Networking without bleating
If all the content professionals in your organization were to maintain regular contact with their five favorite clients or ambassadors from recent years. Just by calling or showing up, following up, showing interest, and catching up. How many assignments would that generate?
Unfortunately, there are five pitfalls…
Maintaining contact with existing relationships is a method of networking that suits most content professionals much better than attending receptions or handing out business cards at seminars. It involves maintaining targeted contact with a limited number of people they know and like. Not to sell. The goal is to sow, not to reap. And preferably with favorite former clients or other ambassadors. Because a connection is usually mutual.
Suppose you call twice a year and have an average of one face-to-face meeting. That's three conversations per year, times the number of professionals in your organization. How does that increase the chance of your clients saying something like, "What a coincidence you're calling! I was just thinking about you because I'm struggling with something..."? How much time does it take? If you maintain three network connections, that's six phone calls and three coffee breaks per year. Those calls can often be squeezed in between. Coffee breaks or lunches take time, especially if you have to travel. About eight hours per year? Managers and professionals can probably figure out together where those hours are coming from today.
When we explain this idea to our clients, they're usually enthusiastic. Of course, we should! Yet, it proves difficult. We often hear these objections. And we immediately respond with a response.
I (the manager) don't have to explain that to them, do I? They're professionals, aren't they? And their job description already mentions networking, right?
Unfortunately, you do have to help them. Yes, they're professionals in their field, not in networking. So help them. Keep it simple. Practice how they would leave a voicemail message, because if they can do that, the conversation will also work when they answer.
I (the professional) don't think they are waiting for me.
Suppose that former client called you, would you be interested? Most professionals would. So couldn't it also be the other way around?
I (the professional) then feel like I'm peddling for an assignment, and that doesn't feel good so I'd rather not do it.
The goal isn't to sell. You're here to sow, not reap. You're here to provide an hour of free aftercare. Or you offer inspiration and an hour of sparring with a subject matter expert. You teach the other person what's going on in the market. You listen to what they're working on. This feeling usually diminishes after a few conversations with experience.
We (manager and professional) like the idea, but somehow it never gets around to it…
That's fixable, but you probably won't like the answer. You need to make a list of contacts. And attach action dates to it. And review that list regularly together and give each other tips. Once a year is also regular, but we mean six times a year. It only takes a few minutes. It's mainly about inspiring and adding a bit of conscience. And making it smart.
We (manager and professional) think it's a good idea, but, well, we have quite a bit of "overdue maintenance" to do in our network, and we keep putting it off for a few months. We haven't contacted some of our contacts for years.
You're not alone. Schedule an afternoon together. Sit in a cubicle together. Everyone makes a list of overdue appointments. Take a deep breath. And make a phone call. In our experience, it almost always ends up being a pleasant afternoon.
This article was written by Maarten van Os and Jan Willem van den Brink from DreamfactoryIt's based on a chapter from our book Why don't they just do it? – Make sure your consultants and technicians find and keep clients happy.
If you wish to use it, we would greatly appreciate attribution.
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