Drop the (Sales) Pitch
I’m a sports fan. I play tennis, have played softball, know how to throw a football and am a Portland Trailblazers fan so when I heard the phrase “drop the pitch” it made me sit up and pay attention.
Drop the sales pitch and start the conversation. In my quest to help others with being more strategic networkers in these challenging times I was intrigued by this quote. We are all online more with Zoom calls and social media. It’s time to redirect our energy and create more meaningful engagement.
When we “drop the pitch” it gives you the opportunity to streamline the conversation by listening and asking others really good questions. I’ve been advocating people doing more one-to-one conversations and having that deeper conversation. Here’s some tips and questions to use:
- Give a brief description of what you do
- Create a connection by asking thought provoking questions:
- What niche do you serve?
- Why did you choose that niche?
- Who are you doing business with now?
- How has that changed for you during Covid?
- What’s the most common business problem you help solve?
- What do you need help with?
- Follow up with them on social media (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram)
Too many times I get told that people try to “sell” when having a one-to-one. Stop that! It achieves nothing if not to turn people away not only from you and that company. A few years ago, I met a lady at a networking meeting and she asked me to have a one-to-one. She proceeded to try and sell me her products and didn’t even want to learn about my business. It took a long time for me not to associate that company with that bad experience.
Play the networking game like a professional. Use this time to meet some new people whether it be virtual or with proper social distancing. You might make some new friends too. By keeping it interesting and strategic will benefit everyone and hopefully produce a home run with new business opportunities for both of you!
Stephanie’s Networking Calendar for August
Many groups are taking a break this month from their regular networking events.
Here’s a few good ones to keep you networking and motivated:
Wed. 8/19 “Lunch on the Lake” with Women to Women Network 11:30AM – 1PM
https://www.wtownetwork.com/events-1/lunch-on-the-lake
Thurs. 8/20 DIY Marketing Webinar “Creating Your Profitable Marketing Machine” 10AM with Ronnie Noize. FREE https://diymarketingcenter.com/DIY-Marketing-Classes
Thurs. 8/27 “Increasing Your Sales by Increasing Your Value Without Working Harder” with Jennifer Diepstraten 11:30AM – 1:30PM eWomenNetwork (combined with Seattle eWN Chapter) https://www.ewomennetwork.com/event/3-keys-to-double-your-fees-through-1-on-1-sales-consultations-5589/register
Be well,
Still not sure how to squeeze networking into your schedule or the best way to ramp up your networking?
Call me at 503-539-2602 or click here to connect via email.
|
