Networking Unleashed: Building Profitable Connections. An Interview with Prya Marie Robert and Michael A Forman
Welcome to Networking Unleashed, Building Profitable Connections, the show where relationships be- stop being random and start producing real results. I'm your host, Michael Foreman. Let's be honest, most people are networking constantly. They're attending events, making introductions, collecting contacts, and staying busy, yet very little business actually comes from it.
Why? Because networking without structure often leads to conversations without outcomes. My guest today is changing that. We're talking about why most networking fails to create real growth, how referrals can become predictable, a predictable business channel instead of a, an occasional surprise, and why almost nobody teaches professionals how to intentionally build a referral team.
This episode is about moving beyond random introductions and creating relationships that consistently generate opportunities. If you want your networking to finally produce measurable business growth, this episode is for you. I'd like to welcome my- welcome you to my podcast, Priya. And I, you I said before we went on that you are so in line with what I talk about, that I'm really looking forward to this podcast.
So Priya, if you don't mind, introduce yourself and tell us, give us the cliff notes of how you got here today It's good to be here from Adelaide with you, Michael and your audience. Thanks for having me. My journey was simply going into sales at a young age, and we didn't have a huge budget in those days.
So we were just sent into large networking events and told to go and make a sale. It was then I quickly learnt that that is not what networking is about. And actually, it's very rare that people turn up to networking events to buy. Everyone's there to sell. It led to me understanding early that you had to develop a way of creating value and letting people understand how you could support and actually help them, and that's been and served me well for the next 25 years across countries in different sales and marketing roles.
And especially going into a country like Dubai, being Australian it was it was tough. Nobody really wanted to know me and they didn't think I really had the goods, but I was able to develop again, using my structure and system, and start to form meaningful relationships which then would become my referral partners, that then would lead me to continued growth just through my networking.
So yeah, it's it served me very well. I don't think you can see my gray hairs on the podcast, but I, I've certainly got enough skin in the game, I can tell you. Yeah. I've been in sales for about 40 years. Okay. And so I know exactly what you're talking about. I went to the school of hard knocks.
I learned how to do everything wrong before I learned how to do it correctly. So that's what sent me on this journey. But anyway you say most networking doesn't lead to real results. What are people doing that keeps conversations from turning into opportunity? I think the thing h- the thing that needs to occur is your mindset has to shift.
So we need to shift from collecting contacts to building meaningful relationships. And what I mean by that is people are mistaking activity for outcomes. So they're attending lots of events, they're collecting business cards, then they're finding them on LinkedIn, which is a very popular platform as you and I both know, and they feel really productive.
But then there's crickets. Nothing's happening. Because there's actually no real strategy with why they were at that networking event in the first place, what meaningful connection were they looking to build, and how that was gonna help them get into meeting more of their ideal clients. So I think a lot of the conversations as well stay very surface level.
People spend time explaining what they do rather than helping other people understand who they're best suited to help. And I'll say that again because I think it's important that people start to share who they're best suited to help and how they do that. So what are the problems that they're solving?
'Cause that's the real value that you're adding. And when to think of them. That's another great one, is to teach people, when they hear an opportunity "Hey, that's a great time to, to bring us up." And move away from talking about the weather how busy you are and the football.
I, I know we all love our sports, but it's a bit hard to develop a fast, meaningful relationship just based on those things. And I would probably also say my last point would be that people are talking too much and they're asking too little. So they lead with r- a rehearsed pitch, the elevator pitch, About themselves rather than being curious about the other person.
So better questions, as you and I both know, uncover the hidden gems, the opportunities, the challenges. And so if we don't ask better questions, you're never actually going to dive deeper and find out what's under the surface level. So I always like to ask a question at a networking event when I'm meeting someone for the very first time, and I like to say, "If I could connect you with your ideal client, who would that be and why them?"
Immediately it changes the dynamic of the conversation because I'm not trying to sell you anything. I'm actually trying to learn about you and I'm hoping that I can support you by that connection by actually asking who that ideal client is. And maybe by understanding why, I'm gonna find out what's the goal what separates you from your competitors.
What I do, what I teach is an 80/20 rule, right? Okay. You let the other ter- let the other person speak for 80% of the time. You only speak for 20% of the time. And with it, while they're speaking, your 20% of the time you should be trying to figure out questions to ask him about the 80% of the time Yes, totally agree
so what, when you first walk into a networking event, I, you have to have what's called a servant's heart, right? You go in looking to help and not receive. And what does that do? That takes all the pressure off your shoulders. That takes all the pressure off, so you're walking in there trying to help people and refer them and put them with somebody else.
So you're getting everything off y- your shoulders- Yeah, it's the best ... and all you're doing is st- trying... And you actually enjoy yourself. And that's the thing. And believe it or not- Yeah. Go ahead. 100% I agree with you because the moment you go into that room and you think about, "Wow, I wonder who I could help connect today to my network?"
Because it's also about the network behind you that you're representing when you walk into a room. I think people forget that. They think, "Oh, I'm just here with my brand and my 50 business cards that I've gotta hand out today." You don't have to. In a minute you can release that fear and rele- have that...
That's what I'm saying, it's a mindset shift from the beginning. When I walk into that networking room, what are some of your objectives and KPIs? I think the people who get the best results from networking aren't necessarily the best talkers. They're actually the best listeners. Yeah that's, I, another part of what I coach is introverts and extroverts.
Sure. And everybody thinks that extroverts are the best salespeople and everything else, and I try to tell them, "No, it's introverts because they know how to listen more than speak." So there's a whole mindset shift with that. But one thing you have to remember when you're speaking to, when you're going into a networking event, you're not just speaking to those people, you're speaking to their network of people.
Sure. So you ha- you have to think about all of that. So let me ask you a question. What separates someone who occasionally gets referrals from someone who creates a predictable referral en- engine? Yeah, it's a really good question, and I think we, in the economy that we're in now with the rise of AI comes the rise of human interaction again.
And looking at your whole business development system and saying, "Okay, we've got this great online strategies happening." But something you've got absolute control over your fingertips at your fingertips, is networking and your offline structure. So I think moving from the hope to chance to a structured, reliable system is going to be more enjoyable.
I think stop relying on the random referrals. The businesses generating consistent referrals don't leave it to luck. So what I mean by that is they're actually intentionally identifying a small group of people, could be three to four, three to five, who are actually regularly encountering your ideal clients That's a really good takeaway for, if you're trying to put a structure behind your networking and looking at who you're spending time with to stop random referrals.
Spend time with three or four people who are actually already working with your ideal clients and who are a trusted partner. I think the next thing is once you identify those two or three people that really get your business and understand your value and, again, can put you in front of your ideal client, is educating them.
So our role really is about how do I make it easier for you to refer me? I wanna make your life easy. I don't wanna make it harder because I know you're busy. So I like to think one of the biggest mistakes is assuming people know the how to refer you part. I think that's where we fall down sometimes.
We make a mistake or an error. So where I would suggest some points to, if you can gain some clarity here and share this with your referral partners and have that system, is who's your ideal client? So the industry, number of employees maybe they're award winners. That's a great way to, to spot who you're looking for.
The problems that you solve. So that really showcases your value, so all the different ways that you can relieve or create success. I love the trigger moment. So when I educate people about the trigger moments to listen for, I think in sales we've always called them buying signals that makes it easy for people to go, "Oh, hang on a minute.
That's a, that problem that you're having, oh gee, Michael can solve it or Priya can solve that. You should come and meet them. They're my friends and let me introduce you." And that's a bit we need to teach people. Do you prefer the lovely email? Is it an InMail on LinkedIn so they can see your other testimonials and referrals?
Do you prefer, a phone or Messenger kind of system where you can start that group chat? Some people prefer that. It just saves them time 'cause I don't know about you, but I get a lot of emails every day. So sometimes that's a bit easier. So yeah, I think that predictable growth channel comes from structure.
And once you've got two or three people in that small group, how do you set them up for success? That's what I've just covered. And I think from there you create a rhythm. Once you've got that group together and you've, and you, everyone understands what they're there to do, and they've got the material to, to lean on or access when you're not there to set up a referral for you, and that's their job, is they're actually happy and excited to do that when you're not there.
That's the fun part about being a connector. I think then the next thing is to say how do we continue to catch up regularly so that we can keep top of mind? And you wanna, you want everyone to be referral ready. And that's the fun bit, right? I'm, I'm really known in this area as being a connector or a super connector- Sure
somebody has said it, right? Because I make sure that I connect at least two people every week. Every week I'm referring, I'm connecting, and some people like to do it on LinkedIn and others like to do it email. So I figure out which one is which, but I've been doing this for three or four years. Sure. So by now everybody knows well, oh, Michael gave me a referral so I'm gonna have to give a referral back.
That's not what I'm looking for- No ... but it's nice that it's there. But it's not. So- But I think that's how people work in business is, "Thanks a lot for helping me and supporting me." Yeah. What can I do for you?" And, and- Exactly ... and therefore and that's how it works. So I think referrals shouldn't be something that occasionally happens to your business.
They should be a channel that you've intentionally built. And that's why that system and structure is so important. But I think a lot of the time people do really need a little bit of education and support from you. And it's always good to go back. I always go back to my top referral partners and teams, 'cause that's obviously what I build and set up.
And I always say to them, "So what was working well this month? What did, did the material I provide, was that helpful? Was it the event that I was running? Was it that Google review, that was really front and center? Or is there anything else I could be doing to make it easier for you to refer me and support my business growth?"
'Cause obviously as I'm growing, I'm bringing them along too, right? Because we're all complimentary partners. What qualities should someone look for when identifying people to become part of your referral ecosystem? Yeah, great question. I prefer people... So when I'm clear about who my ideal client profile is and for a lot of service providers they might say accountants.
What I'm, what I become very aware of is then who is the trusted person for that accounting firm? Who does that accountant go to when it comes to legal advice, HR advice, recruitment, marketing? It's then that becomes my target. I then think to myself when I'm going networking, I wanna meet the top law firms and HR providers and marketing people that are supporting accountants, because that then becomes my new ecosystem.
That's one way to target. So ideally what you've got is your ideal client and their trusted suppliers. Yeah. Very good. The other flip side, the other flip side to it could be you're in a marketing situation and you do an exceptional job perhaps with Facebook advertising and lead gen, but you're not necessarily the best when it comes to graphic design, branding videography, photography.
So then what I would look for in that referral team and ecosystem is complimentary value-add services because that way when... in, in either scenario, we're not competing. We're all actually working together to support the ideal client profile. So that could be two selection criteria. And I would also make sure that you're actually aligned as a referral partner, so your values, your timing, your- for example, I wouldn't put a team together where you've got two people who are close to retirement and thinking about succession planning, and two people are, who are gonna, dominate the world and, you know- ... global domination, et cetera- ... 'cause you'll find that there's not a balance there.
But the number one thing I always- Or the other way up. Yeah. The number one thing I always say, though, if you can, develop relationship with people you enjoy working with to start with is good, and you're impressed by the work and you can see their value. But pick people who've already got and are working with and are trusted to the ideal client that you're targeting.
Okay. But what mistakes cause referral relationships to weaken or disappear over time? The initial understanding of the goal. So the people will come together, but you have to have a agenda. You have to have a ... it, like with any team, you've got to form. So there's the early parts where you might think, oh, gee, this person looked really committed, but when we said that we were gonna meet at 9:00 on a Monday, they're always late.
Doesn't sound like a lot. It wears thin real quick because the other person starts to feel disrespected because their times are important. They start to think you're unorganized. And the biggest one, it creates doubt in your professionalism. Because if you're doing that to them, are you gonna do that to their referral partner or their client?
And that's gonna make them look bad. So I think commitment is a really big one. But I also think at the end of the day it's also about your value and your goals, so where you're going. So I think as a group if you don't sit down early and say, look, I really wanna dominate this market, or I wanna be an advocate, I wanna be global in the next three years, you've really gotta break it down and explain to people what the vision is, and what's the why behind all of this.
I think if you don't understand people's why money's not really the biggest motivator if I'm honest. In all of the referral teams I've set up it's always about providing for the family. And if it's not the kids or the partners, it's the fur babies cats, dogs, it's the holidays.
It's the extra time with mom and dad. We're part of the sandwich generation now. Yeah. So we're taking care of the elderly parents along with the kids as well. So those are some of the things I see when things don't go well. That's why. Some of the fundamentals were missed. I I- I'm a former military person.
I was in the Air Force for nine years, and I have one major time thing. I if I'm on time, I'm late. If I'm early, I'm on time. And, you would think that this is not too difficult to do. I've been doing this my whole life, and my boys, who are 35 and 31 right now they understand that if we're invited somewhere, I'm gonna be early, right?
And they can get over that because they're used to like, "No, I won't get there right on time," or, "It's a party, we're gonna get there a little late." Never. I've... In 40 years, I've never been late, from for anything important like that. Wow. So it's really, it's really- My dad was, my dad was an air traffic controller, so his advice to me was, "Priya, be...
Whatever time they say, you are there ready to go 15 minutes before," Same concept ... at any time. And as, as you get older, it ends up being 30 minutes. But what's nice about that is you're very relaxed on arrival, right? You're not stressing out- Yes ... about anything. Absolutely. You don't have... You have time to think.
You have time to relax, and you're not just rushed as soon as you go and meet somebody. You're just saying hi." You're relaxed, and you can talk to them and everything works out. Okay. So keep professionals, stay top of mind with referral partners without constantly checking in awkwardly So I think it comes back down to the understanding of that person.
And if you're in a referral partnership or a team. So a referral team is different because you're now a team with a common vision and goal that you're driving towards. Before the team, though, comes partners- partnership. So I've, I have, I can't tell you how many referral partners, and they all like to communicate in different ways.
I have a marketing person that 90% of our communication is on Facebook Messenger. It's fast, it's quick. I have others who enjoy, and as I don't like a long email or text. I much prefer a voice note. I can listen to that at my own speed, and I can action that quickly. And I think it comes down to finding the balance between the two parties and saying, "Okay, look, when I hand over..."
And I think that comes down to setting an expectation. So for me, before I set up a referral, I will call the person. I'll give them context. How do I know the person? How did I spot the opportunity, and where did I see the value add? How have I positioned it? And that's all done on a voice note. Then that person's got absolute clarity, and then I tell them, "I'm now gonna set up an email with your email signature."
All of my referral partners already have a template. I don't wanna sit there rewriting anything, and I don't wanna use the wrong language when I'm referring them. So they have to make sure. That's how my referral partners work with me. They don't get a referral unless that template is set up because I want to make them look professional from the minute that introduction is made.
So I think those are some key things. And you can ask people what their expectation is after that. Do they want a follow-up? So I don't wanna be CC'd on every email then back and forth until they book the meeting. I would just prefer, yes, we met, this is the next point of action we're taking, and then to give me an update if it worked or it didn't work.
I will also ask for feedback as well. So I think it's a good one, is to let your future referral partners say, "Listen, I'll make the introduction, I'll set up the referral, but I'm also gonna call that person for feedback and see how they felt in that experience with you, just to make sure that I'm on point as well."
So I think that's the way to work it out, is to find out from that person how do you... what's your expectation and what's your process when I give you a referral and when I receive a referral? How often do you wanna be contacted? And on, on which medium? So I think it's about setting, finding out what that other person wants.
And honestly, once you get into a really good referral dynamic where this week alone on my whiteboard is about 17 referrals that have been set up. And we're not even halfway through the week. That's because my referral partners have set me up for success on how to spot a service for them.
And then I've got the email templates ready to go. So again, they've made it easier for me to make that connection. So certainly spend time with your people and check in with them. I know it's very common sense what I'm saying. It's amazing how common sense everything that we've said today is, but if you're not practicing it daily, it's not a habit.
Yeah it's a good one to check in how people like to be connected. Me personally, I can't stand those group messages I much prefer a quick voice note and an email to let me know what's going on. What about yourself, Michael? Pe- people are gen- I find that people are generally lazy, right?
They want all the communication, they want all the kudos, they want all the success without really putting the work in. And what you're talking about is it's not a lot of work, it's just a little work. It's just a little bit. Yeah. And the voice note on the email, that I've been using for a while, and it's that it puts you a little bit ahead of everybody else who's referring.
And I do that, and I also, the follow-up- with the referral is key. And I have a whole follow-up system, but the second day, I h- I have all my students write a handwritten thank you note to the person, and that's what mark- that's what puts them different from everybody else. They're like, "Oh my goodness, look at this.
He wrote me a handwritten thank you note." And some of them have chicken scratch, others have really nice- ... handwriting. But the fact of the matter is it- they received it, and it's not an- a bill. It's not something I have to take care of. It's just a thank you, and that goes a long way in keeping that person top of mind.
That's all you wanna do. And I have a whole- Yeah ... structure on the follow-up system because I feel that follow-up is more important than actually meeting the person, right? Your follow-up is so key. And that voice note definitely is on top. The handwritten thank you notes are on top. All these little things that you have to put just a little bit of effort into it, and it comes out so much better.
Okay. So let's bring this podcast- That's a really... Yeah, that's a really lovely lovely thing to do a handwritten note. I saw a great one the other day where they sent a small bouquet of flowers and they said, "Thank you so much for the referral. Each referral you give me, you give our business, helps us to bloom."
Oh, yeah. And I just thought, "Wow. Wow." That's just, C- again, 'cause people are not expecting that, and No ... do you know what? When I think when that happens, they think, "I wanna refer this person again," 'cause the feeling is so nice, it is. Yeah. It's a great feeling when you've referred somebody and they're appreciative of the fact that you refer.
Now, regardless of where that referral goes, right? But the fact- Yeah ... is that you referred them, that it was an honest referral, it makes you feel so much better. And all these little things, you just don't forget about the people that referred you. I hold a networking group meeting every week at night at a restaurant, and I get between five and 15 businesses per week.
And we discuss everything that we're discussing. And each week I'm bringing in one little more nugget, and I'm running out of things because we've been holding it for six months now, six or seven months, so I'm repeating some of the items. But they, they enjoy it. They really do. They sit down, they have a drink.
When we all... We discuss it, and then we discuss things like, "Okay, you're having a problem getting into this company. Does anybody have a contact within that company?" Sure. And we make it more personal. But anyway, I digress. Okay, so- it's important, I think, in this day and age, it's really good to know that something like that exists.
I run my own once a month where we have about 30 to 40 of a combination of my network and my students and my graduates. And we too are practicing the same thing, which is, how do you network where it's more than just an activity to throw business cards around. It's really about how do you turn it into a profitable system that brings you bankable clients every month, and have fun doing it as well.
'Cause there needs to be a commercial return. Networking can be a serious expense and investment in terms of time and activity. I- I'm sure we... Anyone that would be listening to this would be nodding, 'cause they're networkers. But yeah, most people don't have a networking problem, they don't have a referral.
They actually have a referral system problem. So that's what we teach in my school. A- absolutely. Absolutely. So let's bring this podcast full circle. If a listener wanted to build a referral-based growth system over the next 90 days, what's one relationship-building habit they should start immediately?
The first thing I would say to you is get clear on the relationship you want to build and why. So really understand how you can bring value to that person, how you can give to them first and then how they can then give to you, and start targeting where you're going networking to start finding these people.
It's a recruitment exercise. I'll tell you that now. You need to think through where you're going networking. Let's stop the art of random networking events. Let's actually go and build and go with meaning and intention. Very good. Very good. Now Priya, if somebody wanted to get hold of you, or what's the best way that they can get hold of either to talk to you, say hi to you, be mentored by you, be coached by you?
Whatever the case, what's the best way for them to get hold of you? So the best way right now is through social media. So PM Enrich is the name of the company. And you can find us on Facebook and on LinkedIn. I'm on LinkedIn as well. So you can connect with me there and reach out and say hello, and if I can support you in any way, happy to know.
But by following us what will be exciting is you'll be the first then to hear when we're launching our online international program which is gonna be super exciting how we show people how to create an actual referral team. So it's called the Referral Team Playbook. We're having great traction here in Australia.
And I'd love to bring it overseas and maybe come to one of your networking nights, Michael. Yep, absolutely. As a matter of fact I put on two shows a year, two business expos, and the last show I put on, it was only 20 businesses. The next one's 25 businesses, but it's an event. The t- the businesses get a table, and I have about 250 people walk through and they business is being done all over the place.
Amazing. I'm also part of another business expo. It's in a huge building over here in September. It's called Dream Big, and it's part of, South Building, whatever, but that's gonna be a huge business networking event and just that's what I do. I, that, I do all these events It's awesome. I think more and more now as humans we need to be able to find places to develop meaningful connections and to remember that doing business is still done in person.
I think what you're teaching and what you're providing through your, coaching and speaking and your events is fantastic because we're just not taught these things at school. No ... so it's great to have a human being leading the way. Well done. Great. Thank you. This conversation is a reminder that referrals don't happen by accident.
They happen through trust, consistency, and intentional relationships. When people clearly understand who you help, trust how you operate, and stay connected to you over time, referrals stop feeling random and start becoming predictable. Take one step this week. Identify one person in your network who could become a strong referral partner, and invest in strengthening that relationship.
One intentional partnership can change the direction of your business. If you found value in today's episode, make sure you like, follow, and subscribe to Networking Unleashed: Building Profitable Connections so you keep getting the best insights on networking and communication, and share this episode with someone who's ready to turn networking into real business growth.
If you'd help strengthening your communication and building relationships that build opportunity, visit MichaelAForman.com to learn how I work with professionals, teams, and organizations. So until next time, build trust intentionally, strengthen your referral network, and create connections that consistently move business forward.
Priya, I wanna thank you again. You're a magnificent guest. Thank you so much, and hope all the listeners out there I wish you happy networking, or referral partner shopping as I might say to you now. Good. Thank you.
That's a wrap, folks. A huge thank you to our guests for sharing such incredible insights today. And of course, a big shout-out to you, our amazing listeners, for tuning in and spending your time with us. If you're interested in my digital courses, being coached, or having me come and talk to your company, just go to MichaelAForman.com and fill out the request form.
Remember, networking isn't about being perfect. It's about being present. So take what you've learned today, get out there, and make some meaningful connections. If you've enjoyed this episode, please don't forget to subscribe, leave us a review, and share it with someone who could use a little networking inspiration.
Let's keep the conversation going. You can find me on Apple, Spotify, Pandora, YouTube, or my website, michaelaforman.com/podcast
Michael is a business networking expert specializing in enhancing professionals' networking and communication skills to drive profitability. As a leading authority in this field, he is highly sought after for his dynamic presentations and workshops. His extensive experience has consistently led to significant improvements in corporate profitability by empowering individuals and organizations to connect more effectively and efficiently.
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