MRL #049- A Better Way To "Network"

Last week I shared why traditional networking is stupid.

In case you missed it, you can read it here.

Assuming you did read it, let’s begin…

In this week’s newsletter I’m going to share a much better way to network.

Unlike traditional networking…

• It’s efficient

• It’s effective

• It’s data driven

• It’s in your control

• It allows you to niche

Now, to be honest…

When I tell you what it is you will probably roll your eyes and say…

“That’s not networking, Max.”

But, before you call me an idiot and unsubscribe forever, allow me to lay out my argument and read till the end.

Deal?

Deal.

Ok, before I tell you what it is, let’s again define the term “networking”.

Last week we agreed that networking is essentially:

“The process of building relationships with the hope of writing more business.”

Now stop and read that again…

It’s critical that you understand this point.

Networking is the process of building relationships with the hope of writing more business.

With that in mind…

In my humble (but correct) opinion…

The Best Way To Network Is Through Cold Calling

Gasp!

Blasphemy, I know.

But think about it…

What happens when you make a cold call?

You start the process of building a relationship with the hope of writing more business.

Didn’t we agree that’s essentially what networking is?

Even better, when cold calling you don’t have to deal will all the downside of traditional networking.

For example…

You’re don’t have to leverage friends and family for business…

Because you don’t need them.

You don’t have to rely on your network for leads…

Because you’ve got your own lead list of 300 prospects to call.

You’re not forced to be a generalist…

Because you get to call on any niche you want.

You don’t have to participate in ass-kissing contests at events or conventions…

Because you can simply pick up the phone and dial the decision maker.

You don’t have to wait to be picked…

Because you get to take control and proactively make calls.

You don’t have to over pursue the handful of opportunities you get…

Because you you’ve got a pipeline full of other opportunities.

You don’t have to wonder if you’ll hit your revenue goal…

Because you can track your conversions and reverse engineer your activity to reliably and predictably hit your goal.

And the list goes on and on.

If I had to sum it up in one sentence…

Cold calling is better than traditional networking because you can be proactive instead of reactive and…

Take Control Of Your Own Success

Now, you’re probably thinking…

“But Max, relationships aren’t built in one conversation. It takes time.”

And I agree.

It does take time.

It can take a lot of time, actually.

Sure. You will open some doors in your first conversation, but often times it’ll take much longer.

So, then the question becomes…

How Do You Continue To Build That Relationship?

Easy.

Keep having conversations and provide value in the process.

I recommend a multi-pronged approach of email drips, snail mail, phone calls, and face-to-face.

There’s plenty of ways to do this, but here are just a few:

• Market updates

• Carrier updates

• Claim scenarios

• In person drop-ins

• Niche specific content

• Handwritten Thank You’s

• Holiday & Birthday cards

It ain’t rocket science.

It’s actually all the ways you would build a relationship if you had opened the door through traditional networking.

Notice that?

And that’s the ultimate point that I’m trying to drive home to you…

(I just set it up from the beginning so you would look at it from a new angle)…

Cold Calling & Traditional Networking Are The Same Thing

They open the door to new relationships.

You’ve just probably never thought of it that way.

Because if you’re like me, you probably heard early on from some Boomer Producer:

“Cold calling doesn’t work, it’s all about relationships!”

Not only is that stupid, but it’s also a false dichotomy.

They’re not opposites.

They do the same thing!

Build relationships with the hope of writing more business.

For all the reasons I stated above, I just think cold calling is a helluva lot better way to do it.

Ok, Let’s Wrap This Thing Up

Maybe you got my point.

Maybe you didn’t.

Who knows?

All I know for sure is that I’m going to call it a night.

It’s late and I can hear #3 coughing up a lung upstairs.

Time to put back on my “dad hat” and go pour him up some cough medicine.

Hope you have a helluva week.

Catch you next Sunday.

In the meantime…

Kick ass take names, 

Max “It’s All About Relationships” Revenue

P.S.

If you found this letter helpful… there are 3 other ways we can help you:

1. The Producer Playbook- The Step-By-Step Guide To Building A $1,000,000 Book of Business (From Scratch)

2. The Max Revenue Show- Our weekly podcast (available just about everywhere).

3. The Max Revenue Channel on YouTube- Weekly videos from Micah “The Zen Master of Commercial Insurance” Salas, including his new series “Diary of a New Producer.