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story www.timshaw.com.au by Tim Shaw July 2006
My Business Tips by Tim
Shaw
Networking towards Success
A really simple way to grow sales in your business
is through networking.
What’s networking? Constant contact with people and businesses
you meet and preparing information for them to do some business
with you. It’s a simple effective way to maximise sales
in your business. Afteral customers buy you before they buy
your product or service.
When I first started the telecommunications business @ Mona
Vale in 1992, I printed a really simple, who, what, where, when
and why brochure about me and the business services I offered.
The family and I letterboxed those in an ever increasing radius
of the store location.
The second important thing to do is tell everyone you have had
any contact with in your entire life what you are now doing.
I told my mate Dino I had a new mobile phone business. He told
a senior partner in his city law firm who wanted personal service
and an explanation of how the phone worked, page by page of
the user manual. It was a $3000.00 sale. So through that simple
networking contact, I sold a product totally outside my geographical
area, just through sharing information with a mate. More sales
followed. Very profitable sales. This was well before the power
of the internet.
Here are some simple steps towards successful networking in
2006 and beyond.
1. Look the part! People buy you before they buy your service.
Look professional and well groomed at all times.
2. Offer yourself as a guest speaker at a community service
club dinner like Lions or Rotary and tell your personal and
business story. Locals love supporting locals. I met a lot of
new business operators this way.
3. Join a local surf club or rugby club. Enjoy the sport and
sponsor the club. Offer prizes from your business for raffles
and charity auctions. Pick your personal charity you support
and allocate some time in your week or month to aid their cause.
Support them and they will encourage other supporters to support
you and your business.
4. Personalise your business card – make your business
YOU. I recently did this and the comments from people have been
fantastic. Stand out in a crowd!
5. Build a basic website about you – link that website
to your business website and vice versa with personal references
from your clients and associates – makes you appear as
a nice, trustworthy person.
Want to know more? Visit www.timshaw.com.au
If you have an experience of your own to share, email me at
timshaw@bigpond.com
Happy selling.
Tim Shaw appears as a sales expert on My Business TV
- Channel 7 and on Channel 9’s Mornings with
Kerrie-Ann. He can diagnose sales and marketing opportunities
available for your business today. Tim is available as a keynote
speaker for your next sales meeting or conference. For more
information or to contact Tim visit www.timshaw.com.au
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