Some rooms are filled with opportunity. Others are filled with people trying to take advantage of it. Too many sales professionals attend events, meetings, and conferences thinking they’re supposed to sell. Or worse, without any purpose at all.

In this episode of Purpose Under Pressure, host Bryan Lefelhoc, founder of Bryan Media Strategies, explores the critical difference between networking, networking events, and prospecting—three ideas that are often treated as if they’re the same thing. They aren’t.

Networking is a constant activity tied to your personal brand, while networking events are simply environments where people hope to build relationships. Prospecting, on the other hand, requires planning and research long before any event begins.

When sales professionals understand the difference between building relationships and pursuing business, the pressure gets manageable, and the results beg to follow.

Purpose Under Pressure is brought to you in partnership with Sandler by the Ruby Group, serving sales professionals and sales organizations nationwide from their locations in Akron and Columbus, Ohio, in Capital Region, New York, and in Jacksonville, Florida

Key Takeaways:

-Networking, networking events, and prospecting are three very different activities

-Networking is constant and tied directly to your personal brand

-Networking events are about relationship development, not selling

-Trying to sell at a networking event usually backfires

-Success at a networking event may mean starting just one meaningful relationship

-Know who you want to meet before attending an event and understand why you want to meet that person

-Prospecting requires preparation and research before contact

-A trusted network creates referrals and opportunities

-Doing the right thing at the right time builds lasting credibility

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Helpful Links:

Sandler by the Ruby Group: https://go.sandler.com/therubygroup/

Bryan Lefelhoc, Owner, Bryan Media Strategies: https://www.bryanmediastrategies.com/