Last week, I made a connection for a new business acquaintance. It was one that he perhaps wasn’t expecting me to make so quickly after our initial discussion. In his thank you email he called me a farmer. I have never been called a farmer before and certainly not as a compliment in business. I reread his email a couple of times before it clicked. Are you a farmer?What he was referring to was the fact that I’m out there working the circuit to plant seeds (make new contacts) and cultivating the crops (building relationships) so that I can one day harvest the field (make sales). I realize that I have grossly over simplified the farming process but let’s face it you don’t read my blog for farming tips. So let’s talk about how these three farming analogies pertain to growing your business.
Planting the Seed: Network. Network. Network. You should have a planned networking agenda each month. I recommend joining a few networking groups as well as regularly introducing new events into the fold. Remember the 3rd rule of my Three Rules to Success… Never Turn Down an Invitation.
Cultivating the Crops: Build solid relationships with the people you are meeting at the events. The reason I recommend going to networking groups that meet regularly is that it gives you the opportunity to build relationships. It’s no secret, people do business with people they like.
Harvesting the Field: Through the process of planting the seeds and cultivating the crops, you have now become someone that your potential clients or referees know and like. When they themselves or perhaps one of their clients need your services, they are more likely to call you rather than find an unknown service provider online through paid Google ads.
I gained a new found respect for farming and I am proud to be a farmer for the success of my business.
Ammie’s Assignment: Are you a farmer in the sense that you are farming for your business? If not, your homework assignment today is start at step one – planting the seed. I want you to create a networking agenda for this month. Make sure that it has at least two re-occurring meetings on it so that you can begin cultivating the crops and ultimately harvesting the field.
