Page 144 - Social Media Marketing

128 Walk Like a Giant, Sell Like a Madman

Identify Networking Opportunities

In Chapter 4, "Stop Hunting, Start Farming," I introduced the Rule
of 250: the fact that every person on the planet has the capacity
of putting you in touch with 250 of their friends, relatives, and
acquaintances. I view every encounter I have with someone as a
networking opportunity, a chance to connect with 250 people. If
you're not quite ready to network with everyone you meet, consider
focusing on more formal networking opportunities:

• Meet people on the job. Get to know everyone you work with
a little better. Ask about their families, their favorite pastimes,
their professional goals, and their personal interests. Engage
with people.

• Get involved in professional organizations. Connect with
people in your industry and with other salespeople. Join your
trade association and start making a difference. By taking a
leadership role in the organization, you significantly increase
your visibility; instead of having to seek out people to meet,
they will seek you.

• Join a community service organization. Rotary, Kiwanis,
Toastmasters, and other national organizations may have chap-
ters in your area. These are excellent places to meet the most
ambitious and successful businesspeople while giving some-
thing back to your community.

Give Referrals to Get Referrals

Most salespeople are well aware that they need to give referrals to
get referrals, but many salespeople handle the referral process all
wrong. They end up losing control and losing out on opportunities
to maximize the actual number of referrals they receive. When giv-
ing referrals, be aware of the wrong way and the right way to do it:

• Wrong way: A customer comes in to buy a car and mentions
that she gets her auto insurance from XYZ Insurance, Inc. You
ask how much she's paying and then mention that she may