As I continue to grow in the business world, I’m learning it’s a lot more friendly that I ever thought possible. I’ve gotten to meet people from all over the world. It seems everyone is willing to help out whenever, wherever. Which is very helpful to me as I’m still in the beginning stages.
Social media is a powerful tool. There is a lot of good use for it as I’ve laid out in a previous blog. Of course, one of those reasons is that it’s good for business and getting leads as just about everyone nowadays is on some form of social media. And just how do you get these leads and grow your business? I’ve learned that the biggest way is through networking.
I was a very shy kid growing up. I still am in some ways. It takes a little while for me to get used to people and break out of my shell and since I didn’t make very many friends back then, I was in my shell a lot. I’m not one to have the spotlight on me. I remember there would be times where we would play BINGO and other games in class and even if I won, I wouldn’t tell anyone, just to not have to talk in front of everyone. I would just sit there, waiting for someone else to speak up.
A lot has changed since then. I started exploring my creative side and long story short, it led me to marketing. You can’t really be shy in the marketing world, especially if you’re trying to make money. It involves getting out there and meeting new people, seeing if you can help their marketing problems. And like I said, the only way to do that is through networking.
If you’re shy, you won’t be once you start interacting with others. And I’ve found networking is much easier than I imagined it to be. At times, I feel like others are networking for me. It’s a weird feeling but also exciting. I step out of my comfort zone with every new person and I don’t regret it because I meet someone, then they refer me to someone else, who refers me to someone else, who refers me to someone else, and so on. It’s crazy!
Are you having trouble networking and getting those leads? It probably means you’re just aren’t doing it. Maybe it’s just me but once you start, it just seems like you can’t stop. It just takes that first step to getting out there.
GET OUT THERE!
One way to start is by looking up networking events in your community. This is a great way to get a feel for your local area, hand out your business card and just learn more about the business world in your area. If there isn’t one, why not start your own event?
When you do go these events, the goal should be to meet at least five people. Get to know a little about them and what they have to offer. You want to build a relationship that could potentially turn into a customer. It’s almost like dating. You want to see if you two would be a good fit together. You won’t know though unless you meet them!
However, you don’t want to spend your whole time with one person. Remember, the goal should be at least five. You’re trying to build trust which is where most of your buyers come from. Someone who already knows and trusts you. The only exception would be if you really hit it off with someone and they feel they need your product or service then and there. That could be the reason you stick to only one or two people. These are great too, as most of these events are free so they’ll only cost you time. It’ll be a good investment though.
DON'T BE ANTI-SOCIAL
Another great way to reach people is social media. Yep, that social media. Everyone spends a tremendous amount of time on social media, why not seek them out?
Now, social media gets a bad rap from many people, but I’m here to tell you that there is a lot of good that comes from social media as well. This is one of them. Finding potential customers. It’s the go to place for marketing.
Probably the best way to start getting your feet wet is Facebook and Instagram. There are obviously numerous other platforms but these two have the most users. That’s why I say they’re the best right now. Things could change in the future.
In Facebook, you’ll want to find groups in your niche that you can connect with. See what they’re doing and try and imitate them to a degree. Start connecting with them and their customers. Facebook has already said that it wants to help build up communities so their “Groups” option is the ideal place to go. You’re not trying to steal away your competitor’s customers, in the beginning, you’re just trying to build a community. Research how they did it and then build your own network of people.
Same thing with Instagram. Try and search for a hashtag in your expertise and look at who’s using that hashtag. You then can connect with those people. It will take a little bit of time at first but also look through the people who likes their photos as well as those people are in your field as well. Instagram is all the rage now because people connect with pictures and video more than text. So, try and post your journey so they can go along with you.
The goal in all of this is to build a following. That’s the way to build a business. And the only way to do that is to be yourself. I know it’s sounds cliché, but people really resonate more with authenticity. Don’t try to be someone you’re not. Remember, you’re trying to build their trust, which obviously means not being deceitful.
The more of a following you gather, the more leads you get, the more trust you build, the more potential customers you get. This is the ultimate goal. If you want to generate more leads in your business, you have to let people know you’re out there and that you have the solution to their problems. If you’re having trouble with generating leads, start networking!
If you're looking for more information, feel free to email me. I'd love to see if I can help you with your marketing needs.
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