If you are getting tired of meeting the same old people at the same old networking events every week, then please read on.
It’s time to move up the networking ladder.
If you are tired of over-explaining your value proposition to people who obviously want more from you than they are willing to provide for you, then read on.
If you are tired of playing a small game in the game of networking compared to your vision or dreams, then please read on.
If you are a world-weary traveler of the business networking landscape – having seen many a fellow weary traveler being trampled upon by other clueless networkers and networking organizers – and you are ready to ‘up-brand’ yourself, then please read on.
Here is what we will be covering in this article:
- ‘Up-Branding’: What does it mean and how does it help?
- How to ‘Up-Brand’ Yourself: Learn to strategically move up the networking ladder.
‘Up-Branding’ – What Does It Mean, How Does It Help?
Advice from one of my previous mentors: “If it ain’t working, don’t change your message, change your audience.”
What does this mean?
- Get clear on your target markets. Cut out the target markets that are not serving you. E.g. If you have been networking going to events for younger people and they are not buying from you, then you need to change your market soon.
- What are the demographic features of your desired market that pays you good money for your services or products? E.g. age, gender, where they live, etc.
- What are the primary challenges or pain points that they have?
- What kinds of solutions do they need?
- Are you messaging correctly to reach these people i.e. does your elevator pitch immediately exclude the wrong markets and include the right ones?
- Is your message (e.g. elevator pitch) clear enough and compelling enough? What is missing?
How To Strategically ‘Up-Brand’ Yourself To Move Up The Networking Ladder
If people come to you, they are more likely to buy from you – in the short run or the long run.
When people see you on stage, they immediately ‘Up-Brand’ you from mere professional to elevated expert.
When you organize your own networking events or presentations that people come to, you are now building not only a stronger pipeline of business to you, you are creating a system that will feed you for a long time.
The solution?
Set up your own events where you do an educational presentation on your services relevant to them.
We use meetups to do this – we have events that are part networking and part educational presentation. This brands us as the experts in our community – and rightfully so – we either curate information (i.e. present information from other experts or have the experts present themselves) or use our own information in the presentation.
The double attraction of getting an opportunity to network and to learn is of growing popularity in networking circles.
Ready to use Meetup to increase your network? Contact me or follow me on LinkedIn.
Since 1991, I’ve been reflecting on, designing, and implementing methodologies and systems for bringing a transcendent, creative and innovative approach to critical aspects of entrepreneurship.
