When you network, are you frustrated with low ROI and the pressure of giving referrals while you rarely receive one yourself?

Relieve some of that pressure and frustration.  Stop focusing on transactions (what did I give and what did I get) and start engaging in the transformational experience of networking in a new way that build relationships naturally.

As a professional singer turned voice, presentation and sales coach, I’ve spent my life in audition rooms and on stages selling myself.  Luckily for me, this easily translated into networking and communicating with prospects.

What I’ve come to realize is that transactional networking was never a great measurement or strategy for success.  Given these exceptional times, it’s even more important to network in a new way to generate momentum.   

For business owners who can serve anyone, anywhere, online networking is more important than ever.

It’s great to be able to save time and connect with anyone around the world….and it can be draining to be on endless zoom meetings, trying to connect with little boxes on a screen.

Beyond technological challenges, we have all been through a collective trauma.  A pandemic, racial protests, and divisive politics have led us to really examine our values and how we want to show up in the world.

Now more than ever, people are looking for authentic relationships and key connections with like-minded people.

Even with the return to in-person networking on the horizon, virtual networking has enough advantages to keep it in play.   If we want to have a powerful virtual presence, we will need to find aligned community.

So how do we network differently?

The Top 3 Ways to move from Transactional to Transformational networking to make a bigger impact?

1. 1.  Move from Tracking Referrals to Tracking Support Actions

Passing and tracking referrals – although valuable – can create pressure to give names as a main indicator of your value within a group and create resentment when it’s not reciprocated in kind.

Instead of focusing on referrals, it’s much easier and arguably much more productive to focus on actions that lead to great referrals.

During our proprietary Power Partner Process™, we provide a list of over 40 actions that our Empowered Business Networking members can take to support each other every month.  Here a just a few examples.

1. 1. • 1:1 Get to Know You Calls
      • Give Social Media Shout Outs
      • Provide a LinkedIn Recommendation
      • Participate in a Facebook Live Interview
      • Purchase their book
      • Attend their next webinar
      • Follow their business page
      • Tag them in a post
      • Comment and like their posts
      • Make a 3-way introduction to a colleague

When you are committed to giving first – and truly getting to know your networking members – the referrals will happen naturally.

2. 2. Move from Quantity to Quality

When the world went to all-virtual networking during the pandemic, we were inundated with networking groups and a variety of choices.  Without having to worry about travel time, we could fit in multiple networking meetings in one day and meet with people we normally would never have known around the world.

The downside was networking overload and Zoom fatigue.  People were hopping from group to group and focusing on getting in front of as many people as possible, instead of creating quality relationships with just a few key players.

I recommend joining 2 to 3 groups at most – and focusing your energy on showing up consistently and getting to know those members to develop what we call EBN Power Partners™ and EBN Cohorts.™

2. 2. 1. Power Partners are key referral partners that support you in the marketplace and have your back.
   3. 2. Cohorts are small teams of people that work together to mastermind and support each other over time.

Keep in mind that you want to be a part of a networking group that has high quality facilitation and leadership in place to implement meetings that encourage building these deeper relationships.

3. 3. Move from Searching for Clients to Searching for Community

Who do you want to hang out with on a regular basis?  What people would you like at your table?

When you are clear about the who along with the values you want to be a part of within community, you can find your tribe.

I value groups with:

3. 3. • Top Expert Speakers in the areas of Networking, Marketing and Sales
      • People who are Connectors and Actively Build Community
      • Consistent Meetings and Attendance from Members
      • Variety in Types of Meetings Each Month (large and intimate)
      • Diversity in the Membership (men, women, ethnicities)
      • The Ability to Speak and Create Visibility
      • A Strong Container of Support (accountability, implementation of strategies, and masterminding with other leaders).

What is your list of values when it comes to a networking community?  Get clear so you can go out and find it.
When you follow these strategies, you become transformational in how you network and show up.   You will no longer worry about transactions for your bottom line.  They will flow in naturally.

Stephanie Bonte-Lebair is passionate about helping you LOVE the sound of your voice, so you can monetize it when you network and speak.

To visit Empowered Business Networking go to www.EBNNetworking.com

Meet her community inside the Empowered Business Networking Facebook Group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1284555468300639