Do you approach every conversation with an eye toward what you can gain? Are you focused on selling whenever you network or speak with a prospect? When you approach every conversation from a selling position you miss out on a lot of opportunities.
First of all, no one likes a salesperson. So, right from the start you are repelling the very people you want to attract. Second, you aren’t going to sell to everyone you meet. So, you are missing out on resources, referral sources, and professional associates.
On the flip side, when you approach every interaction as a helper, or giver, you are more engaging. People actually want to be around you! And, you discover who you are talking to. You can then define whether the person you are talking to is a good resource for your connections, a good potential referral source for your business, or a professional associate who you learn from, lean on, and support.
Working from a position of helping puts you in a different mindset. You are now curious about how you can positively impact the other person. That’s where business and referrals will come from. Believe it or not, it’s because you aren’t looking for it.
The next time you go to a networking event seek to uncover how you can help the person you talk to. Don’t think about how they can help you. Then track how the relationship develops. Compare that to past experiences where you were looking for referrals or business. I believe you’ll notice a significant difference.
Make the decision to be a giver. Helping others inevitably helps you. People will want to do business with you because they’ll know you care about them, and others. Remember, people do business with people they trust. And they trust people who care about their well-being. So, stop looking for what you can get from people. It just doesn’t work!
©2019 Seize This Day
