1.  Select your Networking events to give you the best results; the events most suited for you to reach your Target Market, or provide opportunities for learning and growth via the osmosis effect.

• Rubbing shoulders with people who know more, have achieved more and are willing to share that, is very very stimulating (mentally of course!)

2.  State your purpose of this particular networking event and keep that in mind, while you're there.  

• For example: "I want to meet top producers and learn from them."  

• Or, "I want to meet a Centre of Influence."  

• Or, "I want to meet as many people as possible, find out who they are and what they do; and hand out my business card to each person and give them my elevator speech."  

• Or, "I want to meet and help as many people as possible."  

Now you've got the idea, tailor your objective to your needs.

3.  Think of the advantages of networking:

• You have the opportunity of meeting and getting to know a group of people, who are all in the same place.  This saves you time and money.

• You have the opportunity of making life-long friends with people of a like-mind as you.

• You have the opportunity of stimulating and mind-challenging conversation, sometimes hard to get elsewhere!

• You have the opportunity of learning something knew, each and every time.

4.  Be prepared!  Take a pen, business cards, and a notepad.  Later, jot down the interesting bits and pieces of conversations that you've had with others.  You can write their story on the back of their business card, plus a description of the person if they don't have a photo.  Use the notepad where you need extra space.

5.  Playing the numbers game effectively takes organisation.

• How many people can you realistically have a meaningful conversation with, at a networking event?

• Allow at least 10 minutes per person, or longer.  

• Do you go to network?  Or to talk boring repetitive shop-talk with your own colleagues from your office?  To maximise your networking potential, don't spend much time with your own colleagues!  Split up and you'll all meet more and gain more.

Want Hot Leads from Prospects Who Ask You to Call?

Click here

6.  You'll meet two types of people:

Those you know, and those you don't!  It's a great time to catch up with people you haven't seen for ages, and to make new friends and business contacts.

7.  Communication made easy!

• Don't know anyone?  That's okay.  Put a big smile on your face, remind yourself to have fun, and approach someone else who has a big smile on their face!  Works every time.

• Have your business card in your left hand.

• Extend your right hand as you say with a smile "Hi, I'm Narelle Stratford, from West End not Stratford upon Avon!"  This may sound a bit corny, but the person will remember you (or me in this case!)  It's important to find some way to make your introduction and you, memorable.

• Then hand your business card to him or her, and don't let go until they have actually read it.  If they go to put it down without reading it, just hold onto it and as they look up at you in surprise, make eye contact with him or her, and gaze down at it.  This is a nice way to ensure your card has been read.  Now, you're doubly memorable!

• Get the person you have just met, to talk to you.  No need to talk about yourself if you don't feel comfortable about it.  Just ask them some questions to get the ball rolling, then you'll relax and so will they.

• Make sure that you get past the name, address and business location!  Otherwise you'll be bored stiff.  Ask more interesting questions such as "What changes in the economy have most effected your business?"

8.  Maintain those contacts.  You've made the effort to get them.

• Email information - an article or news clipping that's relevant

• eNewsletter of relevance

• Only recontact if appropriate, otherwise you waste your time and theirs.

• Make your time well-spent, with each person you meet.  To build rapport, listen well, acknowledge, check you've heard clearly and offer an occasional comment.  Be considerate and accept that we are all different, and do things differently.

9.  You're a professional person.  Conduct yourself like one!  Don't eat, drink or talk too much, as you will lose credibility.

10. Take an inquiring, curious attitude with you.  You never know whether there's a goldmine lying around the corner.

INDUSTRY NEWS                                                                                                                   Back to top

Seems to be a bit of movement out there from Brisbane developers in the over 55 market - a few more townhouses, retirement villages, etc.  Good to see with the population getting older, because the need for specialised accommodation for mature lifestyles, healthcare, etc. is increasing.  

Might free up some empty nester homes for first home buyers and families.  We'll all win when that happens! 

*-----------------HOT TIP------------------*
Ask your past Clients why they hired you.  

Might give you a nice surprise!  

Then get them to put it in writing for 

your next marketing piece.

*-----------------HOT TIP------------------*

What's happening out your way?  Please let us know and we will share your comments with others: mailto:myopinion@saleschampions.com.au?subject=MyOpinion

Book by Debbie Allen, Review by Dennis McMahon

Nothing like a good book on marketing yourself to give you some great ideas on raising your profile.  

Debbie Allen's book "Confessions of Shameless Self-Promoters" gives tales (tall and true) by a range of entrepreneurs who have taken their business idea to the market place with huge success. 

The businesses vary from public speakers to cookbook authors, and tell how they marketed their ideas by using some of the seemingly endless avenues for marketing their wares. Anything from getting interviewed on television to holding promotional events to handing out your fliers by standing outside seminars your target market is attending!  

Whether you think that online marketing is for you or associating yourself with charity organisations will give you the edge,  I think this book will give you valuable ideas for promoting your business and yourself to your clients!

The only issue I had with the book is that it didn't have a specific Real Estate story, however, to adapt some of these ideas is very simple.

Recommended reading

Rating 4/5

Here’s what one of our clients has said about Sales Coaching:

“Since I started my coaching with Dennis, I’ve been managing my time a lot better.  I’ve also been more consistent with my activities, and it’s starting to pay off.

I’m getting more appraisals and they will lead to more listings. The ideas for marketing myself are great, too!”  MH, Brisbane

Call today, and find out how Sales Coaching can help you to turn your business around!  Ph:  07 3255 0739, Dennis  0438 728 161 or Narelle 0412 251 196.

"I really enjoy the email newsletter because I can read it in my own time and at my own pace."

We’re waiting to hear from you!  mailto:readers@saleschampions.com.au?subject=What I Think

Want Hot Leads from Prospective Clients Who Want You to Call?

Does it seem that you have to work very hard to get those listings?  And let's face it, cold-calling is a numbers game, where you have to work the numbers!  But what if you could get prospective clients to call you up, instead of you cold-calling them? 

Isn't it better to have a warm lead than a cold-call?  Wouldn't that save money (no telemarketing costs, greatly decreased phone bill), save time - so it's not wasted on doing appraisals that might come on the market in two years time!   

If this sounds like what you need, click below:

http://www.saleschampions.com.au/integratedmarketingpackage.html

If you think of your career as your business, click on the link to email us for FREE Reports on:

It's Your Business!!  How to Treat your Real Estate Career as a business.

101 Marketing Options A small taste of the myriad of Marketing tactics available to ramp up your business!

Get That Listing! Want to increase your listing success rate?  Have a look at this one!

Marketing Matrix A great way to graphically show you how your Marketing Strategic Plan works!

I Want My Full Fee Tells you how to value your services so that your Clients demand you don't cut your rate.

One Month's FREE Sales Coaching Your GIFT, for organising a FREE mini-workshop for your office.

Sales Systems Analysis        Want to have a Good Hard Look at Your Business and your activities?

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Copyright April 2003 Sales Champions

Narelle Stratford & Dennis McMahon
Sales Champions
26 Cordeaux Street, West End, 4101 Qld Australia

ABN:  2304 241 2603      

Ph:   61 + 7 + 3255 0739

        61 + 7 + 0412 251 196      Narelle Stratford

        61 + 7 + 0438 728 161      Dennis McMahon