Earlier today I posted this in our Facebook Group - The Networking Retreat. This is pretty much copied and pasted from there, so if you'd prefer to join the conversation on Facebook, you'll find the thread here - https://www.facebook.com/groups/thenetworkingretreat/permalink/1911991785709431/

Something which I've noticed has happened to me recently is that people appear to be buying from me earlier in the relationship than I would expect, often after we've only met once or twice.

I haven't engineered this. Like a lot of things that happen to me, it's happened by accident but I can see in the rear view mirror why it has, and what anyone can do to achieve the same.

Over the years, and 2017 marks ten years since I first joined 4Networking, I have been pumping out content at a volume over and above most people. At first I didn't know it was content or even what content marketing was, I was an enthusiastic member of the 4N online community- mainly because I enjoyed being there. I then got stuck into Twitter nine years ago this month, and latterly Facebook and LinkedIn.

I noticed years ago that I could walk into a networking meeting pretty much anywhere in the UK and meet people who felt they already knew me through my online presence.

Now I meet people who don't just feel they know me, but also feel they trust me, because I've put the effort (it's that word again) into building that trust. And that for me is massive.

Having people approach me for a 121 in a networking meeting because they've already decided they want to work with me is sort of a big deal, and once again changes my approach to networking.

This ability to get to know people before you meet them is available to anyone you just need to:

• Turn up and engage online consistently.

• Work out that it isn't about YOUR Facebook page at first, it's about their page, their profile.

• Engage for the sake of engaging, make friends for the sake of making friends, don't constantly have an agenda to sell.

• Be the same person online and off. Confuses the hell out of people if they get to know and like your online persona to find your completely different in real life.

• And, confusingly, work out when and how it's ok to sell, 'cos that piece is often missing.

As with many things in life and business, the reality is that this stuff is really simple, it just isn't that easy and that's why most people won't bother. I bucked the trend. Whilst other people were worrying about the ROI and cost of acquisition in the short term, I wasn't. Those people who were watching me in the medium and long term, that silent audience, were making up their minds whether they Liked - Knew - and Trusted me. And enough of them apparently do to make all the effort worthwhile. And some people didn't, which is also cool.

How is your networking going? I've got a week away from face to face networking - but will make up for it next week! I hope your networking is successful.