who, what and where: the keys to smarter networking.
by ty hendrickson
do you ever feel frustrated that you put yourself out there in networking situations, but you just don’t see the results you want?
more: the one big reason your hiring sucks | 5 crucial areas of firm culture not to ignore | maybe the pandemic isn’t all bad | can you really grow without adding clients?
exclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.
so, what’s the secret to being efficient with business development and not getting burnt out on all of these after-hours networking events?
you go to lunches every day, you attend after-hours events and you consistently try to build relationships with those in your network, but it’s not yielding results.
so many accountants find themselves in this situation. networking in the traditional sense as we have been taught in the past is very time-consuming and can be incredibly frustrating. so frustrating, in fact, that many will assume they are not good at developing business, give up and bury themselves back in technical work.
what is it that enables some individuals to be able to do the same types of networking events, but are bringing in a great deal of new business? is it just easier for some people? no! what the top accountants know about bringing in new business is that it’s all about the planning and intention of finding the right new clients.
know who you need to meet
the best business developers start from the beginning and determine who it is they need to meet. not everyone is a good fit for your practice. that’s just reality. in the beginning, you probably did take on any new clients who came your way, but that is a tough way to build a practice. it is hard to be efficient and profitable if you are trying to service all different clients. finding a niche is incredibly important to building a name for yourself and increasing referrals.
once you find your niche, you know who is a good fit for you as a client. this is your ideal client and who you need to meet at these networking events. not only will you know they are the right fit for your practice, but they will be able to connect with you as well. in the same respect, those who are not your ideal client will struggle to make that connection. this is a big reason that you are not seeing the results you want from your efforts; you are essentially just be throwing spaghetti against the wall and none of it is sticking.
know where to find your ideal client
once you know who your ideal client is, you need to tailor your networking activities to those where you can actually meet your ideal client. let’s say you have invested yourself in a local organization with the intentions of gaining new business, but nothing has come of the time and energy you invested. take a look at everyone involved. is your ideal client there? if you aren’t gaining the business you desire, the likelihood is that your ideal client is not there and you are in front of the wrong people.
the best business developers examine their activities to make sure their ideal client will be there. if there isn’t opportunity there, it’s likely not the right networking event. that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t get involved with organizations that you believe in, but if you are only investing yourself in the organization to develop business, make sure that your ideal client or a connection who can introduce you to your ideal client will be there too.
know what to say to your ideal client
maybe you already know your ideal client and are making sure you are getting in front of your ideal client at networking events, but you still are not bringing in the business you desire. do you know what to say to your ideal client? if you become intentional to get involved in the right events that will put you in front of the right potential client, you must be intentional with what you are saying to the potential client.
the number one mistake people make in a networking situation is not articulating the value they can bring to the potential client. if you find yourself in a conversation with your ideal client, have an elevator pitch prepared that allows you to articulate your value and how you can impact that individual or their business. it is important to make that connection for them and not assume they can make that connection themselves.
bottom line, what the best accountants know about finding the right new clients is that they are being intentional. they are intentional with who they talk to, intentional with where they invest their time and intentional with what they say. if you don’t have all of these details lined out for you yet, take some time and reflect on each of these three areas and you will become significantly more efficient with your business development activities.