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Thursday, February 24, 2011

How to Fish Your Way to More Contacts & Clients by Janet Callaway | The Natural Networker


Have you heard someone say they were going to a networking event to hunt down some contacts or clients? Most likely we have all heard that and maybe even said it ourselves.

When an animal is hunted, what happens? It runs as fast as it can in the opposite direction.

What happens when people know we are hunting or stalking them for future business? That's right, they run as fast as they can.


What if, instead of going hunting, you went fishing?

How's that different, you say, you are still going after them.



Yes, you're right we do still want to find the people, however, our approach is entirely different.

When you hunt something, you go after it. When you fish for something, you attract it to your bait; the fish comes to you.

Let's look at how this could work for you.

1. Go where the people are. Just as you wouldn't go fishing where you know it is fished out, go where people are. The good news people are everywhere.

People are attending business events, athletic endeavors with their children and, of course, hundreds of million of people are online using social media everyday, 24 hours a day.

2. Next, you have to make sure those people are hungry and biting. It's possible they may not be ready to bite when you are with them, however, just as fishing spots change depending on the time of day so too do people change with circumstances.

They might be the right people yet it's the wrong time for them. When you are fishing—for fish or people—you have to be patient. In time, something may change in their lives that will cause them to look in your direction. When they do, be ready.

3. You must have the right bait. Just as you use different bait or lures depending on the fish, so too do you have to do that with people.

In any business, however, particularly in network marketing, YOU are the bait. That's right, YOU are the bait. People must find you attractive and turn to you just as the fish turns to the bait it finds attractive.

Be the kind of person that the longer people are around you, the more they want to be around you.

Are you attractive? Are you a good listener? Do you care more about providing solutions for people that you do about making the sale?

Are you ready to go fishing?

6 comments:

  1. Not being a fisherman, I would never have thought of this connection but I certainly agree with your logic. You need to connect with your potential clients and customers.

    My husband and I used to create virtual tour photography for the tourism industry. It made sense for us to join local tourism organizations and network with businesses who needed our services.

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  2. Sherryl, aloha. Thx for stopping by and commenting. What you and your husband did was a perfect example of fishing. You were fishing in the right pond, you were the right bait and when the "fish" wer ready, they came to you. Aloha. Janet

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  3. Hi Janet,
    Great sharing and i really liked the way you differentiate between fishing and hunting. As you said there are people everywhere and we can surely find who are suitable for us.

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  4. Thx so much for stopping by and commenting. It definitely changes your approach when you think of the difference between hunting and fishing.

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  5. Great analogy Janet - hunting vs fishing. Yes the hunted run from those hunting them. It is all about relationships and being "attractive" to others by providing value - real value. I haven't been in network marketing for long as you know, but I have seen what happens when those hunted are lured in by grandiose promises that can't be backed up. They sign up under pressure and then quit. To me that is a colossal waste of time. Much better to take more time in establishing relationships, building trust, and proving value. I signed up a new rep this morning who has been following me on the web for over a year. I had earned my reputation in his eyes, according to him, by how I presented myself online and by showing value :)

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  6. Julie, aloha. It is stories like that that make my hert sing. Congratulations on your new rep. Much better to let them come to you because they find the bait, YOU, so attractive. Way to go, Julie. Aloha. Janet

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