(This article was first published in the MPower Women’s Network blog. While it focuses on service businesses, any business person can use these tips to make new connections when attending parties or physical networking events)
Service businesses are especially challenged when it comes to marketing. This is because services are not tangible. A customer can only evaluate the service after they have purchased it or used it in a demo.
Each day, business owners are bombarded with tips on how to get more customers. There are also many people claiming that their systems or programs will help you get more customers.
You give them your money, they give you their program. However, you have no idea whether it will work for you or not.
If you’re always searching for information, then you’ll end up with analysis paralysis. If this is you, you need to stop.
And if you’ve paid thousands of shillings for information or programs that haven’t worked, then it’s time to do something different.
Whether you’re starting a new business or you already have some customers, there’s one thing you can do to get more customers during the festive season.
You can attend parties and social events.
You may have heard that the Christmas season is a slow one for a lot of service businesses, especially those that aren’t holiday-oriented.
While that could be true for some businesses, it doesn’t mean that you slow down or close shop over the festive season. You can use this time to plant seeds that you’ll reap the next year. But don’t be surprised if you do get paying customers too.
For example, when I started out as a coach, my mentor told me that November and December are dead months for coaches.
She advised me to make my money in the first 10 months of the year and then relax for the last 2 months. It would have been easy to believe her because she was a successful coach.
In contrast, I get more customers between November and February each year since I started coaching.
One thing about the festive season is that people are willing to spend, and many are ready to close the year with a bang or prepare in advance for the next year.
You too can take advantage of that and make this season an outstanding one for you and your business.
However, keep in mind that networking during parties and festive events is different from formal networking.
So don’t forget to have fun and enjoy the festivities even as you work on building your customer base.
Related Article: How to Ask for Testimonials From Your Clients
How to Get More Customers During the Festive Season
Events are the best place to meet new people and there are lots of parties and social events in November and December. Start by accepting all the invitations you get.
Aim to attend all the social, professional or business events you’re invited to or have access to. Your bank account will thank you for this next year.
Here’s what you do when you attend events (including weddings, end-of-year parties, birthdays, etc).
1. Engage with people
During events, don’t hang out solely with people you know. Introduce yourself to 3 new people, one at a time. Engage each person by saying something nice and positive about the event.
Ask them what they do and how life is – generally for them. Find out the challenges they’re facing. Listen carefully because they’ll tell you in the first 10 minutes of the conversation, even if you don’t ask.
If it’s something in line with your business, dig a little deeper without being too nosy. If it’s not something in your line and you know someone who can help them, give them the contact of that person. Be light in your approach…it is the festive season after all.
Excuse yourself and move on if you find that there’s nothing in common between the two of you. Do the same if you simply don’t like the person.
2. Talk about your solution, not about what you do
At some point in your conversation, the person will ask you what you do. Tell them,
“You know how you said (insert their challenge)?”
“Well, what I do is (insert your 10-second introduction where you say what you do in terms of the solution you offer).”
For example, when asked what I do by someone who has complained about working hard and business being difficult this year, I’d say:
“You know how you said that business has been difficult this year and that you’ve been working so hard?”
I wait for them to nod or say yes and then continue:
“Well, what I do is that I help business owners find ways of making more money as they reduce the time they spend working. This is something you can do even during challenging economic times.”
If they asked you what you do before you could ask them, tell them in a few words. Then guide the conversation back to them or to the festivities.
Most people will tell you a challenge they’re having that you can address or they’ll comment about someone they know who has that challenge.
Let the conversation flow. Invite them for a longer discussion or meeting so that you can go deeper into their challenge.
3. Don’t solve problems at events
Don’t get tempted to solve their problem or make a sale at the event.
Be a professional and book the meeting or get their contacts. You can ask for their business card and give them yours at this point if you haven’t already done so.
It’s a good practice to write where you met them and what you discussed at the back of their card. This will jog your memory when it’s time for follow-up.
Related Article: 5 Common Networking Mistakes Many Entrepreneurs Make
4. Schedule a follow-up call or meeting
If you both have your calendars, schedule the meeting immediately. If not, tell them that you’ll follow them up the next day if it’s a weekday or the next week on Monday.
When attending a weekend event, send them a text message later in the day (not at night) to thank them for spending time with you at the event. Also, remind them that you’ll contact them on Monday to set up your meeting.
If they had mentioned someone else who has a challenge, request them to give your contacts to that person.
5. Prepare to move on and network some more
Once you’re through, don’t rush off to meet the next person at the event. To start with, move the conversation back to the festive season. And at all costs, avoid getting into sensitive discussions such as politics, gender or religion.
After some time, there will be a natural lull in your conversation or other people will join you. Excuse yourself at this point and move on.
Before you move on, remember to conclude with the person you’ve been talking to. Thank them for spending time with you and remind them that you’ll be in touch tomorrow or Monday. Also, wish them a happy festive season in case you don’t get to talk again that day.
What if you know everyone at the party or event?
If you find that you know everyone at the event, spend time listening to a few people (one at a time). Ask them about their work, family, health, business – whatever is in line with what you do or your business.
When they answer, ask them for the challenges they’re facing and then take it from there and follow the steps above. You can also ask them what they like best about that topic and pick it from there.
You’ll be surprised to get more customers or find potential customers among people you didn’t think needed you.
6. Do this homework after the meeting
Make sure you keep your word and contact everyone you promised to get in touch with.
When you get home, take out the cards you got that day and enter the contacts of these people in your contact management system.
You’ve now added new hot prospects or potential sources of referrals into your marketing funnel or follow-up pool.
As a rule, I don’t keep business cards once they’re in my online contact system. This reduces clutter on my desk and cabinets.
7. Reconnect with people at the follow-up meeting
Keep your promise and attend your appointment on the scheduled day.
If this person is a good match for what you offer, pitch a sale at the end of the meeting. If they take it up, great…you got a new customer!
If they don’t take up your offer, tell them about your regular follow-up (e.g. e-newsletter). Then ask for permission to add them to your mailing list.
Remember to ask them if it’s OK for you to call them once or twice a year to find out how they’re doing.
If they accept, put them in your follow-up pool or add them to your mailing list immediately.
TIP
I’ve found it better to insert new contacts into the phone when I’m still with that person instead of handing out business cards only.
I turn this into a light-hearted moment by telling someone:
“You know how easy it is to get home and have all these business cards but you can’t remember details about the people you met? I’ve found it easier to insert the contacts into my phone along with a brief description of our meeting. I also add this to the back of someone’s card so that I jog my memory when I look at the card. So let me enter your contacts…”
We exchange phone numbers immediately and plug them into our phones. This way, the business cards are additions to the contacts you both have in your phones. The person will also be more likely to keep your card or remember you when you call.
Finally, you have a higher chance of getting their personal number this way as opposed to being given their general business number.
Get further tips on how to get more customers during the festive season in Part 2 of this series.
(Image Credit: Unsplash)
