Sales networking is a great way to generate leads and increase your sales. Sales people have always been told that the more time they spend meeting with their customers, the better off they will be. Sales networking takes this theory one step further by asking sales professionals to meet with potential clients before a sale has even been made. Sales networking can help you develop relationships early on so when it's time to make a sale, you already have an idea of what your customer needs and wants from you!

Sales professionals who use networking as a strategic tool have been shown to have more success than those who don't. Sales networking can be done at any time, but it's best when it's planned out ahead of time- so you know where you're going and what you want from it. In this article we'll discuss why salespeople should network, how they should go about doing it, and provide examples of successful networking that others have used successfully in order to grow their business!

What is Sales Networking

Many people have a hard time understanding what sales networking is. A simple definition of a sales Networking is the process of developing relationships with potential customers and gaining their trust in order to secure sales. Essentially, networking sales is all about outreaching to others with the goal of making sales. 

Networking can include meeting new people through trade shows or events, but many networkers draw from their existing -- often personal -- social circles when looking for new clients. To increase your chances of finding success in networking sales, you're almost always better off into your closest connections than casting too wide a net.

Networking sales is effective because of the simple fact that people buy from those they know, like and trust. By furthering your professional relationships with new contacts, you increase your chances of earning their business by demonstrating your value proposition to them.

In the beginning there were only a few people that realized how rewarding it was if they decided to focus just on one area and dedicate themselves towards it. When you decide that you want to build up your clientele through sales networking you are dabbling in a very big pond where other people have been trying to catch the same fish for several years. If you really want to take your business to the next level it will take some time, imagination and dedication towards this cause.

How to Start With Sales Networking

There are different ideas about what sales networking is, but it all comes down to making contacts with people who can help you do business. Your network of contacts should be made up of potential customers and suppliers alike. You may even want to get referrals from other people in your industry, which expands the number of contacts you have while not taking anything away from them.

The first step to joining a sales networking group is finding one that matches your business well. There are groups for all kinds of businesses such as insurance, financial services (investment and banking types), real estate, travel agents, restaurants and more. They can be found in the yellow pages or on the Internet by doing a search with "sales network" or something similar in quotation marks. You should also ask others who might know about suitable groups if you're not sure about where to start looking.

You will also need to research your local area and see if there are any events occurring that might be a good way for you to meet new leads. You could look through the 'events' pages of local news sites or contact your local chamber of commerce to find out more about any upcoming trade shows in your area. Once you know when and where these will be held, it's time for preparation! Make sure you've got business cards printed up that advertise what sort of services or products you offer as leads will expect this from the offset. Prepare yourself by studying. You are likely to attend these kinds of events and how you can tailor your approach to meet their needs. Finally, don't forget 'business you! It's important that you're on top of your game and looking your best as a first impression is crucial. This means dressing the part and making sure you've got some compelling facts at hand about why someone should choose to work with you rather than another company offering similar services or products.

What Are Some Ways To Expand Your Sales Network?

A lot of people are under the impression that once they get their product out there, it will sell itself. This couldn't be further from the truth. You need to have some sort of plan for reaching out to potential clients and growing your business. Always keep in mind that you can always do more by doing more of what's working! 

If you want to improve your sales, then here are some tips for growing your client list:

1. The simplest and most effective way to expand your network is by meeting new people.- When you have a conversation with someone, the first few minutes are crucial for determining whether or not you hit it off with that person. In order to make a good impression, try talking about topics of common interest, such as fashion trends or local news. don't forget to ask questions and actively engage in the conversation: listening attentively shows that you're genuinely interested in what the other person has to say and encourages him/her to open up! However, while small talk can help get conversations going, an interview-style approach won't seem very natural.
   

2. You can also expand your network by attending events or joining organizations. You don't have to aim for extravagant gatherings with several people involved - chances are that won't happen right away. Instead, look for smaller events where you'll be able to meet a handful of new people instead of just one or two.
   

3. Know Your target market, start with the people who would most likely buy from you. This may seem obvious, but when time is limited, it can be tempting to spend that time on anyone and everyone in hopes they will buy. The truth is, not all potential buyers are created equal.  If it takes 10 hours of work for you to sell one $100 item and 20 hours of work for an item priced at $500; obviously, you should focus more attention on selling the higher priced product or services if that's how you make your living. People who are most likely to buy the higher priced items are people who can afford them. This means that they have more money and can also refer you to friends with money too, if you do business with them well. 
   

4. Learning to market yourself, having a website, a business card and even a blog is not enough when it comes to marketing yourself. You need to let everyone know what it is that you do in an easy-to-understand fashion. The more people know about the kind of services you provide, the better your chances are at getting their business. It's very possible for someone who needs your service to contact you through one of your promotional means if they see or hear something interesting related to their problem or taste. If there are no clients who seem interested in what you have to offer, go out there and find them! Don't just sit down and wait for clients either because that's not the kind of business that works.
   

5. Build relationships, the best client you are ever going to get is one who has already worked with you in the past. This does not mean that this process should be taken lightly or even exploited at all, because you will lose their trust if you do. Make sure that every client you work with is as satisfied as possible and always go above and beyond what they expect from you during your time together.
   

6. Finally, make sure that each time someone contacts you for a service (whether they contact you through email or via your contact form), always respond as soon as possible. If you have a full plate of work, let them know when they can expect to hear back from you. This is extremely important because the majority of people who contact freelancers aren't going to wait around for days on end wondering if their message went through or not.
   

Tips For Sales Networking

There are many ways to network successfully with others in your industry or profession. While attending conferences, seminars, trade shows, symposiums, business mixers and local community events can create opportunities for networking. Here are some tips for building a successful sales network.

• Give before you get. This is simple, if you want someone to give an introduction for you or help you in some way then the best way to achieve this is by doing something nice for them first. When someone does something nice for me I will always go out of my way to do something nice back so please do not take advantage of the power of giving because you will lose credibility very quickly. 
  

• Be genuine about it. Your network should be made up of real relationships with people who know and trust your character. If your product or service is not worth investing in then why would anyone invest their time into knowing more about it? Building genuine connections with people should be the foundation of what you are doing to create your network.
  

• Be consistent, not desperate. If someone does not know you yet then the worst thing you can do is simply ask for something (help, support etc). Introduce yourself and try to understand their needs/wants first before jumping in with whatever it is that you want from them. This leads back to point 1; giving first will get you much further than simply asking will get you.
  

• Make sure your actions match your words. Think about how many times you have heard someone say one thing but then act differently? How could they expect that person or persons to take them seriously if all they do is talk without backing up their words? It takes time for trust to develop but if you are consistent with the people in your network they will start to see that what you say is actually true and not just empty words.
  

• For maximum effectiveness, ensure that you leave each individual with an impression of who you are and what you do. People will be able to better assist you in passing on your name and information if they know exactly who you are and why you want to contact them. You should also try to get a business card from each person with whom you network so that the relationship remains professional. 
  

Be proactive about expanding contacts and seeking out new opportunities; it will make networking more effective and rewarding for everyone involved. Networking is an excellent way to meet potential clients--while boosting business connections and establishing yourself as an expert within your industry--when done properly. By following the tips listed here, you'll be on your way to strengthening your professional network through networking at a personal level.