A lot of people think of networking as a time to eat cheese and drink a little wine or a soda.
But networking is an important time when you lay the foundation for long-term business relationships.
I often say, when you’re at that networking event, what are you learning about the people you’re meeting?
Make the conversation about them and how you can serve them. This is how you increase your business.
When I was a young doctor, and I was trying to build a practice, I would go and I would say, “Hi. I’m Dr. Bragg. Nice to meet you.”
And the people would look at me like, so what?
Then they would go back and start talking to their friends.
And I would come home with zero referrals.
Now, moving forward, I have treated over twenty thousand people in my twenty years of practice, and I had to learn how to market and network on my own because I didn’t learn how to in medical school.
I challenge you to make networking encounters about the other people and how you can service them. And regardless of what business you are in, whether a plumber, mechanic, opening up your own business as a doctor, an accountant, a lawyer, a restaurant business, whatever you’re doing — when you’re there, learn about those people, and then you’ll be able to build a big business.
Think about four P’s when you’re learning about them.
People —
You want to learn about the people that are important to them.
Passion —
You want to learn about they are interested in. What is their passion? Do they like football, basketball?
What is their favorite food? Because you might take them to a seafood restaurant when they hate seafood.
So you want to learn about these things.
Pain —
You want to learn about a pain that they have — not a physical pain, but something you can help them with.
For instance, if they are new to town, you may be able to tell them about a babysitter, which is going to help them to really want to work with you because you solved a pain point for them.
Purpose or Priority —
What is something that’s a purpose or a priority for them?
Do they donate money to the church, to a civic league, to a little league baseball team, or a basketball team?
Then donate and give something to a cause that means something to them.
People like to do business with people who also show gratitude and who are interested in making a better community.
I hope that this tip is beneficial to you and that the next time you are networking with someone, you remember to make it about them. That’s the way you will create long-term business relationships.