Listen, Learn, Engage

Selling? Don´t Forget Your Network!

Posted by Julie Bauke, July 27, 2010

Regardless of what you sell, there are undoubtedly people in your current network who need some of it, or at the very least, know someone who does.

Yet we shy away from approaching people we already know, especially those who are in our personal circles, not wanting to mix business with pleasure. But what if one of your friends had knowledge of a product or service that could really help you with a problem or issue you are trying to solve? Wouldn’t you want to know about it? And wouldn’t you be glad to buy it from someone you already know and trust to some degree?

Think about your “circles of influence,” which is just a fancy way of saying “places where you are known” or people with whom you have something in common. Your personal circles may include your neighborhood, your place of worship, clubs, parents who have children on the same soccer team as yours, or people with whom you share hobbies or interests. Your professional circles could include professional industry associations, profession-based societies (e.g., CPA Society), former customers, vendors, suppliers, and co-workers.

Do ALL of these people know exactly what you do for a living, what products and services you sell, AND how to identify the ideal client for you? If not, you have some work to do.

Consider the following. We care about the professional success of those we know, like, and trust, AND we are willing to put our name on the line for them (or at least refer them to others) because we are reasonably sure that they won’t let us down. Compare that to recommending someone you just met or whose name you saw on a TV ad. We might pass along the name, but we certainly won’t put our “seal of approval” on it.

So doesn’t it follow that those who know, like, and trust us would be eager or at least open to learning about what we do and how they might help? Remember, there may be people in our connections’ circles who could really help us reach our goals.

Sit down and make a list of your “circles,” then for each circle, list everyone you know in that circle and assign them an A, B, or C. An “A” is someone you know the best and who you believe is either in a position to help you or introduce you to his/her contacts. A “B” is someone you know well enough to grab a cup of coffee with and share what you are doing; someone who may be willing to help connect you to others or give you valuable insight or information. Your “C” people are those you know of and they know of you, but you may need an intermediary to re-introduce you, or you may choose to focus on building that relationship over time through future conversation and contact.

Now, take a look at your circles. Are you in all of the circles you need to be in? Are you having the right conversations? Are you being intentional about how and where to show up and what to talk about?

Hold on to your list for now. In my next ABR blog post, I’ll address what to do with it.