What are the best ways to convert leads into sales after a networking event?

2 Tell a story

People love stories, especially ones that are relevant, engaging, and emotional. Stories can help you connect with your leads on a personal level, showcase your expertise and credibility, and demonstrate the benefits and results of your product or service. When you meet your leads at a networking event, tell them a story about how you or someone else used your product or service to overcome a challenge, create a transformation, or achieve a success. Make sure your story is concise, clear, and compelling, and that it has a clear message and a call to action.

4 Provide value

One of the most effective ways to convert leads into sales is to provide value to them. Value can be anything that helps your leads solve their problems, learn something new, or achieve their goals. For example, you can provide value by sending them a free sample, a case study, a testimonial, a blog post, a video, a webinar, a podcast, or a ebook that relates to their interests and needs. You can also provide value by answering their questions, addressing their objections, or offering them a discount or a bonus. The more value you provide, the more trust and rapport you build with your leads, and the more likely they are to buy from you.

5 Ask for referrals

Referrals are one of the best sources of new leads and sales for your direct sales business. According to a study by Nielsen, 92% of consumers trust recommendations from people they know, and they are four times more likely to buy when referred by a friend. Therefore, don't be afraid to ask your leads for referrals after a networking event. You can ask them if they know anyone who might be interested in your product or service, or if they can introduce you to someone who could benefit from your offer. You can also incentivize them by offering them a reward, a commission, or a free gift for every referral they make.

6 Track and measure

Finally, to convert leads into sales after a networking event, you need to track and measure your results. You need to know how many leads you generated, how many of them responded to your follow-up messages, how many of them took the next step in the sales process, and how many of them became customers. You also need to know how much revenue you generated, how much it cost you to acquire each customer, and what your return on investment was. You can use tools like spreadsheets, CRM software, or analytics platforms to track and measure your data. This will help you evaluate your performance, identify your strengths and weaknesses, and improve your strategies for future events.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?