Monthly Archives: October 2016

Be Consistent

Kevin Willett agrees with the old quote “Consistency is the Key to Success”.

My friends, networking is not something you only do when you need new clients. You must be consistent about attending events. I have a few friends who network like crazy when their sales pipeline is dry, then stop networking so they can meet up with all the people they met at the events. And then they start the cycle all over again by networking like crazy to meet more people. I think it makes much more sense to attend one or two events a week to keep people in your sales pipeline, rather than trying to attend five events in one week and then not show up anywhere for another month. You never want to disappear and make people wonder where you are.

Watch my YouTube Channel for more on this Business Networking Tip

Kevin Willett is the Author of One Connection How you can grow your business  (and change the world) one connection at a time. The business networking book is available on Amazon. Purchase One Connection on Amazon

Kevin is also the CEO of the Friends of Kevin Networking Group  and the New England B2B Networking Group. Please connect with him on social media to hear about his upcoming business networking events.

Be Approachable and Smile

Kevin Willett says that inviting newcomers into your conversations can lead to great things.

Have you ever walked into a networking event and nobody in the room would make eye contact with you? That has to be one of the most awkward feelings in the world. People want to feel welcomed when they arrive. So smile at them and say hello and welcome them into your conversation. I’ve made some great contacts just by being approachable and being the first person to talk to somebody new at a networking event. I have a friend who always talks about how I stopped in the middle of a story at an event and waved him over to listen and meet my friends because I knew he was new. We became friends that night because I showed him some love.

Watch my YouTube Channel for more on this Business Networking Tip

Kevin Willett is the Author of One Connection How you can grow your business  (and change the world) one connection at a time. The business networking book is available on Amazon. Purchase One Connection on Amazon

Kevin is also the CEO of the Friends of Kevin Networking Group  and the New England B2B Networking Group. Please connect with him on social media to hear about his upcoming business networking events.

Be An Advocate

Kevin Willett tells how being an advocate is a powerful referral tool.

People love to use me as their reference. I always go out of my way to be their advocate and tell a story about why people should do business with them. Be an advocate for your clients. It will go a long way towards building your relationships with them. When I meet people, I tell them I run this awesome networking group, but it’s much more powerful when my friends tell them the group is good and they should get involved. We all need advocates, so be one for your clients.

Watch my YouTube Channel for more on this Business Networking Tip

Kevin Willett is the Author of One Connection How you can grow your business  (and change the world) one connection at a time. The business networking book is available on Amazon. Purchase One Connection on Amazon

Kevin is also the CEO of the Friends of Kevin Networking Group  and the New England B2B Networking Group. Please connect with him on social media to hear about his upcoming business networking events.

Be First

Kevin Willett says don’t wait for other to give you what you want, make it happen.

When I was a little boy, I used to go to boxing matches. I’d always hear the expression “Be first,” which means punch first. I just realized that this applies to networking also. People often tell me they’re in a referral-based networking group, but they don’t receive referrals from certain members of the group. My first question is, “Have you ever passed them a referral?” Typically, the answer is, “No, I haven’t met anyone who needs their services.” I always encourage them to do three things:

  • First, search hard for a referral for them or introduce them to someone who may be a great referral partner (referral partners are people who can consistently pass references to each other, like a realtor and a mortgage broker).
  • Second, do coffee meetings with those people to educate them about your business and help them find referrals for you. One common answer I get is, “But Kevin, I’m a realtor. Everyone knows what I do.” Not true, my friends. Most of my realtor friends have niches they specialize in. There’s something unique about every business owner, so take the time to meet with those members and educate them about what’s unique about you.
  • Third, don’t be shy about asking for referrals. If you have clients who are happy with your work, ask them to introduce you to their friends who may need your services. I can often be shy about asking for referrals. But think about it. If I meet you, of course I’m going to tell you my networking group is great. What am I supposed to tell you, that it stinks? It’s so much more powerful when members of my group tell you that it’s great. Eighty-five percent of my clients come from referrals from existing clients. Now do you understand why you should ask your clients for referrals?

Watch my YouTube Channel for more on this Business Networking Tip

Kevin Willett is the Author of One Connection How you can grow your business  (and change the world) one connection at a time. The business networking book is available on Amazon. Purchase One Connection on Amazon

Kevin is also the CEO of the Friends of Kevin Networking Group  and the New England B2B Networking Group. Please connect with him on social media to hear about his upcoming business networking events.