July 16, 2024 by Ewell Smith
Learn how to master the art of networking to close more deals.
Angie Weidel, founder of Blended Strategies, shares simple and actionable tactics to become a master networker.
3 takeaways on this episode of the Close The Deal Podcast:
- Personalized Referrals are Key: When asking for referrals, it's essential to share not only your business details but also your personal traits. This allows the referrer to introduce you authentically, enhancing the likelihood of building genuine connections.
- Targeted and Specific Contacts: Identifying specific decision-makers, such as the CEO or manager of a particular department, increases the effectiveness of your referral request. Being precise in your target helps in receiving relevant and actionable referrals.
- Personal Introductions Enhance Trust: Seeking introductions through personal means, such as joint lunch meetings, significantly strengthens relationships and builds trust. This method is especially valuable for women in business, providing an added layer of comfort and fostering stronger professional connections.
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Close The Deal Podcast with Angie Weidel
Founder - Blended Strategies, LLC
This episode of Close The Deal Podcast features Angie Weidel, a master networker and classically trained singer, who shares her experiences and insights into effective networking to help you close more deals.
Angie begins by discussing her journey and the significance of networking, especially emphasizing face-to-face interactions over digital communications, which she believes have become prevalent post-COVID. Throughout the episode, Angie highlights the necessity of interpersonal communication skills in both professional and personal contexts.
Ewell and Angie delve into various aspects of successful networking. Angie explains that knowing one’s character, integrity, and sense of humor is crucial because it helps build trust and understand the type of connections one will make. She elaborates that being referable means having a clear and marketable service or product. Further, Angie discusses the importance of identifying the right demographic and geographic targets for one’s services, emphasizing specificity when recognizing a good prospect. This specificity, she asserts, greatly enhances the chances of getting valuable referrals.
Angie also emphasizes the importance of personal introductions over mere leads, advocating for real connections through joint emails, texts, or in-person meetings. She underscores the value of understanding and respecting confidentiality requirements in various professional settings, such as industrial, HR, or legal sectors, to build and maintain trust within networks.
The conversation transitions into a discussion about Angie's own business, Blended Strategies. She shares the origin of the business name, which reflects her diverse career and her blended family of seven children. Angie reveals her approach, which integrates various training methods and philosophies from notable figures such as Simon Sinek and Brene Brown. She particularly highlights the DISC assessment tool for understanding communication styles, which she believes is vital for both professional and personal interactions.
Towards the end, Angie discusses an upcoming elevator pitch class aimed at helping people concisely convey their business value proposition. The episode wraps up with Ewell highlighting the importance of passion in one’s endeavors, urging listeners to find their "why" for sustained motivation and success.
About The Author: Ewell Smith - Certified Franchise Consultant / Publisher - Close The Deal / Host - Close The Deal Podcast / Author - Your First Franchise Roadmap - Ewell serves aspiring entrepreneurs and Veterans considering a franchise. To learn more, contact Ewell.
