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Generally speaking, people have talked about the importance of networking as it relates to building any career.
Susan RoAne, author of How to Work a Room, once said, “Networking is an enrichment program, not an entitlement program.”
And enriching it is indeed.
The data has shown that the most successful people are often those who rely heavily on the power of networking. But how does it actually help boost your sales bottom line?
The two obvious ways that people consider networking to grow their sales is through either meeting potential customers or meeting people who can refer you to potential customers. While both of these are legitimate benefits of networking, there are other benefits that can help you significantly grow your business.
Here are xx ways that networking can help with growing your sales.
- Exchange Ideas - Talking to new people from different industries and roles can expand your learning by sharing ideas. As a sales organization, getting an understanding of what others are talking about in your industry, how people are approaching problems and finding solutions gives you invaluable insight that can help you talk to prospects and identify new opportunities with existing customers.
- Pitch Practice - Every new person you meet is an opportunity to play with how you introduce yourself and hone your elevator pitch - even if you don’t have any long-term business relationship with the individual, networking almost always begins with telling the other person about you and what you do. This gives you a chance to see how different people react to the way in which you introduce yourself and talk about your work.
- Develop Long-Lasting Relationships - At the end of the day, people do business with people, not corporations. Meeting people who share similar interests can create deeper and more meaningful relationships and opportunities to further expand your network, generate referral business and create opportunities.
- Peer To Peer Support - Developing a network of people can provide you with a support network that can help you solve problems, get advice and navigate through your work. Whether it’s helping to connect other people that your prospects may find value in or having a sounding board to bounce ideas off; the people you meet through networking provides a broader support network that can help you grow your bottom line.
- Opening Doors - A LinkedIn study found that 80% of professionals consider networking important for their career success. Primarily this was attributed to being able to discover different opportunities that would have been otherwise undiscovered. Talking to other people and being genuinely interested in what they have to say will help you find new and exciting ways to grow your sales.
- Trust and Credibility - One of the fastest ways to turn complete strangers into customers is by earning their trust. When you are reaching out to a prospect if you are able to demonstrate that you are connected to their circle in some way it helps put them at ease. The old adage “A friend of Sally’s is a friend of mine” speaks to the importance of how your network can help you establish trust and credibility with strangers. It’s the next best thing to having Sally picking up the phone and introducing you.
7. Personal Growth - Networking builds self-confidence and promotes self-esteem. The more self-confidence you build, the more courageous you will become. This allows you to tap into areas of business growth and development that you may not have otherwise considered.
Whether you are in the manufacturing industry, agriculture, or any other sales career without a doubt, networking will help you increase your sales and unlock your potential.
