Dean Mitzel

For many people the word “networking” has a negative connotation. This is in part due to the fact that many salesmen abuse networking to push their products or services. So let’s take a deeper look into the difference between (hard) selling and networking to solve some of the misunderstandings about networking.

The main difference between selling and networking is that in a sales process the goal of the interaction between two people is the sale of a product or service. When networking, this sale could be the consequence of a contact that is built with respect and care. So it is clear that the sale is not the goal of networking, but a nice and in many cases a logical consequence.

The comparison below goes into the details of the difference between selling and networking. The table shows several elements of “negative networking” by hard sellers on the one hand and “real networking” on the other hand. Hard sellers who network are focused on the short term while real networkers focus on the long term.

Hard sellers who network are focused on the short term while real networkers focus on the long term.
Hard sellers who network try to detect a need that can be satisfied by their product or service. Real networkers share any information that can be interesting for the other party.
Hard sellers only give when they have an immediate profit. Real networkers give without expecting something back (and in the long run this usually pays off better too).
Hard sellers who network listen in order to get the deal. Real networkers listen to help.
Hard sellers ask questions in order to be able to position their product or service better. Real networkers ask questions to be able to be of better assistance.
Hard sellers find people interesting only if they are a potential customer. Real networkers find everybody interesting as a contact. You never know what or who they know.
Hard sellers who network want to collect and distribute as many business cards as possible. Real networkers ask and give business cards to people with whom they really established contact.
Hard sellers talk often only about their product or service without listening to others. Real networkers See to it that others always talk more than they do, listen carefully to them and encourage them to tell more.
Hard sellers who network try to bring the attention to their own product or service. Real networkers recommend products or services of people in their network (and only if they are relevant for the people they talk to).
For hard sellers who network the goal is the sale. People are a means, a resource (sometimes even a necessary evil) to reach that goal. For real networkers the goal is to establish and maintain contacts and build relationships. One of the possible consequences is a sale.

To make it even more clear, I have a small example for you.

Situation: a salesman of fire extinguishers meets the manager of a local affiliate of a bank at a reception of the Chamber of Commerce.

Hard Selling

The salesman does his sales magic to convince the manager to buy fire extinguishers for his office. He is a good salesman and he manages to sell 5 fire extinguishers.

The evening of the salesman is a success.

Networking

The salesman is interested in the manager as a person. Amongst other things he learns that the manager is a passionate sailor and that he is looking for a new boat. The salesman remembers that a friend of his has a boat for sale. He not only passes this on to the manager, but also provides them with each other’s contact details the following day. A week later the boat has a new owner.

Four months later the salesman receives a phone call from the manager. The manager asks him to deliver new fire extinguishers for the office and for the facilities of the sailing club where the manager recently became chairman. Moreover the manager proposes to write a letter to all the members of the sailing club with a recommendation for the fire extinguishers of the salesman.

The year of the salesman is a success.

What about you? Are you more of a hard seller than a networker? You don’t have to be a salesperson to be a seller. Everybody has to sell continuously. You have to “sell” the next project to your management team, you have to “sell” to your partner to go to the movies instead of spending an evening at home, you have to “sell” to your children that they keep their room clean, … Everybody is a seller in one way or the other.

Let me repeat my question. What about you? Are you more a hard seller or more a networker?

Jan Vermeiren

These is an excerpt from the boek “Let’s Connect A Practical Guide for Highly Effective Professional Networking”.

Original Picture Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cambra_barcelona/4585941205/#/

Direct sales isn’t a get rich quick business of but you cannot ignore the numbers; it’s highly profitable and an extremely lucrative business entity once you’ve established your foundation.

In direct sales you receive payment from a new affiliate up front and then the company receives their cut. The sale of products or services occurs through person-to-person contact or through an online business medium away from a retail location with no middleman involved.

If you think about it, selling is an outlandish endeavor because achieving financial success in this industry is contingent upon your own individual efforts. Some consider sales to be an art in the category of persuasion.

It’s estimated that if you bring up the term “selling” over 95% of people will have an instant negative connotation associated with the term appear in their mind. Where is the negativity coming from? When you make a sale all you’re doing is solving a problem or enhancing an existing business model for a potential buyer.

In direct sales if you can express your liveliness and warmth whenever you present your opportunity, people will want to buy from you and be a part of what you have to offer. The reason why the direct selling industry continues to flourish is because word-of-mouth advertising flat out works.

Starting a direct-selling business and developing a team not only means fantastic money, but it develops priceless leadership skills that countless people can leverage into other areas of their lives. It’s one of those opportunities that centers around how intelligently you can work, not on the number of hours you work.

If you’re investigating the direct sales industry your research will show you how financially independent you could be in the near future if you make up your mind to enter this work from home option. According to specific reports, one quarter of the U.S. population has bought products and services supplied by people in the direct selling business.

Another current survey displays the direct selling industry as gaining control of a large chunk of the market share because of the internet. The online medium has revolutionized direct sales because it’s comparatively inexpensive and simple to launch a website. In the online world, there’s a 24/7 global audience for your services.

The majority of home based business opportunities you see online are mainly direct sales based. With the internet and technological advancements you can generate massive amounts of immediate cash flow while offering more availability to the consumer. The financial rewards of direct selling are abundant. However, not all direct sales pay plans are created equal. Select one of the best direct sales business opportunities wisely and forget about having to work for someone else again.

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