Sales networking is a vital skill for any sales professional who wants to generate more leads, referrals, and opportunities. But how do you adapt your networking approach to different markets, cultures, and preferences? In this article, you'll learn some tips and strategies to help you connect with diverse prospects and build lasting relationships.
Before you start networking, you need to do some research on your target market. What are their pain points, goals, values, and expectations? How do they communicate, negotiate, and make decisions? What are their cultural norms, etiquette, and customs? By understanding your market, you can tailor your message, tone, style, and approach to suit their needs and preferences. You can also avoid any potential misunderstandings, mistakes, or offenses that could damage your reputation or trust.
Adaptability is the key in sales success, it it important to analyse the sales environment and adapt accordingly based on the diversity of the market. For example adapting in b2b and b2c environments are different. Also between offline and online offerings.
Purchase seat is comparable to the seat of king Vikramaditya. The man in the seat has a set amount of products to purchase. He is visited by sales person's of several manufacturers six days a week for six hours in a day. Each salesman gives his own perspective of the product/products. The knowledge imparted gives the purchaser to be an improtu expert. Now it's important to note the industry one is catering too and one must not apply standard tools of sales but must be knowledgeable of the industry keeping in mind one's own companies need A sale's personnel is one who sells OTC products but a marketing executive must be an all rounder I was catering to the pharmaceutical industry. A particular product was used by all major companies but
Networking is not just about exchanging business cards or pitching your products or services. It's about building rapport and trust with your prospects. Rapport is the feeling of connection, harmony, and mutual understanding that you create with someone. Trust is the belief that you are credible, reliable, and honest. To build rapport and trust, you need to show genuine interest, respect, and empathy. You need to listen actively, ask open-ended questions, and share relevant stories or insights. You also need to follow up, provide value, and keep your promises.
Different markets may require different networking styles and strategies. For example, some markets may prefer formal, structured, and professional interactions, while others may value informal, casual, and personal ones. Some markets may respond well to direct, assertive, and confident communication, while others may appreciate indirect, subtle, and humble one. Some markets may welcome referrals from existing contacts, while others may rely on their own research or reviews. You need to adapt your style and strategy to match your market's preferences and expectations. You can also use tools like LinkedIn or other social media platforms to find and connect with prospects online.
Networking with diverse markets can also help you leverage diversity and inclusion in your sales process. Diversity and inclusion are not just buzzwords or compliance issues. They are strategic advantages that can help you attract, retain, and satisfy more customers. By networking with diverse markets, you can learn from different perspectives, experiences, and feedback. You can also expand your reach, influence, and reputation. You can also demonstrate your commitment to diversity and inclusion by supporting relevant causes, events, or organizations.
Finally, you need to seek feedback and improvement for your networking approach. Networking is not a one-time activity or a one-size-fits-all solution. It's a continuous process of learning, testing, and refining. You need to measure your networking results, such as the number of leads, referrals, or opportunities you generate. You also need to ask for feedback from your prospects, customers, or peers. You need to identify what works well and what needs improvement. You need to keep learning and updating your skills, knowledge, and best practices.
Adaptability is the key in sales success, it it important to analyse the sales environment and adapt accordingly based on the diversity of the market. For example adapting in b2b and b2c environments are different. Also between offline and online offerings.