Promoting Your Sign Business Through Networking Groups
Joining business groups like your local Chamber of Commerce and attending networking events is a great way to get out in the community and meeting other business professionals who might be interested in using your services as a sign maker. Since the majority of your customers are likely to be other business owners, the value of such networking opportunities cannot be overstated. Still however, many people attend networking groups and never seem to get any return on this investment. For most, it’s because no one has ever taught them that there is a right way and a wrong way to network. Running around a crowded room and collecting as many business cards as you can is not networking. Effective networking is about not only what you can get, but what you can give. Here are a few simple principles to help you turn your networking contacts into customers. Limit your contacts
Focus on quality over quantity. Instead on merely trying to get as many business cards as you can, focus on seeking out and making connections with relevant contacts. Consider the kind of business owners that will be most likely to benefit from your services and take a targeted approach. You might only speak to 10 people, but 10 high quality contacts will be much more valuable to your sign business in the long run than 100 low quality contacts. Even if you only go to one networking event each month, you’ll be making 120 high quality contacts every year, which should be more than enough to keep you busy. Make connections There is an old adage that people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Your first contact with someone at a networking event should not be about selling, it should be about making a connection. Don’t simply give your elevator pitch – be interested in the other person and ask them questions that get them to talk about their own business. People always feel good when they get a chance to talk about themselves. This will also give you a chance to listen and determine whether the person you are speaking with is a quality contact with whom you might eventually do business. It will also make you stand out in their mind as one of the few people at the event who was actually interested in them! Build relationships People like to do business with people they like. After you meet someone for the first time, jot down some notes on the back of their business card to help you remember where and when you met and a bit about them. Follow up with them, but don’t try to sell right away. You might want to connect with them on social channels such as Linkedin, or if they are a really good lead, you might even want to invite them to go out for coffee – on you of course! After you’ve attended a few networking events, you will naturally start to see some of the same people again. Make sure to greet them by name. And if you can’t remember their name, be honest and say something like “We met at such and such event – I’m sorry, can you please remind me of your name.” Over time, people will start to recognize you at these events and you will establish solid relationships with many other business owners in your community – some of which will surely become your customers. See more at: http://signworld.org/promoting-your-sign-business-through-networking-groups/