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Key phrase: I can't wait to meet everyone in the room!
Their motivation is to meet everyone- and get back to them someday!
Moving through a room with energy and enthusiasm, the Disorganized
Networker shakes hands and greets new people, loving every minute.
They collect card from everyone, even people they don't necessarily
plan to follow up with. It's a habit - and one they can't shake.
Somehow they believe that if they come to an event, the way to make
it count is to get as many cards as they can. No matter if most
of the cards they get belong to the same kinds of consultants and
salespeople they are- it's at least proof they did something while
they were there!
People who meet Disorganized are usually charmed and happy to give
them their cards. This leaves Disorganizeds with a sense of warmth
and accomplishment - and overwhelm!
Disorganized Networkers typically have no plan when they arrive
at events and they have no follow up for the cards they collect
when they leave. Inevitably, the cards they shove into their coat
pockets end up lost, piled up somewhere or thrown away because they
can't put a face with the name on the card.
It's not that they don't care; they do! They're genuinely interested
in people and love to network. However, much of their hard work
is lost because they have no formal process for taking care of followup
when they get back to the office.
If you're a Disorganized Networker, your networking time may not
be paying off. Here are some suggestions:
1. Have a plan before you go! When you attend a meeting
or conference, be very clear about your goals. Who do you want
to meet and why? What's a good outcome for your attendance? Make
sure you have this in mind before you start and save yourself
a lot of time and energy.
2. Limit yourself to a few key meetings. By finding the
people you're really interested in meeting, you're ensuring that
you will be motivated to follow up when you get home. A few important
people won't overwhelm you, and you can put quality time into
your followup.
3. Set up an organized followup plan. When you come home,
you've already set aside time to write thank you notes, make phone
calls, write letters and make referrals as promised. That way
there's no further imposition on your time. Make following up
a priority and it will ensure that your networking time pays off!
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The Followup Dilemma
Barry L is a software salesman who has hit a slow point in
his sales. He lands in the middle of a chamber networking
function and starts handing out cards and collecting cards
right away. Always warm, open and friendly, people are happy
to exchange cards with him but are often puzzled because they
rarely or never hear from him after giving him their card.
Some of them are interested in his products - and they get
the impression he's interested in contacting them, and he
genuinely is. However, when he gets back to the office, his
inbox is full and is message line is blinking. His boss can
see he's busy generating leads, but nothing ever comes of
all this activity. Barry feels the pressure to develop more
business but it seems as though the networking isn't paying
off. Why doesn't anybody ever call him instead of the other
way around?
What Barry can do:
First, Barry needs to slow down! All this activity is exhausting
him and worse, it's not leading anywhere. Barry needs to know
precisely who his clients are and where they gather. A chamber
function might not be his best bet, although he's already
meeting potential customers there in his scattershot approach.
He needs to consider joining organizations where his clients
meet and mingle, then join just those and get active and known.
By building a reputation for service his clients will see
him in action and learn to appreciate him as a person. Then
the door to doing business will open, and referrals will quickly
follow. Barry also needs to have a clear-cut plan for follow
up when he gets back to the office after events. By setting
aside a set number of hours or days after each event, he is
ensuring prompt, quality following up which will endear him
to his clients and impress his potential customers.
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