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Ninja NetworkingPresented By:

Mary Ellen Sokalski, MASThe Scarlet Marketeer

Ninja Networking

Mary Ellen Sokalski, MASThe Scarlet Marketeer© Copyright 2019

Agenda

• What REALLY is networking• How the best do it• How I messed up my elevator speech for 20 years• Creative follow-up• Digital networking tips• A networking case study

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What’s the #1 reason why attendees came here to Expo?

What’s the #1 reason why attendees came here to Expo?

NETWORKING!

Who said this?“You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”

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Who said this?“You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”

Dale Carnegie

What REALLY is Networking?

Creating a group of acquaintances and associates and keeping it active through regular communication for mutual benefit.

What REALLY is Networking?

Creating a group of acquaintances and associates and keeping it active through regular communication for mutual benefit.

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Networking is based on the question…

Not “What can I get?”

When reaching out to prospects…

- End with “I’m here to help…”- The more you HELP, the more likely they are to do business with you.- Help may often mean referrals, connections… not just gaining the appointment.

You’re here to network NOT just to build your prospect base,

but your “contacts toolbox.”

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Confidence flows when you approach networking as a HELPER…

…not a HUNTER.

Remember this…

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Maya Angelou

BEST PRACTICES

• Make time blocks to network

• Schedule networking as a part of your day, week, month

• Schedule follow-up time

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BEST PRACTICESSET GOALS, LIKE:- New contacts- Reconnect with

current contacts- Fact-find for

opportunities- Refer a certain

number of prospects

When meeting a prospect in person,what great opening lines do you use?

Be Memorable!What do YOU do?

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YOUR ELEVATOR SPEECH

Anatomy of an effective personal elevator speech• Engagement – make it meaningful to the person but also

memorable – use your creativity• Ask questions – prepare more questions in advance based on

their responses • Listen 80%• Build relationship/trust

ASK QUESTIONS. What are your favorites?

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Now LISTEN. Really LISTEN.

After you listen, then say…• That’s an interesting challenge…• Maybe I can help, maybe not• Why don’t we set up a time…• If I can help, I’ll tell you. • If not, I’ll tell you that too or recommend someone else• Or be a source for referrals

• GOAL: To get an appointment, not make a sale.

WRITE IT ALL DOWN AS YOU MEET

• Take copious notes of what they tell you

• Also write what you notice about them

• Be sure to get an email address

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FOLLOW-UP:Do what you say you will!

Under promise and over-deliver!

Follow-up Tips• Do exactly as you promised, WHEN you promised.• Try to reconnect with at least 1 person every day.• Don’t take “No” personally• Fail? Follow-up another way

• (Millennials like texting rather than emails. • Baby boomers like phone calls & emails. • Gen X’ers usually prefer emails.)

• Email is easy to send and ignore• Be organized with your leads. Enter with all details.

FOLLOW UP Creatively!

What are you selling?

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How could you follow up this CREATIVELY?

• An owner of a new chain of pizzerias who loves classic cars

• A safety committee who you met at a Chamber meeting. The committee chair loves Star Trek.

• A spa owner who loves classic films.

BEST PRACTICES

Do NOT sit next to someone you know.

To choose your seat, wait until half of the room is seated, then select yours. You get to choose one of the people you’re targeting. Empty table? Your dinner companions choose you.

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BEST PLACES TO NETWORK• Contact Networks (Chambers of Commerce, BNI & Mastermind)

• Community Service Clubs (Rotary, Lions, Kiwanis, Optimists)

• Social/Business Organizations (Jaycees & other Business clubs)

• Volunteer Organizations• Women’s Business Organizations• Where your CLIENTS network• Everywhere!!!

Multi-million dollar sales managerCathy Miller says…

“You’ve got to SHOW UP to GO UP.”

Social Networking

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GOOGLE YOURSELF

• What do your profiles say?

• Google yourself.• Check ‘em out, FIRST! • Update all editable

sites with current information.

LinkedIn

What does your personal profile say?

Is it updated?

Feature what’s new every 2 weeks or so?

Do you WORK IT weekly?

LinkedIn Profiles are your connection to the business world• Look up current clients and prospects, add them.

• Who do they know that you should?

• Continually add people LinkedIn finds for you if you know them.

• Endorse people if they deserve it.• Subscribe to Exhibitor or Trade Show forums or

groups to be part of the discussions, offering a solution when you can, wherever your clients are.

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CASE STUDY ON NETWORKING

• Young art student with fire in her belly

• Wanted to learn from the masters• Studied local sculptors• Fell in love with artist Steve Tobin’s

work• Most famous piece ”Trinity Tree”

memorial for 9/11 • Told every teacher she knew about

her dream.

CASE STUDY ON NETWORKING

• One happened to be curating his new show last weekend• Art student asked if she could have an introduction• Then remembered her ultimate goal to get an internship• She not only got an introduction, but he asked to see her work, and

guess what happened?

She got the internship + a gift

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He canceled.The week before.

The week AFTER school ended.

The Grotto Project

She helped to build the core of the Knotted Grotto

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Little did she know what it became a part of…

A tiny, little project for just one guy…

Who came to Philadelphia for just 2 days…

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THE POPE!!!!!!!

And it all started out with a little networking!

Mentoring: the Best Kind of Networking

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SUMMARY

Take a deep breath and meet the world!Successful selling is one big networking party!

Mary Ellen Sokalski, MAS

The Scarlet Marketeer267-844-2311maryellen@scarletmarketeer.comwww.scarletmarketeer.com

©Copyright 2019 The Scarlet Marketeer

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