Any referral system worth its salt, has to include some formalised networking. That is to say, we need to put ourselves out there amongst our prospective clients and contacts. It's no good to sit in our cosy offices waiting for the phone to ring. In this day and age, networking has never been so important.
And yet, many many hours of valuable time can be waisted by networking the wrong way. It sounds ridiculous, but have you ever been trained in the art of networking? Well if we all agree that networking itself is a vital part of a referral system, why the hell not? Is it that easy?
I suggest not.
Networking to the untrained eye could be nothing more than regular meetings, interrupted by fatty breakfasts or cold buffets. Handshakes and nodding heads. Bullshit and cufflinks. A constant stream of business cards that all end up in the great big shredder in the sky.
The truth about networking however is very different. There is a method in true networking. There is an objective, a plan, an action and a follow up. All of which can lead to multiple referrals for your business.
For those that are willing to learn, and to acknowledge that there is room for improvement, that is what my seminars are all about. Giving the competitive edge to those that want to develop in those areas that many take for granted. So, let all those others eat their fry ups and curly sandwiches. Let them hand out card upon card.
We know the secret...
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