"I got a guy..."
I spent several years as Vice President with a technology company that was based in Toronto, but has offices all over the world. I did a lot of traveling in those days (it was before we had our children) and I got to meet people from all walks of life. In my travels, I became buddies with the controller in our Chicago office. One of the things I liked about Chris was that whenever I was looking for a connection to get something done he would say, "I got a guy for that." And he did.
Chris had connections for nearly everything. Did I need to find a great deal on travel cases for computers? He had a guy.
Did I need find training space in Kansas City? He had a guy.
If I needed something, I'd try Chris first. If he didn't have a guy directly, he knew a guy who had a guy.
Chris didn't do the work himself. He connected two people with a need. One had a need for more business. The other (me) had a need to get something done.
When you are at a networking event and you meet a new connection, spend some time afterward categorizing that connection in your mind. Hopefully you had the chance to ask him/her the awesome question we presented in Tip #7 and so you have a good idea of the type of person that would be ideal as a prospect for them. Make an effort to do something with that bit of information.
If you are at an event and you meet someone who is in the moving business and another person who does renovations - connect the two. Put the pieces together for them. If you meet a guy who owns a funeral parlor - you might want to connect him with your contact who owns a flower shop.
It's like marrying the chocolate with the peanut butter.
Keeping your connections in mind is something you intentionally decide to do. However, it is one way you can build yourself as the go-to guy who people want to have in their virtual rolodex.
Happy selling!