Networking is a term that means many different things to many different people, yet in the sales industry, it is arguably the most imperative facet to success. When a salesperson truly understands the meaning of this practice and puts it into a proactive motion, the sky is the limit when it comes to the goals one can reach. In this day and age, you can’t simply just open the doors to your business and hope that people will come to you; you must actively seek people out, make connections, build relationships and essentially, you must network.
In my own earlier interpretation of this word, I would never have believed it would become such a powerful part of my career. When I interviewed at ADP two years ago, I asked my manager how his sales associates earned their business; in an attempt to further understand how to succeed in this field. As I listened to him speak he gave me various examples, but the one that stood out was a phrase that consisted of two four letter words, “cold call.” I immediately tried to hide my fear, as I was trying to remain confident during my first interview, but I knew that cold calling was not something I was sure I could handle. Regardless of my hesitations, I was offered the job and was on my way again in the sales industry. While energetic and ready to take on the
Austin market, I still found myself leery of the best ways to pull in business. What was I so afraid of when it came to cold calling? After a bit of a hesitative demeanor, I began making calls and I hated every minute of it, therefore vowing to find another path to success.
In an effort to alleviate the amount of cold calls I was making, I began unknowingly networking to find out a better strategy for my skill set that I was attempting to develop. One of the first things I learned about networking is that it is about reaching out to other people and establishing relationships. Soon I began asking mentors and people who had been in the business much longer than I what their secret to success was. Surprisingly cold calls didn’t make the list, as everyone mentioned that they had received most of their business from word of mouth through some form of networking. What I learned is that networking translated into meeting people, getting to know them, talking about their business, passing referrals, and helping each other accomplish their professional goals. It came down to building relationships.
Within a few weeks, the phrase “cold call” was eliminated from my vocabulary and I adopted “networking” into my daily sales routine. I networked within BNI, NBX, various associations, non-profit organizations, small businesses, the accounting and bookkeeping community, the banking community; even people sitting next to me on airplanes. I built relationships and in essence, built my portfolio. Every opportunity I had to network and talk about ADP’s payroll services, I did. The most important part of networking that I discovered was not only asking “who do you know”, but “how can I help you” grow your business. I wasn’t just picking their brain for phone numbers and names, but really listening to their personal needs and applying the services that I had to their growing business. Not only was I getting referrals, but I was giving back to the people who helped me grow my career with ADP.
Today, two years later, I have far exceeded my professional goals for myself and my goals at ADP. Not only have I achieved great success, but I have met some of the most incredible people, and I have developed my leadership skills along the way. I currently have the responsibility and opportunity to assist in hiring sales associates to work for ADP and to ensure that the foundation our company was built upon will continue with great employees who will continue with those same ideals. Today as I help in the hiring process, the most important question I ask the potential sales associate is, “How do you plan on networking within the Austin community?” and I really hope that there isn’t a “cold call” reply in the answer.
Heidi Laws
ADP District Manager
