What if you could significantly accelerate your business growth just by honing your networking skills? In this episode of the Process to Profit podcast, I sit down with Susie Moon, the Chief Connection Officer of Susie Moon Consulting, to talk about the art of building authentic and productive business relationships.

On this episode, we explore how focusing on authentic connection over the number of business cards in your hand, can transform your networking strategy, plus actionable tips for identifying power partners at your next event.

Key Takeaways:

✅ Quality over quantity: Identify the right networking events that align with your audience.

✅ Be strategic in your follow-up to create meaningful relationships.

✅ Embrace authenticity to create lasting connections.

✦ Resources Mentioned:

- Seven tips for effective networking - https://susiemoon.net/seven-tips

- Show Notes: https://laurenglynn.com/46

✦ Connect with Lauren:

Free Resource: Efficiency Advantage: A Comprehensive Guide to Streamlining Your Business - https://laurenglynn.com/efficiency

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@laurengconsulting

Watch on YouTube.

Mentioned in this episode:

📌 Free Workshop — Realistic Week Planning for Delusional Entrepreneurs

Stop doing all the things and still feeling like you did nothing. Join Lauren’s free 60-min workshop on Thursday, July 31st at 12PM EST and walk away with a realistic plan that works for real life.

Realistic Week Planning for Delusional Entrepreneurs

Susie Moon Interview

===

Continue with the family business, but, um, that's his path. And, uh, I didn't realize that until I was in my forties. So I'm, I'm a slower learner. I went to the corporate route and, uh, tried to follow all the rules and realized I'm not a rule follower. I don't like hr. I mean, I like HR people. I just don't like all the rules that go around hr.

And if we were all sharing that with everyone. We'd all be in a good place. We'd all be happy. We'd be, you know, living the dream. And, um, I just, I wanna make sure everybody is cover, uncovering what they're best at and sharing it. So that's like my. Utmost mission, I guess, in life. Um, and so that's what we help with is visibility.

But I could go off on that as well, so I, I won't, I'll stop. Um, the other part of our business is the connections. Um, people call me, you know, the Business Matchmaker or the Chief Connection Officer or, um, they say, oh, you're everywhere. You know, everybody. Um, and so I just love putting pieces together, like finding the people that are good at things that need to meet other people and just putting all the, the pieces of the puzzle together.

It just lights me up. So

You know, I, I don't do it selfishly. I just really find enjoyment. I love jigsaw puzzles, so, um, I'm also a cryptogram person. I'm, I'm one of those geeks that just like, ah, give me, you know, give me something to solve and I wanna find the answer. So that's. Always been my, um, the way I've operated through corporate and now in my business.

We bought a, um, pack of puzzles. It was two 500 piece puzzles. And I was like, oh, I can do one of those in a, you know, a couple hours. And she goes, what? I was like, yeah, it's just 500 pieces and they're giant. Like, you know, that's, that's like an evening. And she was like, oh, okay.

We have to be posting a million times a day. And you know, that's what you keep hearing so much of online. So how did you kind of figure out that? Not the opposite was true, but that a different path was a little bit more

And, and sometimes you don't realize that until, you know, down the road when you've tried, you know, X, Y, and Z already. It's hard. It's,

I'm it, I was a psych major, so in college, so that's probably why I get so excited about the human, uh, behavioral side of things, why we do the things we do. And, um, but it's so hard when you're trying to. Be introspective on yourself. Um, you just don't realize it, what your gifts are. So it almost takes somebody telling you, gosh, I wish I could, you could see the talent you have in this.

And then it's like, oh, really? You know? Yeah. It's fascinating.

Every week or whatever. So really understanding where your audience is, who, who's buying from you, who do you wanna work with, you know, narrowing that in and then realizing, okay, where do these people hang out and how can I make, um, referral partners on other people who will talk about my services when I'm not in the room?

So I really think that piece is missing.

I didn't have a plan. So how. Do you think that people should go about it instead, how do they identify those good referral partners? How do they know that someone is the right fit for them and their business?

Did you reach out to the organizer? Like, so there's things you can do around the process of networking and. The follow up is so crucial. Um, you know, you can have great conversations, but if nothing happens after that, uh, it's so important to follow up and maintain and nurture those relationships. Um, the other thing, um, and I lost your question again.

I.

So for instance, we do a lot of, we find speaking engagements for a lot of our clients, and if I could find, um, a coach or a website person that helps the exact, exact same audience. I can partner with them and we can refer one another. Um, but it's also important to, um, have the same vibe, have the same values.

You don't wanna work with anybody that's a little sketch or you don't trust them, that they're not gonna pay or they're not, you know, you just want good people to surround yourself with. And developing those relationships are just as important as re getting the leads and nurturing those. So,

I.

However, um, I just had my. Facebook account, uh, hacked back in October.

First advice for people. So you've talked a little bit about power

I don't know if that's the saying, but I'm throwing that out there. Um,

So, um, you know, there could be more than one, uh, marketing person in a room. There's clients for all of us. There's no, you know, there's just get rid of that scarcity mindset where, um, you just feel like, oh, my competition is here. Peace out, whatever

So there's people that help find speaking gigs for people that they're agents, you know, they get, they get paid commissions and they get people on stages for thousands of dollars. That's not me. I would love to partner with that person because anyone that is at a higher level. I'll send them your way, and then vice versa if somebody's not ready to work at that higher level.

Come back to me and I can help you and I can grow them into what you are doing. So I, I just think it's so magical when you can find your, your people. It's, it's almost like having a board of directors. Um, I think in the professional services like attorneys and accountants are good referral partners in general.

Um. But some of the things that we do, uh, some of my, uh, strategy calls are helping people identify who those key partners are and ways to build 'em. Um, I I get excited about that too, if you can't tell. Yeah. I.

And maybe it's not that format for you. Maybe it's talking isn't your thing. Could you find a different way to do it? I think it's all about thinking creatively. So maybe, um, the written word is better for you. Would you rather write things and connect with people that way? Uh, would you just like to only do social media and not meet people in person?

Maybe it's only zoom and not wear pants in real life. Whatever works for you. I think it's important to find your, your forum and your method of connecting with people in an authentic way. Maybe it's on a discord channel, you just never know, um, the different ways you can do that, but I really feel like instead of going after leads.

Connect with a network, you know, and then build that network to talk about you and be clear on what you want them to say. So I think that's a great way to do it.

So I think it, it is just a matter of the approach, um, that you use to get. To the result. So,

Um, so I, I think, um, if you can take a screenshot of all of those people and connect with them. In a different way when you're off the call. I think that's really important. Um, hey, it was great to see you on this call together. Like, let's connect here. And just, that's a way to build relationships. So I don't think it has to be all on social media.

I think just being very strategic and intentional about how you use your time is the most important thing. Yeah.

So there's different things.

And it could be as little as being vulnerable, like, Hey guys, I am just not feeling it today. You know, and, and people will relate to you because you're being real. You'd be surprised at how much bonding can happen, um, if you cry or if you just, if you're open to being. Scared or vulnerable or sharing a fear that you have, you know, asking for help I think is so important.

And, uh, sometimes I feel the pressure of having to perform or, you know, I don't have any jokes up my sleeve. I just show up and try to be witty and, you know, make people feel like they're welcome and, and just they can share anything. So just lean into who you are, I think is the key.

That's not worth it to me.

Like, it's

Or can I help? Or just being real and being supportive of one another. 'cause we're all. At the same event. We're all feeling the same things. And it is hard. I like to have, um, a couple things that I'm like on my, if I'm driving somewhere, I'll be like, okay, what am I gonna talk about tonight? You know, uh, at this event, um, have like your favorite book that you're reading.

Um, I always like to have something in my hand, like a drink, even if it's a bottle of water. It doesn't have to be alcoholic, but it's. So much better when I do. Uh, no, I'm kidding. Um, but a bottle of water. Hold onto something. So you just feel like you have like a safety net. I don't know what it is, but you know, just feeling y like you're not like in a job interview.

Yes, yes. Okay. You know, it helps

You know, what does that nurturing look like?

No, you're not gonna remember. So documenting that. Some way, and then setting up, you know, the ones that you really jelled with, like, this was a great conversation. Make sure right away that you're either following up on that, you know, sending them a calendar request, like let's get together next month and doing it, you know, it's great to talk about it, but if you're not.

Go out two days later and say. I love connecting with you. Here's a little blurb about me. This is how you could help me. Who can I introduce you to, kind of thing, and just, you know, share information with one another and just consistently put it on your calendar to follow up, and you'll be amazed at how great it is.

Here's who I can help, who can I connect you with? And I've gotten so many replies from people being like, oh, this was a great email. Like, I'm so happy to meet you. Like, it's just such a great way to keep the relationship

I'm not really doing in person 'cause I'm moving and it's complicated and whatever. Um, but. So they're all in Google Meet. So I automatically have Google Meet, record all the meetings, transcribe it, and then create notes from it. And then I can include those notes in my notion dashboard of here's what we talked about, here's what this person does, here's what you know, we promised to each other, whatever.

And it's just so easy to like. Automate that whole process so that I don't even have to think

You know, how much, how much time are they spending relative to everything else that they're doing in their business, I guess is

So

I am networking, I feel all the time. I feel like it's all the time, but there's certain times when I need to break. I need to be introverted. I need to. Regroup, or maybe I'm not feeling well, maybe I'm going on vacation. So I think it's just, you'll have to like trust yourself, but track the hours that you're spending and the ROI you're getting from each of those opportunities.

Like, you know, what's coming out of each networking event you're attending. Um, so I think that's a key too, looking at the, the analytics of it.

Um, so it, it kind of depends on, I. The level that you're putting in it, but definitely the time spent. Um, the quality. I think if you can, almost like a lead scoring system, you know, for sales, can you track the networking on different levels? You know, I like to use dating references with all of my things behind the scenes.

And then each month, how are you getting to that goal? Um, and how are you nur nurturing it? How many calls are you having per week in networking or, or connections after the networking? I think it's important to track all of those things and determine. Um, you know, what is the, is it the customer acquisition, um, factor?

You know, how, how many connections do you have to make until you get one sale or get a proposal or whatever? So figuring out what, you know, what it takes, how many people it takes to get someone to buy from you, I think is important as well. And that's part of the ROI.

My VA actually finds people for me to network with and then

And you know, not everybody responds and not everybody wants to engage and that's fine. But a lot of this networking is kind of a numbers

So it's very authentic and very much coming from me. So just another idea for people if they're thinking like, oh, this is a lot of

Like what do we wanna invest in this year? Where are marketing dollars going? So it's the monetary part as well. So. Yeah. But I love what you're saying. That's so smart. Having a system that someone does that for you, love it. Yeah,

It was wonderful speaking with you. And, um, thank you all so much for watching or listening, and I will talk to you guys again soon.