Networking Techniques for Client Base Diversification

Her biggest deal came from someone she didn’t even know. Here’s how. A few years ago, Sarah, a business operations consultant, was struggling to find clients. She was doing what most professionals do, attending random networking events, handing out business cards, and hoping someone would refer her. It wasn’t working. She’d meet people, have great conversations, but rarely saw any real business come from it. One day, she shifted her mindset. Instead of trying to sell to the people she met, she started networking for introductions. She identified a group of professionals who served the same types of businesses she did but in different ways, fractional CFOs, IT consultants, HR specialists, and branding experts. These were the people who were already working with her ideal clients, and they needed someone like her to refer business to. She started adding value first. Instead of asking for referrals, she introduced an IT consultant to a CFO who needed tech upgrades. She connected an HR specialist with a branding expert to help improve their hiring materials. She became the bridge between professionals who could help each other. Within months, something incredible happened, her network started introducing her to her dream clients without her even asking. One day, a fractional CFO she had helped sent her a massive referral, a multi-million dollar business struggling with operations. The owner told her, “I don’t even need to hear your pitch. If Mike says you’re the best, I trust him.” That introduction turned into a six-figure contract, and from there, Sarah’s business exploded. She never chased clients again. Instead, she focused on strengthening relationships with her referral partners, consistently making introductions, and positioning herself as a trusted resource. Over time, she built a referral ecosystem where warm introductions flowed to her effortlessly. Today, Sarah’s business thrives, not because she attended more networking events or sent more cold emails, but because she owned real estate in the minds of the right people. The Lesson? Stop Networking for Clients, Start Networking for Introductions. Most professionals waste time hoping random connections turn into business. The real power is in building relationships with the people who already sell to your ideal clients. Give first, connect the right people, and become the go-to resource. Do that consistently, and your business will never struggle for leads again.

Sellers often mistake connections for relationships. Here are 5 ways you can build high-impact relationships, whether they’re specific to an opportunity, or they’re part of your greater network. ✅ Map out the relationships you have for a specific opportunity. I do an exercise with clients where we build out their relationship ecosystems and buying roles in an opportunity. This will give you a picture of strengths and gaps. Mapping your relationships doesn’t need to be time-consuming; it will pay off by helping you accelerate progress and reduce risks in your opportunities. ✅ Assess for gaps and get beyond the typical silos. You might be building relationships only where you’re most comfortable. Your success will be in getting beyond your comfort level; you can do that by assessing and filling in relationship gaps. In mapping your relationships you’ll see patterns. For example, you may see a pattern where you’re selling only one product or solution to one type of role. You’re siloed and likely missing many other relationships. This is especially important if your growth strategy includes expanding different products or services within your client base. ✅ Build your strategic alliances. This one strategy has made a significant difference in both the quality of my relationships and the quality of the opportunities I’m able to create. Do you have alliances outside of your organization, with other providers serving like clients? A way to begin is by creating a list of the tangential providers who sell non-competitive products or solutions to your clients and verticals. From there you can assess which ones are the most promising and begin building those relationships. ✅ Focus on deepening relationships with current clients. In the quest to always earn net-new clients, deepening relationships with current clients is often forgotten. But this can be the best source of continual, high-quality opportunities. One strategy is to create a list of your top ten clients and then create a relationship map for each one. See where you can uncover new relationships and new ways to serve that client. You’ll amplify your success with a client where you already have trust and credibility. ✅ Aim higher in the organization. You might be used to working in the middle of an organization, and in many cases that may be where your decision-makers are. But you can (and should) build awareness and relationships at the higher levels of an organization. Ways you might start this process include introductions on LinkedIn, sharing of research and insights that can improve their business, or a request for a higher-level leader to join your next account review or project meeting. To get started, choose one of your top clients and begin working through at least one or two of these strategies with that client in mind. It will undoubtedly open more relationships and also opportunities to serve your client and win high-value business. #ModernSeller #Sales #Relationships

I got tired of waiting for conversations to come to me and sitting in other's networking group. Here are my power moves and what changed networking for me. 1. Be on the leadership team (in fact, be brave enough to run a group). If you’re not leading, you’re just blending in and hoping the right conversation walks through the door. I sat in other networking groups for a year, waiting for the right conversation to come my way - it never happened. Nothing changed until I started running my group and bringing in the people I wanted to talk to. Running a group puts you at the center of the action. You become the go-to person, the one in all the right conversations. 2. Invite, invite, invite. Who’s getting the most business out of networking? The ones who invite – you can ask anyone who actively invites to a networking group. They’ve cracked the code—that’s why they do it. It's easy–just ask. I have a networking group; want to come to check it out? And if you are sitting in a group and are too embarrassed to bring business relationships into the room (like I once did) - you're sitting in the wrong room, and it's time to level up. 3. Follow up. This isn’t a one-and-done deal (unless you’re playing in the B2C space). B2B? It’s all about real relationships—and real relationships take follow-up. You know how often I’ve heard, “I’m not interested in the group, but let’s talk website”? If you’re not following up, you’re throwing away your time, invite, and opportunity. 4. Stop asking for your client. Power players don’t beg for business – especially on your first networking call with a person. Cringe. Instead, ask, “Who do you need to meet?” If they ask you for your end-user client, turn the conversation on them and ask who their top referral partner is. Make the right introductions, and business will come back to you. 5. The ultimate power move? Build a crew of good people who want to grow together. Networking isn’t about hoarding business cards. It’s about putting the right people in the right rooms—and running the race together. You can’t build your business alone. Get in the game.