What’s the least stressful way to grow your network? No, it’s not cold connects over the phone or messaging apps. Believe it or not, you have a powerful source of leads right at your fingertips with your own network! That’s right, the people in your network – especially those who are the biggest proponents of your business, are the people who can help you grow your business. All you have to do is ask them to introduce you. Introductions help you grow your network.

The power of your top advocates

Have you ever wished you could clone your top advocates? You can, in a sense, by asking for introductions to people in their networks who could benefit from the services you provide. You see, as people, we tend to be drawn to people just like us, who share our values and outlook. Sure, there may be some differences, but for the most part, the saying “birds of a feather flock together” rings true. It’s only natural that if you want to fill your network with great people who appreciate the services you provide, you’ll want to lean into your top advocates. 

Each one of your advocates is the hub of a network of people who share commonalities with them. They may enjoy the same music or have the same hobbies or similar goals. Whatever that commonality, there’s a good chance that you can provide them with excellent service. You just have to be introduced to them first.

Why don’t network marketers ask for introductions?

There are many reasons. The most common may be that they don’t think to lean into their best advocates to help them grow their businesses. The thing is, if someone is an advocate for your business, they want to help it grow. Even if they are not top advocates yet, people in your network want to help your business succeed. They want to see your business thriving! However, they may not know they can help you just by introducing you to people they know. 

Other network marketers may think to lean into their networks, but may be too nervous to ask for an introduction. They don’t want to seem like they’re bugging them or may feel they’ll come off like a pushy salesperson if they ask. This couldn’t be further from the truth – the people in your network want to hear from you! Just don’t make them feel like the only reason you’re contacting them is to grow your network. 

How to ask your top advocates for introductions

It all starts with “hello.” Whether you’re talking to them in person or online, start the conversation by saying “hi” and asking how they’ve been. Although the methods we use to communicate with people may change, the basic sentiment is the same. You want to reach out and find out how they’re doing. During the conversation, you’ll also listen for ways you can help them. These are all things you already do in the course of your daily Power Hour, when you reach out to your network and build relationships with each person. Asking for introductions is the natural next step.

Provide service

When relationships are the core of your business, excellent service is the most important thing to offer. You provide great service every time you reach out to check in with your network. You optimize this service when you make their day in the process.

Saying “hello” is just the start. After asking how they’ve been, offer a dose of positivity and say something to make their days. You don’t have to stress about saying something clever and witty – we have scripts to use to help you get started. A simple “Have a fantastic rest of the week!” can do wonders to help reinforce your relationship with them. 

Since you’re not leading with selling them on a product or service, you’re showing them that they mean more to you than a sale. People are savvy these days and can smell a sale a mile away. By checking in with them, with the sole intent of making their day and boosting the relationship, you’re letting them know how much they mean to you. Connect with them on a friendly level and let them know you appreciate them. 

Follow up

The next step is to follow up with them consistently. We’ve said it time and time again – consistency builds trust. During the course of the conversation, you may have naturally begun to tell them about a new product or service you’re offering. They may have made a comment or asked a question that you may want to follow up on.  Or, you may have presented the opportunity to join your team to them. Schedule a follow up message or call and be sure to follow through. 

This simple act of following up shows that you care about them. It gives you the opportunity to reach out again and feel out how they’re feeling about the opportunity you’ve presented or about the products or services you’re offering. It also gives you a chance to answer any questions you have and address concerns. 

So why don’t more network marketers follow up? Often, they think that if the other person was really interested in the opportunity or the products and services, they’d reach out instead. The prospective customer or team member will contact them to learn more. That’s not often how it goes. The thing about following up is after a while, they begin to think it’s too late to reach out, and so they never do. And that becomes a missed opportunity. 

Did you know… Teamzy makes it easy to remember to follow up with your network. Just log into your account. Your Dashboard will list the people you need to contact each day to stay on track to reach your goals. Additionally, it’ll show the follow ups you’ve scheduled so you can be sure that no one in your network falls through the cracks. 

Look fear in the face

Are you too nervous to ask your advocates to refer you? It’s a natural feeling, especially if you’re not used to asking for introductions. However, like anything, the more you do it, the more comfortable you’ll be. 

The tricky part is to get to the stage where asking for an introduction feels natural. Luckily, Teamzy has scripts to help you get there. Practice them in the mirror, in the car, or with people on your team or in your home. You can also put your own spin on them to help you feel more comfortable. Then, get out there and ask. Start with your top advocates first. Chances are you have an excellent relationship with them already so asking them for introductions may be much easier. After that, ask the people in your network who are likely to introduce you to people they know. Each time you ask, you’re planting the seed for future business. They may not know anyone right now, but you know they’ll be thinking about it over the next few days. When you follow up with them, they may even have a name or two to give you. And if they don’t? That’s fine too. You can ask them again in the future. 

Keep up the hard work

Sometimes, you may need to reach out to someone several times to get an introduction. They may not be able to think of someone right away. After all, they’ll want to connect you with someone who will benefit from your business. Or, they’re just plain busy and may have had other things on their minds. The important part is to continue to connect with them and build your relationship. Worst case scenario is that they’ll have even more great things to say about you to the people they do introduce you to! 

Get the tips to help you get more introductions and create conversations that convert to sales

It takes time and patience to have conversations that convert to sales. It also takes practice. Teamzy created The Art of Creating Conversations that Convert, a 7-lesson online video course to give you the tips, tools, and practice you need to ask for introductions and expand your network. In the training, we not only help you create more advocates for your business, we also help you connect with people who don’t typically respond or who you haven’t spoken to in a while. By the end of the training, you’ll know how to turn everyone in your network into a strong advocate of your business. Click here to learn more.