The 5 W's of ReConnection: #4 - WHERE

Where are you going to find yourself spending time in the upcoming year? One of the biggest benefits of targeting niche markets is that you can focus your time and energy on where they hang out. I call those places watering holes. One of the most important things to identify is where are the watering holes where individuals in your niche markets hang out.

Are they near your area so that you can connect with them in person? 

> networking events

> conferences

> special interest clubs

> your local hockey rink

Are they online?

> Facebook groups

> LinkedIn groups

> Virtual meet-up groups

Depending on what you are selling and depending on who your niche markets are, your watering holes are going to look different, but it's really important to identify some of those places where groups of your prospects hang out and make a concerted effort to actually be there, consistently. 

Consistency in your networking helps prevent random acts of marketing. Random acts of marketing is the concept of doing a little bit of everything all year round. Going to a handful of different kinds of events and watering holes over a short period of time then not going to anything for six months. Posting on three different social media channels for a little while, but dropping the habit as soon as you get busy. What ends up happening is that you'll have spent a whole bunch of your precious time in a lot of different places, but nobody will have ever gotten to know you because you haven't made time to build any visibility or credibility. So just like in any other marketing where you're spending time, your networking should be strategic and should be consistent. 

When we build consistency with our networks and top-of-mind awareness, it allows people to think of us first and feel best about us when the need arises for what we do. It's not their job to remember us when they need us. It's our job to remind them. So if we don't build consistency with any circle of people, then it's really hard for them to remember us six to eight to nine months down the road when they finally need what we sell. I challenge you to pick a few key watering holes where you can be there every single week or every single month, and make sure to go there consistently and build your credibility with new connections.