I met with Patrice Marks today.  Patrice is a commercial realtor for National Realty Network and a dear friend of mine.  The person responsible for pushing her to get her license was Kris Keller, Broker National Realty Network.  Her partners are Christina Adams, Al Coulolias and Peter Cotsirilos, CCIM.

Patrice is the President of her BNI Chapter and serves with me on the NAWBO-Chicago Corporate Partner committee.  Did you know that she gets 90% of her new business through networking?  That is a great percentage!  What I find interesting about Patrice is her dedication to referring people, and really looking for the unique selling proposition for each person she knows.

Her best networking story came from an introduction of a franchisee.  Patrice was working with someone from Cartridge World that she met in a networking group.  This person then introduced her to the Master Franchiser of Cartridge World, LLC in the midwest.  By being a consistent networker and having a great reputation as a giver of referrals, Patrice has a great reputation.

Patrice loves networking, but one of her pet peeves are people that she meets with on a one-on-one basis, and then they try to sell her.  As we all know, when we have one-one-on meetings, the point to meeting with someone is to get to know them better.  To understand their business better.  To find more commonalities with them so when referrals are made, you make strong referrals that last.  On this matter, Patrice and I are in total agreement.  Patrice and I HATE to be sold at these meetings.  Get to know me - don’t sell me.

I asked Patrice what she considers her most valuable piece of advice for successful relationship networking, and she immediately said, “Get involved.  You must have consistency in attendance at events, and keep meeting people over and over and over again.  People have short attention spans.  If you are not there, you will be forgotten, so show up and get involved.”  THAT is sound advice from a great networker.

To learn more about Patrice Marks and National Realty Network, check out her interview.