SALES AND MARKETING: Building a Network

When we hear the word “network,” we often think first of that snarl of cables in our offices that connect all the computers to one another. 

This month I want you to think about a very different network. This network comprises all of the people you know who could purchase your products and services or who know other people who could. This is the network every green industry sales professional needs to maximize to be successful.
 
How do you find people who want to buy your products and services? You go out and look for them, of course, and you become obsessed with the search. The following four tactics have worked well for me and may pay off for you.
 
Tactic No. 1. The CEO of the company that moved into the old manufacturing plant in town recently stated in the news he was committed to making a difference in the community. You drive by the site and notice the grounds need work – the lawn should be reseeded, trees should be replaced  and the entrance could use some color. Clip the story from the paper and attach it to a handwritten note welcoming the CEO to town. Tell him you’re confident your company could help him make a difference by improving the look of his site. You might not receive a response, but you’ve established your presence and made an initial overture toward a professional friendship. It’s the first important step toward adding the CEO and his company to your network.
 
Tactic No. 2. Suppose you drive by a home under construction. You see the roof is going on and you know it’s a good four months before the owner takes residence in the home. Pull your marketing materials together, put them in one of your company’s large envelopes and print in big letters “FOR HOMEOWNER.” Staple the packet to a wood stud in the garage so the homeowner sees it when he or she checks on the house’s progress. Again, you might not get a job out of this – though I bet you will – but you will certainly succeed in getting your name out and begin the process of adding this prospective customer to your network.
 
Tactic No. 3. Join the local chamber of commerce. Obvious? You bet. Underestimated? You bet, again. We join the chamber to get better health insurance and workers’ compensation rates, but you can use it to tap into the vast network of other business owners in the area. Likewise, you’ll be privy to news of all the new businesses coming to town. Likewise, think of the new market of landscape customers you could capture by getting to know local homebuilders – all of whom are likely chamber members. Go to the meetings a couple times a year. Play in the golf outing. Get involved.
 
Tactic No. 4. Show up at events your customers or potential customers are likely to attend. If you sell high-end landscaping, get involved in a local cultural institution by joining an event committee. Or help sponsor a charity event, like a fund-raiser for the local hospital or private school. Such gatherings are likely to attract a well-heeled crowd who have the income to spend on improving the appearance of their homes. Be sure to show up with business cards in hand, introduce yourself to as many people as you can, and collect as many cards in return as you can. When I attend these types of events, I am careful not to overstep my boundaries. Remember, you’re not there to sell a job but rather to lay the groundwork for accomplishing that at a later date.
 
These simple, but effective, tactics  find people who can buy your products and services. Next month, I’ll share ideas for how to get these people to sell for you.

Marty Grunder is a speaker, consultant and author, as well as owner of Grunder Landscaping Co., Miamisburg, Ohio. Reach him at 866/478-6337, landscapesales@gie.net or via www.martygrunder.com.