Posts Tagged ‘Sales’
10 Tips on Chamber of Commerce networking for small businesses (Part 2)
Thursday, January 7th, 2010
TIP #6 – I double dog dare you!
Chances are, if you aren’t the inventor of a a new cutting edge product (potentially built in your garage), then at face value, you and the widgets you sell are not much different than your competitor and his widgets who is across the room.
With that said, I dare you to be different! I’m not saying stick your tongue on the frozen flag pole, but take a unique approach.
When introducing your company, use that catchy tagline you’ve been going back and forth on. Think of this as a test market. If you sell t-shirts, you should be wearing the coolest t-shirt in the room. If you can’t think of something catchy or how your product or service differs, than maybe you’re just the best dressed person in the room. I’m okay with that!
TIP #7 – Follow up
You’ve heard it a million times but it continues to separate the good from the great. It’s important to follow up with everyone that you exchange cards with because you never know where that next sale or partnership will come from. Collect those cards, send those emails and give people the chance to remember who you were.
“It was nice meeting you. I was the guy wearing the Hungry-Hungry-Hippos T-shirt.”
TIP #8 – The Big Fish…maybe
More important than following up is Following Through. You met some nice people that you will “keep on your list” but there was hopefully that one “prospect” that had you smiling, rambling (speaking highly of your company), making promises and thinking “I can’t wait to tell my team who I just met!” No matter how much potential lies in this new relationship, if you don’t do what you said you would do, when you said you would do it and how you said you were going to do it, it will fizzle into nothing. It could potentially get your brand off to a bad start as well…but that’s another subject!
TIP #9 – And for the Grand Finale…
…here a few quick and small tips that I think should make the list. I know they’re simple but many people forget the little things…and it’s the little things that count.
9 1/4 Keep a little cash on you. Tip bartenders, especially when the drinks are free.
9 1/2 Check your breath. Chew gum before networking, not during.
9 3/4 Take your parking garage ticket in with you to get it validated.
9 7/8 Hold your drink in your left hand to prevent cold, soggy hand shakes. (But when eating hold your plate in the right hand and eat with your left-switch when you shake).
TIP #10 – Other peoples money
During your free chamber networking experiences, if you head the above 9 tips in any way, you just may get a new client, partner or vendor. Hopefully, the revenues or cost savings will be enough to finance your new chamber membership!
Try these tips out with a few different chambers around your metro area and before you know it, your business will be a household name (in the business community).
Tags: Chamber of Commerce, Networking, Sales, Small business
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