How to Master B2B Networking Events (Without the Dread)

Are you tired of "throwing stuff" at people and calling it networking? In this interview, Dave Cowan (Founder of Silicon Valley Sales Group) breaks down why traditional "transactional" networking is failing and introduces the Sandler mindset of soft qualification.Learn how to shift from a "pitch" mindset to a "helper" mindset, allowing you to build a high-value network of referral partners and ideal customers without the pressure.What you’ll learn in this session:The Prospecting Goal: Why setting a "2-card goal" lets you go home early and guilt-free.Soft Qualification: How to use curiosity to determine if someone is a fit for your business.The Follow-Up Bias: Why you must act within 24 hours to maintain urgency and clarity.The "Upfront Contract": A 5-element framework for setting up successful follow-up meetings.Success Stories over Services: How to generate natural curiosity by talking about the "pain" you resolve.Chapters: 0:00 Why professionals dread networking events 2:10 The Transactional vs. Sandler Mindset 4:52 How to pick the right events for your ROI 7:27 Best practices for immediate follow-up 9:38 Why you should never "sell" at a networking event 11:07 The Upfront Contract: Setting the next steps 16:51 Building a "Pain-Based" success story 22:38 Practicing at the ABC Event (May 12th)Connect with us: [Insert Link to Silicon Valley Sales Group] modernideasforbusiness.com calcpa.org/SJABCSpring26