If I had a dime for every time I’ve heard, “Your network is your net worth,” well, I’d have an ungodly amount of dimes by now.
For sales reps, this saying should be a guiding principle. It should be a motto to live by, a tattoo on their body, and printed in all training handbooks. As a seller, having a larger and stronger network helps you close bigger and better deals more quickly.
When we get opportunities from a trusted source, like a referral or introduction, we can close more deals. These deals are also more valuable.
As sellers, you might look at the numbers above and think, "We understand. Referrals and introductions are the best way to start and close deals. They are our ticket to the Presidents Club. Tell us how to do it!"
Don’t worry, I gotchu. I’ll quickly show you sales networking strategies that will make you understand what "your network is your net worth" means. First, let’s discuss what a network is.
You can also skip to the advanced version. Read the full GTN for Sales guide here.
The Definition of a Network (Sales Edition)
As a salesperson, your network is exactly what you think it is, this is no trick question.
In a business sense, your network is a group of interconnected people who you exchange information or develop professional relationships with. This can be anyone from coworkers to customers to partners to friends you made at that anti-conference you attended that one time in Montana (shoutout ALX squad!).
Building your sales network takes time and effort. If you use a few methods regularly, the results will be important. You will be pleasantly surprised when you wake up and see how many people want to help you.
So, whether you're a junior rep or a seasoned revenue executive, here are your networking tips for salespeople:
Give, give, give!
To build up a professional network, we must first consider our sales mindset.
Sales aggression? Throw it out the window. Entitlement? Throw it out the window. Commission breath? DEFINITELY throw that one out the window.
Building relationships in sales takes time, energy, and most importantly, maintaining a mindset that puts “giving” to others first.
- Send helpful, relevant (relevancy is key) resources to people in your network
- Invite peers to events that might elevate their career
- Answer questions asked in communities or social platforms
- Proactively recommend peers for job opportunities
- Offer to help peers brainstorm or work through problems, both personal and professional
- Connect people within your own network to each other
Take it from Eric, Commsor’s Head of Sales, that giving to your network is the key to receiving:
"Here's the greatest GTN sales play I've ever made.
One account had to push the timeline because they needed to hire a new rep. I went into my network and found an old colleage and introduced them. He gets hired within a week and the Head of Sales Dev said thanks for making his job so easy.
Our conversation moved up two months and the deal is that much closer to the finish line."
Eric Iannello, Head of Sales @ Commsor
Dedicate time each week to engaging on Linkedin.
LinkedIn networking for sales, doesn't look like selling first. LinkedIn is called a “networking platform” and not a “selling platform” for a reason. So use it for its purpose!
You can try:
- Commenting or liking when your ICP posts
- Send helpful resources, materials, and info (both prompted and unprompted)
- Hop on 15 minute coffee chats to truly get to know your connections
- When appropriate, make small talk and truly get to know your network (aka, use those DMs!)
- Message that one guy who you know loves basketball your March Madness predictions
Once you begin casual conversations with people, it helps to build a connection. Instead of pitching right away, focus on getting to know them. When you have a good relationship, it’s easier to ask for things, like an introduction to their boss.
Our Founder, Mac, always asks new connections if they want a dinosaur fact. This is his first way to connect.
Mac Reddin giving dinosaur facts
The craziest part?
He gets about a 70% response rate and most keep the conversation going afterwards.
Many of those talks have created sales opportunities and lasting friendships. This all started with a fun dinosaur fact. Did you know the Stegosaurus’s brain was the size of a walnut?
Start social selling and building an online presence.
Creating content on social media isn’t just for influencers and big names. It’s one of the most powerful tools a seller can use to build authentic connections and awareness with their buyers or general network.
Never posted before? Start by making one post a week or making three well thought out comments on other peoples posts.
Need inspiration? Here’s 15 LinkedIn post ideas shared with us from our friends at Aware:
Join a few communities, both personal and professional.
There is a community for literally every industry, job, or interest you can possibly think of. Joining a combination of personal and professional ones will ensure you expand your network quickly.
Communities have given me a chance to casually network with like-minded individuals on a regular basis. I have booked many meetings through connections with other community members.
When I interact with my peers in communities, I can directly build rapport with a member who could be Commsor’s buyer. I also get introductions to the right people on their team.
Here are a few sales/revenue communities to consider joining:
Events are a goldmine, use them to your advantage!
Events, like communities, let you meet other professionals. You can share ideas and connect over common interests, but this time in person.
In an age where many roles are remote, people are chomping at the bit to get real-time interaction. Meeting people in person helps you build real, lasting relationships. These connections can be useful in the future.
The Commsor team went to the Arcadia Leadership Experience in Bozeman, MT last July. They sponsored this event, which was a ‘small anti-conference conference.’ Over 50 partnership leaders attended, went glamping, and discussed the future of the partner space.
Little did our team know when we signed up, that we’d be walking away with 50 new close friends that we could rely on. A Slack channel was created for the members and it's still used today. After the event, we received 17 referrals from attendees to prospects.
Here are a few upcoming revenue and sales focused events you should consider attending:
- B2B on the Bay - Tampa, FL
- Arcadia Leadership Experience - Bozeman, MT
- A Night with the Dinos Ft. The Last Sprint, NY, NY
Ask for intros from current connections.
“Your network’s network is your net worth” - as once commented by Darren McKee on one of my LinkedIn posts. And he was certainly on to something.
Quote from Darren McKee
Your connections know you best, which means they also know who would be relevant for you to connect with. Make it a habit to ask your peers, friends, customers, and colleagues who they think you should be getting to know.
After onboarding each customer at Commsor, Alyssa, our Head of Success always makes sure to ask, “Do you know any individuals or companies like yourself that you think Commsor should meet?”.
Alyssa Asking Customers for Intros
While this example is stated in a sales specific scenario, this can be repeated every time you meet someone casually in a networking context. You’ll be amazed at who your own connections will introduce you to.
Time to start building your network!
And there you have it, 6 examples of where you can start building up your network. Invest in some or all of these examples. You will find it easier to get introductions and referrals to your target accounts and customers.
Never forget, sales tactics are temporary, your network is forever.
Read more about building your network here.
