Distinguishing Networking Marketing and Sales: The Chart from Seal the Deal

Distinguishing Networking, Marketing, and Sales*

NETWORKINGMARKETINGSALES

Relation Preparation Implementation
Pipeline building Positioning yourself Prospecting
Genuine interest in others Market research Understanding sales process
Meeting people Strategy, conceptual approaches Knowing your hit rates and numbers
Talking to people and getting to know them better Planning activities for acquisition, retention, or reacquisition of buyers Tracking progress
Getting out there and creating relationships of all kinds Alone in your office, in front of your computer Making calls
Asking to meet other people – asking for introductions Providing information about who you are and what you do:  shameless self-promotion! Setting up appointments with the express agenda of finding out about the current issues a prospect is facing
Follow up Showing people what you do, perhaps including pro bono work Client meetings to tell people what you do
Manners, etiquette, social graces Creating text, writing letters, researching clients and prospects Proposals
Introducing people to each other with an eye to expanding others’ networks Writing and publishing articles, columns, books Follow-up
Activities that yield human connection and interaction, not necessarily related to business Speaking engagements, teaching opportunities Moving people through your pipeline
Nine Mindsets of Networking PR and Media, Advertising Activities that directly yield clients, contracts, business dollars
Finding out what people do, where they do it, why they do it and what they want to do Website or brochure building, fine-tuning, management Action Selling System
Connection-Seeking Image and collateral things:  logo, letterhead, business cards, etc. Asking for the buy
Informational interviews Branding (sustainable, consistent, recognizable, uniqueness) Contracting

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* Excerpted from Seal the Deal: The Essential Mindsets for Growing Your Professional Services Business (HRD Press, 2006) by Suzi Pomerantz.

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Comments (2)

You and Freddie are a fabulous duo and I came away with some great ideas. Thank you. See you in June.

Wendy

Thanks, Wendy! I’m delighted you could join us and I’m so glad you walked away with new ideas!

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