The use of social media channels is at an all-time high, with 77% of American adults now using at least one social media network. Businesses of all sizes are using these platforms to gain visibility and engage with customers.
While it’s always a good idea to learn about other industries, you might be surprised by how applicable this information is to your own industry. After all, you’re already operating in a digital world where your message can be delivered to a massive audience whenever you choose. Why not use this to your advantage?
Contacting People In Person
You can’t effectively use social media to grow your network marketing business if you don’t know how to contact people in person. Online marketing is great, but so is the personal touch.
While there are many ways to connect with potential clients and build your network, nothing beats a personal introduction through a face-to-face conversation. You can learn a lot about a person in person, and it’s not always easy to find out everything you need through a computer screen.
To that end, here are a few tips for making the most out of your in-person meetings with prospective clients and others interested in your products or services:
Look Into Their Needs Before Proposing A Solution
It’s important to have a genuine concern for your visitor’s needs, but you should never be afraid to sell something. Just make sure that the solution you propose is a fit for their needs and will genuinely benefit them. In the world of network marketing, your visitor might be a customer that doesn’t use a specific product or service, or they might be an industry professional who needs help making sense of the industry. You might also think that your visitor is someone who wants to buy a specific product or service, but it’s also possible that they’re just getting started and don’t know where to turn for help.
Be Creative
You can’t always rely on standard meeting tips such as; “Hi, how are you? I’m Kevin, nice to meet you.” Depending on what you’re selling, you might want to be a little more creative with your introduction. If you’re pitching a business relationship, you might want to write a short pitch explaining the importance of the meeting or asking for their help. You might also suggest a call back or an additional meeting if they seem interested.
Take Notes
You never know what might happen during a meeting, so take notes. Even if you have very little to write down, jot down a few key facts and highlights from the conversation. This will help you later on when you’re piecing together your own notes or looking back over what happened in the meeting. You can also ask the person you’re meeting with to do the same, which will help you both follow the conversation more easily.
Follow Up
Even if you’ve met with a potential business partner, agent, or investor over email or online chat, it’s important to follow up and close the deal. Just make sure that you’ve done your part in moving the process forward and that everything is still on track. The follow up shouldn’t be hard email, it can be something as simple as; “Just letting you know that we’ve reached a significant point in the process and I’ll be in touch shortly to set up a time to finalize everything.”
Make It A Group Effort
If you’ve got other team members that you work with to launch and grow your business, make sure that they’re aware of what’s going on. Even if it’s just you and a trusted business associate, it’s important to keep everything from the perspective of your team. It might be difficult to get one or two potential partners on board, but if you can get a group of people interested, the sky is the limit.
As a business owner, manager, or team lead, it’s your responsibility to keep your team informed about opportunities like this and make sure they’re all aware that this is a chance to put their skillset to work for you. In today’s world, it’s not always easy to find the time to focus on your own business while also handling the day-to-day responsibilities of a manager or a team lead, so make sure that your employees know that you’re available to help when needed.
Utilize Online Tools
With nearly everyone having access to a computer, the internet, and cell phones, you can’t beat the reach of the digital world when it comes to marketing and connecting with potential customers. If you’ve got an online presence, make sure that you’re using all of the tools available to you to grow your network. If you run a blog, consider using tools like;
- Hootsuite
- Buffer
- Wibiya
- and many more
These are just a few tips to get you started. Ultimately, you’ll have to find what works best for you and your business, but at least you know where to start.