This is part four in our series of articles dealing with how to make sales without cold calling, and we've truly saved the best for last. If you really want to give your sales efforts a big boost, networking is the way to go. After all, what else could you do that has the potential to lead to multiple deals from a single sales presentation? At the same time, there are many ways to network that will not lead to great results. With that in mind, you need to make sure that your networking efforts are well-directed; otherwise, your time would be better spent in other pursuits.

The first thing you'll want to give consideration to is the kind of group or groups you should be networking with. The rule of thumb here is to go where your customers are. If you sell advertising, for example, that means looking for organizations whose members would have a high likelihood of using the products you sell, for example restaurant associations and Chambers of Commerce. The higher the percentage of members who use your product, the less time you'll have to spend sifting through those who don't at networking events.

The second thing you'll want to be thinking about is what kind of value you can provide to the organization. In other words, what do you bring to the table? If you only show up looking for what you can get, your chances of success are going to decrease significantly. On the other hand, looking for ways to provide value to the organization and its members will almost guarantee your success.

Let's return to the example of the advertising salesperson that has joined the Chamber of Commerce as a networking opportunity. With the rapidly changing nature of the current economic situation, especially the downturn in the service and entertainment sectors, what kind of value could you provide to the Chamber's members? While it may be impossible to offer lower prices, could you highlight techniques that would help the members to extend their advertising budgets? Recognizing that many small businesses are hurting the most, what recommendations could you make that would help them to maximize the impact of their advertising campaigns? How about introducing them to ideas that could help improve their retention rates? Bring this kind of information to the meetings, and the members will beat a path to your door!

Providing value also means participating in meetings and events to the extent your circumstances allow. This might mean manning the organization's booth at the local county fair or serving meals at chapter meetings. I have a close friend in the petroleum industry who belongs to an old west style posse; he rides in all the local parades and takes sick kids out on camping trips, often sacrificing his evenings and weekends to do so. He does it primarily because he loves giving back to his community in this way, and this has led to his being approached on several occasions by other members when they needed a new petroleum supplier. The point is this: focus first on what you give and the benefits will come.

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