The customer experience is linear, and circular, and filled with options and needs that change all the time.

Your clients have purchased from other businesses before they need your services. In the process of selecting you, your customers encounter, seek out, or consider your competition before they decide to purchase from you. And they will need services and products from others in the future.

How is this related to networking?

Because when you connect with and develop relationships with the people who engage with your target market before, during, and after they work with you you will be more successful with serving your clients. Your connections will influence prospects to choose you. Your business will receive more business because of the people you know.

Who would be advantageous for you? The Strategic Networking Framework identifies five primary categories.

Your Target Market

Obviously, you want to meet people who are in your target market. As you meet people and share your target market with them, they may immediately think about people in their network, or even better, people who are in the room, who fit your target market.

Business Types that Recommend You - Your Customers Typically Meet Them Before They Need Your Services

You need to know who your prospects are talking to before they talk to you… heck, before they even know they need you.

Think about the people your customers engage with before they need your services. These people or businesses would be perfectly positioned to recommend your business. They could easily become a valuable referral source for you. You want to meet businesses like this. Take some time to think about where you naturally get business now and brainstorm additional sources that you might be able to add to that list.

Your Competitors

Some people might avoid talking to their competitors, but I believe in abundance, and I also believe in healthy competition making us all stronger and better. When I meet competitors, I enjoy talking to them about what they’ve been up to, how business is, what’s new in their world, and how I might be able to help them. We probably have common industry specific networks or similar events affecting our businesses. Interestingly, once you start talking, you probably will discover that true competitors are few. In many instances you will find people, who on the surface seem to be competitors, are actually in businesses that you might be able to collaborate with.

Potential Collaborators

When you meet or are introduced to “competitors” that do the same thing, but who have different selling propositions to you or different target markets, or both, don’t classify these as competitors, these are potential collaborators. And in our strategic networking framework, there are three types.

- Different USP, different target market

- Different USP, same target market

- Same USP, different target market

Collaborators are really important in strategic networking because when you can’t address a potential client well, you can easily recommend them (and they can easily recommend you). Of course, you’re not going to recommend someone you don’t know, like, and trust, but we’ll address that later. For now, knowing what collaborative options are available is incredibly valuable in making you a connector and growing your business.

Business Types that You Recommend - Your Customers Typically Need Them After They Receive Your Services

One of the greatest services you can provide to your clients is to be well connected with the people they need after they are served by you and your business. There is always a next step. When customers trust you, they will ask who you recommend for the next step. So when you are networking, you ‘ll want to meet people and be exposed to businesses that have the potential to make your clients very happy.

Find out more about strategic networking on www.strategicnetworking.com.