Effective Business Networking-Lead Generation: Look and Act Professional

To be effective with your business networking-lead generation activities, you must look and act professionally at all times.  After many years as a leader in a business-to-business networking organization, I’ve seen my share of people who do not or act professionally.  Here are a few of my pointers on how everyone can increase their professional presence at your next networking event:

  • Dress for Success– to be considered professional, you must dress like you mean business!
  • Come Prepared – Bring plenty of business cards, a pen, and paper.
  • Be on time – Would you be late to a prospect’s or client’s office.? Absolutely not!  Show up on time and be present.  Show up early so that you can have adequate time to visit with everyone.
  • Engage – Look people in the eye when greeting and speaking to others.
  • Always give a firm handshake.
    • Ladies, shake a man’s hand like you mean it.
    • Gentlemen, shake a lady’s hand like you would another man.  Do not give a soft or limp handshake.
  • Cell-Phone Etiquette – Leave it in your car.  Or…turn off before you enter the premises.
    • DO NOT TEXT WHILE IN THE MEETING…It’s rude and you are not engaging with the other participants.
    • Remember you are being judged by others as to your level of professionalism.
    • Besides, you would never, ever go into a prospect’s or client’s office and pull out your phone as you sit down.
  • Client/Privileged Information – Be respectful of your prospects, clients and your company.
    • Even though you might not be in an industry that is legally binding to keep confidences of your clients, keep in mind that anything that you say about your existing clients, prospects or your own company could be overheard by a competitor and cause irreparable consequences.
  • Have a Plan – Make sure that you have a plan for your networking activities.  Don’t attend meetings without first creating an agenda for the event.

Excerpt from Peggy’s book, “5 Keys to Effective Business Networking” © 2014.

For over 30 years, I have grown my business exclusively with “warm” referrals, never cold calling.  I work with individuals and sales team to coach them how to grow their business effectively.  To hire Peggy for your next sales meeting, contact her at 214-725-7626.

Peggy P. Edge © 2018

Getting the Most out of LinkedIn® as a Marketing Tool

LinkedIn® is one of the most powerful marketing tools that you have in your sales toolbox.  Use LinkedIn to get recognized as an expert in your industry; research companies and their key management teams; and to connect for former colleagues and vendors.

Here are a few of Peggy’s Pointers to help you get the most out of LinkedIn:

  • Connect ASAP
    • As with any networking activity, be prudent to follow-up with a prospective connection within 24-72 hours.
    • Things happen and sometimes we get behind the 8-ball. If there has been a time-lag since you met the prospective connection, be bold and remind your contact how, where and when you met.
  • Personalize your connection request
    • Create an invitation that is uniquely tailored. Interview your potential connection through a customized email.
  • Request to connect
    • Only send a request 1 time. Keep in mind if your prospect doesn’t respond immediately, they may not be an active user of LinkedIn.  The system will remind them there is a request to connect.
    • For example, I met several keynote speakers/trainers at an event in January.  Afterward, I reached out to all of them to add to my professional circle.  Several responded immediately, however, there were 3 who didn’t respond until last month.  I chalked that up to the fact they travel extensively and simply didn’t have the time to reply promptly.
  • Content is King
    • Limit your posts to 1-2 times/week and only 1 time/day. If you bombard your connections with blog posts or ads, you could be setting yourself up to be blocked.
  • Personal contact policy
    • Some people like to connect via direct email vs through LI messaging.
  • Notification Updates
    • LinkedIn notifies you of your connections’ updates of a new job, an anniversary, and a birthday. Keep in touch with your connections by writing a personalized congratulatory note.
    • Recently I created a letter to send to all of my LI contacts whom I haven’t had contact within several years.  This letter was geared to inform my contacts about new product/service offerings that I am currently marketing   The response was great.  Several people reached back to me with a request for more information.
  • Groups
    • LinkedIn allows each person to be a member of up to 100 different groups.
    • Even though you can be a member of 100 groups, select 3-5 key groups to join and be active with content and engagement to them on a regular base.
    • I recommend that you select groups within your industry as well as prospective industries of which you expect to market to.
      • Since I am a packaging specialist, I am a member of several packaging groups.  In addition, I am a coach/consultant therefore I also belong to groups that specialize in coaches.
  • Endorsements
    • LinkedIn allows up to 50 skill endorsements per person. Only endorse someone for the skills that you are aware they possess.
    • To receive endorsements, it’s okay to contact 6-8 of your connections asking them for a specific endorsement. Send an endorsement request especially if you have recently gained new skills via training and/or project experience.
    • Keep your request to a minimum of 1-2/month.
  • Recommendations
    • The best way to receive a recommendation of your work/skill-set is to give one to someone else.
    • Be specific in your recommendation request otherwise you may receive a standard blah response. Don’t be afraid to send a rough draft with details of which you want to be recommended.
    • If you have recommendations that are not completely flattering to you, remove them from your profile.
    • Only request 1-2 recommendations per month.
    • Be sure to send a thank-you note, preferably a hand-written one.
  • Update Function
    • Before you make any changes to your LI profile, be sure to go to your Privacy and Settings and turn-off your broadcast update function until you have completed changes.

I work with individuals to update their LinkedIn profiles and help make it functional as a marketing tool.

Peggy P. Edge © 2018

www.peggyedge.com