Now you see me, now you don't...

Lack of visibility will cost you business.   

We often speak about the importance of the Know, Like and Trust factors in referral marketing. But the formula is not complete without Visibility.

There is a common misconception that just by belonging to a business networking group you should get referrals.

Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way.

"Where did he go?"

The members of your group still need to get to know you, like you and trust you. They can’t do that if you don’t show up on a regular basis.

One doesn't generate trust without consistency. In fact, your referrals will begin to decline the minute you start missing meetings, even if you have a substitute.

There will be times of sickness and other emergencies that cause you to miss a meeting. That’s understandable.

However, when attendance is poor, the trust factor begins to deteriorate. The missing member will seem unreliable and will lose credibility. Fellow members may wonder...

· “Where is she?”

· “Is this how he runs his business?” 

· “Will she show up for my client or send someone else?”

· “I manage to get to the meetings on time, why can’t he?”

· “We must not be very important to her.”

· “Is there something wrong? What’s going on?”

As for profitability, empty chairs can’t give or receive referrals and there is always one of your competitors in the wings ready to take your business.

Great Questions to Ask When Networking

Have you ever noticed that no one ever hangs up the phone when they are doing the talking? Think about it.

When getting to know someone new, the worst thing you can do is most of the talking.

But what do you say after you exchange names and shake hands? How do you get them talking?  If you’re at a networking event, after you shake hands, the first question may be, “What do you do?” 

And then after that, how do you keep the conversation going? Here are some great questions to ask a business person that you've just met or to ask new acquaintances at a networking event. These questions will help you keep a conversation going and perhaps, even open up the possibility of a future referral relationship.

GREAT QUESTIONS TO ASK:

1. “What kind of trends are you seeing in your industry this year?
2.  “May I ask, how did you get into the _______ business?”
3. “Are you doing much on Facebook? What do you find is working?”
4. “Are you networking for a specific reason today?”
5. “What’s your favorite client to work with?”
6. “Have you seen a lot of changes take place in your industry over the past couple of years?”
7. “So, tell me some stories. What’s been happening in your business lately?”
8. “What do you like best about being a ___________.?”
9. “If I were to look for someone in your business, what are the key things I should look for?”
10. “How are you different from your competition?”

AND FINALLY,

The most important questions to ask are:

 “How can I know if someone is a good prospect for you?”

“And what would you like me to say to them when I find them?”