Networking for sales success

Sales professionals need a network – this is not opinion, but a simple fact of life.
Those who thrive in a sales environment are the tenacious individuals who devote time and energy to building up a network and staying in the know.
Knowledge and information is passed by word of mouth across all sectors - and sales professionals need to tune in or lose out.
Networking is all about developing a broad list of contacts who can feed you with knowledge and insider information. The people you meet at various social and business functions, friends, family and colleagues all need to be part of your network.

A well organised network can provide you with:

  • Sales leads
  • Heads up on changes in a particular company or industry
  • Introductions to others
Successful networking is all about putting in the energy required to make it work and being super-organised.

Key tips for successful networking include:

  • Maintain and constantly update your list of contacts
  • Get in touch with contacts regularly either on the phone, via email or through a PR campaign
  • Set goals for yourself, such as calling five decision makers a week, for example
  • Keep your network informed of your current situation
  • Strive to give something back to your contacts whenever you can
  • Go out of your way to show appreciation to your contacts for their efforts
  • Never take your network for granted
For more advice on how networking can help you boost your sales career, please get in touch with Simon Ganter in our Dublin office.