In Tour 53, we learned about how beneficial it is to have relationships with those business owners who are in your fair.

What if we aren't sure who is in our fair?

Ask your clients these questions to find out, and then build relationships with them.

For Residential Contractors/Trades:

Now that you have a new ____________, what’s your next project?

Do you have any other big projects in mind now that this one is finished?

Before we schedule your service/project/job, are there any other contractors that we need to wait on before we begin our work?

What prompted you to start work on this project?

What made you pull the trigger on this project?

Notice what projects your clients are either just finishing as they hire you, or what they plan to do next once you have finished the project they have hired you to complete. Seek out those contractors who provide those services to your clients before or after your clients hire you.

For Non-Profits:

Thank you for your donation. What prompted you to give today?

What about ____________(name of non profit) are you most excited to see your dollars affect?

Notice what specifically prompted your donors to give to you. It may be that you notice a pattern. They have just done thing X before they now are ready to give to your non-profit. Seek out the professionals they are involved with right before they decide to donate to you.

For Coaches:

What made you decide to move forward with me?

What do you need a particular software to do in order to give you success to implement the strategies we’ve discussed?

When it comes to business coaching, what have you already tried?

Listen to what your clients are telling you that they have already tried. The professionals who they have already used would be good contacts for you. Develop a relationship with those professionals, and help them see how you might be a great recommendation if their client isn't getting the results they want.

For IT:

Once you’ve onboarded a client: What's next in your digital world?

Now that you’ve outsourced your IT, are there any other services you are looking to outsource? (maybe suggest HR)

Once you've helped your client streamline IT, this is a perfect opportunity to see what other improvements the client is willing to make in their business, digitally. As you learn what else they plan to improve or hire out, look to build relationships with those professionals so that you may recommend them to your clients.

Curtail these questions to fit your own business, if your business category isn't listed above. The key is to put on your detective hat and do some investigative work when it comes to your clients' behavior, so that you understand what's happening right before your clients hire you, and what they plan to do next.

Once you've identified these patterns or behavior in your clients, you'll be ready to build a fair.

Go network my friend, and remember;

Build a grand fair, and there will be referrals for all!

Faithann Basore and her husband Dave have owned Window Cleaning Plus (WCP) for 10 years. Growing WCP through networking has given Faithann the desire to guide other small business owners through the networking terrain so they can feel comfortable and build long lasting relationships in their business.

Got networking questions? Email me at [email protected].