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D32 is a premium business growth network where business leaders and experts in Perth and across Australia form meaningful relationships so they can leverage the time, contacts and activities of a vast network. D32 supports the little guys (and gals) and the 7-8-figure businesses. We’re a community that has each others’ backs. This podcast is about all things business, entrepreneurship and connectiom.
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[00:00:00] Welcome back to District 32 podcast with Dean,. One of the founders, district 32 or D 32. D 32, . After the rebrand. Yeah, we are now. . So is, did you have trouble saying district, was it too long or you run outta breath or, oh, yeah. You know, I have problem speaking English, so they made, they made it shorter just for me.
Fair enough. I'm glad. . So yeah, district 32 or D 32 podcast. I probably should actually say it properly, shouldn't I? Yeah. Yeah. Just from my sake, I'm gonna host your show. Yeah. . Now we've done a, a couple of sessions, the last couple, which are brilliant. One on closing, which everybody needs to know a bit more about closing, and I love the way you just simplified that building rapport, which actually isn't hard.
Yeah. . Have a listen to that if you haven't listened to that one, or what's that one as yet? ., And this one today. Work or networking successfully. Yeah. Yeah. And, and it is an art, it is a skill Yeah. . To be able to do that. I think we've all been to networking events where you've got that one guy Yeah.
Who's got his [00:01:00] pile of cards. Yeah. And he's just got to shove down as many cards as he can, as many people as he can. Yeah. Thinking they're gonna buy from him. Well, I'm being honest, like that was, that was my, uh, initial foray into, um, I was with a, a, a big, uh, brand at the time. My first earlier kind of, I suppose, organized.
Um. Networking events. So I just thought I'm a big brand, big name, uh, walk in, open the doors of your vaults folks. I'm here. Uh, but obviously I, I learned fairly quickly. It's not the way it works. It, it, it's like any kind of sales strategy that. The connection, the trust ship has to be there no matter how good your product serves or how big your brand is.
. And it's a, it is a medium term strategy. 'cause it, it is all about relationships. So, so it takes time. So I suppose things I've learned,. Are and observed with networking and people who are good at, and people maybe not so good at it over years. I think the first thing is show up. Like it, it's, that just sounds like an obvious one, but I mean, if you're part of an organization that does networking, you're, you're there for a number of reasons.
It's not just what we're focusing on today, I suppose, is the. [00:02:00] Business development side, there's other aspects, education, motivation, inspiration, but just purely for, we're focused on the business development side of things. So, um, and that might sound like an obvious thing, um, maybe just to give an example, uh, there was a bookkeeper who joined D 32 a number of years ago, and she joined it for one reason.
She, she did, wasn't looking for lead generation, she said, I need, I need people to refer to particularly an accountant and a financial planner. And they were in, in the group that she was in. So she was, that was job done for her. But after about three months she said, listen, I'd like to move location. And the reason she wants to move location is I don't trust the accountant and financial planner.
Now, I knew they were really good. I said, Jesus, how, how did you come to that conclusion after, uh, 12 weeks? And she said, they're not always there. I dunno if they're coming. So if they're not turning up, I don't know whether I, I trust them with my clients. And I said, fair enough. And so she, she moved. So, so people.
Do know you're sending out a message about. How reliable you are if you're, if you're [00:03:00] not turning up or are turning up. So showing up sounds like an obvious one, um, but show up. Um, and so that you're committed to this team, um, that you, that you've aligned with. That's quite point. Yeah. And I think the thing as well is, is uh, like ask yourself the question, what, what is my, how am I gonna get, uh, introductions, lead generation referral partners?
Through the group that I, that I'm in. So, so it's not a case of showing up and you're, you're the best thing since sliced bread. People are gonna jump at me. I need your product or service. Uh, now and again, you do get lucky, um, because people need that product or service. But as you know, Kingsley, it, it does, it does take time to build that connection.
So. So the question is how are you building trust? How are you build, building that connection? And uh, for, for me, like the quickest way is, is obviously one-to-ones outside, outside the end where I'm meeting the, the other, other members of the, of the group learning about their product, their service, who they work with, have they niche, really kind of learning about their business.
And, and my goal is I want to give [00:04:00] first. Um, and I, I kinda learned this ear early on in sales. Um, by, by giving first you, you do receive back and usually we would interest. So I'm focused on how can I make introductions to Kingsy? Who does he need to me? And that just really just fast tracks trust going, Jesus.
That was really because we all, we all appreciate a leg up in business. Uh, 'cause business can be tough. So someone gives you a leg up, you do remember it. . So I'm looking to, to make, . Introductions and there's so many opportunities that, . A networking event. I mean, say taking the style of a D 32 event, you've opened networking.
So you'll make two or three connections there. You've got an opportunity for 60 seconds to say, Hey, give a case study and kind of say, well listen, I'm looking to work with more health professionals or construction, whatever the case may be. And then we, we do a facility one-to-one. So you've got that, that opportunity, uh, throughout a two hour event to kind of.
. Kind of give and receive those introductions, but it's important that you're, it's not, you're not treating as a social event. As I said. Now, I do [00:05:00] appreciate there's a lot more to network than just lead generation. It's the, . Cam camaraderie. You build the, . Education, the inspiration and all the stuff, and we all, we all definitely need it.
But again, we're just focusing here on business development. So if you go a month with your networking and you kinda look, well, I haven't added that into the pipeline. There's a problem. And the problem is not normally the platform or the organization you're with or the people in the group. The problem is you gotta look at yourself and go, okay, am I asking for the business?
Am I positioning myself? Do people understand the value of what I'm doing? Mm. And you, you've come across really. Good operators, um, who are outstanding at what they do and, um, their business is gone. Um, and I'm not saying it's 'cause of networking, but they've been involved in networking and haven't taken that in.
True. They haven't built relationships for referral partners. Yeah. People maybe don't really understand. What, what they do, they haven't kind of got involved, they haven't torn up, whatever the case may be. So you gotta look at yourself first with any sales strategy. Not just networking, but, [00:06:00] um, I mean, if you look at, someone said, one guy said last week, he said, you look around that networking, whatever group, there's some people doing really well from a sales point of view of, and there's other people not doing so well.
So what, what, what is the difference? What is the guy who's, who's doing really well, what is he actually doing? The other per the other person isn't, and usually it's activity and everything in sales happens from activity. So what activity are you doing within your group to warrant that? They go, I need to have a chat with, with Kingsley around this.
I need help from Kingsley actually. I've got a business that needs Kingsley's help actually. I've got someone who'd be a really great referral partner for Kingsley. But coming back to the actual basics of it, I find. You, you gotta, if you take control, the word take of the word control, otherwise you're living in hope in a networking environment.
So taking control as you take an action and looking to facilitate introductions, looking to help someone. It's not always lead generation As someone, as a challenger, it could be a. Geez, my, my marketing is really poor. And you [00:07:00] can make that introduction for them. Mm. I need help with my financial strategy, you know, the person to get them in front of.
So it, it's kinda really looking, what are you do, are you doing yourself, um, around what it's, it's for me, and I've done a fair bit of research over the last six months. I like, I suppose I, I was lucky. I learned, I learned early, particularly with the networking. You keep giving, giving and you, you get it back.
Uh, a hundred percent You'll get it back. Yeah. Well, over the last six months, I've spent a good bit of time researching the lo, I can't pronounce this word. You'll help me love reciprocity. Reciprocity, that's the word. Yeah. It'll, that's close enough. Yeah. Yeah. But, but I mean, there's, there's so much evidence there, like, I mean, yeah, usually you think if it's socially Kingsley, if, if my car broke down tomorrow on the way from Gold Coast to Brisbane, I ran outta petrol.
And I rang you. I said, Kingsy, I'm, I've broken down any chance you can bring me out some petrol, you'll bring you. I know. No, you as a person, you, you'll, you'll get there. You'll bring the pe petrol. But internally, like I, I, I feel morally obliged to refer in that [00:08:00] favor at my earliest convenience and socially is no difference professionally.
If someone does you a turn professionally in business, you re we all really appreciate and we wanna kind of return that favor as quickly as we can or we get the opportunity we will. . So yeah. Can I give a, a bit of an example on that? Go for, yeah, yeah. Um, 'cause I, I like to analyze Okay. What's coming from the different things that I do.
Yeah. And I was thinking, someone asked me, are you getting anything outta district 32? Yeah. Yeah. And I started thinking about it, oh my God, I'm not sure really. Mm-hmm. And then I started to think about it a bit bit more and I'm like, actually, yeah. 'cause of this connection, this connection that got that and this connection that led to that leads to this one example.
Is, um, there's a bunch of different things, but Sarah Corder Oh yeah, yeah. Runs Matic. Phenomenal. Yeah. Phenomenal company. I first met her when she was doing a, um, presentation. Was it the Maxi? Yeah. One of the uh, one of the round table, yeah, yeah. Type things that they do where they present. And, and help people [00:09:00] learn.
Yeah. And I'm like, whoa, this chick's awesome. Yeah. She knows her stuff. Yeah. So we had a bit of a chat and did stuff and then I think we talked later on, she said, oh, she's doing a, a conference and they just moved to the Gold Coast. Yeah. Dunno where to go. Yeah. And I'm like, okay, here's, here's something.
You might want to check this out. Yeah. Because she had some place, they wanted like 16 grand for a couple of days or something's like, holy cow. Yeah. Um. But, uh, I said, look, check these guys out. She checked it out. She said, that's perfect. It's great. Yeah. Yeah. She ended up doing her event there. Brilliant.
Um, and then we were just talking about what I do and all that sort of stuff, and one of the PT Masterminds I was gonna be running and she actually come along. She's like, this is exactly what I'm needing at the moment for me. So she come along to that and then I've got someone just the other day who's like, oh, I've seen Sarah's thing.
I'm not sure if I want to go. Yeah. Yeah. Uh, and I've actually done one of her trainings and like. The value that she gives is phenomen way over the top. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, and I said, if you can go get there, whatever it takes, just go be part of it. They're like, oh, okay. I will then, [00:10:00] and it's, that's sort of what you're talking about.
It's just, and that's just one example. There's a bunch of them of just. You support each other around the tracks. And now that other lady that was just talking to me, she's gonna get an enormous amount outta this. Yeah. That's gonna help her business And go on further as well. And she'll appreciate that, that you've kind of opened that door to her.
Yeah. And again, like Sarah will be conscious, this lady came through Kingsley, so cement's relationship. So I mean, if you, if you turned around to Sarah and said, Sarah, I'm targeting health professionals for next quarter. Is, is, is there anyone in your contact list? She might be introduction. She's gonna really wanna help you.
You've saved her. Yeah. 'cause the 16 grand done some introductions. So, so she like, she'd be really keen to kind of, uh, support you Yeah. In that as well. Exactly. And that's, that's who she is as a person. Oh yeah. Exactly. Um, and that, that's what I like as well. Yeah. As you get to know, like, I've got to know Sarah pretty well.
Yeah. Yeah. Uh, from working together a little bit. Um, and when you find out that people, that's who they are. Yeah. Then you want to support them even more. Exactly. Yeah. Um, and I, [00:11:00] I think that's a critical factor as well is, is like you were saying before, give first, don't try and go, okay, what can I wanna sell you is my stuff.
It's, especially, it's, it's a really, it's, it's a, a genuine, authentic way to fast track trust is by taking control act on force and making those introductions or trying to support someone on another level, uh, with their business. So. It's, it's such a key part, uh, I think with, with, with net, with networking, but, but even with all your other sales strategies, if you kind of embed that kind of philosophy into your other activities in sales.
Okay. We're in, like, I suppose as, as salespeople, you're in the helping game. You're trying to, uh, cure some pain for someone so you can kind of help them in other ways, whether it's an existing client, even, I mean, it really just RR raises the trust level and makes the connection and the bond, uh, EE even stronger.
So, uh, yeah. Yeah. But I always come back to that word control. Like, don't wait for stuff to happen in the networking room. Take action and uh, and uh, act [00:12:00] first. I like your use of that word control. 'cause it can have a negative connotation. A hundred percent. Yeah. Yeah. But that's a very positive connotation as to you, you're here because you want to give Yeah.
And that reciprocates Yeah. All the way through as well. Yeah. Like it's, it's amazing. Like without exaggerating, I would say. Two weeks wouldn't go by where I'll get, um, some type of introduction from either someone in industry three, or even people I've met outside of D 32, say, Hey Dean, I'd like to introduce you to.
John or who, whoever the case may be. And that, and that's comes back to kind of gi given forced, um, like I, like I suppose I'm doing it now, an unfortunate number for me, 33 years. . And I, I've got so much good stuff back, uh, from people where I've acted, forced, uh, 'cause people, people do remember, uh, for the most part, I'd say 99% of people remember Jesus, that that guy dummy a torn or made an introduction or the case may be.
So, uh, you, you get it back, but I'm not even exactly say two weeks might even be an exaggerating, but every two weeks I'll get email, a call, Hey, [00:13:00] got got your details from Kingsley. You'd be keen to catch up or whatever. So, uh, people do, do, do, remember. Yeah. But it's, it's, it's, it's in a positive way. It's, it's about take control.
'cause if you wait, if you wait for stuff to happen in a networking environment, you're living in hope. And what that hope looks like is if I'm an accountant, um, someone had been in the group, someone has said to them. I really need an accountant. They go, I know a guy have a chat with Dean. So that's living in hope.
And if you're living in hope. It's hit and miss where if you're kind of launching in taking control and making stuff happen, and that doesn't just supply to network all your sales activity, but uh, but it's such a key part of, of the networking stuff. Yeah, no, I love that. Yeah, I love that. I haven't heard that one before.
Oh, another dean first. Oh, cheers for that, which is great. Lots of thanks, Dean. That that was really, really good. Yeah. Uh, I think there's a lot of great nuggets here that people can take and, oh, fingers sauce. Just apply straight away. Brilliant stuff. Don't need to wait. Zy. Appreciate it. Thank you.