The RV Entrepreneur podcast host Kimbery Crossland shares tips for treating connections as currency with your perfect pitch, offer, and ask.
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I’ll never forget the first time I walked into a Chamber of Commerce mixer for the first time. After going through the formalities at the registration desk, I beelined my way to the coffee, and then proceeded to pretend to stir in milk and sugar, despite taking my coffee black.
I didn’t know anyone in the room, and I was scared. Even though I was there to make connections, I didn’t know where to start. What did I say? How did I approach new conversations without looking like a slimeball salesperson who was desperately trying to grow my following, revenues, and momentum?
No matter how proud we are of what we’re building, sparking conversations and asking for new subscribers, new followers, and new business can feel uncomfortable at best. However, it’s these conversations and connections that are the fuel to our proverbial business campfire.
Networking events hold value, but only when maximized effectively. Hunching over a coffee table isn’t the way to do it. Here are a few tips to help you spark stronger new connections, no matter which room you walk into.
Start Quiet and Listen
You’ve likely been on the receiving end of a conversation where you receive a word salad about what the person offers, how to follow them, their goals for themselves, and their big ask. That’s because most people enter into a conversation about their work from the perspective of achieving their own goals. They have their business in mind that they want to share. They have their wants and needs in mind that they want to ask for. They’re thinking about themselves.
“The art of conversation lies in listening.”
— MALCOM FORBES
When you spark a new conversation, let that other person pull the pressure release valve and get their story out. In starting the conversation this way, you’ll find common threads that can more organically connect your offer to theirs. Sharing that thread off the bat is a great way to create a more lasting and lucrative connection.
Keep Your Elevator Speech Others-Minded
In networking, you’re told to have your elevator pitch down to a tee. The pitch you deliver should be short and to the point. Ideally, it’s one sentence. Are you struggling to formulate your elevator speech? If you find yourself telling your life story when you really just want to succinctly share what you do, try this formula:
I help ______ with ______ , so that they can ______.
The first blank tells the person on the other end of the conversation who you’re helping. Who are you for? In sharing this first, that person is instantly connecting what you’re about to say to someone specific in their mind.
The second blank talks about the challenge the person you help might be experiencing. This allows the person you’re networking with to know what to listen for in conversations when potentially referring you.
The final blank is your offer. It’s how you improve the lives of the people who buy from you, watch your content, or engage with your business in some way.
Here’s an example of what this formula looks like for a few different businesses.
- RV Technician: I help RVers with broken or poorly maintained rigs, so that they can camp with more confidence and less worry.
- Social Media Consultant: I help small businesses with social media, so that they can post more consistently and make sales from their feed.
- RV Content Creator: I help people new to full-time RVing know where to start their journey, so they can have a smoother transition into the nomad lifestyle.
Offer Before You Ask
Once the introductions are complete, it’s time to start digging into how you can help each other. There are many ways to help the other person out beyond breaking out your wallet. Consider alternate forms of currency, including connections.
Here are a few things you can do to support your new contacts and foster trust from the get go:
- Introduce them to someone who can help them pursue their goals (new clients, new followers, a podcast host to feature them)
- Follow and share something of theirs on social media
- Invite them onto your podcast, newsletter, or vlog
- Give them a free resource
- Recommend a new tool
Think about what you can offer to the other person in your conversation. In making that offer before you ask for something in return, you show them you’re a supporter and a connection they’ll want in their back pocket. Then, when you have a request, it’s easier for them to return the favor for you.
Simplify the Next Steps
When it comes time to exchange contact information, keep it as simple as possible. You want to the person to be able to do three things:
- Find you online using your website
- Follow you on social media
- Have a contact point where they can reach out to you
Give new connections your business name, your website, your social media handle on their favorite platform, and your email address. This allows the person on the other side of the conversation to have all the best points of contact for your offer and your next steps working together. These can be handed over in a Zoom room, via message, or a physical business card.
Make a Follow Up Plan
When you’re done, don’t walk away from the conversation only giving your contact information. Be sure to get that person’s contact information too. Then, schedule a time to follow up on the next steps. That way, you’re sure to keep those connections turning into currency rather than fizzling out. Jot down a note that reminds you of the best way to follow up with a give and stay connected. That follow up is the secret to fostering long-lasting relationships and strong connections online and offline.
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