This is a line I seem to be constantly repeating when I teach in prison – I can buy a white car from anyone, why should I buy it from you? I tell prisoners that I can buy the white car that they are selling from anyone but why should I buy it from them? I ask them why I would choose one of them over the other one. Although I get, often, very varied replies the point I am trying to get across is that people buy from people.
You can buy a white car from hundreds of people in your local area, but what makes you buy your white car from the person you do? It’s because people buy people, they can buy your product or service from anyone and if the prices are similar (or even if they are not sometimes) it comes down to who is selling the product.
This is why networking can work so well, you get to meet people, real people, face to face! This is your chance to sell you as a person and that’s what will get you recommended to other people, friends of the people you meet when you’re networking.
We think that’s why Creative Networking in Peterborough works so well, it based on getting to know the other
attendees as really people. It isn’t about being award of what each other sell or provide but instead really finding out who the other people are, what they’re about and building a relationship with them.
Creative Networking has been set up as friendly and informal and that is exactly how we get recommended to others. When attendees tell their friends or colleagues about us they say it’s a friendly and informal networking group and people attend on that basis.
Whenever you speak to a potential client just remember that they can usually buy what you’re offering anywhere else, from anyone else – but why should they choose you instead of your competition?
