I used to think networking was really dumb. Going to chamber events, after hours networking, and other groups felt like a big waste of time.
For all the time that I’d put in, it felt like nothing was coming back.
Of course, we all cognitively know and understand that just by going to networking events you’re not going to suddenly start popping deals off earning revenue for your business.
It takes time, you have to plant seeds, and you have to be patient.
So my question became:
“How do I speed that process up, and how do I do a better job of planting the seeds?”
Well, in short, my answer came to me as a subtle yet important shift of perspective.
See, I used to believe that the magic happened AT the networking event.
That the way that it worked is that you’d make this miraculous connection and then somehow we’d all live happily ever after.
What I realized is that it’s quite the opposite.
The magic is NOT in the room!
You can make the initial connection with someone in the room, but your relationship with them is developed outside the room.
You’ve got to grab coffee, or a bite together, or SOMETHING to help deepen the connection.
If you’re going to use networking and referral marketing as a part of your lead generation strategy, you need to invest time OUTSIDE the meetings and networking events to build your credibility.
Otherwise you’ll find that you’ve wasted an incredible amount of energy doing it all wrong.
Remember, the magic does NOT happen in the room, it happens outside of it!
If you liked this video you’ll love Episode 8: How to Constantly Fill Your Pipeline with Stable Table Marketing
