What to say at a networking event comes down to three words: clear, curious, and kind. Nobody ever handed you those words, so here they are.

You walk in, you scan the room, and then you're standing by the food table hoping somebody talks to you first. That isn't a confidence problem. Nobody ever taught you how to open, how to keep it a conversation instead of a monologue, or how to leave without stepping in it. Pat walks through all three, including the networking tennis trick he actually uses.

Money Monday with Lisa Raebel: chasing the sale is the thing that costs you the client. Lisa walks the whole client experience timeline, from the first intake call to the renewal ask, and explains the panicked friends and family discount you should stop giving. If a prospect's budget is short, cut the scope, not the price.

Idea Slam: how do I get clients to stay longer? Cards are great. Gifts are great. The only thing that actually keeps a client is getting them the result you promised, then telling them what you were going to do, telling them while you're doing it, and telling them once it's done.

Two AI stories: Grok is turning a swarm of bots loose to research, build, launch and monetize a small business live over three days, and Businessing got written up on claude.com in Anthropic's piece on what 1,000 small business owners taught them about AI.

Businessing is the daily live show where small business owners figure out what to do next. Hosted by Pat Miller, founder of the Small Business Owners Community: owners only, nobody pitching, $9 a month.

In this episode:

00:00 - Good morning and what's on the show

01:23 - The big story: what to say when you walk into a networking event

03:08 - Be clear: how to answer “so what do you do?”

04:51 - Be curious: how to play networking tennis

07:05 - Be kind: why complaining in the room costs you business

10:12 - Money Monday with Lisa Raebel: when chasing revenue costs you clients

14:46 - How to stop giving away the store to get the yes

16:18 - How to audit your client experience step by step

23:08 - Idea Slam: how do I get clients to stay longer?

26:12 - AI story: Grok turns a bot swarm loose on building a business

29:20 - AI story: Businessing gets written up on claude.com

32:44 - SBOC26 starts tomorrow, and the show schedule ahead

Resources mentioned:

SBOC26 Conference: https://event.smallbusinesscommunity.com/26conference

Money Masters Bookkeeping: https://www.moneymasters4biz.com/

Foureva Media: https://fourevamedia.com

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BusinessingShow?sub_confirmation=1

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/businessing-with-pat-miller/id1870663109

Listen anywhere: https://businessing.captivate.fm/listen

Fridays Off Newsletter: https://fridaysoffnewsletter.com

Small Business Owners Community: https://smallbusinesscommunity.com

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