1. Networking for
Business
Success
Stephen N. Davis
“Partnering With Clients to Drive
Sustainable Profitable Growth”

2. John Wanamaker
“Half the money I spend
on advertising is wasted,
and the trouble is,
I don’t know which half.”
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

3. The Marketing Landscape has Changed…
“Buy
My
Product”
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

4. Ads are Everywhere
People see and hear between 1,000
87,600,000 throughout their lives
and 3,000 advertising messages/day
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

5. Nielson: 90% of People Who Can Skip
Ads - Do It
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

6. Nielson: Only 14% of People Trust Ads
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

7. Trust Drives Transactions
66%
Of the Economy is Influenced by
Personal Recommendations
SOURCE: McKinsey & Co.
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

8. Trust Drives Transactions
91%
Say consumer reviews are the
#1 Aid to Buying Decisions
SOURCE: JC Williams Group
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

9. Trust Drives Transactions
78%
Trust Recommendations
of other Consumers
SOURCE: Nielson Report - October 2007
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

10. Trust Drives Transactions
88% Will Buy from
Companies they TRUST
SOURCE: Edelman Trust Barometer, 2008
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

11. Trust Drives Transactions
85%
Will NOT buy from
Companies they DISTRUST
SOURCE: Edelman Trust Barometer, 2008
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

12. It’s Not About Collecting Business Cards
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

13. Your Ultimate Goal
Convert Your
Contacts
Into a Word-of-Mouth
Referral Network
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

14. Your Network = Your Net Worth
$948
The Value of a Contact in YOUR Network
SOURCE: IBM
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

15. Networking Steps
 Meet people
 Start conversations
 Answer questions
 Ask questions
 Offer to Help
 Build Trust
 Follow Up
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

16. Networking is NOT
about you ….
It’s ALWAYS about the
other person
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

17. Step 1: What is Your Brand?
Your Personal Brand is
? More important than
the Company Brand
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

18. What is Your Brand?
“We are CEOs of our own
companies: Me Inc. To be in
business today, our most
important job is to be head
marketer for the brand
called You.”
Tom Peters - 1997
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

19. What is Your Personal Brand?
 Communicates your
personal story
 What attributes set you
apart
?
 How do you want to be
positioned
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

20. What is Your Personal Brand?
 Communicates your
personal story
 What attributes set you
apart
 How do you want to be
? 


positioned
People and groups you
associate with
Company and/or Self
List keywords prospects
might use to search for
you
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

21. Step 2: Establish Your Goals
 Who are you trying to meet?
• Customers
• Strategic Partners
• Referral Sources
 New Business over what time Frame?
 How much time should I allocate to networking?
 How many meetings should I shoot for each week?
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

22. Step 3: Learn About Your Network
Prospects
 Who should I network with?
• What is their profile?
 How do they make decisions?
 Find out where they hang out
• Where do I go to network with them?
 Rank prioritize venues
• Where can I meet the most
• Strategic partners?
• Prospects?
• Referral sources?
• When is the best time to network?
• I prefer morning meetings
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

23. How to Network Effectively
 You are Not Selling
 Start a CONVERSATION
 Introduce yourself
 Ask the other person “What
they do for a living?”
 Get to know the other
person
 Use open ended questions
 ALWAYS CARRY
BUSINESS CARDS
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

24. The Right Questions
Separates the Pros
from the Amatuers ….
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

25. The Right Questions
Shows You’re
Concerned Helping
Them Achieve
SUCCESS
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

26. The Right Questions
Gets Them to Tell You
How to SELL Them
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

27. Questions I Close With
Who is a Good
Prospect for You?
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

28. Questions I Close With
Who Are Your BEST
Referral Sources?
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

29. Working a Room/Event
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

30. Ways to Connect at an Event
1. Be strategic about which events you attend
2. Get there early and talk to people at the registration
table
3. Study the name tags
1. Identify people to meet
4. Don’t hang out with people you already know
5. Circle and scan for your targets
6. Look for people standing alone
7. Use your time wisely
8. Don’t try to sell
9. Ask questions of the other person
10. Know when to break off an unproductive conversation
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

31. Follow-up After the Event
 Assess the event
• Was it worthwhile?
• Should you do it again?
 Sort & prioritize collected business card
• Those you want to contact within 48 hours
• Those you want to contact within a week
• Those you will never contact
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

32. Homework
Go Meet Someone
Make a Referral Today
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

33. Questions
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

34. Driving Profitable Growth
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

35. Driving Profitable Growth
We help companies optimize business
development and marketing; accelerate
sales; and seize the most attractive
growth opportunities.
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

36. The CXO Advisory Group
 CXO Advisory Group is a strategic operations advisory
and management firm comprised of proven C-level
executives with both breadth and depth of experience.
 CXO Advisory Group Team members have achieved
success in positions ranging from: President/CEO to
COO, and VPs of Sales, Marketing, Corporate
Development and Human Resources.
 Has proven success in business development and in
building US sales and distribution channels
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

37. How Can CXO Help You?
Business Strategy Services
• Audit business practices and organization
• Evaluate product and pricing strategies
• Evaluate effectiveness of sales channel
• Assess effectiveness of existing sales and marketing
programs
Market Entry Program
• Analyze competitive landscape
• Market launch strategy and plan
• Channel strategy and programs
• Establish sales channels
• Generate sales and manage relationships
• Identify and develop strategic partnerships
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

38. How Can CXO Help You?
Sales Channel Management
• Review and revise sales channel strategies
• Channel partner identification, prospecting and recruitment
• Eliminate channel conflict
• Channel contract development and negotiation
Business Development
• Strategic alliances
• Align sales and marketing
• Social networking integration into marketing mix
• Co-marketing ventures
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

39. How Can CXO Help You?
Interim Management Resources
• Interim CEO, COO, CMO, CSO
• Interim VP of Sales and Marketing
• Consultant on staff
• Launch team coaches
Venture Advisory Services
• Fine tune operations, business strategy and market entry
• Assist with due diligence
• Strategic business assessment of portfolio companies
2000 - 2011 © CXO Advisory Group

40. Contact Information:
Stephen Davis
Interim COO/VP Sales & Marketing |
Business Consultant | Sales Channel and
Business Development Expert | Author &
Speaker
“Partnering With Clients to Drive
Sustainable Profitable Growth”
Phone: (508) 528-7571
Email: sdavis@cxoadvisorygroup.com
Website: www.cxoadvisorygroup.com
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/stephendavis
Twitter: twitter.com/stephendaviscxo