Knockout Networking for Financial Advisors and Other Sales Producers

CHAPTER 15One‐on‐One Networking Meetings: How to PUNCH Up Your Time Over Coffee

“Too many people confuse networking with selling. The best networkers are great listeners because they are trying to find a way to connect people in their network for mutual benefit.”

—Jeff Golan, Regional Managing Director, Principal Financial Group

“Coffee meetings” is networking speak for one‐on‐one networking meetings that might happen as the result of meeting someone at a networking event, or getting together with someone that you know from your networking group.

Coffee meetings don't always involve coffee. A typical coffee meeting could also be over a strawberry acai, orange mango juice, black tea, green tea, passion tango tea, hot chocolate, cold chocolate, and any variety of macchiato, latte, espresso, cappuccino, Frappuccino, or mocha – iced or hot, regular or decaf. Then there's the herbal tea genre, which I won't even get into although it's very important. Of course, nobody ever says, “We should definitely get together over an iced coconut milk mocha macchiato next week.” Imagine if they did? You would probably have many fewer one‐on‐one networking meetings on your calendar. And a lot more issues with calories, sugar, lactose, caffeine, and all of that whipped cream.

Anyway, down to business. Do you need to set up a one‐on‐one networking meeting or coffee meeting with everyone you meet through networking? Absolutely not! Only if it makes sense and you like the other person. Think about ...