Best Networking Practices for B2B Marketers

Most enterprise deals don’t start with sales decks — they start with behind-the-scenes conversations.  When execs are scouting vendors, they’re not browsing ads.  They’re swapping names in private Slack channels, group chats, and closed-door dinners.  The key currency in these conversations?  Trust.  And trust rarely comes from a case study. It comes from familiarity. From being known and liked by the right people. But if you’re not a household name, how do you earn that trust? You build real relationships - by showing up where your buyers are, offering value with no strings attached, and getting talked about in the rooms you’re not in. In-person connection is gold, but it doesn’t scale.  So, here’s how execs can build trust at scale: ➔ Partner with respected voices to create content (webinars, podcasts, etc.)  ➔ Host intimate, invite-only dinners — fewer people, more impact  ➔ Publish research that your buyers want to share internally  ➔ Create small, private peer groups with zero sales agenda  ➔ Spotlight your most passionate users at industry events  ➔ Host off-the-record virtual roundtables with meaningful conversation  ➔ Build an executive voice in channels where your audience pays attention Trust travels. Make sure it’s going in your direction! #B2BMarketing #B2B #Trust #MarketingStrategy 

You’re burning your leads. And you don’t even realize it.. Most B2B marketers on LinkedIn are stuck in an outdated mindset:  💡 “More messages = More meetings.” It sounds logical, but here’s the reality: Sending hundreds of generic messages hurts your reputation and chances of converting those leads. Here’s why: → Spam filters are ruthless - Platforms catch onto mass outreach fast.  → Your message feels cold - Nobody likes copy-paste pitches.  → You’re wasting time - A few meaningful connections will always beat a scattershot approach. So what’s the solution? ✔️ Use signals the right way. Look for key moments like engaging with key topics, posting about specific content, or engaging with niche influencers on LinkedIn.  ✔️ Focus on their pain, not the milestone. Instead of “Can see you Liked X,” say, “How are you focusing on [specific topic / challenge] now that you’ve scaled?”  ✔️ Make it personal (and relevant). Keep it about them, not about you. When I switched from high-volume spam to strategic, social signal-based outreach, my results went nuts: 💥 + 25% reply rates. (1 in 4 positive) 💥 The calendar was fully booked, so I was forced to decline low-value leads (the best problem to have!)  💥 Higher-quality conversations.  💥 A pipeline that actually converts. Outreach & LinkedIn aren't about sales—they're about connection. Build trust first. The sales will follow.

Most agencies and consultancies think referrals come from happy clients. 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗲. Peep Laja, CEO at Wynter, the on-demand market research platform for B2B, recently 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆𝗲𝗱 𝟯𝟬𝟬+ 𝗖-𝘀𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀. The objective? Find out how they vet vendors and build their shortlists. One insight stood out: 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻'𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹𝘀. Instead, they rely on 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁. And the kicker? 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝘂𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻'𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀. They're from people who simply know who you are and have a good impression of your brand—even if they've never worked with you. This insight has significant implications for agencies and consulting firms. It means you might be missing out on opportunities not because of performance—but because 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲. Here's what to do about it:  • 𝗣𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗮 𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗲. Develop a defined list of accounts you want to be in conversation with. Build awareness intentionally—don't wait for referrals.  • 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗹-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 to connect with decision-makers at these accounts who are more likely to be in market or about to be in market for services like yours.  • 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 that positions your firm as a peer, not just a vendor. Talk about market trends, share your point of view, and make execs think differently.  • 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀—roundtables, invite-only webinars, or interviews—so you can give value while quietly building trust and recognition.  • 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 into newsletters and LinkedIn content to stay visible over time. Don't assume people remember you just because you posted once. The truth is, most buying decisions are made before you ever get a chance to pitch. 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗯𝗹𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁. ___ 📥 𝗘𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀? Join 40,000+ agency and consulting leaders getting smarter about business development—subscribe to my "𝘕𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘉𝘪𝘨 𝘞𝘪𝘯" newsletter. https://lnkd.in/gv2CvHNU

5 types of networking that actually lead to revenue → Most professionals are networking wrong → They show up to events hoping to get lucky → Instead of building a referral engine on purpose If you want networking to work, you need to know what kind works best Here are 5 types of networking that drive results in B2B: --- 1. Strategic Referral Networking → Build intentional relationships with partners who serve the same audience → Focus on long-term collaboration, not short-term leads → This is where 80% of your warm introductions will come from Example: A fractional CFO partnering with a B2B accountant to trade referrals --- 2. Cold Outreach for Warm Partners → Stop only networking with people you already know → Reach out to new professionals in aligned industries → Treat cold messages like relationship starters, not sales pitches Example: DMing an MSP on LinkedIn to explore collaboration --- 3. Thought Leadership Networking → Post content that attracts your ideal referral partners → Share stories, wins, and insights from your client work → Build trust before you ever book a meeting Example: Sharing a story about how you helped a client grow revenue after a key referral --- 4. Hosting Curated Happy Hour → Be the connector, not just the attendee → Create a space where your referral partners can meet each other → When you become the hub, everyone remembers you Example: Hosting a monthly Happy Hour for consultants and service providers in one niche --- 5. Value-First Follow-Up → Don’t ask for referrals too soon → Stay top of mind by giving value consistently → Introduce them to someone they want to meet first Example: Sending a referral partner a lead before ever asking for one back --- The best networking: → Creates leverage → Builds long-term trust → Moves you from forgotten to top of mind Want to see what this looks like in action? Visit one of our B2B networking groups We built them around this playbook Drop a comment or message me and I’ll send you the details

BE honest and tell me HOW do you feel when someone at a networking event just tries to sell you something? Lets have an honest conversation about this.. Because WAY TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE PITCHING without context. This does not work... The Problem with Traditional LinkedIn Selling Most professionals have experienced it: the connection request immediately followed by a sales pitch. This approach rarely works because it: +Ignores relationship-building fundamentals +Assumes the recipient is qualified and interested +Creates a negative impression of both you and your brand +Feels transactional rather than relational 7 Value-First Alternatives to Cold Selling 1. Become a Thought Leader in Your Space Share your expertise through thoughtful posts, articles, and comments. When you consistently provide valuable insights, potential clients come to you rather than you chasing them. How to do it right: Post weekly insights about industry trends, challenges, or solutions. Focus on education rather than promotion. 2. Engage Meaningfully with Others' Content Taking time to thoughtfully comment on others' posts shows you're interested in dialogue, not just broadcasting. How to do it right: Set aside 15 minutes daily to leave substantive comments on 3-5 posts from your network or industry leaders. 3. Create and Share Valuable Resources Develop free tools, templates, guides, or research that addresses common pain points in your industry. How to do it right: Create a simple resource that solves a specific problem, then share it with no strings attached. 4. Facilitate Connections Between Others Becoming known as a connector adds tremendous value to your network without any direct selling. How to do it right: When you see a potential synergy between two connections, offer a warm introduction (with permission). 5. Host Virtual Events or Conversations Organize small roundtable discussions, AMAs (Ask Me Anything), or interviews with industry experts. How to do it right: Select narrow topics that address specific pain points and invite a targeted, relevant audience. Im hosting an event on Friday.. see it in the comments! 6. Ask Thoughtful Questions Demonstrate genuine curiosity about others' work, challenges, and perspectives through thoughtful questions. How to do it right: When connecting with someone new, ask about their current professional challenges rather than launching into your pitch. 7. Offer Limited Pro-Bono Help Providing a small sample of your expertise can showcase your value more effectively than any sales pitch. How to do it right: Offer a 15-minute consultation or a quick review of something in your area of expertise. Which one of these resonate with you the most?! #selling #sales #success