Turn Every Meeting into a Marketing Opportunity

March 27, 2009 · Filed Under Networking and Relationships

turn every meeting into a marketing opportunity My meeting yesterday with a financial adviser was time well spent.

We discussed how the current economy makes it a wise time to consider investing in financial products that were not advantageous to my goals in past years.

She also advised me to start planning for long-term care and other concerns that will help me preserve my assets. These topics are crucial to understand today, even if they make your head spin.

My adviser and I capitalize on our mutual relationship. We’re both winners because we talk about more than business, but the casual conversation leads to a more-profitable business for each of us.

The same type of relationship with your own service providers will build your gift basket business in more ways than you envision.

This is the type of networking I hope you are practicing as often as possible so that you build strong connections with people who know other people who will do business with you today and tomorrow.

Look for family photographs in and around the person’s office and ask about their family. If this is not your strength or if your concern is not genuine, don’t ask. However, because gift baskets are a relationship-building business, I bet you’ll both ask and care.

Learn about the person’s summer or vacation plans. Where are they going, and what will they do? If you know anything about the destination, share information that will be helpful.

Find out what you can do for the other person. Are they looking for a resource, new contact, or service provider? Offering to help others is a wonderful way to build your connections, especially in this “it’s not what you know but who you know” world.

These three tips will build your sales faster with people you know than going to a meeting and announcing that you sell gift baskets.

Too many of these meetings are similar to cold calls, and you know how chilly the reception can be when strangers don’t have long-term interest in your success.

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