This PowerPoint presentation shows you how to get a regular constant stream of warm qualified referrals and what to do and say at Business Networks that will get you noticed and listened to. Please take a look and let me know what you think. I sincerely hope it helps you take your business to the next level.

2. Build Your Business Through
Networking and Referrals
Mike LeGassick
Independent Financial Adviser with
and co founding director of the Plymouth Business
Network
The Business Network that helps you Get Work!

4. 3 of my favourites, but not the best
communicators in the world!
“You can make more friends in two months by
becoming genuinely interested in other people
than you can in two years by trying to get other
people interested in you”
Dale Carnegie

5. “You can get everything in life you want if you
will just help enough other people get what they
want.”
Zig Ziglar, legendary author, salesman and motivational speaker

7. Referrals normally don’t just happen by chance!
You need to educate your clients and contacts
•Do you ask your existing clients?
•You’ve done a great job
•They trust you
•They like you
•They’re your best source of referrals
•If you’re not asking, why aren’t you?
•Fear of rejection?
•If you are not getting a steady stream of
regular referrals from existing clients it
probably boils down to 4 things
1. Bad service? (unlikely)
2. They don’t know about ALL of the
services you offer
3. You’re not asking
4. They don’t know you want more
quality clients
You have to be prepared to step out of your comfort zone
You could be leaving your biggest client on the table!

8. So why is
networking so
important?

9. Networking Benefits
 Opportunities
 Leads to new and
future business.

10. Networking Benefits
 Opportunities
 Leads to new and
future business.
 Exposure
 Gives forum to
promote and draw
attention to your
business, cause, or
personal brand.

11. Networking Benefits
 Opportunities
 Leads to new and
future business.
 Exposure
 Gives forum to
promote and draw
attention to your
business, cause, or
personal brand.
 Contacts
and
Relationships
 Helps form and
maintain a strong
contact base.

12.  Opportunities
 Leads to new and
future business.
 Exposure
 Gives forum to
promote and draw
attention to your
business, cause, or
personal brand.
 Contacts
and
Relationships
 Helps form and
maintain
a strong contact base.
 Common Ground
Networking
Benefits
 Like-minded people
can come together to
discuss common
interests and
opportunities.

13. Networking Benefits
 Opportunities
 Leads to new and future
business.
 Exposure
 Gives forum to promote
and draw attention to your
business, cause, or personal
brand.
 Contacts
and
Relationships
 Helps form and maintain
a strong contact base.
 Common Ground
 Like-minded people can
come together to discuss
common interests.
 Learning
 Allows you to learn
from experienced
professionals.

14. Target your
connections
• Set a goal to identify who you need
to know and who needs to know you
 Who are the decision makers and key
influencers? Where can I meet them? How do I
get into their circles? What is it you want
from the event?
• Prepare questions
 Have a few targeted, engaging questions
prepared ahead of time. (focused on their
interests, career path, challenges, the things
they like/dislike about their job, advice they
may have for new professionals).
• Stay informed with current events
 Seek out press releases about local
business successes, local and national news
stories and company newsletters.
• Pick a few items to use as emergency
re-starters in case the conversation starts to
dry up.

15. Target your
connections
•Set a goal to identify who you need to
know and who needs to know you
 Who are the decision makers and key
influencers? Where can I meet them? How do
I get into their circles? What is it you want
from the event?
•Prepare questions
 Have a few targeted, engaging
questions prepared ahead of time. (focused
on their interests, career path, the things they
like/dislike about their job, advice they may
have for new professionals).
•Stay informed with current events
 Read at least four articles from local
topics, national news, company newsletters,
weather information, sports, best sellers list,
and food blogs before event to have some
“back pocket” conversation topics handy. Pick
3-5 items to use as emergency re-starters in
case the conversation starts to drag.
• Become a social event crasher
 Find event’s calendar, listings for
public forums and board meetings, local
networking groups and grand openings in
your local paper.
 Join civic clubs, professional business
groups, committees, serve on nonprofit
boards, become an ambassador for a good
causevolunteer with organisat ions of
interest.
 Become an event organiser yourself.
 Ask to help with the check-in/
registration table.
 Attend your kid’s events and fund
raisers
 Plan to attend at least two or three
meet- ups a month.
LinkedIn is a fantastic resource to find out about people and companies

16. Networking Questions
• > What are the
Ask Powerful
challenges you've been
facing in your industry?
• > What interests do you
have outside of work?
•> Is there anything you need
or specifically looking for,
in case I happen to know
anyone?
• > How did you get
involved in...?
• > What made you decide to
go into the ___business?
• > To get you a qual i ty
refer ral what quest ions
should I be asking my
cl ients in relat ion to your
business?
• > What do you love/enjoy
most about what you do?
• > How can you assist them?
• > Is there anything you're
specifically looking for in that
area?
• > What ways have you found
to be the most effective for
promoting your
business/organisation/product?
• > What would make a
person/company an ideal
client/customer for you?
• > What separates your
business/company/organisation
from the competition?
• > What signi f icant changes
have you seen take place in
your profession/area of
expertise over the years?

17. You need to understand and
accept thatRelationships take time to
develop
You have to give before you
get

18. Try to seek out
networking
communities
 Civic associations
 Non-profit organisations
 Health clubs
 Support groups
 Community organisations
 Advocacy groups
 Professional associations
 Social/Business networking
groups
 Family and friends
 Book clubs
 Workshops
 Historical and art societies
BE
 Garden Clubs
 Enrichment classes
VISIBL
 Country Clubs
E Cultural societies
!
 Find something that fits, you enjoy
and that you can contribute to
Opportunities come to those
who are visible

19. •
There is an opportunity to learn
something new from every person you
meet…if you genuinely show interest
in them
They are likely willing to share
advice and insight from their
experiences. Generally, people like to
talk about themselves so encourage
them to do so and talk in their
interests

20. •
A great resource on building relationships.... Dale
Carnegie’s
How to Win Friends and Influence People

21. Networking is not about
selling yourself
• Networking isn’t, “”Hi, what can you
do for me?” but rather: “Hi, let’s get
to know each other. What can I do
for you?”
• It’s about giving, paying it forward
and building long term relationships.
• Get into the mindset of giving to
others without the constant
expectation of payback
• People inherently have a moral debt
of gratitude and will feel the need to
reciprocate
• So try to stay on track, be patient
and the rewards will come
• Arrange to meet for a coffee to really find
out about someone’s business

22. This one simple idea will help to grow your
business exponentially over time
Putting business other people’s way is rewarding, considerate and greatly appreciated
by the recipient. How do you feel when someone’s gone out of their way to help you?
Chances are that you will feel a strong obligation to reciprocate in some way or other.

23. Refer to newspaper
articles and Social
Media to highlight
accomplishments of
potential connections

24. Send them a copy of the article with a note attached congratulating them on
“What a great job they’ve done and you thought
you would share their success with your contacts”
Be different
•.

25. Give first
Get a business
card wallet and
promote your
Remain in customers
constant
contact
Join a group Be noticeable
like The
Plymouth
Business
Be
Network
different

26. Thanks for listening
Plymouth Business Network
The Business Network that helps you Get Work!
www.plymouthbusinessnetwork.co.uk
and
www.plymouthfacilitiesmanagement.co.uk
Mike LeGassick