Remember, in networking you are NOT talking to a potential client; you might be talking to someone who knows a potential client for you in the future.

If you see the same people each meeting, over time they will feel more comfortable and perhaps pass along your name, or tell you of someone they know who needs your services. Again, being helpful really makes a difference.

Have you taken the time to list all the people in your regular networking group, and what types of people they are probably in touch with on a regular basis?

Even networking groups focused on Referral Generation, like Business Networking International (BNI) take months before you start getting good referrals.

Each time someone asks you what you do, instead of saying “I’m a real estate lawyer or I’m a small business accountant” you should paint a picture of what is actually done. The real estate lawyer can say “we reduce real estate investment risk”; or the small business accountant can say “we help business owners make strategic decisions on the finances to boost profitability and remain competitive – it helps them sleep at night”

One of my clients who got a client satisfaction survey, is now able to say “I’m not very polite sometimes, and my good clients appreciate the direct honesty about their business situation”. That information, passed onto a person in her networking group, tells people who would be a potential client for her; and who wouldn’t be. Then the referral fits better because it’s more appropriate.

Providing your professional services starts with your relationship with that person, not with what you do.