 Recently I watched the television show “The Deadliest Catch” about fishermen who brave the Bering Sea and dangerous weather to catch Alaskan king crab. These men are focused, persistent and have a well thought out plan for getting the most crab in the shortest amount of time. When they meet their quota, they head to shore to celebrate their financial success. It hit me that the fishing process is similar to the networking process. In networking, you develop your key message, “the hook”, find places to meet people, “set the net”, and develop a well thought out plan to gain the most referrals in the shortest amount of time. When you reach your referral goals, you celebrate your business success. Here are some ideas on how you can fish for referrals.
Fill Your Tackle Box:
So where should you start? Like all skills you start by learning the process and practicing the steps over and over again. I am very comfortable networking now, but I have filled my “tackle box” full of networking tools and have practiced over and over…and over. I learned these skills in a variety of ways including reading books, taking courses, talking with colleagues and trial and error.
Find Your Hook:
What makes your business unique from others? When introducing yourself in a networking setting, it is important to have a “hook”. Many coaches refer to this as the elevator speech. This is two or three sentences describing your business and services. A good elevator speech will leave them wanting to know more - they are hooked.
Set Your Net:
A large percentage of referrals are given to people we know personally. Therefore, it is important to network face to face whenever possible. Consider joining a professional group or networking forum. These groups provide opportunities, some structured and some unstructured, to meet other professionals and share information about your business. I strongly encourage that helping professionals not only join clinical networking groups but also attend more diverse organizations such as the local Chamber of Commerce or the local business association. This may be a step outside your business comfort zone, but it is a great way to connect with small business owners who can benefit from your services. Research shows that networking with other business owners is the most effective way to secure high quality referrals.
Chart Your Course:
It is important to map out the route you plan to take in your networking efforts. Decide on a course of action and follow through. A coach can be helpful with this task as life gets busy and sometimes staying accountable to ourselves and focused is challenging.
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