People Need to See You 7 Times before they Buy

Do you know that it takes the average person seeing you 7 times to sign up as your client? I run a trade show for health & wellness practitioners, and find that sometimes people think one form of networking is enough to fill their books with clients.  Not so.

So I figured some basic networking review can't hurt.  The standard phrase is people need to "know, like & trust" you before they will buy from you.  Trade shows work great only when they are 1 of the 7 ways you network your biz!   

Here are my free/low-cost tips on WHERE to network(compared to "high-cost", such as print advertising, which tends to run $1000 and up):

This is the strategy I used that helped me have a $1800 day at my coaching booth at the last Conscious Living Fair! ***FYI the folks who signed up had seen me multiple times in the community, and my Fair booth was just the clincher.
1. Make a GREAT BOOTH at a trade show, with lots of color & products/services and clear signage so folks know exactly what you are offering!
2.  SHARE A BLOG or WRITE AN ARTICLE for an online or local publication that features your wisdom & expertise!
3. Share FREE PRODUCTS & SERVICES with your email list/social media as a way to generate goodwill.
4. Give FREE/LOW-COST TALKS locally such as at the public library, or online via facebook live or Zoom, this builds your credibility.
5. Join a LOCAL NETWORKING GROUP such as the Chamber of Commerce, Women Entrepreneurs, or Business Networking International.
6. POST FLYERS on community bulletin boards about your offerings. Be sure and include a call to action, such as a date-specific special or discount, or a class with a particular start date.
7.  NETWORK AT SOCIAL GROUPS such as parties, gatherings, or even your local church or synagogue.
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IF YOU DO 7 THINGS TO NETWORK, I PROMISE YOU, THE CLIENTS WILL COME!

Some final thoughts on HOW to do networking....

*Have fun networking your way.  Only do networking that is enjoyable for you!  Some introverts may find smaller groups or 1-on-1 more appealing, for example, than large group events.  Some of you may love online networking, some of you may prefer in-person connections.

*Don't overspend on networking.  Make sure you follow the 70/30 rule for your business, and keep operating costs(including networking!) to 30% of your gross income, or pay for networking out of savings.  This is important so you have margin to run your business AND have a decent lifestyle/be able to build wealth.  As you build your cash flow & net worth, you will be able to afford higher cost opportunities.

*Give it time.  Gardens do not grow overnight.  Your business is a garden.  But if you plant seeds of connection, and water them consistently, over time they will become a harvest.  It took me a year of being involved in 1 particular networking group for folks to "know, like & trust" me, and then business started pouring in.

Happy networking!