Creating a Winning Collaboration with Centers of Influence

You’ve probably been told to build relationships with “centers of influence,” (COIs) but where do you start? Who even counts as a center of influence? And why should they work with you?

Those are a few of the questions I asked Jen Hemphill on the latest episode of Growing Your Financial Business… The Woman’s Way — make sure to give it a listen before your next networking event!

Jen is a Latina Money Expert and an AFC? who helps busy career-oriented women take charge of their money. Like me, she’s driven by a bold mission, and wants to make a lasting impact on her community by providing transformational financial education. Jen has focused her attention on developing strong relationships with centers of influence who increase her visibility and allow her to reach the people who need her help the most.

So how does she do it?

You Might Already Have the Skills

The industry isn’t totally wrong when they say success is all about building relationships — the gift of gab truly is a gift, after all! And if you’ve already honed your prospecting and outsourcing skills, then you’re already halfway to finding amazing centers of influence.

Like when you outsource work, Jen says you should really look at your own strengths and weaknesses before searching through your community. That way, the next time you network, you’ll know not only what you can offer but also what you need from a potential influencer (because let’s be real — you want referrals AND you’re not good at everything anyway!).

And similar to finding clients, you should only work with ideal COIs. Don’t just write down every CPA, advisor, attorney, etc. on a list that you’ll never actually use. Instead, actively seek out other professionals who are aligned with your mission. In Jen’s experience, authenticity will help you build long-lasting, genuine partnerships with people who you want to refer, and who you give amazing referrals right back!

Jen stresses that it still takes patience to create the ideal collaboration, but approaching your search with clarity and intention can turn a lengthy, uncertain process into a worthwhile investment of your time (with serious ROI).

If you resist the urge to work with “anyone with a pulse” (like the industry recommends), then you’ll be able to systematize your processes, build a solid network, and save time — and maybe have a little more fun networking!

What if They Say No?

That’s what holds so many of you back in business — the fear of rejection. Especially when approaching people you respect, reaching out can be nerve wracking. In the episode, Jen describes how she overcame the same fear, and how she has even modelled her business around connections she made in key networks, leveraging her time and resources to make the biggest impact possible.

Make sure to catch the episode here!

What advice do you want to hear on Growing Your Financial Business… The Woman’s Way?