Networking events can be a goldmine of potential clients for sales development professionals. But how do you make the most of these opportunities and turn contacts into prospects? In this article, we'll share some tips and best practices on how to leverage networking events to prospect for clients.
Before you attend a networking event, do some research on the attendees, the organizers, and the theme of the event. This will help you identify your target audience, tailor your pitch, and plan your approach. You can use tools like LinkedIn, Eventbrite, or Meetup to find out more about the people and the topics that will be discussed. You can also set some goals for yourself, such as how many contacts you want to make, how many follow-ups you want to schedule, and how many referrals you want to ask for.
Show up ready, prep time before the event is crucial to make the best out of the opportunity. These events may have different activities and conferences, having plan allows to concentrate in getting the maximum exposure with the desire leads and seek to hae one-one time to build rapport and develop a professional relationship
?? Go Deep, Not Wide Use your research to identify 2-3 connection goals you can action while at the event. Some examples include: - Having a meaningful conversation with a specific person, with whom you connect on LinkedIn (while at the event) - Inviting 3 top executives to take a selfie with you that you can later share on LinkedIn (and use a point of connection to nurture your relationship with them) - Share 3 tailored, helpful resources to the people you researched before the event (for example a book). While you may make fewer connections, the connections you do make will be more meaningful which in the end is what produces fruit. Go deep, not wide.
During the event, be proactive and confident in initiating conversations with people who match your ideal client profile. Use open-ended questions, active listening, and genuine curiosity to build rapport and uncover their pain points, goals, and challenges. You can also use stories, anecdotes, and testimonials to demonstrate your value proposition and credibility. Avoid being too salesy or pushy, and focus on creating a positive impression and a lasting connection.
Is just better to be face to face, is the real human interaction the one that allows to develop long lasting relationships. Look after your lead and engage in meaningful conversations, take advantage of the open demeanor everyone brings to a networking event and present yourself.
After the event, don't let the momentum die. Follow up with your contacts within 24 hours, preferably with a personalized email or a phone call. Remind them of your conversation, thank them for their time, and restate your value proposition. You can also offer them some relevant resources, such as a blog post, a case study, or a webinar, that can help them solve their problems or achieve their goals. Your goal is to move them to the next stage of your sales funnel, whether it's booking a discovery call, scheduling a demo, or sending a proposal.
The most important part has been done, you manage to meet your lead, engage even have some fun. Now you must follow up, and conduct the conversation towards a business conversation related to your product/services.
Networking events are just the beginning of your relationship with your prospects. You need to nurture them until they're ready to buy from you. This means staying in touch, providing value, and addressing their objections and concerns. You can use tools like CRM software, email marketing, and social media to automate and optimize your nurturing process. You can also leverage referrals, testimonials, and case studies to increase your trust and authority. Your goal is to establish yourself as a trusted advisor and a solution provider.
Networking events can be a great source of leads, but you need to track and measure your results to know if they're worth your time and effort. You can use metrics like conversion rate, cost per lead, revenue per lead, and return on investment to evaluate your performance and identify areas of improvement. You can also use feedback, surveys, and reviews to learn from your prospects and clients and improve your value proposition and service. Your goal is to optimize your networking strategy and maximize your results.
Networking events are crucial to develop a successful career, make time for them, seek different sources but also try to repeat the same events at least once to engage many times with the same public to develop robust relationships.