Networking Your Way to the perfect Corporate clients

Paul Johnstone
At a recent Refer-On meeting I was asked why people from large companies don’t attend local networking events. Is it because they don't have the time to spend with others who they believe are irrelevant to their career? Is it because they believe all the support networks they need are ‘in house’?

Often the only place you meet these people are at Chamber of Commerce events or they invest in intra-company networking with their peers.

So if corporate decision makers never turn up at the events you attend, does that mean it's a waste of time for you to go to these functions?

It does if you spend all your time talking to people you already know. On the other hand, if you go to these events with a plan and you work you plan, anything is possible.

Here are five tips to help you crack into corporate accounts:

1. Be absolutely clear on your perfect contact: If you know who you are looking for, it’s easier to spot them. What industry are they from, what position do they hold? These are two basic questions to ask yourself before you go.

2. Talk to strangers: Talking to strangers at networking events is one of the best activities you can do. Remember people go you networking events because they want to talk to people. This gives you the opportunity to open 6 or 7 new contact doors in an hour or so. It’s a no brainer.

3. Work your existing contacts: The phrase “It’s not what you know it’s who you know that counts” should be familiar to you. So find out where else they network, who the do business with and where there is common ground and explore ways of working cooperatively.

4. Be really specific: Children the world over know something the adults have forgotten about. “If you don’t ask, you don’t get.” So ask it’s a simple thing. If your ideal client is Richard Branson of Virgin, ask if anyone knows him, or someone who works for him. Better still do some desk research and find the persons name, then ask for them by name.

5. Go where your decision makers go: The Train Robbers robbed a train – Because that’s where the money was! The same thing is true for effective networking. If buyers from a large company aren't in attendance, it's hard to meet them. So go where they go -Trade shows, Chamber events, exhibitions - Simple

In summary, to be successful at networking your way into big companies, you should think about working smarter not harder. Don't just keep going to those local networking events hoping to bump into your Plum client. Instead, get your act together and do your networking thoughtfully. That's when you'll really start to see results.

Helping Real People do Real Business Through Real Networking