Networking Monkey
The Mathematics of Sales Results
By: Nicolas DeGrazia
Networking at it's finest
So when does 1 + 1 = 200? Never, actually. Unless you're thinking in terms of networking.
My name is Nicolas DeGrazia and I co-own Bitter Jester Creative, a high-end video production company in Highland Park, IL. I grow my business almost entirely through word-of-mouth and networking and can speak first-hand to the easy, yet immensely powerful act of simply ‘putting yourself out there’ for others to meet. They don't even need to remember you (at least not initially), they just need to meet you. The remembering part comes with repeat networking, the best and only way to give you a competitive edge when meeting people through networking. Obviously making a positive impression helps a great deal, but without initial contact you might as well go on vacation and forget about business. And wouldn't it be nice to be able to do that whenever you wanted? Well here's a piece of news that'll blow your world: you can. And it all starts with networking … it's the golden ticket in the Wonka Bar of business.
The Highland Park, IL Chamber recently hosted a sales workshop called "Why You're Always Selling Even If You're Not in Sales" led by veteran sales coach and business expert Jim Rosas. Jim is the Vice-President of the Deerfield-based coaching company Sales Results, Inc. and a member of OddBodd. I wasn't there because I’m a an avid networker (though that certainly was part of the reason) – I was there because Jim called me and asked me to be there. And why did he do that? Because Jim and I have a networking history together and he knew I would appreciate the call.
In late 2005 I went to my very first Chamber-sponsored networking event at a local restaurant. Among the people in attendance was a gentleman who talked about how his business helped others to double – and in many cases triple – their year-to-year revenue. Needless to say I was intrigued, so after the meeting I introduced myself. His name was Jim Rosas and two months later I was a client of his. While the majority of what Sales Results, Inc. teaches is accountability and a solid sales system, a huge component of what I learned over the subsequent twelve months was the power of networking. I mentioned an equation earlier that ended in 200. As a direct results of going to the Chamber event and introducing myself to Jim, I can easily track at least two hundred individuals and businesses that I have met (many of whom have become clients of mine). As he does with all his clients, Jim opened (and continues to open) his network to me and I to him. Seven months after our initial meeting, Bitter Jester Creative had doubled its sales thanks in no small part to the many contacts I had made by networking with Jim and others.
I use this story as just one example of how and why networking really works. But it's not a magic bullet or a guaranteed fix. It takes work and persistence to effectively place yourself out there for others to meet (and inevitably judge) and you’ll need to practice. In Jim's seminar he taught the audience how to craft a finely-tuned statement to differentiate themselves at other, future networking events. Armed with that tool it was up to them to then go out and practice. "It's not 'netplaying' it's 'networking' - I'm here to work" Jim told the group. "Sure I can have a good time and ‘shoot the breeze’ with some of the people I meet – that's just my personality coming through. But when I go to a networking meeting … I'm there to grow your business and to grow my business."
I once asked Jim “What about the ‘fear of rejection’ or just plain stage fright?" He smiled and said “You know, if I had a nickel for every time I‘ve heard 'no' I'd be retired by now," and he laughed. "It's all about rolling with the punches, understanding that you're probably not going to meet every single person at any one networking event, and you’re absolutely not going to close every single sale you set out to close; but you do learn from your mistakes."
One pearl of simple, yet practical wisdom that Jim imparted to the group was when he asked us to think about the networking that we currently do. "Take a moment to think about how much time and energy you've invested in your networking endeavors." He then asked us to track how much of a return we had seen from that investment of time and energy. While many people could easily see a return, a surprisingly large number of people could not. Jim said bluntly "Why are you still in that particular group, then, if it's not working for you?" He was met with blank stares, a few lowered heads, and some enlightened chuckles. "It's really not a mystery and this isn't rocket science. If you take a step back and think about it," he said, "sales are not by chance, they're by choice. And what people choose is entirely up to them. If you're doing something that doesn't work ... chose to fix the problem and it will be fixed."
The Beatles once sang "In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make." Jim's philosophy is that in networking, the business you get is equal to the business you give. "I approach each networking opportunity thinking 'How can I help this person?'” In the world of networking 1 + 1 can equal 1, 2, 200, 2,000, or infinity. So whether you decide to hire a coach like Jim Rosas from Sales Results, or if you go off and try it by yourself, you can chose what path feels best. In the end, you get to choose the answer to your own personal networking equation.
