Business Networking & Referrals with Faithann Basore

One hundred episodes! To celebrate, Faithann wraps up the two-part "Be a Tourist" series — a full-circle return to the very first episode of the podcast. The idea is simple: the next time networking nerves kick in, ask yourself, what would a tourist do? Nobody grades you on vacation, so you relax, get curious, and enjoy yourself. Bring that same energy into any networking room and everything changes. In this episode, three more vacation-inspired ways to walk in relaxed instead of nervous.

In this episode, you'll learn

1. Take the safe route with your opener. On a family road trip, you stick to safe roads. In a networking room, that means opening with a question everyone can answer: "How do you know the host?" or "How did you hear about this meeting?" (Bonus: "Is this your first meeting?") Nobody's put on the spot, and the conversation starts rolling.

 

      2. Join conversations already in progress. Walking in alone? Don't hover — explore like a tourist. Let curiosity drive you: what great conversations       are waiting for me in this room? Look for open groups that will invite you in. (For the full deep dive, go back to Episode 81.)

 

     3. Ask the question you'd love to be asked. This gem comes from Tim Roberts of the Power of One podcast: keep a favorite question ready —             "What are you most proud of?" "How did you start your business?" "Is it a family business?" — questions that let people tell their stories. They'll       almost always turn it back on you.   

 

Bonus: do the vacation debrief. After a trip you ask, "What was your favorite part?" Do the same after a networking event: What did you like? Would you go back? Who's worth following up with? Send a quick text or email (remind them where you met!), and make the coffee ask easy — 20 minutes before or 30 minutes after the next meeting, not a whole separate slot on their calendar.

Quotable moment

"The tourist mindset is not, 'Will these people like me?' The tourist mindset is, 'What do I think of these people? What do I think of this venue? What do I think of this meeting and how it's being run?'"

Resources mentioned

• Episode 99: "Nervous About Networking? Be a Tourist, Part 1: 3 Ways to Feel More Comfortable" — the first three ways
• Episode 81: How to Walk into a Networking Event Alone and Start Meaningful Conversations with Confidence
• Tim Roberts, host of the Power of One podcast (all about BNI success)

Ready to network with more confidence?

Book a quick discovery call to see if there is a way Faithann might support you in your networking.

Your turn to reflect

Next time the nerves show up, pause and ask: what would a tourist do? — then try one of these three moves and notice what shifts.

 

Does walking into a room full of business owners you don’t know make you nervous?

Before you worry about perfecting your elevator pitch or generating referrals, start with feeling comfortable in the room.

In this episode of Business Networking & Referrals, Faithann Basore shares how a family vacation to South Dakota reminded her of a simple approach to networking: be a tourist.

Instead of wondering, “What do these people think of me?” try asking, “What do I think of this room?” That shift can help you approach networking events with more curiosity and less pressure.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Bring a friend: Who you can invite and how highlighting their strengths gives you an easy way to start conversations.
• Gather information before you go: How checking parking, travel time, meeting format, and what visitors can expect helps you arrive more comfortably.
• Find the fun: How to look for welcoming people, interesting details, and enjoyable moments that give you a reason to return.
• Plus a bonus tip: Why saying “I’m a little nervous” can help you settle into a conversation.

You’ll also hear how to ask the event host for introductions when you arrive alone.

Try this at your next networking event: Give yourself permission to explore. Meet a few people, learn about the room, and notice what you enjoy. You don’t have to talk to everyone.

Want support choosing networking groups?

Whether you have a few meetings in mind or don’t know where to start, book a discovery call with Faithann to explore whether working together would help you choose rooms that fit your industry and business goals.

Book your discovery call here.

Know someone who feels nervous about networking? Share this episode with them.

Have you ever watched someone refer a potential client to another business and wondered why they didn’t think of you?

It can sting, especially when you’ve sent opportunities their way. In this episode of Business Networking & Referrals, Faithann Basore shares how to respond with curiosity and use the experience to strengthen your referral relationships.

You’ll learn:

• Why a mention or social media tag may not have become a referral

• How to follow up and find out what happened with a connection you made

• A question you can ask a trusted contact: “What could I do to earn your next referral?”

• How clearer referral asks and consistent follow-up can help people feel confident recommending you

Every referral carries a little of the giver’s reputation. When one goes elsewhere, take a moment to learn what you can, then keep building relationships with people who know whom you help and trust you to follow through.

Want help making your ideal referral easier to recognize? Book a discovery call with Faithann to talk about your networking pitch and whether a Pitch Strategy Session is a fit for your business.

Book your discovery call here.

What should you do when someone sends you a referral that simply isn’t a good fit?

Turning down the opportunity may be necessary, but how you handle the person who referred them can either strengthen or weaken an important relationship.

In this episode, Faithann shares how to respond to a bad referral with gratitude, clarity, and care. You’ll learn why it’s your responsibility to teach your network what does and does not make a good referral, how to explain that you couldn’t help without overexplaining, and how to guide the referral partner towards better-fit opportunities in the future.

You’ll learn:

• How to prevent bad referrals by educating your network
• Why you should follow up quickly with every referral
• What to say to the person who sent the referral
• How to make gratitude the hero of the conversation
• A simple phrase that explains why you couldn’t help
• How to remind your network what a great referral looks like

A bad referral doesn’t have to damage a valuable relationship. Handled well, it can become an opportunity to build trust and help someone refer you more confidently next time.

Would this episode help someone in your network navigate a bad referral? Share it with them so you can both become the current of the lazy river that draws and keeps the right people close.

Want to receive better-fit referrals from your network?

Schedule a Discovery Call to explore how The Networker’s Tour Guide can support you.

Are you making it easy for the people in your networking group to recognize and connect you with the right referrals?

In this episode of Business Networking and Referrals, Faithann coaches Denise Maples, owner of Backbone Operations, through creating a clearer and more effective networking pitch.

Together, they turn a broad request for “any business owner who needs a virtual assistant” into a specific picture of the client Denise can help, the problem that person may be experiencing and the words a referral partner can use to introduce her naturally.

You’ll learn:

• Why a short testimonial can build credibility and help people picture your ideal referral
• How to focus on the result you provide instead of listing everything you do
• Why specific referral requests are more effective than casting a wide net
• How to identify what your ideal client may be doing, feeling or saying
• What question your networking partners can ask to bring you into the conversation naturally
• Why permission-based introductions create warmer referrals

When you paint a clear picture, your network can recognize more opportunities for you. Start narrow, and the people listening can broaden the possibilities from there.

Connect with Denise Maples and Backbone Operations:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denisemaples

Website: https://backboneops.net

Schedule a Discovery Call with Denise: https://schedule.backboneops.net/discovery-call

Ready to make it easier for your network to recognize and refer the right people to you?

Book a Discovery Call with Faithann to talk about where your networking and referral strategy may need more clarity:

 FAITHANN’S DISCOVERY CALL LINK

 

What do the organizers of networking groups wish you knew before you walked through the door?

In this episode, Faithann shares honest advice from several successful networking organization leaders about what actually helps business owners build meaningful relationships and earn referrals.

You’ll hear why the networking meeting itself is only the first step, why you do not need to speak to everyone in the room, and how a few genuine conversations can lead to stronger, more personal follow-up.

You’ll also learn:

• Why one-to-one conversations are not sales appointments
• How to choose two or three meaningful connections instead of collecting a stack of business cards
• Why your 30- or 60-second introduction needs to be clear and specific
• How self-doubt can keep you from recognizing opportunities
• Why networking communities provide more than referrals
• How becoming a resource makes introductions feel natural
• What could happen when you invest intentionally in your relationships for the next eight months

The business owners who organize networking events want you to succeed. Their advice makes one thing clear: showing up matters, but what you do after the meeting is where relationships, referrals, and opportunities begin to grow.

Ready to become a stronger resource for the people in your network? Schedule a discovery call with Faithann to explore whether a coaching session could help you use your networking time more intentionally and get more people talking about your business.

Book your discovery call here.

Featured networking leaders:

• Sybil Hale, Mix & Mingle Business Networking
• Danielle Throckmorton, Reach Retreats, Coffee & Connection, and Believers in Business
• Cori, OKC Women in Business
• Pam, Wine, Women & Wealth

Are you showing people that you are a valuable resource, even when they are not ready or able to hire you?

The business owners who build strong networks and earn referrals understand that resourcefulness should not be reserved only for paying clients. When you help people, share what you know, and create opportunities for others, you give them meaningful reasons to remember you and mention your name in rooms you are not in.

In this solo episode, Faithann shares two important areas to audit when your network is not growing. You will learn how small etiquette mistakes may be quietly turning people away and how becoming a resource can help you build trust, strengthen relationships, and create more referral opportunities.

Faithann discusses:

• How networking etiquette affects people’s willingness to build a relationship with you
• Who should offer an alternate date when a meeting must be rescheduled
• Why you should tell someone when another person will be joining your meeting
• How to become a trusted source of business recommendations
• The relationships to build with professionals who serve your clients before or after you
• Why hosting meetups, webinars, or educational events can grow your network
• How volunteering and serving on nonprofit boards build trust
• Ways to share your expertise without giving away too much
• How your own professional development can become a resource for others
• Why people who may never hire you can still become valuable cheerleaders for your business

You will also leave with a practical networking exercise: identify five types of professionals you wish your clients knew before working with you and five they may need afterward. Then begin building the relationships that allow you to confidently make those introductions.

When you become someone who consistently helps people move forward, you become someone they remember, trust, and recommend.

Mentioned in This Episode

• Episode 10: How to Invite Someone to a Networking Event Like a Pro
• Episode 15: Think of Everything
• Episode 48: TACT: The First Floor of Networking Success
• T5 Meetup Fri Sep 25th from 9-11a: RSVP (OKC business owners)

Join the Curiosity Workshop

Learn how to talk about your business naturally in networking meetings, volunteer settings, community events, and everyday conversations. The Curiosity Workshop includes four weeks of instruction followed by in-person and virtual conversation practice.

You can join from anywhere.

The first class begins Friday, September 4. Registration is $125 and closes on Tuesday Aug. 1st.

Register for the Curiosity Workshop here.

 

 

What should you say during your 60-second networking pitch so people know exactly who to refer to you?

In this coaching episode, Faithann works with Dirk Neitzel, founder of ThinkBiz Referral Clubs, to build a networking pitch that does more than describe his organization. Together, they create language that helps people recognize an ideal referral, introduce ThinkBiz without criticizing other networking options, and confidently take the next step.

Dirk also shares how ThinkBiz grew from one referral club to eight across the Oklahoma City metro and why in-person networking remains so powerful in an increasingly digital world.

You’ll learn:

• How to make one business the “star” of your networking pitch when you own multiple businesses
• Why a short, specific testimonial builds credibility quickly
• How to describe your ideal referral without asking for “anyone”
• The difference between networking acquaintances and true referral partners
• How to give people a curiosity-building question they can use to introduce your business
• Why every 60-second pitch needs a clear next step
• How staying after a networking meeting can lead to conversations and one-to-one appointments
• Why ThinkBiz aims to give visitors value, and even referrals, from their first visit

Dirk’s ideal referral is not simply a business owner who wants more referrals. It is someone who wants a core group of referral partners they can get to know, support, and confidently refer to others.

Whether you are writing your first elevator pitch, refining your weekly networking presentation, or trying to generate more business referrals, this episode will help you give your networking partners language they can actually remember and use.

Learn more about ThinkBiz Referral Clubs, including club locations, meeting times, current members, and available industry seats:

https://thinkbiz.solutions

Need help creating a 60-second networking pitch that makes your ideal referral easier to recognize?

Schedule a discovery call here: Discovery Call with Faithann 

Would you rather create your referral-driving pitch in a supportive group setting?

Join the Creating Credibility Workshop to develop a 60-second networking pitch that clearly communicates who you help, makes your ideal referrals easier to recognize, and gives your networking partners language they can confidently use to introduce you.

Learn more and register: Creating Credibility Workshop