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Cooper's Corner  Welcome to Thirstday's New Networking Tips Section.
Don Cooper "America's Networking Guru" has been gracious enough to share his vast knowledge of Networking with us.
Please check back here often as Don will be adding new Networking Articles Regularly!
Don Cooper
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 We tend to think of talking as the most important element of communicating. In fact, we sometimes believe we are communicating when we are merely talking. But communication is a two-way street, and as Tony Alessandra points out in his book, Charisma, “When you want to win someone’s confidence, listening is just as important as speaking. Good listening draws people to you; poor listening causes them to drift away.”
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If your prospect attended college, or their children do, find out
where. (You can find out directly from your prospect or from an
associate.) Then when you need a gift to send in advance of a cold
call, as a follow-up, or as a thank-you, you can give them something
with their college logo on it. Most colleges and universities have
online stores with a wide variety of merchandise.
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You may not have a fancy storefront. You may not have an eight-foot
sign outside your office. And if you are like most businesspeople, you
don’t have an unlimited advertising budget. So how can you alert
potential customers to your business without breaking the bank?
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No, this isn’t an advice column for singles. (Although I am single and
could probably write such a column at this point.) Instead, the goal
of this article is to help you find some good places to network. While
there are all kinds of business and non-business organizations that you
can join, they can be broken down into five basic categories.
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25 cents is still enough to buy a heaping helping of customer loyalty.
A recent example: I stopped at a downtown store to make a purchase,
but didn’t have any coins for the parking meter. When I mentioned this
to the store owner and asked him for change for a dollar, he replied,
“The enforcement on the meters ends in 20 minutes, so you only need a
quarter.” He then opened the cash drawer, took out a quarter and
handed it to me.
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Last week, a woman called, stated that she was taking a survey, and
started to ask me questions. (Without asking for my permission, by the
way.) After the third question, it was obvious where this “survey” was
going, so I cut to the chase.
“Is this a sales call?” I asked.
“No sir. I’m just taking a survey.”
“What’s the point of this survey?”
“Well, it’s to see if you’re eligible for a service we have that lets you…”
“So this IS a sales call.
“Well not exactly.”
I hung up on her. Which is what I always do to salespeople who call me and refuse to be honest about their motives.
BECAUSE, IF YOU’RE NOT HONEST ENOUGH TO ADMIT YOU’RE MAKING A SALES CALL, HOW CAN I TRUST YOU WITH MY BUSINESS??!!
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On average, it takes nine impressions to move a prospect from “total apathy” (the state in which they don’t know who you are or what you do) to “purchase readiness” (where they are ready and willing to buy from you). An impression is any time a prospect thinks about you: they talk to you on the phone, they receive a letter from you, they read your name in a magazine, etc.
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If you’re looking for new prospects, referrals are your best source. A person who is referred to you is five times as likely to buy from you as any other type of prospect because they already have some trust in you based on their friend who referred them. So how can you get more referrals? A leads group is one powerful way, although it’s not appropriate for everyone.
First, a quick explanation. Leads groups, which go by various names (referral groups, tip clubs, resource groups), exist for the sole purpose of providing referrals to members of the group. Some have a fee while others don’t. They may be non-profit or for-profit. Members are expected to generate leads for other members on a regular basis. Meetings are typically weekly or bi-weekly over breakfast or lunch. Members have the opportunity to share with other members details about their business and sometimes there may be guest speakers.
So is a leads group right for you? Maybe. Consider the following before saying yes or no:
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Do you have a prospecting plan? If you want to increase your sales, it can be a big help.
A prospecting plan is like a business plan for your sales career. It’s a planning tool that helps you sketch out your goals, your best prospects, where to find them, how to reach them and what action steps you’re going to take.
First, what are your sales goals? Do you want more new customers or more repeat sales to existing customers? Are you trying to break into a new industry? Is it more important to push a new product or revive a sagging performer in your line? Cheap stuff or big-ticket items? When you know what you want to accomplish, it’s easier to do it, because your goals will help define other aspects of your plan. |
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I hate voice-mail. You hate voice-mail. But let’s face it, it’s a fact of modern business life. And whether you are using the phone to follow-up with leads, prospect for new customers, or close a sale, you are going to run into it. So to be effective marketers, we need to be able to make the most of it. Here are some easy-to-use strategies that will help insure your message gets returned.
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People in my seminars tell me the biggest challenge they face when networking is not knowing what to say. So they fumble with small talk, keep their conversations very short, or avoid meeting new people at all, losing out on countless opportunities.
Great networkers know that the key to effective conversations is to ask questions. Asking questions lets you accomplish three things at the same time.
First, it gives you control of the conversation (relieving the other person of having to think of what to say next). Second, it provides you with valuable information—in order for you to figure out if you can be of help to this person, or if they can be of help to you, you need to know more about them. (You already know all about you.) And third, questions communicate your interest in the other person, helping them feel appreciated and understood (the secret to building instant rapport). |
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Do you know what it is? It’s a common word that you use every day, probably without giving it much thought. But when you are marketing, networking, or selling, it’s the most powerful word you can use.
No, it’s not “free.” (Although that runs a close second.) It isn’t “results” or “save.” It’s not “quality,” “benefits,” or “guaranteed,” valuable words all.
No, the single most important marketing word in the English language is “you.”
Think about it. Aren’t you your favorite subject? Aren’t you the most important person to you? And don’t you buy things you want and need for your reasons, when and how you choose to buy them? Well, your prospects and customers think exactly the same way.
Which means, if you want to increase your sales, you need to start using the word “you” more. Here’s how to use this most valuable word to enrich your business communication. |
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How kid-friendly are you? Whether you’re marketing to children or their parents, the more hospitable your business is to children, the more sales you’ll make.
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Networking is, without question, the single most potent marketing tool that a small business owner or salesperson has. It is low-cost and high-return with a great deal of flexibility. It even gives you an advantage over your larger competitors because people typically prefer to do business with someone they know, rather than a large, faceless entity. But like any tool, it is most effective when used properly. Recognizing some fundamental truths about networking will help you be more successful at it. |
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Your business card is your most fundamental marketing piece. You give it out to everyone you meet (see my article on networking) and you include it with your correspondence. It is what people will use to remember you and contact you. So, is your card working for you or against you? Compare your card to this list of 10 dos and don’ts to see if it needs a makeover. |
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Some companies really amaze me. They will spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars to exhibit at a trade show, plus enormous sums for a fancy display, and then waste their investment by not doing the simple things that make the difference between success and failure. They will then blame the trade show for their poor results and often give up on what studies show is one of the best marketing opportunities there is. |
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Rotary, Moose, Optimist, Kiwanis, etc.) are constantly in need of speakers for their regular breakfast and lunch meetings. Speaking at these events can give you valuable exposure at absolutely no cost. Here are some tips for making an effective presentation to a local group.
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Okay, you know you’re a professional. I know you’re a professional. But what’s important is that your prospects know that you’re a professional. |
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Arguably the biggest trend in the American economy of the last twenty-five years is the explosive growth of the home-based business sector. Yet this dramatic story has gone virtually unnoticed by the mainstream business press. Why? Basically because several myths persist about the home business phenomenon that lead people to discount it. Well, let's see if we can't clear those up right here and now. |
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While working at home has many advantages over a traditional office environment, there are a few disadvantages. According to a recent survey by the American Association of Home-Based Businesses, one of the things that home-based entrepreneurs miss most from a corporate environment is interaction with co-workers. |
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Networking tips for March.
• Stand up and be seen.
• Hold your drink in your left hand.
• Work the registration table.
Click Read More for the Full Story!
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 Don Cooper is one of America's leading experts on networking.
Through his dynamic keynote speeches, interactive seminars and one-on-one coaching he shares the powerful principles of effective Networking. If you want to meet more people, gain more confidence, get more referrals, close more sales, have more fun and make more money, then you want Don Cooper!
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Networking Tips