Connecting Is Not Enough with Andy Lopata
In his column this month, Andy Lopata recounts a visit to a boutique in England's picturesque New Forest, and how the owner's approach was more tailored to making friends and building relationships long-term, rather than just trying to sell.
Sometimes it's much more powerful NOT to sell to a prospective customer.
Last month I enjoyed a wonderful weekend away in The New Forest on England's South Coast. On our final morning in the area I was led into a small boutique selling upmarket women's clothing. We were the only people in the small shop, other than the owner and her mischievous little dog.
As we looked around the shop the owner chatted away to us. She talked a little bit about the clothes on display, but more about our weekend away, where we had stayed, where we had eaten and her recommendations for future visits.
By the time we left we knew where we need to stay and where to go out and eat when we next visit the area. Although no purchase had been made, we had the shop's details. The recommendations had been written down on the back of a postcard advertising the boutique!
Walking away, I questioned the percentage of visitors to the shop who actually buy something on their first visit. After all, because of the nature of the area, many people visit as part of a short break, not specifically to shop. It must be quite frustrating for someone owning a shop in a tourist area to see an endless stream of people walk in, browse and walk out again empty handed.
The wrong response to that frustration would be to try a hard sell whenever people walk in. Instead the owner of Stanwells sat back and gave us some space, chatting freely but never trying to sell. In recommending other businesses she made herself a valuable resource for us and built some rapport and trust.
If the businesses she recommended are aware of her activity, no doubt they are recommending her in return. In fact, since our return we have booked one of the hotels she recommended for a visit in June, and Stanwells is listed on the hotel's site as a place to visit in the area.
We walked away empty handed but with plenty of good will. When we return to the area it is likely that we will return to her shop, this time having thought about it in advance. And we may well recommend the shop in the meantime.
Sometimes you may see people walk away empty handed from a conversation with you. But instead of desperately pushing the sale it can be better to allow a relationship and goodwill to grow. That patience can reap its reward not only in terms of people buying when they are ready, but possibly recommending or referring you several times in the meantime.
Are you struggling to put an effective networking or referral strategy into place? Do you want to know more about how to ensure you get the maximum possible return from your networking?
Visit Andy's website at http://www.lopata.co.uk/ for more resources and ideas about how Andy can help you.
Andy's new book, 'Recommended: How to sell through networking and referrals', will be published later this year.
“In this book Andy Lopata demonstrates how so many businesses ignore potentially their most powerful resource – their networks. Andy’s in-depth, practical advice will show you how to both build and profit from the relationships in your network.”
Ivan Misner, NY Times Bestselling author and Founder of BNI and Referral Institute
Andy's Audio program, "Networking in Ninety Minutes," will give you the tools you need to make the most from your networking. Available in CD or mp3 format here.
Andy Lopata's newsletter archive
Andy Lopata's LinkedIn profile
Join Connecting is not Enough - Andy Lopata's Facebook Page
For more information, please visit Andy's TNNWC Bio.
Powered By TNNWC Group™
For complete tactical and strategic business planning, marketing, media, lead-generation, technological and capital resources, scalable solutions and tools to support every entrepreneurial start-up, young enterprise, small- to medium-sized business and emerging high-growth company, talk to The National Networker Companies™/ TNNWC Group, LLC.We are a collaborative entrepreneurial, creative organization offering you hands-on, personalized assistance in every aspect of achieving your monetization, profitability and financial sustainability objectives, domestically and globally.
We don’t just coach you or offer you pre-packaged, push-button solutions – we listen to you, analyze your exact needs, and work within your budget to: 1) create your tool kit and 2) work as your partner to implement your plan by supporting you in the most efficient and productive use of every tool.
Visit our website, which is located at http://www.TNNWC.com .
To receive our newsletters, publications, information bulletins and alerts, simply join us as a Member. Membership is free and the benefits are unequalled anywhere.
Just go to our home page, and click on the “JOIN US” button.
Capital, Traffic Building, International Customers and unique SERVICES.
The National Networker Publications™ produced by TNNWC Group, LLC
Forward/Share This Article With Colleagues And Social Media:
No comments:
Post a Comment