The Savvy Entrepreneur

In my last blog post, Jason commented:

I find that the networking /marketing events that I attend are 100% more beneficial when I ask more questions than I answer.

Why is that? He continues:

People generally like talking about themselves and their ideas.

Don’t you feel good after having a conversation with someone who took a genuine interest in you, listened to what you had to say, and asked meaningful questions? You somehow feel like that person was really interested in you and cared about what you were talking about. You leave the conversation feeling like you’ve gained a new friend.

Asking questions is key to effective networking and relationship-building.

Think of this: What do you gain by introducing yourself to someone, then ramble on about your services and your business? Chances are, the person will politely listen then say, “That sounds interesting” or “That’s nice” and move on to speak with someone else.

Now imagine this scenario: Someone approaches you and asks, “So what do you do?” You graciously reply with your well-crafted and compelling 30-second introduction. What you say piques their interest, so they continue, “Really? How do you do that?” At this point, the temptation to go on is pretty strong… after all, they ASKED!

DON’T!

The best way to proceed (if your goal is to build relationships, that is) is to say, “I’d love to tell you more about what I do. But, why don’t you tell me a little more about yourself” or “your business.”

NOW we have a conversation. The more you find out about the other person…

• … the more you can determine whether or not this person actually needs your services
• … the more you’re able to gather important information about what’s important to them
• … the more you create a know-like-trust factor

If the other person still wants to know more about what you do, GREAT! Make an appointment to meet for coffee. After all, if you’re at a formal networking event, you (and the other person) are there to make more than just one contact.

Asking smart questions:

• shows you care
• keeps you in control of the conversation (“control” in the good sense)
• helps you find out more about your target market, your competition, your industry, the business world in general, and PEOPLE
• proves you know what you’re talking about
• teaches you how you can give value first, rather than just prospect and sell

Asking questions, when done the right way, is an effective method to building rich, lasting relationships and is the key to having a valuable, sustainable, dependable network of contacts. These types of relationships lead to more than just money… they lead to success, fulfillment and wealth!

Next, I’ll discuss points to remember when asking questions.