How To Master Sales Networking: 5 Tricks To Have Up Your Sleeve

Are you feeling left behind and isolated in the sales industry? You’re not alone. Many salespeople feel that others have more connections, knowledge, and resources than they do. And the fewer resources you have, the less likely you are to exceed your sales goal or have big opportunities in your career.

So how do you get ahead in the industry? By sales networking, of course!

In this guide, we’ll navigate the treacherous waters of sales networking and take you through effective ways to expand your network, as well as networking strategies nobody talks about. If you’re ready to discover the secrets of sales networking, read on for our best tips and tricks!

What is sales networking?

Sales networking is exactly what it sounds like— networking with people to ultimately increase your business’s sales. Consider it a professional friendship!

Now, you might be wondering…

Why do salespeople need to network?

Salespeople benefit from sales networking strategies in more ways than one. Some of those reasons are:

Networking provides salespeople with access to potential leads and referrals that they might not have been able to reach otherwise. By networking with other professionals and industry contacts, you can receive recommendations for new prospects, which can significantly expand your sales pipeline.
It provides salespeople with opportunities to learn from others in their industry and share valuable insights and knowledge. That way you can stay updated on market trends, industry developments, and best practices, allowing you to become a trusted advisor to your clients.
Consistent networking helps salespeople stay top-of-mind with their contacts and prospects. By regularly engaging with their network through follow-ups, updates, and value-added interactions, salespeople ensure that they remain visible and memorable.
Establishing trust and credibility is essential in sales, and networking offers an ideal platform to achieve this. When prospects trust a salesperson, they are more likely to consider their recommendations and ultimately make a purchase.

5 Strategies to Master Sales Networking

While critically important, sales networking can be a tricky part of a salesperson’s job— especially if you’re not sure what to do. Stepping into the spotlight means you have to prepare yourself for anything and everything.

To help you with that, our experts share 5 golden tips to ace networking. With these by your side and a dash of charisma, you’ll be able to develop excellent networking strategies:

1. Choose who you want to connect with

Quality over quantity; we’ve always heard this. And when it comes to sales networking, it couldn’t be truer! Instead of casting a wide net, identify and connect with individuals or organizations that align closely with your target market or industry.

And instead of mass outreach, analyze some variables and pick the right people. Some of these variables include:

Job position
Geographical location
Industry and industry experience
Social media presence
Online reputation
Current initiatives and interests

For example, if you’re a salesperson in the medical industry, you should connect with doctors, clinics, and other medical personnel.

💡 Tip: Find your tribe by choosing groups that share similar interests or work in a specific industry. That way you can gain insight into shared problems, learn from their experience, and have a solid support system for when the job gets tough.

2. Pick the perfect communication channel

You have your segmented contact list ready. Now what? It’s time to pick the right channel to reach out to them! But this decision isn’t as easy as it sounds.

Most of the time, professional connections can be found on LinkedIn— but sticking to one channel is a rookie mistake. Consider the following 3 channels:

Referrals

Asking your existing relationships to introduce you to relevant individuals is a personalized way to expand your network. But how do you get connections from referrals?

Identify your potential referral sources who are in a position to introduce/refer you to their networks.
Reach out to existing contacts and ask them for help in introducing you to their networks. If you have someone specific you’d like to be referred to, mention them to your existing contact. Start with a warm and concise introduction to establish trust, respect, and mutual benefit.
Follow up with gratitude as soon as the new connection is established.

💡 Tip: Use the advanced search features on platforms— especially on LinkedIn— to find mutual connections that you can be referred to by your existing connections. You can also filter a specific industry, job title, or even location!

Social media

Social media is king, especially when it’s about sales networking. This type of platform has changed the way people interact, and you have to stay on top of the game. Some types of platforms fit for personalized yet professional networking are:

LinkedIn,
Slack,
Instagram
Facebook, and
Twitter!

Real-life events

Real-life events are an incredible way to meet new folks and strengthen your network. Most attendees at these events are looking to build their connections and will be open to your approaches. There are many golden tips and tricks to ace networking at one of these events:

Research the event and attendees ahead of time. You want to consider the topics being covered, which people are attending, and which industries they belong to. A little background research will go a long way!
Bring plenty of business cards to give out to attendees you want to connect with. Include your job title, contact information, and your name clearly on your cards, so your connections know who they’re reaching out to.
Be friendly, and approachable, and make eye contact. People will talk to someone they find more approachable than someone who seems closed off.
Listen more, talk less. People like to talk about themselves but often don’t find the opportunity to do so. In real-life events, you want to focus more on asking open-ended questions and listening.

3. Find the best time to initiate contact

Would you enjoy a work call in the middle of a relaxing dinner? Or at 4 in the morning? That sucks, right?

If you’re trying to contact your new connection via any direct means (calls or messages), keep the timings in mind.

Some helpful tips regarding this are:

Respect time zone differences. Maybe it’s the evening for you, but for them, it might be the middle of the night. Respecting that will come across as thoughtful and effective!
Keep their current challenges in mind. You don’t want to initiate contact with a client/mentor/friend when they’re overburdened or fully booked.
Reach out at the optimal times to contact a person virtually. RingDNA researched the best times to contact someone and the optimal times are from 10 to 11 AM as well as 6 PM.

4. Follow up consistently

A healthy relationship is like a tiny plant: you have to water it consistently. Once you’ve initiated contact and made a connection, you’ll need to keep up or it’ll fall apart easily.

Consistent follow-ups are essential for nurturing connections, staying top-of-mind, and moving prospects through the sales funnel. Implement a structured follow-up strategy to ensure that no opportunity falls through the cracks and that you get to provide value to your network at every touchpoint.

Regular follow-ups demonstrate your commitment and dedication to fostering meaningful relationships, whether it’s a personalized email, a phone call, or a thoughtful gesture. So remember to follow up!

5. Utilize a CRM for networking

When it comes to a network, salespeople might find it as another stressful “work thing.” But if you want to expand your network and reap the benefits of sales networking, you’ll have to make sure to pay attention to it.

But it doesn’t have to be stressful. With a proper CRM, you can streamline contact management and nurture your sales network. Whether it’s about following up or creating hyper-personalized emails, a CRM system is your lifesaver in networking and marketing strategies.

Here are some things you can do with Jaldi CRM when it comes to sales networking:

Add tags to segment your network by industry, job titles, or geographical locations,
Create a relationship pipeline for the contacts in your network,
Set reminders for follow-ups or to celebrate some relationship milestones,
Save important details about your conversations on different channels to stay on top of communication.

Final Thoughts

Sales networking is another word for success when it comes to salespeople. But if you don’t know what to do, this can become tricky in no time. To construct your networking and marketing strategies, sales networking can establish trust and allow you to increase your resources and connections in no time.

And so, in this guide, we explored the 5 golden rules you should follow when you’re ready to ace sales networking! That said, happy networking.