Walk Like a Giant, Sell Like a Madman

10.9. Marketing through Professional and Personal Networks

One of the oldest and most powerful marketing tools is networking: rubbing elbows with people who are likely to buy your products and services or can generate business for you. My colleague, business consultant and visionary Terry Brock, calls this R-commerce (relationship commerce). According to Brock, R-commerce drives all other commerce, including e-commerce, and when you give it a little thought, you quickly realize that he's right.

Effective networking is key to your success in sales. It enables you to establish connections and discover a never-ending supply of leads simply by talking to people, letting them know what you do, and then kicking back and letting your network work for you.

Where do you start? A better question would be "Where don't you start?" I network constantly everywhere I go. Whether I'm rubbing elbows with colleagues at a convention, eating out with my family, buying a car, or attending a ball game, I'm meeting people and building relationships. As a salesperson, you should be doing the same.

10.9.1. Market through Professional Networks

A healthy industry generates business for everyone, so team up with other professionals in your area to create healthy markets, and then work together to generate business for everyone. If you sell real estate, you can refer your clients to loan officers, real estate attorneys, title companies, appraisers, and other businesses in your area, and they can refer their ...