Networking for Business Success

Stephen N. Davis

“Partnering With Clients to Drive

Sustainable Profitable Growth”

Networking for Business Success

2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

John Wanamaker

“Half the money I spend

on advertising is wasted,

and the trouble is,

I don’t know which half.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Johnny-Wanamaker2.jpg


The Marketing Landscape has Changed…

“Buy My

Product”


Ads are Everywhere

People see and hear between 1,000 and 3,000 advertising messages/day 87,600,000 throughout their lives


Nielson: 90% of People Who Can Skip Ads - Do It


Nielson: Only 14% of People Trust Ads


Trust Drives Transactions

66%

Of the Economy is Influenced by Personal Recommendations

SOURCE: McKinsey & Co.



91%

Say consumer reviews are the #1 Aid to Buying Decisions

SOURCE: JC Williams Group



78%

Trust Recommendations of other Consumers

SOURCE: Nielson Report - October 2007



88%

Will Buy from Companies they TRUST

SOURCE: Edelman Trust Barometer, 2008



85%

Will NOT buy from Companies they DISTRUST

SOURCE: Edelman Trust Barometer, 2008


It’s Not About Collecting Business Cards


Your Ultimate Goal

Convert Your Contacts

Into a Word-of-Mouth Referral Network


Your Network = Your Net Worth

$948

The Value of a Contact in YOUR Network

SOURCE: IBM


Networking Steps

Meet people

Start conversations

Answer questions

Ask questions

Offer to Help

Build Trust

Follow Up


Networking is NOT

about you ….

It’s ALWAYS about the

other person


Step 1: What is Your Brand?

? Your Personal Brand is

More important than the Company Brand

http://www.plaxo.com//po3/?module=ab&operation=viewItem&sid=553044801


What is Your Brand?

“We are CEOs of our own

companies: Me Inc. To be in

business today, our most

important job is to be head

marketer for the brand

called You.” Tom Peters - 1997


What is Your Personal Brand?

Communicates your

personal story

What attributes set you

apart

How do you want to be

positioned ?



What is Your Personal Brand?

Communicates your personal story

What attributes set you apart

How do you want to be positioned

People and groups you associate with

Company and/or Self

List keywords prospects might use to search for you

?



Step 2: Establish Your Goals

Who are you trying to meet?

• Customers

• Strategic Partners

• Referral Sources

New Business over what time Frame?

How much time should I allocate to networking?

How many meetings should I shoot for each week?


Step 3: Learn About Your Network Prospects

Who should I network with?

• What is their profile?

How do they make decisions?

Find out where they hang out

• Where do I go to network with them?

Rank prioritize venues

• Where can I meet the most

• Strategic partners?

• Prospects?

• Referral sources?

• When is the best time to network?

• I prefer morning meetings


How to Network Effectively

You are Not Selling

Start a CONVERSATION

Introduce yourself

Ask the other person “What

they do for a living?”

Get to know the other

person

Use open ended questions

ALWAYS CARRY

BUSINESS CARDS


The Right Questions

Separates the Pros

from the Amatuers ….


The Right Questions

Shows You’re

Concerned Helping

Them Achieve

SUCCESS


The Right Questions

Gets Them to Tell You

How to SELL Them


Questions I Close With

Who is a Good

Prospect for You?


Questions I Close With

Who Are Your BEST

Referral Sources?


Working a Room/Event


Ways to Connect at an Event

1. Be strategic about which events you attend

2. Get there early and talk to people at the registration table

3. Study the name tags 1. Identify people to meet

4. Don’t hang out with people you already know

5. Circle and scan for your targets

6. Look for people standing alone

7. Use your time wisely

8. Don’t try to sell

9. Ask questions of the other person

10. Know when to break off an unproductive conversation


Follow-up After the Event

Assess the event

• Was it worthwhile?

• Should you do it again?

Sort & prioritize collected business card

• Those you want to contact within 48 hours

• Those you want to contact within a week

• Those you will never contact


Go Meet Someone

Make a Referral Today

Homework


Questions


Driving Profitable Growth


Driving Profitable Growth

We help companies optimize business development and marketing; accelerate sales; and seize the most attractive growth opportunities.


The CXO Advisory Group

CXO Advisory Group is a strategic operations advisory

and management firm comprised of proven C-level

executives with both breadth and depth of experience.

CXO Advisory Group Team members have achieved

success in positions ranging from: President/CEO to

COO, and VPs of Sales, Marketing, Corporate

Development and Human Resources.

Has proven success in business development and in

building US sales and distribution channels


How Can CXO Help You?

Business Strategy Services

• Audit business practices and organization

• Evaluate product and pricing strategies

• Evaluate effectiveness of sales channel

• Assess effectiveness of existing sales and marketing

programs

Market Entry Program

• Analyze competitive landscape

• Market launch strategy and plan

• Channel strategy and programs

• Establish sales channels

• Generate sales and manage relationships

• Identify and develop strategic partnerships



Sales Channel Management

• Review and revise sales channel strategies

• Channel partner identification, prospecting and recruitment

• Eliminate channel conflict

• Channel contract development and negotiation

Business Development

• Strategic alliances

• Align sales and marketing

• Social networking integration into marketing mix

• Co-marketing ventures



Interim Management Resources

• Interim CEO, COO, CMO, CSO

• Interim VP of Sales and Marketing

• Consultant on staff

• Launch team coaches

Venture Advisory Services

• Fine tune operations, business strategy and market entry

• Assist with due diligence

• Strategic business assessment of portfolio companies

Stephen Davis Interim COO/VP Sales & Marketing |

Business Consultant | Sales Channel and

Business Development Expert | Author &

Speaker

Contact Information:

“Partnering With Clients to Drive

Sustainable Profitable Growth”

Phone: (508) 528-7571 Email: [email protected] Website: www.cxoadvisorygroup.com Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/stephendavis Twitter: twitter.com/stephendaviscxo