After recently launching my new CD entitled Successful Networking, I have decided to publish and prove the results that networking really does work and can uncover all sorts of opportunities not only for me but for others too.  There is nothing more satisfying than knowing you have linked people together and they are now either working together or doing business with one another. 

I recently attended an exhibition whereby I joined the masses and had a pop up stand, it felt like a networking feeding frenzy as in the main everyone was attempting to sell, forcing their pitches on one another and thrusting business cards and literature in all directions.  Despite this, it was a superb event for me, why?  Because I listened to people, (I think the way I displayed my stand and chocolate might have helped to draw them over), I was busy all day, spent most of my day involved in interesting two-way conversations and uncovered all sorts of opportunities for both me and others.  I’m still following up now and the event was 5 days ago. Networking is all about creating and building relationships, so ask questions and listen to find out how we can help one another!

I would love to hear your networking stories and results, how you met the person initially, what has come of it, how look it took, so that others can learn and understand the value of networking.

When I ask people what they do, I am often none the wiser after the conversation which makes it very difficult to either buy from them or indeed recommend them to others. 

So lets get back to basics and most importantly, get to the point!  What would you want to know as a potential customer?  What would your potential customers want to ask you?  Keep it simple and perhaps ask yourself a selection of questions as if you were being interviewed, like the ones below, this is an example of just one of the services I am promoting at the moment followed by an example of how I would explain it:

Q What do you do? 
A I help businesses to get more customers and to look after the customers they have got, I have a course coming up in Taunton on 23rd September called Telephone Sales Skills.

Q How will it help people?
A The course will give people the skills and confidence to pick up the phone and make proactive outbound sales calls.

Q What does it cost?
A £99.00 head

Q How can I find out more information/book a place on the course?
A By visting www.sweetskills.co.uk or I can send you the course outline and booking form by e-mail, post or fax. 

So now let’s make that a real conversation….

“Hello I’m Rachel of SweetSkills, I help businesses to get more customers and look after the customers they have got.  I am currently promoting a Telephone Sales Skills course in Taunton on 23rd September that will give people the skills and confidence to pick up the phone and make proactive outbound sales calls to generate new leads and sales for their business.  The course is £99.00 per head, would you or anyone you know be interested in further information about this?”