Warm Them Up Before You Ever Meet Them

On Monday I said the failure at Fall events happens before you walk in the door, and today I want to show you the work that actually prevents it (I mean, I can't leave you hanging with just identifying the problem). 

There are two parts and neither is complicated; however, both take a little time, which is exactly why most networkers skip them.

The first part is knowing who you're actually looking for.

Before you can recognize a good connection, you have to know what a good connection looks like for your business. What do you value in the people you work with and refer to? A financial advisor who actually returns calls. A contractor who shows up when he says he will. A lender who treats your clients like people. When you're clear on that, you walk into a room with a filter instead of a hope.

This is what makes active listening pay off, if you're genuinely listening and you already know who aligns with how you work, you'll catch it in real time when the person in front of you is a fit. You're not selling. You're qualifying. You cannot do that if you walk in cold with no idea what you're looking for.

The second part is warming people up before you ever meet them.

Find out who's going to be at these events (the organizers post it). Once you know a few names you'd genuinely like to meet, start showing up in their world now, weeks ahead.

This is the easy stuff, and it works: reshare their post with a real comment on why it's worth reading, leave a thoughtful reply on something they wrote, or if you've used their business, leave them an honest review. None of this is heavy lifting, just fifteen minutes here and there.

But here's what it does, by the time you meet them at the event, you're not a stranger walking up with a card. Instead, you're the person who's been engaging with their work for a month, and you've already displayed that you are a giver before you've asked for anything. The in-person meeting isn't a first contact anymore; it's a face to a name they already recognize.

That's the whole game. Know who you're looking for so you can spot the fit, and warm them up so the first handshake isn't actually the first contact.

If that sounds like a lot to figure out on your own, this is exactly what The Referral Blueprint walks you through step by step, and you can download the whole thing for free at ReferralBlueprint.com.

Pick one event you're planning to attend this Fall. Who are two people you already know will be there that you could start engaging with online this week?