EP #11 – How Networking Will Transform Your Trades Business

Overview

Every tradesperson knows that recommendations and referrals are the best way to get business. Good work helps create life-long customers – the backbone of so many successful companies. 

Most trades businesses rely on word-of-mouth between their existing customers, not realising that networking can be one of the best ways to find new customers and grow the business. Tune into this episode with Michele from I’m Your P.A. to learn more.

Listen to the episode:

Highlights

Background

• Michele walks through her background for those who haven’t seen her first episode. (1:00)
• Michele made £22,000 pounds worth of business through networking in BNI in her first year of business (in 2008). In the last 12 months, her business made over £250,000 through networking. (3:52)

Networking basics

• Networking requires some work and effort – it’s not just chatting. (5:48)
• You have to follow up on contacts you make, and prepare for it. Find overlaps, similar customers, learn about their interests & goals. (6:50)
• Interests are a great way to bond and develop fruitful networking relationships. (7:42)
• VCP – visibility and credibility leads to profitability. (8:57)
• Don’t sell at people. Networking isn’t a sales pitch, it’s being tactical and finding partnerships & useful contacts in the industry which could benefit your business. For trades businesses, this could be talking to letting agents. (12:47)

Finding networking groups

• You don’t need a formal networking group – even the pub can be a great place to network. (11:02)
• Michele can help trades businesses find networking groups. (36:44)

Confidence

• Networking will help you build confidence and other life skills that will benefit your business. (17:02)

The perfect pitch

• Michele tells some stories of good introductions she’s seen for trades businesses. (19:37)
• Use props when you’re networking. Michele walks through the 4 types of props: Branding props, vocal props, movement props, and of course physical props. (22:29)
• One of Michele’s most successful introductions that still gives her referrals more than 6 years later. (25:38)
• Another example of an intro Michele used. People buy for pleasure or gain – so have intro’s that target specific pain points for specific groups of people you want to target. (26:50)
• An example intro for heating & plumbing businesses. (29:42)
• You’re not there to sell your product, but a benefit & solving a pain point. (32:11)
• You can use testimonials and other powerful / evoking stories to engage your audience. (36:11)

Results of networking

• Gas engineers and other trades people do so well through networking beacuse everyone starts to refer them. (29:25)
• Bring energy to networking and you’ll make yourself memorable. People will remember you and be ready to refer your business to other contacts. (31:07)

Get in touch with us or the team at I’m Your P.A. to organise a free networking training session with Michele via Zoom.