How to make sales: take advantage of the network you already have

Sometimes when we’re making sales, we think that we have to go to the end of the earth to find prospects. But why do we feel that need when there are people all around us every single day?Meanwhile, opportunities perch at the end of our nose and we have to look closer instead of further. All we need to do is put down the binoculars and get out the microscope. This approach to selling is known as “mining your network.”Mining your network can be easier and more convenient than searching far and wide for new customers because your network is already there. You have already made and developed these connections.You’re already clued in to their sensibilities and intricacies which makes it easier to determine their needs and how to approach them. It makes perfect sense to leverage that instead of re-inventing the wheel.Mining your network is a fine art and you must be particularly considerate when selling among friends and family. Your priority is serving people, meeting their needs and creating value for them. If you’re callously looking for a sale, look elsewhere because you’re just disrespecting your friends and family.Of course, if you’re just looking for sales, perhaps you should get out of the industry altogether. We don’t say this to be mean or eliminate competition, but out of a passion for what we do. We’re thinking of the bigger picture in order to move our industry forward.So how do you mine your network? For one, you need to be in the know about what’s happening. Note when people are experiencing changes in their lives. Did someone get married? Have a baby? An illness in the family? Changes, particularly major ones, in people’s lives are opportunities.Next, discard your ego and put other people first. Don’t feel awkward about selling to friends and relatives. Just use the closeness you have with those people to start intimate conversations and ask some probing questions about their needs and challenges. Isn’t this what we do on a daily basis anyway?Think of the times we vent to each other over beers, provide emotional support and take care of each other. All of that applies to sales. We just have to shift our perspective to take advantage of the opportunities within easy reach.If you can pull this off, not only will you make a sale, but also deepen or reinvigorate an existing relationship and meet some need for that person. Sounds like a win-win-win to us.Drop a comment below and let us know how your business sells.