The Work Is Worth It

5/20/2019 (Permalink)

Networking

Have you ever seen a quote and think how true it is? I was at the gym the other day. Yes, you heard me right I was indeed at the gym. Anyway, they have quotes that run across the TVs there. I love them and the nerdy networking geek in me totally always relates everything back to networking. Ok so I love networking and I do not look at it as work but I do know a lot of people who have to do it look at it as work. This particular quote said “The Work Is Worth It” So true at the gym. Also, so true in networking. If you want the results, the customers, the new clients in my case the relationships, you have to not only go to the events, the lunches, happy hours, coffees you have to work the room, talk to the other networkers and follow up. You have to do the work. You have to do all of the work. How many times a day do you tell your kiddos “Don't do things 1/2 way”? If your house is like mine you say it a lot. Well practice what you preach. Go to the morning coffee. Listen to what the other networkers are saying that they need. Tell them what you need. I mean really tell them. Don't go there and say I work at SERVPRO of Western O’Fallon/ Wentzville and I need anyone who has fire, water or mold damage. I need to go there and say “I work for SERVPRO of Western O’Fallon/ Wentzville. Yes, we will fix your fire , water or mold damage, and I promise you if you send us a friend who has any kind of damage they will thank you and tell you what a pleasant experience it was working with us. But hopefully you or your friends will not need us. What I need from you however is to let all your insurance friends know about us. Also, anyone you know who is an adjuster.  We work closely with both the agent and the adjuster.  Our goal when we get to any job is to save as much as we can.  We take great pride in our work and we will, in the long run, save the home owner, and insurance company a lot of money. So, I would love an introduction to Insurance agents and adjusters”. Make sure you get everyones card from the event. Or at least as many as you can. Make notes as to what people need and somehow mark the cards so you know where they came from. A good friend of mine, a member of my personal board of directors, owner of Pintos Palace, inspire 70 and Wharf Pharmacy, Shanna Palans showed me a cool little .49 plastic sleeve thing that she got from office max that you can put the cards in and label it. Now carry on and go to the lunch, do that 1 to 1, hit the happy hour. Now at the end of the day you get back to your office or you go into the office the next morning do your follow up. Sit down at your computer and send out those emails. Everyone has their own ways of doing this. I will tell you how I go about doing this. How you do it is not as important as doing it. You do it your way. You have to make sure you do it. I type up a basic email. Something like this-

I am not sure if you remember me telling you or not but at SERVPRO of Western O’Fallon/ Wentzville it is my job to get in front of insurance agents, Property Managers, Adjusters ect… to let them know what it is that we do.  If you have any connections for me, I would love an email introduction.  You could just copy and paste this for me to make it easier on you. –

I wanted to Introduce you to Jamie Gittemeier.  She works for SERVPRO of Western O’Fallon/ Wentzville.  They are a restoration and remediation company.  There main goal on a job is to save as much as they can from the damages.  That in turn saves the home owner and the insurance agent a lot of money.  I copied her in on this email so you can get a hold of her and set something up for the two of you to meet.

after I have the basic email typed up, I will continue to copy and paste that part of it but then based on who I am sending it to I will start off with what it is that they need.

Like- Hey Emily it was so great getting to know you better. I belong to a group called Little Black Book. This morning you mentioned that you really need to get out there and meet as many people as possible that you were just getting out there and would love to be introduced to groups that could help you network and educate you. This group would be an amazing fit for you. Check them out at www.womenoflbb.com.

The 1st part of my email would be me helping them out in some way. Maybe I don't have anyone to introduce them to at the time. In that case I would just let them know that I heard them. Hey Emily it was great getting to know you better. I know you said you need to meet someone in the hotel industry. I don't really have anyone that I can introduce you to at this moment but I will for sure keep my ears open. (I really do. I am just saying that as an example to you) But you get the idea.

The follow up is just as important as going to the event. Make sure you set aside time to do the follow up. The Work Is Worth It!