The Best Introduction

It's happened to us all. You go to a networking event and someone walks up and says "Hi, my name is Joe. I am a real estate agent."  

Let's examine what goes on inside your head with regard to that person. You think "Wow, another one. I must have met 10 of those this week." That's pretty much it with regard to what Joe does for a living, correct? How likely are you to give him a referral right then and there? How about in the future

Now let's be brutally honest here. How likely is it that he is thinking the same thing about you because of your introduction? If you have gone to a networking event, wasn't it to get referrals?  

If you want to win at the referrals game, you have to be different. You have to stand out. To do that, you have to do two things. 

1. You have to be different than everyone else that person has met in your field.  

2. You have to give them something specific to think about.

Let's look at those one at a time.  

1. Being Different 

I would wager a guess that 99% of every person who has ever met you introduces themselves by saying either what field they are in or what product they sell. I sell real estate, I'm a financial planner, I work in HR, and on and on. If you truly want to grab someone's attention and make them both think about you and remember you, you have to be different.

You walk into a meeting with 50 men in blue business suits with white shirts. After a few minutes in walks a man wearing a hot pink tuxedo. Who do you notice? Who are you thinking about most of the time? Who will you remember when the meeting is over? That's right, crazy pink suit guy. Why? He is different and different is memorable and in business memorable is what you want to be.

I'm not telling you to buy a pink tuxedo. You just have to find a way to be different. Luckily for you, that is what we are going to talk about next.

2. Give them something specific to think about.

When you are introduced to someone, instead of looking different, say something different. Introduce yourself in a way that no one else does.

Try this: I am thinking of something purple. What is it?. Did it take you a second or two trying to imagine what it might be?? Now try this: I am thinking of a purple vegetable. What is it? Much easier to come up with eggplant was it not? Specifics narrow down our possibilities and make it much easier to focus.  

We are back at the same networking event. Someone approaches you, holds out his hand and says "Hi, I'm Joe. I help middle-income families move into their dream homes in the northern area of town."

Totally different right? He has done both 1 and 2 in a single sentence. He is different. He doesn't tell you what he sells, he tells you who he helps, how he helps them, and a location where he specializes. Now you have three very specific things to focus on to possibly refer business. He didn't ask you to do that, he simply gave you specifics.and created the funnel in your mind to target for him.  

You may still not give him a referral that night, but two weeks later when your friend Martin says he and his wife have decided to buy a house, this guy pops in your head. You check off the list for Joe inside your head. Are they looking for a house? Yes. Are they a middle-income family? Yes. Might he want to live on the north side of town? It's possible because he works in that direction. So what do you do? You tell him about Joe, completely forgetting the other 10 realtors you met that same week.

The key to this type of introduction is creating a benefit statement. In my next article, I will go over exactly how to craft one to make yourself stand out in a crowd and get not only more referrals, but better referrals.