Picture this. I’m sitting at my desk, looking at a list of prospects to call. After picking up the phone and putting it back down a few times, I choose to do something else. Then a few hours later I try again to make the calls – cold calls. And I can’t.
Questions run through my head. Will they want to talk to me? What if they’re busy and get angry because of the interruption (and thus, angry at me)? What if they say …. “No!”?
Cold calling giving you the shivers?
Just the thought of cold calling makes me shiver and sweat at the same time! So what do I do to promote my business? What did I discover that allows me to market and sell our service without this cold-calling torture? I network instead.
Networking gives you warm calls and most often pre-qualified opportunities. Now when I make a phone call, the person at the other end of the conversation at least knows who I am and why I’m calling. Sometimes my fellow networkers even explain our business and qualify interest before giving me the name of a potential customer! How great is that?
There are formal and informal business networking groups, civic clubs, chambers of commerce, power circles, church groups and industry associations. The result of building relationships among the members is that you now have a team of people who will refer you or even promote your business to their connections.
Another networking format is on-line social networking. There are a plethora of online sites that assist you in connecting. Though called social networking, many people and companies are using these sites to meet potential business associates and develop relationships.
Sites that have a strictly business format are also on line and normally require membership fees. This is understandable, because they provide the same benefit as face-to-face networking. The purpose is a formalized business connection opportunity. Normally, just one customer per year will more than cover your fees. LinkedIn is free, but has two business-level upgrades that are fee-based. My favorite business networking site is OneDegreeConnected.com. Members have the ability to meet people in each others’ databases. Each member is just one degree away from everyone else. However, your database remains confidential until you agree to make the connection for the requester.
In-person networking, social networking and business on-line networking provide 3 unique opportunities to be introduced to those you’d like to meet. They provide an opportunity to start building a relationship. You receive warm introductions from people they know, and that relieves the cold-calling shivers.Cindy Hartman is President of Hartman Inventory LLC, a woman-owned business that provides business and home inventory services. She and her husband Mike also own Hartman Inventory Systems LLC, a complete turnkey inventory business package for those who want to establish their own inventory company. Cindy enjoys writing and speaking on topics related to her industry, networking and small business. Visit her at http://www.HartmanInventory.com
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