We talk about this topic so much it’s like a broken record at times, but “Networking” is very valuable to your business.
This weeks networking meeting was held at a restaurant during lunch. There were about 12 of us in attendance.
We each get our 30 second commercial to say who we are and what we do. Then we eat lunch and talk to each other about business. Normally we discuss what works for us and what doesn’t. We make suggestions to each other, anything to help make our businesses more successful.
When lunch was over, which only lasts about l hour to 1.5 hours tops, the waitress we had asked me for a business card and said she heard me talk about our carpet cleaning service. She wanted her carpets cleaned but didn’t know who to call.
She asked me because we go to that place for lunch once a month and she has seen me before. Even though she knows us as the networking group she never really paid attention to what we have to say because she is always waiting on other customers as well as us.
The other day she had a few minutes to listen to what we had to say, and I was lucky enough to be the one who offered the service she needed. Right then and there I set up a time and day to go to her home to give her an estimate. She agreed to the price and we will do the job this week.
If I didn’t belong to this networking group I would not have been in that restaurant and never knew the waitress needed her carpets cleaned. Remember she also has family, friends and co-workers who she could refer to us as well once all is said and done.
So this job may be just the beginning of several more customers that may come our way. So you see, always be ready to talk about your business and always have your business card ready, you never know who is listening!
We also have another carpet and upholstery cleaning job this week because of a networking contact. Actually this “contact” is now a good friend of mine and is moving into a new home. She wants the carpets and her upholstery freshened up.
This week we are also bidding a construction clean up that is a referral from a realtor who we work for regularly, and have a good relationship with. So go out and meet those Realtors, as they can be a gold mine for you.
As you can see, networking has been quite good for us this week. So make sure you get out there and meet people, as that is simply one of the best methods available anywhere for getting business.
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