You must give your card to everyone in the room. If people aren’t interested they won’t keep your card, let alone call you.
Networking is selling. The term network marketing confuses people. It is meant to. Network marketing, also known as MLM, or Multi-Level Marketing, generates sales through a vast layered network of product representatives. Each of these representatives is given incentive to recruit still more committed reps. MLM sales pitches can come across as vague and evasive.
Networking is telling your story. Watch out for Power Networkers who, full of bluster, talk at you. They condescend and announce, in effect, “You must be stupid not to buy my product. If you order now, you’ll get the network special discount.”
Networking ends when you walk out the door. Don’t make the mistake of breathing a sigh of relief as you walk out the door of the networking event and think, “Well that’s my networking done for another month.”
Send them information only about your products. If all you do is mail brochures, then all you are doing is advertising. It’s okay to advertise, and a mailing is good; but a mailing list is not a network. If you want to build a relationship, you must send something that is of value to them.
Related posts:
I have never minded networking online, but in person, I find it daunting. I think your advice is helpful, and I should use it more.