When the sun is shining and you don’t feel like sitting inside and working, it doesn’t mean your productivity needs to suffer. Head outside with these ideas that can lead to business down the road:
- Invite a client to lunch at an outdoor café. Maybe it’s time for a policy review. Perhaps they’re just nice people. The pandemic has brought about a new appreciation for the benefits of life insurance. Sitting outside puts people in a good mood.
- Visit the gym in the middle of the day. You will see totally different faces compared to the time you regularly go. Some will be familiar from your other social circles, so strike up a conversation. Many people skipped the gym during the pandemic. When did they start coming back?
- Stop by the country club. This assumes you belong to a private club. There will be well-dressed people at the outdoor bar. Who are they? Likely they are retired people who can afford the club membership fees.
- Invite your accountant to play golf. Ask them to bring along a couple of clients who are business owners. Now you have a foursome. You pick up the expenses. These guests will likely take your call when you get in touch about business next week.
- Take a walk in your local business or shopping districts. There’s a dynamic to shopping streets. While some businesses closed during the pandemic, others are opening. New businesses have a lot of insurance needs, so take special note of these. Researching the name of the owner should be easy using public records.
- Visit your friend in real estate. They’re likely having a great year. Realtors keep different hours. They might say they are the busiest they’ve ever been, but they have downtime too. If they are having a great year, they need a place to put all that money.
- Treat your accountant to a coffee. They’re a referral source. You can invite a different referral source if you choose. Ask them about their business and if they have a lot of clients concerned about possible changes to the estate tax laws. Have they considered a seminar or webinar on the topic? You could collaborate.
- Visit a client’s store and buy something. You might try doing all your shopping on the weekend. Take a break in the middle of the week. There’s always a birthday or other special event coming up. They are already your client — are you theirs?
- Talk about vacation plans with clients. Things are gradually opening up. Your client might always travel overseas, but maybe not this year. What are they doing instead? You are looking for ideas for you and your family.
- Working from home? Sit outside with your laptop. Open the umbrella, sit in the shade and keep your phone handy. What can you do inside that you can’t do outside? Enjoy the good weather.
- Attend a community event. Is there a trash pickup in the park run by volunteers? An afternoon coffee break sponsored by the chamber of commerce? You will meet new people by joining in.
- Sit in the sun and read the local paper. If no events come to mind, it’s time to plan ahead. Buy the print version of the paper and open to the community events section. Pick out ones where you have an interest and will likely meet new people. Mark those dates on your calendar.
You don’t need to be stuck behind your desk when the weather is beautiful. You don’t need to play hooky either. Get yourself outside, enjoy the weather and do something that might lead to future business.
Bryce Sanders is president of Perceptive Business Solutions Inc. His book Captivating the Wealthy Investor is available on Amazon.
More fun ideas about how to prospect and network:
- Networking on holiday (MDRT member exclusive, available in 11 languages)
- Missing opportunities? Widen your network and build influence
- A home office and being an active community member is good for business
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