Referrals: the backbone of business

How often do we attend “networking sessions” and afterwards ask ourselves why we bothered? How many times do we waste opportunities to make new connections because it is easier to interact with people we know and enjoy being with? Why would we do that!

Perhaps a good place to start is to explore the question “What is a network?” An effective descriptive is “A circle of individuals, groups of people or companies that have crossed your path whose products or services you are happy to use or recommend.”

So, it follows that in attending a Networking Event we aim to increase the amount of paths we cross and to develop a trusting relationship with them. I always say that I want to make a good enough impression for my details get into someone’s cell phone address book, and I always aim to add at least three additional contacts to mine! It isn’t always easy but I have found that arriving at the function with an “acquisition goal” in mind makes it easier to stay with the plan.

We also need to actively promote each other and it is a known fact that the female of the species isn’t always as effective in this as our male counterparts are. We should reach for our cell phone contact list as our first port of call when a referral is needed. To complete that circle we need to have relationships that we can trust and recommend – hopefully then they will recommend us!

By Yvonne Finch

When did you last promote a trusted supplier from your own network?