little Red Book of Selling, and The Little Gold Book of Yes! Attitude. His live coaching program, Sales Mastery, is available at gitomer.me.

Jeffrey Gitomer’s Networking Strategy

At a recent networking event, I met a salesperson from a staffing company. Here’s how he introduced himself to me:

“Hi, My name is Joe and I work for ACME staffing. We’ve been in business for 10 years. Do you need any staff people?”

Here’s what he could have said:

“How much is one great salesperson worth? How many total salespeople do you have? Out of the X people, how many are GREAT? I think I can find you some really GREAT sales people in exchange for your good ones.”

Now that’s engagement. He didn’t have to introduce himself or his company.

If you said, my name is. I do.. The other person will always say, “We’re satisfied with who we’re already using.” That’s the selling side.

The engagement side is in the questions. That’s the easy part.

Here’s another example:

“Hi, I’m Joe Banker. I represent ACME Bank. We’re great. We have checking accounts and loans, and did I mention checking accounts?”

“No thanks, we’ve been dealing with Y bank and we love them.”

The best approach is:

“Have you ever walked into a bank and you wanted a loan and they didn’t give it to you? Did they show you how you could have gotten it? Why do you think they didn’t? Wouldn’t it be cool if you had a banker that could help you get to yes instead of no. How often does your present banker review your financial statements and give you recommendations as to how to add profit.”

That’s engagement.