Relationships make everything work better
There's no business that doesn't work better with the right relationships in place.
Just because we're online, we suddenly think we can do everything by ourselves, behind a computer, and we don't need other people to help us.
And that is just not true. If you don't have relationships in your business, everything is going to be harder.
Building and maintaining relationships is a foundational skill. In fact, networking makes business possible on day one because you can ask a couple of people to help you get started and grow from there.
Networking and Summits
When you think about summits and networking, the right relationships get you speakers that you would have otherwise just dreamed of.
But networking without understanding the science behind it often feels gross and uncomfortable. You might be going at it with a transactional approach; a need to fulfill a summit seat or an all-access pass purchase. And that's not the way to do it.
With a different approach to connecting with potential speakers, you can build your network and make it a win-win for everyone involved for years to come.
Note: Be sure to avoid these 4 mistakes when pitching virtual summit speakers.
Network For the Future
When you network and build connections, it goes beyond clients, referrals, and summit speakers.
This type of networking is what I call “audience borrowing”, and others might call it partnerships or collaborations.
Think about who can get you in front of your ideal audience and how can that become a win-win relationship that grows and multiplies on itself over the years.
Get intentional about the avatar of what this person looks like and build a relationship with them.
The 4-step process
Summits are a great thing to apply the basic four steps of networking and connection to.
The 4 steps are:
- Know your goal. Your goal should be to have summit speakers who will serve your audience and fit your ideal connection avatar.
- Know your ideal connection avatar. Just like when you think of your ideal client avatar, think of who you can borrow an audience from and how you can serve them, too. Can you trade audiences in some way? Also, consider if their ethics and morals around selling are the same as yours. If not, it won’t work in the long term.
- Build your target list. This is where you combine your goals and avatar, and then build the list of people you want to connect with.
- Plan your connection. Do you need an introduction to this person? Are they already in your network, but you haven’t talked in a while? When you connect, be specific in a meaningful way.
This should take you 5 minutes a day. It may take longer, in the beginning, to figure out what it looks like for you, but then it’s 5 minutes a day, with a theme each day.
- Monday: Thank you *My website has a free template!
- Tuesday: Connection
- Wednesday: Build
- Thursday: Ask
- Friday: Catch up
Check out my Networking that Pays program for more step-by-step information.
Maintain the Relationship
Maintenance of a relationship built on a solid foundation is much easier than a relationship built from a transactional point of view. It takes a few minutes a day and comes naturally.
Your Personality and Networking
This process works great for both introverts and extroverts.
I love this process for introverts because it makes networking feel “right” and less pressure to put themselves out there.
On the flip side, extroverts tend to waste time connecting with the wrong people, so this helps them focus and channel their energy where it matters.
It works for both groups in almost completely opposite ways, but it makes an exponential difference for both types of personalities.
Michelle’s Big Takeaway
I'm going to cheat and give you two things I want you to remember most from this.
- Your business needs relationships. They’re the foundation when you start and they’re everything you need to multiply and grow it.
- It’s easy! It’s easy when you have a system.
About Michelle
Michelle Warner designs tiny companies that are built to last. With an MBA from one of the world’s top business schools and 15+ years growing small businesses, Michelle knows how to make a business work.
She’s also the creator of Networking That Pays, the introvert-friendly, always awkward-free connection system that brings in reliable leads, consistent referrals, and meaningful connections for your business - in 5 minutes a day.
Networking that Pays | Michelle's Website
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