Sales success isn’t just about dialing numbers or firing off cold emails—it’s about relationships and networking.
The best sellers know that warm connections close deals faster, last longer, and create a ripple effect of new opportunities.
But effective networking doesn’t happen by accident. It requires proactive, repeatable actions that go beyond awkward small talk or LinkedIn spam.
In this guide, you’ll learn some practical ways to operationalize your network and make sales networking work for you—without coming off as pushy or transactional. Because when you focus on people first, the deals will follow.
1. Remember that relationships are everything
Sales success isn’t just about what you sell—it’s about who you know and how you connect. Building meaningful, long-term relationships with your prospects and customers creates trust, loyalty, and repeat business.
In a competitive market, warm connections make all the difference. Prioritize relationships by being authentic, helpful, and adaptable. This shift from short-term transactions to long-term partnerships not only boosts conversions but also transforms your network into a lasting source of sustainable revenue.
2. Attend the most worthwhile events
Make your event strategy count by focusing on the ones that drive real pipeline. Use tools like Commsor to surface priority accounts attending events and platforms like Vendelux to find where your prospects and competitors will be.
“Most teams aren’t using data to determine which events are worthwhile. How do we actually determine if we’re going to get a good ROI? How do we execute on this? You don’t have to guess anymore.”
- Stanton Quan, Head of Mid-Market Sales at Vendelux
Here's how to pick the right events:
- Active Pipeline: Focus on events where you have late-stage deals that could be influenced.
- ICP Fit: Attend events where your ideal customers will be—right industries, roles, and company sizes.
- Key Accounts: Host side events (like happy hours) around tradeshows to deepen relationships with top targets.
- Customers: Prioritize events that help you retain and upsell existing customers.
- Competitors: Keep tabs on where your competitors are showing up to avoid missing key opportunities.
Don’t forget content creation. Every event is an opportunity to build thought leadership. Dedicate time to capture live content—photos, videos, and insights—to share online and engage your network. This helps extend event ROI far beyond the venue.
3. Try new things before you get commission breath
Don’t wait until your pipeline is bone-dry to test new strategies. When desperation kicks in (also known as commission breath), efforts like warm introductions or social selling often feel forced—and prospects can smell it. Instead, experiment with new tactics early, before you’re scrambling for leads. Building and activating your network takes time, but when done right, it leads to smoother, faster deals.
Referred deals close 69% faster and offer 10% higher customer lifetime value—a huge advantage over cold outreach. That’s why it’s important to start focusing on building referrals before you’re struggling. Stay proactive, not reactive, to avoid coming off as pushy and transactional.
4. Scour the network of your entire company
Your personal network doesn’t need to be massive to succeed with Go-to-Network (GTN) strategies. GTN is a team sport—it’s about tapping into the collective network of your entire company.
From your executives and advisors to former colleagues and partners, every connection is an opportunity to open a new door. Warm intros aren’t limited to who you know, they come from who your team knows. The real magic happens when everyone’s connections are leveraged for mutual benefit, making each intro stronger and more credible.
Don’t let job titles hold you back. Even as a BDR, you can deliver significant value by offering helpful insights and solutions. With the right mindset, your company’s network becomes a powerful pipeline driver.
5. Switch from waiting to operationalizing
Warm introductions shouldn’t feel like rare, lucky moments—they can be a predictable part of your sales motion. That’s the power of Go-to-Network (GTN). Instead of waiting for a chance intro to land in your inbox, operationalize your network by building systems that surface these opportunities consistently.
Stop chasing your entire addressable market. Focus on the network you already have—the people you can uniquely serve and directly access. By leveraging your company’s collective connections, you’ll unlock faster, warmer paths to decision-makers, turning every week into a high-value pipeline birthday.
Sales tactics are temporary. Your network is forever.
6. Work with influencers
Influencers aren’t just for marketing—they can be valuable partners in building trust and accelerating sales cycles. B2B influencers and content creators often have established credibility with your target audience, making them powerful allies in driving awareness, engagement, and conversions.
Instead of cold outreach, use a Go-to-Network approach to identify mutual connections. Warm introductions from your network make it easier to build authentic relationships with influencers, who are often inundated with generic outreach. Tools like Commsor can help surface shared connections, making your requests more relevant and credible.
Once you’ve built these relationships, influencers can help amplify your message, validate your offering, and even join sales conversations to add trust and expertise. Partner with them on podcasts, webinars, social media content, or customer stories to tap into their engaged audiences.
Ways to leverage influencer relationships in sales:
- Collaborate on webinars and virtual events to introduce your product to a warm audience.
- Invite influencers to join late-stage sales calls to share their expertise and reinforce your value proposition.
- Co-create case studies and thought leadership content to position your brand as a trusted leader.
- Leverage influencer testimonials to build credibility in target accounts.
- Ask influencers to facilitate introductions to potential buyers in their network.
7. Post regularly and reuse content as a team
Social media is an essential part of networking for sales professionals.
Showing up on LinkedIn can feel intimidating, but consistency is key. The truth is, most people won’t see your early posts—so use that time to experiment and refine your voice. Over time, you’ll learn what resonates with your audience, and your best content will start gaining traction.
Don’t be afraid to repurpose content. High-performing posts don’t need to be one-and-done. The best social sellers treat content as a shared resource rather than a solo effort. Create a Slack channel where your team can share ideas, memes, and success stories, making it easy to tweak and repost across your sales team. Reusing content boosts visibility and reinforces expertise without extra effort.
Post ideas for salespeople:
- Post a meme about your ICP’s top problem
- Behind the scenes of your daily workflow or home office setup
- Recent lessons learned
- Hot take on a trend
- Case study breakdown with digestible wins
- Share a fact or piece of data, plus your commentary
- Reflect on a recent life or career milestone
Most people won’t remember you reposted content from six months ago. Refresh it with a new intro or updated stats, and post it again.
“Product marketing posts bring in more demand. They are not that popular, but the people who interact with them are typically our perfect customers. If I jump straight into DMs, I get little to no response. So for those interactions, I create manual sequences in Apollo to remind me to take action on the right days, such as visiting the person’s profile, commenting on one of their posts, connecting with them, and then starting a conversation. My content and subsequent interactions serve as the warm intro.”
- Laura Erdem, Sales Manager at Dreamdata
8. Engage with other people’s content
You don’t need to post daily to grow your network—commenting thoughtfully on others’ content is just as powerful. Skip the quick likes and add meaningful input that shows your expertise.
Focus on engaging with both prospects and connectors—those well-networked individuals who can open doors to new opportunities. Search for relevant topics and hashtags to join industry conversations. The key? Be curious, add value, and build relationships by participating in discussions that matter to your target audience.
9. Keep conversations flowing without going straight for the kill
Whether online or at an event, focus on meaningful conversations—not immediate pitches. People can sense when they’re being sold to, and it quickly shuts down rapport. Instead, be curious, offer value, and build trust naturally. Share insights, ask thoughtful questions, and let the relationship evolve before jumping to business.
The goal is to make networking feel authentic and human, not transactional. When you lead with genuine interest, opportunities will emerge organically without the need for aggressive tactics.
10. Help others in communities and forums
Networking is about giving first. To build lasting connections, adopt a give-give-give-help mindset. Engage in industry forums, Slack groups, or LinkedIn communities by sharing insights, answering questions, and connecting people with resources—without expecting anything in return. Focus on being a trusted voice who adds value consistently. Over time, your generosity will be noticed, and those you’ve helped will naturally want to connect or reciprocate.
Remember, valuable relationships grow when you prioritize helping over selling. It’s a long game that pays off with trust and credibility.
“A lot of my giving comes down to the work I do with Women in Sales. I spend a lot of time there just helping people with tips and tricks—how to become better sellers, providing connections, and introducing people to each other.”
- Christina Brady, Co-founder and CEO of Luster
11. Hook people up with job opportunities
If someone in your network is job hunting, take a moment to help. Make introductions to relevant contacts or share open roles from your company or network.
These small actions can have a big impact on someone’s career—and on your relationships. People remember those who helped them during tough times. Supporting others strengthens your network, builds trust, and often leads to valuable, long-term connections that can benefit both parties down the line.
"Here’s the greatest sales play I’ve ever made. One account had to push the timeline because they needed to hire a new rep. I went into my network and found an old colleague and introduced them. He gets hired within a week and the Head of Sales Dev said thanks for making his job so easy. Our conversation moved up two months and the deal closed.”
- Eric Iannello, Head of GTN at Commsor
Networking in sales isn’t about who you know—it’s about how you leverage your entire network to build trust, add value, and drive lasting revenue.
Ready to operationalize warm intros and leverage your entire company’s network? Check out Commsor.
