Pushing too fast
The biggest mistake networking salespeople make is trying to cram, elbow deep a quickly thought-up sales pitch down the throat of every person they speak to.
Most salespeople are in such a rush to close the deal that they’re not networking.
They’re running around pitching.
And nobody cares about you or your pitch.
Not until they get to know you a little first.
“One of the biggest obstacles that salespeople have is the desire to push the relationship too fast and too far” – David Fisher
I spent years doing this myself at conferences and I never made a single sale on a first meeting.
This was until I began to understand…
The real goal of networking
Salespeople’s net-worth is their network.
If you have a strong enough network you essentially become unsackable.
If your boss knows that the moment you leave, your customers will leave with you, they have a problem.
This leads to –
- More money
- More respect
- More job security
- More opportunities
It’s not the people who you have pitched that matter. It’s the industry specific relationships you have and the people you’ve successfully sold to in the past that you still have a relationship with.
“Wait” I hear you cry.
“I understand the benefits of networking. I know the biggest mistake that most salespeople make. But I just hate doing it!”
You hate it because you suck at it.
But there is a solution…
Why salespeople hate networking
Most salespeople hate networking because they’re terrible at it.
If you feel pain when you do something, your brain forces you avoid doing the same task in the future.
Then you enter a vicious spiral of hating that task, avoiding it and so never improving at it.
“The secret of success is learning how to use pain and pleasure instead of having pain and pleasure use you” – Tony Robbins
Being a highly skilled networker has such massive benefits for sales professionals that it can’t be avoided for long.
The easiest way to get better at networking is to dive in the deep end.
Luckily this is a life-skill and isn’t just part of your arsenal of sales skills.
Attend a conference about something you’re passionate about and meet as many new people as you can.
Start small talking the people you’re sat next to at the game.
Chat to that old woman stood behind you in the queue when you’re buying your lunch.
Talk to everyone you possibly can!
You will soon have some success. Your brain will start to associate positive events happening when you start conversations.
You won’t hate doing it any more.
It sounds simple. It is.
There is a hump of pain to get over for sure. Those first few conversations each morning are always awkward.
But over time your improved networking will automatically transfer over to your sales role and you’ll see your net-worth grow with each handshake you make.
The Expert
David Fisher’s passion for growth and development has allowed him to influence thousands of others during his professional career. Today, as a coach, speaker, author, and president of RockStar Consulting he continues to create a powerful impact on individuals and organizations as he works to help them become RockStars!
Learn more – IAmDFish.com
For more expert sales training check out – SalesSchool.org
