I do a lot of networking and truly believe that it's one of the best ways to market your business, but sometimes people forget that there's a verbal equivalent of "a minute on the lips a lifetime on the hips".
This is when they allow a stream of consciousness to shape their 60 seconds rather than thinking first.
In the last couple of months I've heard fellow networkers come out with things like:
- I was formerly "Joe Soap company" but it closed last year
- I've just started up and...
- I made a bit of money at Christmas so can now get some business cards printed
- Once I get more clients I'll probably get some premises
- This business has arisen from the ashes and I'm going it alone
- Sorry, I am always a bit chaotic...
- I decided I wasn't great at XXX and am now concentrating on YYY...
- I've now started to xxxx as well - which brings a few pennies in
Ok - so the question is which of these people sounds successful?
Which of these has given you the confidence to use them?
Which of these companies are likely to get a referral to your best client?
Yes that's right - none of them and what's more we're likely to have made snap judgements that will be extremely difficult to eradicate.
Marketing is not just websites and printed material, social media and signeage it's also what you say and the way that you say it. Guess what intense, unsmiling, vague, untidy people don't get work either - strange that.
Have you any other verbal bloopers you'd like to share?
For related posts please see Getting a Brilliant Networking 60 Seconds
Thanks to Madeline Peiper on Flickr for the image