{"id":74885,"date":"2020-07-03t12:00:50","date_gmt":"2020-07-03t16:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/48e130086c.nxcli.net\/?p=74885"},"modified":"2020-07-06t20:19:23","modified_gmt":"2020-07-07t00:19:23","slug":"how-to-network-and-pitch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/\/www.g005e.com\/2020\/07\/03\/how-to-network-and-pitch\/","title":{"rendered":"networking for fun and profit"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/a>how to make business development fun, and not a dreaded, anxiety-provoking activity.<\/strong><\/p>\n bonus checklists with 57 items: from 15 simple conversation starters to top 5 mistakes.<\/strong><\/p>\n by marc rosenberg<\/i> networking is creating a group of acquaintances and professionals and keeping it active through regular communication for mutual benefit.<\/p>\n more: <\/b>why consultative selling works<\/a> | how marketing systems produce business growth<\/a> | 6 keys to developing new client prospects<\/a> | now is the time to activate your referral network<\/a> | does your firm recognize all its skills?<\/a> | protect and grow existing clients<\/a> | the 4 marketing disciplines<\/a> | 15 powerful niche marketing practices<\/a> truthfully, all professional service providers want to be held in high esteem by their clients and professional colleagues. practicing true professionalism means becoming more than just a vendor who takes and fills orders from a client. it means transitioning into a trusted advisor whose expertise transcends your individual practice. trusted advisors know the right questions to ask and where to find the right answers. referrals are most likely to happen when the possibility for mutual benefit exists. the one who refers wants to solve a problem or meet a need for a client. the individual receiving the referral wants an opportunity to perform additional services in his or her specific area of expertise. unfortunately, understanding this is one thing; actualizing it is another.<\/p>\n introduction<\/strong><\/p>\n sustain<\/strong><\/p>\n occupation<\/strong><\/p>\n close<\/strong><\/p>\n you may break off a conversation by saying something a little humorous, such as:<\/p>\n closings are usually followed by \u201ci hope you enjoy the rest of the …\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>from timothy allen for the daily cpa.<\/p>\n says allen, \u201cnetworking is not something that comes naturally to most of us. you need to learn how to become more comfortable around strangers and how to maximize your efforts. it takes a little bit of work and preparation, but it\u2019s not overly difficult.\u201d networking is like everything else in business development: the more you practice, the more comfortable you will be and the more effective you will become.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>before<\/strong> you meet with the prospect, do your homework:<\/p>\n during<\/strong> the meeting:<\/p>\n after<\/strong> the meeting:<\/p>\n andy warhol famously said, \u201cin the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.<\/span><\/span>\u201d a lot has been written about what warhol meant, but we won\u2019t bore you with it. in common usage, it means that during your life or career, there may come a moment when you have an opportunity to become famous. not famous like a movie star or baseball player, but famous in terms of making an impact or wielding influence that will last long after the 15 minutes. it may be financially beneficial. more likely, people will remember you for what you did in your 15 minutes. the moment will come with no warning and it will be fleeting. shame on you if you don\u2019t make the most of these 15 minutes; you may not get a second chance.<\/p>\n here are some examples:<\/p>\n if only the window for that opportunity lasted 15 minutes. in reality, most of these moments of fame last seconds<\/strong>. you must be ready when your moment arises. you should be prepared to tell that person in 10 seconds who you are and why you are different, in a way they will remember. you have 10 seconds to earn another 30.<\/p>\n rehearse your lines on a regular basis so that you are prepared in an instant\u2019s notice for your moment of fame.<\/p>\n an elevator pitch is a short self-introduction. to prepare a memorable elevator speech, use humor or a tagline that helps you stand out from the crowd. what do you want your listeners …<\/p>\n the first element of an elevator pitch <\/strong>includes your name and the benefit of what you do. there is no need to include your title or firm name until much later. for example, financial planners might say they help people sleep at night. i met a money manager at a party years ago who told me he grows money.<\/p>\n cpa: <\/strong>\u201chi, i\u2019m jamie newman and i\u2019m the irs\u2019s worst nightmare.\u201d<\/p>\n management consultant: <\/strong>\u201chi, i\u2019m marc rosenberg and i stop cpa firm partners from killing themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n trainer: <\/strong>\u201ci turn conflict into an agreement. i\u2019m robbie gordon of the conflict resolution institute. we teach people how to resolve conflict so they can live happier lives.\u201d<\/p>\n to extend the elevator pitch and create more interest, consider the following:<\/p>\n i work with: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/u><\/p>\n (customer base, target market)<\/p>\n who want to: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/u><\/p>\n (what your clients want\/need)<\/p>\n using:\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/u><\/p>\n (methods, tools, techniques, competitive advantages)<\/p>\n 1 \u2013 have a game plan. <\/strong>don\u2019t try to be all things to all people. focus on activities that will be most successful. target market.<\/p>\n 2 \u2013 broadcast a message. <\/strong>the ideal complement to selling professional services is the name recognition of your firm and\/or yourself. this way, when you meet people, they have already heard about you and are aware of your reputation. this establishes credibility before you start selling, making it easier to sell.<\/p>\n 3 \u2013 become famous.<\/strong> yes, a cpa can<\/strong> become \u201cfamous\u201d by creating an image and a reputation as an expert. publish articles. speak at conferences. write blogs. tabulate industry surveys. people love hiring experts and are willing to pay a premium for perceived expertise. and when you are famous, you get to practice everyone\u2019s favorite type of business development: picking up the phone and accepting the new client.<\/p>\n 4 \u2013 choose people over paper. <\/strong>these are the two main types of practice development. meeting with people face to face will always get better results than activities such as articles, speeches, brochures, websites, and ads. people’s activities are way more effective than paper.<\/p>\n 5 \u2013 remember that relationships precede revenue. <\/strong>this is what defines selling professional services. always start the selling process by forming a relationship with the prospect.<\/p>\n 6 \u2013 pledge. <\/strong>many years ago, a great managing partner told me something that struck a chord with me. he said that he learned to become effective at business development by \u201cpledging.\u201d by that, he meant that he continuously practiced his sales style. he accepted every speaking opportunity he could get. he met with every prospect willing to listen to him. he made an embarrassing number of mistakes at first, but he gradually developed his own selling style and became very effective at it. if you don\u2019t succeed at first, keep trying.<\/p>\n 7 \u2013 \u201cif you don\u2019t ask, you don\u2019t get.\u201d <\/strong>we would all like to think that the best way to get business is simply to do great work for clients and then wait until they give you unsolicited referrals. this method results in a long wait for most of us. to get referrals, you have to ask for them. let your clients and referral sources know that \u201cbusiness is great and we’re looking for more\u201d (chris frederiksen\u2019s legendary line).<\/p>\n 8 \u2013 maximize times at-bat.<\/strong> selling is a contact sport. the more times at bat (sales opportunities), the more hits (sales) you get.<\/p>\n 9 \u2013 wiifm. <\/strong>one of the best ways to sell professional services is to always put yourself in the shoes of the client or prospect. just like you, when they are being sold to, they are asking themselves, \u201cwhat\u2019s in it for me?\u201d when you have a selling opportunity, focus on listening to the prospects and understanding their needs. do as little touting of yourself as possible.<\/p>\n 10 \u2013 polish your elevator speech. <\/strong>be ready when your 15 minutes (or seconds) of fame hits.<\/p>\n 11 \u2013 make money by getting rejected. <\/strong>the legendary sales training maven tom hopkins shares this with his audiences:<\/p>\n hopkins put this a second way that we have always loved. he called it \u201cthe champion\u2019s creed\u201d:\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n i am not judged by the number of times i fail,<\/p>\n but by the number of times i succeed,<\/p>\n and the number of times i succeed<\/p>\n is in direct proportion to the number of times i can fail<\/p>\n and keep trying.<\/p>\n dealing with rejection is hard for anyone, especially cpas. we just have to master it.<\/p>\n 12 \u2013 provide world-class service. <\/strong>the biggest source of new business for cpas by far is referrals from existing clients. but you won\u2019t get the referrals unless your clients are really happy with the quality of your service (not just the quality of your work<\/strong>). research has shown that if clients rate your service quality an 8 or less on a 10-point scale, you are vulnerable to losing them, even if<\/strong> you are doing good work and the clients like you. the lesson to learn: provide world-class service<\/strong> to your clients if you want to keep them and get referrals.<\/p>\n 13 \u2013 mine the gold mine in your backyard. <\/strong>when cpas embark on ambitious business development plans, they often overlook their best source for new business: existing clients. these opportunities include expanded services for your clients as well as referrals to others. make sure that a major part of any marketing plan involves paying attention to your existing clients.<\/p>\n 14 \u2013 specialize. <\/strong>bringing in business doesn\u2019t come easily for most cpas. unfortunately, the vast majority practice two techniques that make it more difficult to sell. first, they use a scattergun approach, trying to get business from a wide variety of sources. second, they operate a generalist practice. by specializing, you make it easier to identify prospects who really like buying from experts.<\/p>\n 15 \u2013 have fun! <\/strong>find ways to make business development fun, not a dreaded, anxiety-provoking activity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\nthe rosenberg practice management library<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n
\nexclusively for pro members. <\/span><\/strong>log in here<\/a> or 2022世界杯足球排名 today<\/a>.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
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\nbuilding and maintaining a dynamic pipeline of referrals is a critical activity for successful practitioners. cultivating relationships with other people who produce referrals is a function of having mutual chemistry and rapport, offering complementary services and making a concerted effort to achieve results.<\/p>\nnetworking: getting the conversation going<\/h3>\n
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five common networking mistakes<\/h3>\n
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tips for following up with a networking prospect<\/h3>\n
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the elevator pitch<\/h3>\n
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the elevator pitch worksheet<\/h3>\n
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more examples:<\/h3>\n
how to make it rain<\/h3>\n
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