It's not something you do only when you're looking for your next job, big contract or when you're desperately trying to make a sales quota and your other opportunities have run dry. No, networking is about building trust in relationships over the long-term.
Unfortunately there are a lot of folks who come onto the scene every now and then to mine their networks only when they need something. Then when they've found what they're looking for they disappear again until the next time they have a need.
I see this behavior most frequently among job seekers. They become really active when they need their next job. Once they land that job nobody hears ever from them again. This is certainly understandable in the first few months of a new role. Eventually it's important to maintain some level of consistency in your networking efforts or you'll just be seen as a taker. If your network sees you as a taker then you can soon expect them to stop helping you.
The job market is a very different place than it was a generation ago. Statistically you can expect to need to look for a new job every 3-5 years, and 80% of jobs are found through networking (I'm looking for a real source that quantifies this 80% numbers, it's the most commonly used number, but I don't know where it came from). With those kinds of numbers it's easy to see how important networking is, and it's not going to work if you only do it when you need it.
Networking is a lifestyle, and I believe it's something you need to work into your regular schedule in a way that fits your style. In my opinion the most powerful form of networking is the networking you do one on one. Sure, being involved in your trade association, the Chamber of Commerce or another community organization is important, but if you're only going to do one thing make sure you meet with a regular number of people one to one.
Do you do the Starbucks thing most mornings? Once or twice a week invite somebody to join you for your morning cup of coffee. Enjoy eating lunch out? Lunch is my favorite way to get to know someone, and I eat lunch everyday anyway so I'm able to make a traditionally non-productive part of my day incredibly useful. Happy hour after work? It really doesn't matter which of these you use. Leverage one or more that you already do most consistently.
Define a set number of face to face meetings you'll schedule each week. At a minimum I recommend the one and one approach. Schedule one meeting (coffee, lunch, drinks, etc.) with someone already in your network who you enjoy spending time with, and can build a deeper relationship with. Schedule a second meeting with someone new that you've never visited in-depth with before. This might be someone you've known for a while that you've just never had an opportunity to sit down with one on one. Better yet this is someone brand new to your network, and the goal here is build your network (just one person at a time). The easiest way to find these folks is to tell those already in your network when you meet with them that you're doing this. Ask them to suggest someone you should know. It's that easy. Do this consistently over time and you're guaranteed to have a strong and always growing network.
Start a habit like this today, and keep it up over time. You'll thank me one day.
How well defined is your niche? Do you know who your ideal target audience is?
From what I've seen very few people have a truly well defined niche. If they do have it defined it's often still too broad. For example someone who claims that their niche is small businesses in Austin. While this may seem well defined it's still represented by tens of thousands of organizations.
Defining and refining a niche for most of us is an ongoing and possibly never ending process. It's still important to work on it. The more clearly you're able to articulate who your market is the easier it is to ask for referrals, and the easier it is to find groups of them to network with.
Not only should you be looking for groups of your well defined target market to network with. You should also be looking for others who work in complimentary fields who serve the same or a similar niche as you. Building relationships with these complimentary individuals can be hugely rewarding. Not only do they already have relationships with YOUR prospective customers, but they also have proven that they can help to serve them in other ways.
The more often you can serve as a resource for your customers the more often they'll think of you when they have a need. As an added benefit your referring them to your new referral partners will also put you high on the referral partner's radar the next time they run across one of their customers who needs you.
1) Work hard to understand and define your niche.
2) Identify organizations and meetings where your niche congregates.
3) Remember to also build relationships with those in complimentary fields to fully leverage the networking effect
What is your niche? How can you more powerfully reach it and develop relationships in that space?
If your primary networking aim is B2B sales because you're either in sales, business development, marketing or are an entrepreneur or business owner you may find traditional networking organizations to be missing something. Typically this challenge comes from the lack of focus and attention on the needs of business to business service providers.
This is a particularly pronounced challenge in tight referral/leads groups where one person per industry or profession is allowed. These groups like BNI (Business Networking International) are coveted by by several core industries that benefit heavily from this type of group (Real Estate Agents, Mortgage Brokers, Insurance Agents, Financial Advisors, Chiropractors, etc.). None of these primary industries are B2B, and this typically means that more than half of the group is not consistently in a position to refer you opportunities with other businesses.
Even before the organization launched in 2007 I've worked loosely with the founders of Networking OnFire to help them create a compelling solution for some of these problems in the B2B space. I even lead one of their teams that supported me in my sales efforts when I was working with ADP, and it was literally the most productive group I've ever been a part of.
Most recently Networking OnFire and NetworkInAustin.com have formed a strategic partnership, and I am personally involved in helping them develop strong B2B only networking teams.
There are several things that really set this organization apart that I want to share with you.
B2B Only - These teams are far more productive in the B2B space because of their focus. The synergies that are created when everyone is calling on similar organizations are powerful.
Flexible Structure - Ad hoc groups tend to fall apart or become less and less productive over time because they lack structure. The right structure for the group keeps meetings productive. However there is also flexibility in that structure so that it continues to support the function of the team, not inhibit it. Additionally most groups meet bi-weekly as this seems to be the ideal interval for highly productive individuals. Weekly is just too much, but monthly isn't nearly enough.
Committment & Accountability - In a one person per industry networking group it's exceptionally important for everyone in that group to be committed to the group and be producing consistent opportunities. Minimum accountability standards insure that the group as a whole is maximizing opportunity creation for each member of the group. On the other hand good highly productive sales professionals are a very competitive breed. Competition and rewards help top producers produce even more.
Technology - Missed opportunities are prevalent in other formats because of the reliance on scraps of paper or members taking their own notes and forgetting to follow-up. Networking On Fire offers several web based tools to make sure that no opportunity falls through the cracks. You'll even have the opportunity to track your personal ROI based on your own closed business generated by your team.
No MLM - Just like the value of the exclusive focus on B2B not allowing MLM helps keep the level of professionalism in the group at a very high level.
Training & Education - It's so important for those generating revenue for their organization to continually hone and refine their skills. The group structure offers time in each meeting to do just that, as well as providing plenty of information to jump start the process.
I've created and been a part of many focused networking groups over the years. They've all had their issues over time, and nearly all of those issues are solved by the Networking On Fire model. From what I've seen, even a very productive group that's been humming along for a while on their own can easily be 15-20% more productive (productive in this sense means Revenue generated by the group), using the systems and technology the Networking On Fire employs.
If you're an above average producer in generating B2B revenue, and you think being part of a group like this would benefit you please give me a call (512-646-2701). I'd be happy to visit with you to discuss what might be possible.
This simple networking tip will help you build even stronger relationships and get more referrals all in one basic step. Yet most people neglect to take this simple action.
When someone gives you a referral it's critically important to thank and acknowledge that person. Hopefully you're already in the habit of doing that, but that's not the end of line. After you've met with a referee it's almost more important to reach back to the referrer and close the loop. You need to do this even if their referral didn't generate a future opportunity. But why? You've already thanked them, why isn't that enough?
Here are 5 reasons why closing the loop is so powerful:
It gives you the opportunity to say thank you... Again!
Show that you value their referrals, and you value the relationship that was entrusted to you.
You get to fill them in on what happened. They were probably wondering anyway.
Give them feedback about why the referral was or wasn't a good fit.
Ask for more! Now that they know how this referral worked out there's a good chance they may have others.
On the other hand if you don't take the simple effort to close the loop you leave doubt in the mind of your referrer. They may question whether or not you even cared about the referral they made. That seed of doubt is poison for future referrals.
You can even close a loop more than once. This isn't always necessary, but with a particularly good referral it's a nice gesture to provide several updates to your referrer. For example let's say that someone referred you a substantial contract opportunity. You might follow-up the first time letting your referrer know that you had a really great conversation and are continuing to persue this opportunity. It seemed to be a good fit. Then again once the contract is signed and you start doing some of the work. Then there may be a future milestone that creates a great opportunity to reach out one more time. Maybe the contract renewed after a period of time because it's going so well, or maybe you just want to share how much you're enjoying the work and the opportunity they created.
Put yourself in the other persons shoes. Wouldn't you like to know what happened with your referrals? If you always heard back and got great feedback each time wouldn't you be more willing to refer that person again in the future?
Who can you reach out to today to thank and close the loop on one of your more recent referred opportunities?
I've realized that not everyone reading this blog is an experienced networker, which many of my posts are written for. This is for the newer networker that is wondering how to get started.
The first thing you need to know about networking is that everyone has a network. You don't have to go to mixers, happy hours and chamber luncheons to have a network. Your network is made up of all the people you have relationships with. Some of those relationships are close, like those with your family and good friends. Others are more distant acquaintances like your neighbors down the street, or a colleague in another department or city that you rarely get a chance to talk to.
It's my personal belief that REAL networking primarily happens one on one, face to face. Sure one on one can happen over the phone, but nothing beats person to person contact if it can be arranged. Start anywhere. It's probably easiest with those you are close to, but it's just as easy to reach out to someone you used to be close to but have lost touch with. Schedule a time that you can get together for lunch, a cup of coffee or a beer depending on your style. There's really not much more to it. Get together, have a good time and ask questions to learn how you can help this person. Repeat this process with others to deepen the relationships with those already in your network.
Ready to expand your network? There are lots of ways to do this, but the easiest and probably most reliable way is to simply ask those you're having lunch or drinks with. Give them some idea of what you're looking for, or the type of person you'd like to meet. Give them an opportunity to think of a couple of people who fit the bill and simply ask for an introduction. Do this well and you'll quickly see that this has an exponential effect and starts to look like a pyramid scheme. You meet with a good friend who introduces you to 3 of her friends. Each of them has a couple of people they think you should meet. Before you know it your network has grown by dozens of people who are already friends of friends, and that usually comes with some measure of credibility and trust.
That's really all there is to it. This networking thing certainly isn't rocket science. Make it a point so set aside a couple of times each week to get together with folks over drinks or lunch, and you'll quickly learn to love networking as much as I do. Then be sure to come back here or sign-up for our newsletter so you can learn more tips to make your networking even more effective.
There is so much more information around us these days. It can be difficult to stay in the loop and on top of everything that's going on. It wasn't very long ago that you could get almost everything you needed by reading the morning paper and a handful of books. Now with the Internet, blogs, social media and self publishing the amount of information is mind blowing. So how do you stay on top of it all?
In Tim Ferriss' book The 4-Hour Workweek he recommends a "low information diet." If you're reading this post you're either like me and don't agree with this strategy, or you just haven't read the book yet (which is kind of the point of this post).
Personally I think it's really important to stay current. Knowing what's happening around you can help you better plan for the future, and it almost always gives you something to talk about. Isn't it nice to have some context and an opinion on a current event when someone brings it up rather than having to ask what they're talking about?
I've heard it said before that "Leaders are Readers." There's a lot of truth in this statement. Business books can be a great place to make a connection. Just like having knowledge about a current event, having read the same book as someone else can make for a really interesting conversation. You can also add a lot of value for someone by recommending or buying a particular book for someone who you know the information would be useful to.
I know, I know. We're all so busy. Now we're supposed to fit even more reading into our already hectic schedules? And that's exactly what I really wanted to talk about. I've always tried to read at least 1-2 books a month, but over the last few years I've not had the personal time to get that done. I'm pretty sure it has something to do with having 2 little girls. So, I've cheated! I started by borrowing a variety of audiobooks from friends and the library... Then I found Audible.com and my life has changed! I wish I'd known about this a long time ago, which is exactly why I wanted to share it with you.
Now every minute I spend behind my windshield is productive. I just go to Audible.com, pick out a couple of books I'm interested in (I almost always have a healthy "wish list" to pick from), and download the books to my iPod. With this strategy I'm actually getting through more books than I did several years ago, before the kids, when I could find time to sit down and read a book. Often it's more interesting as well. Many of these audiobooks are read by their authors which gives you the tonality and inflection that can never be fully conveyed in the written word.
One other resource I JUST learned about on Sunday thanks to good 'ol Skymall is getAbstract. This is another subscription service that provides executive summaries of over 5,000 books! The summaries are available as either 5 page .pdf documents, or .mp3 files. How cool is that?
The ideal information setup is probably some combination of the above services. Currently I primarily use Audible, but for the books that I find I really enjoy I often will also buy a regular paper book. Now I'm considering the addition of getAbstract to help me choose which books to invest in without wasting time and money on the duds.
[Full Disclosure: All of the links above are affiliate links, and if you choose to use any of these services I will receive a small commission. However, I would make these same recommendations with or without the cash incentive. Besides, most of the earnings will likely just fund my own business book habits]
With our Get Hired! event coming up tomorrow I thought it only appropriate that I write a post about Job Networking. Networking isn't just what you do at mixers and job clubs. It's really a part of every conversation and activity you're involved with; since you never know where that next opportunity is going to come from.
We all have certain strengths and abilities. Often times we discount the value of these abilities especially when they come really naturally and with almost no effort. They're just part of what you do. It's important to remember that these talents of yours have value. Frequently a lot of value. But you don't always get to demonstrate these skills as part of your regular job searching activities. Maybe if you're in sales, but I digress.
For so many reasons I think it's important to somehow get involved in something you're deeply passionate about outside of your job search. You should be doing things like this when you have a job, so why wouldn't you do them when you're looking for your next gig? This is easiest if you start with something you absolutely love. It might be a favorite non-profit, your church, your kids activities, a favorite sport or hobby. It really doesn't matter as long as it's an organization you care about. Approach one of the organizations leaders and tell them how you'd like to help. Make this easy for them. Don't just ask to help, which creates work for them to figure out how they can use you. Instead figure out a way that you can really demonstrate some of your highly valued skills and offer to do that for them. That way they can just say yes, they don't have to think and you get to show your stuff rather than getting stuck doing some menial task that you can't get excited about.
So now you're probably thinking. Why Scott? It's really important that I find my next job, and I need to focus on that and you want me to spend 5-10 hours a week volunteering my time?
Yes! Looking for a job can be really difficult work. It sometimes leads to depression especially in our society when you may define yourself by what you do. Besides, sending off a few more blind resumes probably isn't going to help you anyway. The psychological boost you'll get from making a difference will be invaluable during your search. Your attitude is so important and you impact your attitude most by what you do. Why not do something really worthwhile? It also will help you develop and deepen new relationships. Don't do this work in isolation, get out and be visible about it. Talk to people, tell them about the things you're doing and how much you enjoy it. Let them know that this is the kind of work that you love doing, and you're looking for your next opportunity to do it full time. Not only will you be demonstrating your skills, you'll also be keeping them sharp. It'll make interviewing easier as you'll have current examples you can point to in a positive light.
I'm yet to meet anyone who's sorry they took on this type of project. It may or may not directly lead to your next position, but it sure can't hurt.
Usually I think most people already have some ideas of where they want to be involved and how, but if you need some additional help there are a bunch of great resources to help you find this type of work. Here are just a few:
Oh yeah, and this doesn't have to have anything to do with a job search. If it's a good idea when you're looking for work isn't it also a good idea when you're not?
I've noticed lately that too may people are missing out on the opportunities that a good e-mail signature provides. Setting up an e-mail signature that automatically pops up every time you send a message is really easy and only takes a few minutes to create if you don't already have one. The advantages are numerous.
Here are just a few examples of why you want to make sure you always include your own e-mail signature, and be sure it includes your contact information.
1) If someone is going to e-mail a virtual introduction about you they can just cut and paste your signature. Save them the trouble of having to look-up your contact details and retype them.
2) When your e-mail is received on someone's Blackberry or iPhone it's now just one click to call you.
3) If your e-mail is forwarded to someone else they easily click on the links you've provided to learn more about you and your company.
4) It lets your friends know where else they can find you. Would they have otherwise known you were on Twitter?
Are you effectively using your own e-mail signature?
I'm not suggesting it's perfect, but here's what you'll find at the bottom of each one of my e-mail messages:
I very seriously hope I'm not proven wrong, but it appears this Swine Flu thing has been blown way out of proportion. In fact I'm trying to distill the marketing lesson from this whole episode since as near as I can tell "Swine Flu" just has way better branding than any other previous flu. I was amazed to learn that 30,000 - 36,000 Americans die from season flu each year.
This is a good reminder though. A few years ago a wrote a similar post: Networking in the Cold and Flu Season (Sick of Networking?)
There was a really useful and rather amusing video I referenced in that post from the Centers for Disease Control: Why Don't We Do It In Our Sleeves?
I hadn't heard about this at the time, but more recently have heard that this is what they're teaching our kids in school. Good stuff. Hopefully you do it in your sleeves, otherwise you should watch the video.
Personally I think the real lesson this time around is this: If you're not feeling well and think you have some type of cold or flu... Stay Home!!!
It's a hard thing to do as we're all crazy busy and have too much to get done, but it's the right thing to do. Not only will you keep others from sharing in your disease, but you'll probably recover faster given the opportunity to rest.
Oh, and a very special thanks to Oscar Davila (@KeepAustinWierd) for throwing together this image for me. It's not what I was thinking when I put the request out to my Twitter friends, but his revised headshot is even funnier than what I had in mind. Thanks Oscar!
From the business networking vantage point this is one of the funniest videos I've ever seen! (Thank you Scott Lawrence for the link)
Now in all seriousness there is an interesting point here. Does your business card stand out? Please comment about the cards that you've received over the years that stand out most for you. Oh, and I suppose you can comment about this goof ball in the video too!
Jason Stoddard wrote an incredible response to my "Brain Picking is Rude" post that he's agreed to allow me to share as a Guest Blog Post. This is lengthy, but well worth taking the time to read it especially if you liked my original post:
***
Great catalyst to conversation, Scott.
This subject is especially close to home with me. As an entrepreneur and advertising and marketing professional specializing in core creative, concept development, strategy planning, and execution there is not a day that goes by that I am not directly or indirectly asked by another for a brain-picking session (over lunch, of course.) I am nothing more than my ideas, and in this, my ideas are my product. Whether it is my Mother calling me about constituent-facing communication for her for-benefit, or a passing stranger indirectly asking me to identify choke-points in their marketing programs off the cuff at a happy hour or mixer, the presumptuous nature of the engagement is generally the same.
Michelle Greer and I enjoyed a "conversation" on this very topic over gchat on the heels of her Austin-American Statesman Texas Social Media award. Michelle receives more "brain-picking opportunities" than most because of the nature of her professional service and her willingness to serve others. Though Michelle's challenges vary slightly from mine, there are like variables.
Most of us are compelled to share and pay it forward, but unless we do so on our terms, we ultimately devalue our positioning and standing in the marketplace of ideas.
Scott correctly identified the three major challenges individuals and organizations experience when informally engaging or being engaged others: reciprocity in idea diffusion, monetizing time management with organization, and encoding and decoding of concepts, values and general communication.
Though I am currently working through my own personal solution, here are the solutions I've established to date:
Resolution: It is absolutely essential that the "pickee" set the expectation, process and methodology for exchange the very minute the "picker" attempts to engage. Establishing an expectation is essentially setting the protocols of the engagement. If said expectation (read: protocol(s)) is disagreeable to the "picker", the "picker" has the opportunity to voluntarily disengage; whereas if said expectation (read: protocol(s)) is agreeable, they have voluntarily chosen to engage on the "pickee's" terms.
1) Reciprocity, Idea Diffusion
Do a quick search on a "for benefit organizations' blogs". Many of these blogs/web sites contain a "wish list" established by the executive director of the organization to further embolden the organization's tangible, albeit them ancillary, goals and objectives. Not unlike these "for benefit" organizations, individuals that are often queried or asked for a brain-picking session would do well to establish their own "wish list" so that when asked for an engagement (read: brain picking session) the "pickee" can direct the "picker"to the list and establish early-on that in order to maintain a reciprocal relationship of honor, respect and value, there IS something of very little monetary value that the "picker" can do, or procure in order to respect the time, energy and value of the "pickee." The onus is then on the "picker" to follow-thru, post-engagement should they choose to engage in the first place. In the event the "picker" does not follow through, the "pickee" should physically and/or mentally note that the "pickee" is probably not a good match for future engagement.
2) Monetizing time management with organization
We've all heard the cliche "time is money" and it is cliche because it is true. Streamline your in-person meetings, and in doing so, you'll be closer to both effective communication and monetizing the investment of time.
Enclosed below is a pre-meeting survey. It is nothing earth shattering, but based on my resolution and belief that it is the "pickee's" responsibility to set the expectation, I usually include said survey when I am asked to meet with anyone, including my Mom. Is it too formal? Maybe. But at the same time, in a market that is often laid back to a fault (Austin), it sets the expectation that if you want to meet with me, I am going to do everything I can to make sure we get things done--indirectly communicating that "getting things done" is my top priority.
***
Please let me know the following (in advance) so that we maximize our time together.
meeting time:
place:
expected length of meeting?
Is the meeting related to [picker's business], [pickee's and picker's mutual interest], [pickee's personal interest] and/or all/both?
top level motivation to meet with me, specifically:
top level expectation to meet with me, specifically:
Have you met with anyone else for the same reasons?
If so, did it fall-short, meet or exceed your expectation?
What did you learn?
What three things do you hope to garner from this meeting (please be very granular)?
1.
2.
3.
Of these three things, what is immediately actionable?
Would it be beneficial to develop a brief "first thought, best thought" action plan before closing our in-person collaboration?
do any of the action items require additional resources (people, finance, time, assets, collateral, etc.)? If so, identify and explain as best you can.
Looking forward to collaborating.
[Salutation],
***
By way of anecdote: someone recently requested a lunch and responded to this survey with "The time it takes to complete this survey would be better served just talking about it over lunch."
I responded, "The pre-meeting is more important than the meeting itself as it gives us the chance to get to the core of the matter. I want to assist you the best way I know how. This is a first step to that end. Please complete the survey." The same person cancelled the lunch meeting later the same day. I gained no less than 1.5 hours in my week and garnered a closer understanding of the person making the request: they did not voluntarily commit to the protocol/expectation I set, so chances are we were not a good match for exchange/collaboration.
Additionally, it should be noted that the head can endure no more than the ass can support. In other words, a typical lunch is an hour, and of this hour, you should spend no more than 30 minutes discussing the impetus to meet in the first place. Based on the response to the survey, you can usually determine if 30 minutes is enough time to accomplish the objective of the in-person. The balance of the time should be spent enjoying the meal, enjoying the company, discovering other points of mutual interest, and allowing your mind and body to decompress and reflect; afterall, immediately after lunch is the second-best of time of day to maximize productivity, second only to early morning (or late evening for you night owls). If more time is warranted, pre-schedule that time before the initial meeting for a second and possibly a third meeting. Again, the onus is on the "pickee" to set and reset the expectation. You'll find the initial get-together a good indicator of the balance of time needed to satisfy the motivations and expectations of both parties. Engage accordingly.
3) Encoding and Decoding of concepts, values and general communication.
Goethe said "...reading any translation is like viewing a tapestry from behind."
In college, Dr.Cheatam (the then Dean of the Dept. of Communications at Texas State) taught me that all communication is nothing more than encoding and decoding; the closer the respective people are to like terms and definitions, the more effective the exchange.
Do you remember playing a game of "grapevine" as a kid? Your experience with the game is not unlike any communication--as statements of fact go through multiple exchanges and iterations, there is a greater probability the communication (idea diffusion) will be compromised. And even in a one-to-one conversation there is a very good chance communication can and will be misinterpreted. For this reason, regardless of the communication medium, it is a best practice to consistently ask the person you're communicating with "do I understand you correctly, when you say...?"
Diversity of perspective is valuable, but it should be conceded that in all expressive and receptive communication, the same diversity can be a liability because respective people come from their own culture, history, bias, profession, trade, nomenclature, priority, value system, style, etc. when engaging other people. If social life (and subsequently idea diffusion) is all about understanding and being understood, you'll find you're better able to distill any conversation down to a very precise premise and actionable plan if you consistently define both the protocols of the engagement and the language employed to diffuse those ideas into dynamic action.
I hope this is helpful. Should you have questions, concerns, need clarification or simply wish to say hello and extend the conversation, don't hesitate to reach out.
Towards understanding and being understood,
Jason Stoddard
I've wanted to write this post for a while, but have been hesitant for fear that I wouldn't be able to fully articulate what I mean. I'm still not sure that I'll be able to accomplish that, but let's give it a shot! As always I appreciate your thoughts and comments.
When someone finds some level of success or is known for their expertise in a certain area they will invariably get a request for a meeting from someone who wants to "pick their brain." I've had many conversations about this issue with a number of people who are frequent victims of brain picking. Most don't mind being a resource and helping others. What they do mind is the lack of value placed on their time and knowledge. The going rate for a brain picking sessions these days seems to be 1 free meal, typically lunch. These same individuals are often in positions that they can bill hundreds of dollars an hour for their time.
Here's the rub. A big part of networking and relationship building is this exchange of ideas and expertise. So how do we make brain picking more enjoyable for everyone? Maybe if we started massaging each others brains rather than picking them we wouldn't have this issue?
I want to talk about both sides of this issue so this post can serve as a resource for the picker and the pickee. It's probably easiest if I start with the picker...
So, you want to pick someone's brain? There's certainly nothing wrong with that, but let's find an appropriate way to get what you want without offending or otherwise upsetting your pickee. As I mentioned the biggest issue here is the lack of appropriate respect and value placed on the pickee's time and experience. If you take a slightly more respectful approach than usual, and also ask upfront how you might be able to add value I think you'll be way ahead of your average brain picker. Try this on for size: "Mr. Big Dog, you may barely know me, but I have a ton of respect for the work you've done on salivating puppies. I've been working in the related field of drooling kittens and I think your expertise woud be invaluable to me. I know your time is worth way more than this, but would it be ok if I treated you to lunch to ask a few questions?" Follow that up with something along the lines of: "I want to do more than just pay for your meal. How can I help make this meeting worth your time?"
Due to some pretty rampant lack of respect and gratitude that is probably more than enough to get you an appointment with just about anyone you'd like. Hopefully you're not willing to settle for only slighly above average. Let's shoot for the top. The next problem is that it's very common for the picker to come unprepared for the meeting they themselves scheduled. Don't do that!!! Make sure you've researched the background and hopefully some of the writings of your chosen expert. Asking a question that they've already answered in writing someplace that you could easily find it is not going to make a very good impression. Be sure to come to the meeting with at least 2-3 well thought out, open ended questions that will help you get to the answers you're looking for. That's it, no rocket science here, just come prepared.
Once you're in your meeting be sure to follow-up your offer for help when you set the meeting. Spend at least a few minutes trying to understand how you might be able to assist the individual you're meeting with. Just start a conversation about their current projects and needs. If you listen carefully you'll be surprised at the ideas you'll have to offer just a little bit of help, or point them in the direction of a helpful resource.
Finally, once your meeting is over please, please, please remember to follow-up and say thanks. A quick hand written note will do the trick everytime. Follow these very simple steps and I think you'll find doors start to open much more readily than they have in the past, and if you get the follow-up right I think that you'll find that they stay open as well.
Now, if you frequently find that you're the pickee here's my advice. Have your potential picker read this blog post! It might help. Beyond that I suggest that you be ready to ask for some type of favor in return. Ideally this is something they can do for you prior to your scheduling a meeting. It shouldn't be a monumental task, just something this person can easily help you with given their skills and position. Do this correctly and you'll probably find that those who would have wasted your time won't deliver and this will save you from ever having the meeting in the first place. On the other hand it will also give you the opportunity to find the standouts. There are great folks out there who are interested in your expertise, but would also love to find a way to help you. Give them the opportunity.
After a recent speech I gave someone came up to me afterward and thanked me for showing her that she'd been way overdoing the bonding and rapport step in her sales process. I didn't talk about this specifically, but can understand how she came to this conclusion and she made a great point.
In Sales 101 you learn that one of the early steps in the sales process is "Bonding and Rapport." The classic example is that upon entering your prospect's office you notice something personal; a fish on the wall, a diploma, certain pictures, or some other type of award. You then begin a small talk conversation based on this artifact in their office. I often find that in a networking context this can be even more pronounced as some will dig for some type of mutual interest or other connection point.
This Bonding and Rapport process isn't bad in and of itself, however I think it's frequently overdone. You're certainly not setting yourself apart by trying to start some type of conversation about the most obvious item in someone's office... just like nearly every other sales schmuck has before you. It also eats into the valuable and limited time you have to be face to face with someone regardless of the context.
I'm sure there are many who will disagree with me on this point, but I find that it's better to just get to the point. Whether this is a sales call or just a follow-up face to face meeting with someone you met at a Chamber of Commerce event you're both there for a reason. Personally I think you build more credibility and value by quickly getting down to business and the purpose of your getting together. Certainly I'm not suggesting that you never work on the personal side of a relationship with someone. I am suggesting that you not lead with it. If you're doing a good job of listening and asking good questions you'll probably find some connection points over the course of your conversation anyway. Besides there's often a good window of time once the business portion of your meeting is wrapped up for you to talk about the family or a favorite hobby.
If you've read a book or two on networking you've almost certainly read that: "People do business with people the know, like and trust." I think this is what leads people to spend so much time trying to get other people to like them. While I generally agree with this statement I also believe that unless you can provide a viable solution very few people are going to do business with you just because they like you.
What do you think? Am I overreacting? Where does bonding and rapport and the development of a more personal relationship enter into your sales process?
One thing that took me a particularly long time to figure out about networking is the best referral sources. Often times we identify an individual who is in a perfect position to provide us with an endless stream of highly qualified referrals. As a good networker I'd identify this person, work really hard to add a lot of value for them, and ask for those referrals. Too many times those referrals would never come, and I'd still spend a ton of time trying to make the relationship work (sometimes years). For whatever reason, some people are just not going to refer you. Some are just not comfortable giving any type of referral, it's just not how they operate. Others have other resources they're exceptionally loyal to, or even related to, who you'll never be able to replace. Whatever the reason it's ok, and there's nothing wrong with your strategic referral source.
What matters is your ability to identify your best, proven referral sources.
An exercise I try to conduct fairly regularly is to go back and source all of my opportunities to a specific individual. It's important to focus on opportunities, not closed business. I will typically look at a period of time, say six months. As a name comes up I write it down. Each time that person comes up again I'll put a check mark next to their name.
The most important point here is this: Someone who refers you once is probably 10 times more likely than any other person in your network to refer you again. Anyone who refers you multiple times is probably 10 times again more likely to refer you yet again then even your other single referrers.
It quickly becomes abundantly obvious which relationships you should put the most focus and attention on. Here's the kicker. Most of the time your multiple referrers are a surprise. They're almost never the people you thought were going to be good consistent sources of opportunities.
It's important not to keep score and expect that people you create opportunities for will return the favor. However, I do think it's important to keep track of the opportunities you receive and work really hard to return those favors. You won't always be able to fully pay them back, but it's a lot of fun to try.
In my next post I'll write about Tracking Referrals, and discuss my thoughts on what you should and shouldn't track.
The Economist recently had an article titled: "Primates on Facebook," which suggests that even with social networking tools like Facebook and Twitter they still don't change the fact that 'the size of the human brain allows stable networks of about 148. Rounded to 150, this has become famous as “the Dunbar number”.'
I first became aware of the Rule of 150 after reading about it in Malcolm Gladwell's book: The Tipping Point (a great book that I highly recommend by the way). When I mentioned this article on Facebook one of my friends quipped: 'Said the man with 455 "friends."' Sure I may have a lot of connections on Facebook and LinkedIn, but I see the Rule of 150 as being a description of your core network. Certainly we've all met more than 150 people, we may even have quite a few more legitimate relationships than this theoretical 150 person limit. However if you really boil it down to the truly meaningful relationships I would image that you, like me, would come up with a number really close to 150.
Your core network in my opinion is your real network. These are your family, close friends, co-workers that you're close to, etc. The people you spend most of your time with, and have really solid relationships with. This certainly wouldn't include that guy you see a couple of times a year at this event or that event. It probably doesn't even include people you've had lunch or drinks with once or twice. These are the individuals you really spend time with, and who spend time with you where you have much deeper relationships.
So here's an interesting exercise I've been playing with. Exactly who makes up your core network? Who are these 150 people? Are they the right 150 people? There's also the theory that says you're most likely to be like the people you spend the most time with. It's probably a smaller subset of the 150 that this theory applies to, but it's an important concept to pay attention to.
Consider making an actual list to get a better understanding of what your own core network looks like.
That's just my 2 cents. What do you think? I'm very interested in your thoughts and comments.
P.S. I'm considering writing a follow-up post. Something along the lines of: Beyond the Rule of 150 - The Impact of Social Networking Tools on Network Size. I have some definite opinions, but don't want to taint your thoughts with mine... yet. :)
Sales Professionals as Allies in Building Decision Maker Relationships
One compliant that I frequently hear is that there aren't enough decision makers at such and such event. This is often followed by a complaint about there being too many sales people.
Depending on the caliber of sales people at a particular event this can be a valid complaint. The naive sales person frequently thinks that a networking venue is a sales venue, and will try to sell at the event. It's these folks that probably keep a lot of executives away from certain networking events.
Fortunately not all sales people act like this. In fact a true sales professional if treated properly can create far more opportunities than these supposed decision makers that everyone is looking for. Think about it. Let's say you run into the CEO of your ideal prospective company at a networking event. What are you going to do? Too many suddenly become that sleazy sales person we just identified in the last paragraph. Some impression you just made. How likely is it that you're going to now get their business and some referrals to their peers? That's what I thought.
Now let's take a look at the high quality sales professional you just met at the same event. How many decision makers do they have real relationships with? [Hint: It's probably more than the CEO we just met]. If this is a true professional they also know a TON about the decision maker's company as well. In fact, there's a good chance they have a better idea of whether or not that organization is a good candidate for your product or service than you do!
Obviously this is an oversimplified example, but I think it's a relatively common scenario. So, who's the better contact? The decision maker or the sales professional?
Now I'm a pretty good sales guy myself, but it's far more powerful to have somebody refer/sell me to a decision maker than for me to sell myself in a chance encounter. And who better to sell the value of me and my solutions than a good sales professional who already has a well established relationship?
Far too many people overlook the incredible value that a good sales professional can bring. The best part is it's really easy to get their attention, and get them to want to help you. Bring them deals! These are professionals and they should be able to easily articulate what kind of opportunities they're looking for. All you have to do is ask, and they'll tell you. Now go out and help them find it. Build a strategic relationship and you'll be amazed at the number of opportunities they have the ability to create for you.
Think about this before you write off yet another sales professional at the next event you attend.
Networking is all about relationships, and the benefits come from the give and take between the people in those relationships.
If you've paid any attention to this blog, or really any writing about networking you know that one of the key and most important ingredients is giving. Many refer to the benefits derived from networking as "Givers Gain." I'm here to tell you that giving is critically important, but that's not really the point of this post. Instead based on a variety of recent experiences I think it would be more valuable for me to spend some time talking about the "take" side of the give AND take equation.
Through feedback and conversations from our first NetStorming event it is very evident that the biggest challenge most networkers have is the "take." They want to benefit from their networking efforts, but they don't want to offend anyone, and they don't want to seem greedy. So how do you go from being a good giving networker to making sure that you gain the things that you want?
I believe the key is the ask. It's really hard to get (or take) what you want from networking without asking for it. What you're looking for in your networking efforts may be obvious to you, but it's not always obvious to others. Even when it is obvious, for example you're looking for new clients or a new job, the specifics may not be as evident as you think. I know lots of bankers, and generally it's pretty obvious what a banker is looking for right? In reality it's not. Are they looking for deposits? From what size company? Merchant accounts? New Loans? On what? Real Estate, receivables, lines of credit, or some other facilities? There are probably 100 different things they could be looking for. If they were to ask for all of them they would likely get none of them. If instead they were to ask very specifically it's much more likely that someone will be able to help them find what they're looking for. Everyone has and uses money. It's important to narrow the request down so much that it brings a small handful of people to the top of mind. Only then can an introduction be made.
Don't make somebody else do all of the work. Ask specifically for what you know someone can or should be able to deliver. The best ask or request should take the person you're asking no more than 5 minutes to do for you. Here are a couple of examples:
Ask someone for one or two introductions. Name the person that you want them to introduce you to and why. Now, if they're willing, all they have to do is send a quick e-mail or make a phone call.
Request a testimonial from someone, but do most of the work for them. At least suggest a couple of items they can highlight. Now all they have to do is write around your suggestions.
Ask someone for advice, but be so specific that follow-up questions aren't necessary. Now all they have to do is quickly answer your question.
In our NetStorming format many people struggle to clearly define what they're asking for. This causes the rest of their time to be spent by people asking follow-up questions rather than providing advice, guidance and/or introductions. The better you can definte your need or question the more likely you are to get what you're looking for.
Finally, there's a big difference between asking and demanding. When you ask someone for something you should never expect them to help you. You're simply providing them with the opportunity to help (which many of us love). Many times they'll be able to help, but sometimes they won't. Do not expect or worse yet demand that they help you. Even if you've done a huge favor for someone, it's unfair to expect them to return that favor. This creates a toxic networking environment. You may never know why someone can't or won't help you. It's ok, it's just part of the process. Simply move on and ask someone else, and don't be afraid to ask that person for help again. It's possible it was just the specific request you made that they weren't able to help with, or it could have just been bad timing.
Help your fellow networkers help you. Ask them clearly and concisely for something that they can do for you in just a few minutes. Afterall, wouldn't it be much easier to help them if they did the same for you?
You may have noticed that there are a bunch of different ways to get involved lately. There always are, but perhaps there's more emphasis because many of these organizations could use just a little more help right now.
I believe the most important thing is just getting involved. Whether that be doing a little bit of volunteer work, or making a small contribution. It seems that many choose not to participate at all either because they're not in a position to write a big check, or they don't have a lot of extra time to contribute. That's too bad, because to these different causes every little bit counts. Even a $5 or $10 contribution helps. It sure beats $0. Sure you don't have the time volunteer at your favorite cause for 20 hours each month. Could you spend a few minutes calling a handful of friends who might share in your passion?
It's probably not appropriate for most to give every time they're approached. If I did that I'd have a tough time finding enough money to feed my family. Instead consider some way to make a small contribution (time, money or both) each time there's an opportunity to help a cause you're interested in. Heck, sometimes it's not even the cause itself, but wanting to help a good friend's cause because they've always been there for you.
This is a busy month for me and many of my friends as there are some really neat opportunities to get involved.
My very good friend Thom Singer is raising money for the Kate Singer Endowment For Cranio-Facial Research, a cause that the Singer family started on behalf of their oldest daughter (who's now doing just fine). Thom donates a portion of his proceeds from every speech to this fund. This month is Kate's birthday and he's running a special online campaign. I hope you'll consider joining me in making a contribution to this fundraiser. Especially if you find yourself getting extra benefit from Thom's talk at our event Monday afternoon and the subsequent conference call.
The Austin Twestival is coming this Thursday, February 12th. This is an incredible global initiative occurring in 175+ cities world wide to raise money for charity : water. An organization that helps bring clean drinking water to the 1 Billion+ people on this planet who don't have that luxury. It's amazing to think of clean water as a luxury, but for many it is. Heck, maybe you don't even care that much about the cause and you're just interested in a really great party. There's nothing wrong with that. 100% of your ticket price is still going to charity! I'm sure you won't feel bad about that.
Finally we have our own NetworkInAustin 'Gives' initiative we're working on. Our efforts are currently directed at the Capital Area Food Bank the end of this month. There are 2 ways to get involved. Please consider one or both of these opportunities.
1) Make a contribution through our Virtual Fund Drive. Remember, every contribution counts whether it's small or large
2) Join us at the Food Bank on either Thursday the 26th or Friday the 27th and volunteer for a shift to make a difference.
How will you make a difference? You'll be surprised at how far even a little bit goes for the organization and for YOU.
A substantial part of networking is the exchange of ideas.
Frequently the people we build networking relationships with become sounding boards for our ideas. These exchanges are one of the many valuable results of our networking efforts.
Unfortunately I've seen too many instances where one party brings up an idea looking for ideas or suggestions for improvement and instead is met with nothing but dissent.
My friend Dave Shaw and I were talking the other day as we worked together on the 'NetworkInAustin Gives' project with the Capital Area Food Bank. He shared with me his firm's policy of "Eat it or Beat it." They apply this policy to all of their ideas. If you don't like an idea you can't just attack it or dismiss it, you must come up with something better (Beat it). If you can't come up with something better then the original idea is what will be used (Eat it).
I absolutely love this idea! Rather than critiquing others ideas, if you don't like it come up with something better. Otherwise the original idea must not have been such a bad one after all if it couldn't be easily bested.
Dave's "Eat it or Beat it" policy keeps everything moving forward. Progress is so much better than being stuck arguing about a particular decision.
In the last few weeks I've managed to elicit a couple of e-mails where I was told I'd made that persons day. These weren't just any old friends either. One was a VERY well known best-selling author.
It struck me that it is incredibly simple to make someone's day. Each of these incidents literally took a total of 2 minutes of my time. Think about the last time somebody made your day. How much effort did it take on their part? My guess is almost none! Why not try to make someone's day every day?
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Say "thank you" in a very specific way
Nominate someone for an award you know they deserve
Call an old friend
Make an introduction
Publicly praise someone (you can even do this in an e-mail... Copy their boss and others)
Write an unsolicited testimonial
Did I mention say "thank you?"
I think you'll find that making someone's day rarely takes longer than 2 minutes. You have 2 minutes don't you? Go make someone's day RIGHT NOW! It doesn't matter who it is. Just go do it.
Recently I asked my network through LinkedIn: "What are the visible attributes of a 'Nasty Networker?'"
Over 30 people responded through LinkedIn (others replied via e-mail, but I've not included their responses in this post). I encourage you to read the complete question and all of the answers here.
A big thank you to everyone who contributed to this list. You were all incredibly helpful! I've boiled the answers down into some common categories ranked by the frequency of their appearance
Signs of a Nasty Networker
Selfish. Not interested in helping others.
Doesn't ask questions. Talks too much.
Bashes or otherwise acts inappropriately towards competitors.
Uses high pressure and other bad sales techniques.
Abuses contact information. Sends spam and other unwanted communication.
Ignores business card etiquette.
Social climber. Always looking for somebody better to talk to.
Not open.
Naive and needs education (about proper networking).
More interested in the quantity of connections, not their quality.
Disrespectful.
In the end I think that "Nasty Networking" is driven primarily by either naivete or desperation. I saw a quote recently that suggested that the selfish type of taker networking is not networking at all, but rather Needworking. My hope is that by sharing this list we can help the naive/needworkers get onto the path of true networking.
As we prepare to launch the first NetworkInAustin.com events it also my intention to not allow any "Nasty Networkers" to attend. Hopefully the education provided in this post will dissuade anyone from taking these approaches so that we're not forced to ask people not to return.
Here are many of the consolidated responses to my question grouped by the categories listed above.
Selfish. Not interested in helping others
"Doesn't try to help at all"
"Selfish and self-interested"
"In short, a 'Nasty Networker' is self centered and disinterested"
"Uses every opportunity to speak (including thank you's and announcements time) to give a sales pitch for themselves"
"refers less than is referred to him/her (it is ALWAYS better to give than it is to receive)"
"Someone who immediately asks 'who does your ....' (phone, insurance, payroll, office supplies...) instead of saying 'who are YOU?' and getting to know you."
"100% self-focused -- demonstrations may include: usurping your time while at an event asking for "free" business advice; never offering anything in exchange"
"Rude, disrespectful, fast-talking, is not interested in a mutually beneficial relationship, totally dis-interested in you or your needs."
"My main beef regarding a nasty networker is one with the belief that it's all about them"
Doesn't ask questions. Talks too much
"Doesn't ask questions"
"Talk don't listen"
"Talking not listening"
"A 'Nasty Networker' keeps their own interests secret, they listen, and want to 'know', to own, and control."
"talks more than listens"
"Poor listeners."
"Vomitous from the mouth"
Bashes or otherwise acts inappropriately towards competitors
"Steals from competitors"
"Bashing or being condescending towards competing companies or products"
"Talks down about their competition"
"Some of the most memorable "nasty" networkers that I've come across made an (unfavorable) impression because they were publicly trashing a competitor"
"A nasty networker is somebody that comes to an event sponsored by another company and stands next to the host the whole night scarfing their contacts."
Uses high pressure and other bad sales techniques
"They launch into their sales pitch as part of introducing themselves."
"Asks for a one-on-one meeting to get to know you, gives you a sales presentation."
"Asks for a meeting because he/she is interested in YOUR business, gives you a sales presentation."
"if there is no relationship there, I'll go to the internet before I'd go to a pushy salesperson!"
"people will ask you questions about your business at a networking function in a way that seems geared specifically to put you on the defensive--these sort of questions are perfectly appropriate at a pitch meeting or the presentation of a proposal, but I'm not sure a networking event is necessarily the best venue" Abuses contact information. Sends spam and other unwanted communication
"Uses the majority of all communications (personal interactions, e-mail, blog, twitter etc.) to try to sell you something"
"I've had a couple of nasty networkers that asked for my information and promptly signed me up for their weekly newsletters (or worse, their promotional pieces!) without even the 'great to meet you' email followup to our initial meeting."
"I find especially annoying those who add you to a distribution list without asking"
"Follows up with email/call that is all about the"
Ignores business card etiquette
"They give you extras of their business cards so you can pass it on to someone who might need their services ... the first time you meet them!"
"Grabbing everyone's cards and then leaving early"
"Networks like a bull in a China shop - runs up to everyone with the intro/handshake/business card routine - never listens or asks about anyone else"
"Only interested in collecting business cards"
Social climber. Always looking for somebody better to talk to
"The person who scans the room looking for for new targets while trying to engage you in some sort of dialogue."
"The 'look past you' networkers just nodding until they can talk to someone else."
"Lack of eye contact. If a person isn't focused on you, they are 'elsewhere'. They are probably looking for better alternatives vs. talking to you."
Not open
"They talk only to people they know at networking events."
"those who aren't willing to invite new people into their ongoing conversations."
"Talk to only people that they know."
Naive - Needs Education
"I trust that all of these attributes will either be retooled by the novice as they mature and learn ethics or they will be weeded out."
"I think most people who are bad networkers are just ignorant and uneducated. I've only met one person in 5 1/2 years at the Chamber who was deliberately hateful."
"I guess the 'Nasty Networker' walks the line of desperation. 'I have to make my numbers now so I am going to impose myself on each and every prospect I run across.'"
Quantity vs. Quality
- is out for quantity versus quality
Quantity verses quality
Disrespectful
I also think networking gets a bad rap from people who are condescending
I don't know about you, but I love the new year: That imaginary fresh slate, the new goals, the strategizing and planning, oh and Football! What's not to love?
Hopefully some of you who are reading this are setting specific goals around your networking efforts. You can and should do this, and if you're not sure how to go about it then you're definately going to want to check out the first NetworkInAustin.com monthly event on Monday, February 9th. There Thom Singer and I will present: Networking In The New Year - How to build your own 2009 networking strategy.
This post actually relates to all goals, not just your goals specific to networking. I saw something on the news the last couple of days where they were talking about how much failure there is in New Years Resolutions and goals. Just look around you. Your gym is probably packed, everyone is ordering salads at lunch all of a sudden and networking events will likely be busier than usual...
Then comes February, or maybe it's just January 10th. What happened? So many of those good intentions get washed away and everyone settles back into their old routines. I have a theory here. I think that these resolutions carry really high expectations: I'm going to go to the gym 4 times a week, or I'm going to give up all ice cream. Whatever it is the bar is set. Then they miss... Once. After that one miss it's all down hill and since we missed that once we may as well miss again and before we know it we're right back where we started.
I say, quit trying to be perfect! So you screwed up once. So what?! Keep moving forward. Heck, build a few screw ups into the plan. I'm going to give up Ice Cream, but I'll have one bowl Sunday night and if I really deserve it I might just have 2. 6 days on plan is a heck of a lot better than 0. Give yourself a break. Don't worry about being perfect and keep moving toward your goals.
To quote the title of a book who a good friend said was her favorite business book of 2008: Screw It, Let's Do It!
As I've thought about this job networking series much of my thinking had a specific desire at it's core. What I mean is a clear and very precise goal with regard to the position you're looking for.
Finding yourself among the unemployed can be quite a shock to the system. It often causes people to rethink their careers and many will consider changing industries, positions and even entire career tracks. There's certainly nothing wrong with this process, but it frequently causes these job seekers to be unable to articulate what type of position they're looking for. This inability to articulate their desires makes it nearly impossible for those in their network to help them because they can't know who to connect them with.
It's important to have a very clear and specific goal when you're looking for a new opportunity for so many reasons. You'll be able to develop the strategy and tactics necessary to attain that goal. You'll be able to reach out to those in your network and make very specific requests that they can actually help with. You can always change your goal as your search progresses, but at each step you need to be as clear as possible with those you're communicating with.
I will likely refer back to this post throughout the job networking series here on my blog. Without this clear vision in place the other job networking recommendations you'll find here will probably not be useful.
You can't cross the finish line without defining where it is.
How do you stand out when you're networking? Are you just another face in the crowd or is there something you say, do or exhibit that demonstrates your uniqueness?
My friend Ragen and her business partner Willi really stick out in a crowd; attending networking events in professional attire and big pink fluffy slippers! You see they represent a team of Virtual Assistants who are very professional and qualified, but work from home. (I'm not sure if the pink slippers are part of their Virtual Assistant's uniform or not, you'll have to ask Ragen).
Their appearance at networking events is just the beginning of their differentiation. What really sets them apart from many other networkers you'll meet is their unique business model. Just take a look at these capabilities and success stories:
--- Ragen and Willi from Cloud Nine Virtual Office Staffing aren't the only professionals in their pajamas. Their Virtual Assistant Team is full of exceptionally qualified professionals doing every administrative, telemarketing and bookkeeping task you can imagine, all from their homes.
The Cloud Nine Model offers an incredible group of benefits:
Our VAs are exceptionally qualified, and have all passed our seriously stringent assessment process (less than 1 in 200 pass)
No need to waste money on extra space or equipment
Use exactly as much help as you need - there is no minimum or maximum number of hours
No payroll or HR headaches
We are a team so, even though you are assigned a specific VA for your account, back-up is always available in case of emergency
We make it easy, even if you're technologically challenged
Success Stories
We have a client who is a small business owner. He knew that he was spending too much time being a secretary. He had tried hiring people for 20 hours a week at $8.00 per hour, but was frustrated with the quality of people he was getting. We matched him with a VA from our team who is a former Executive Assistant to the CEO of a major corporation. We reversed the equation, cutting him down to 8 hours per week at $20.00 per hour. Less than four months later he told us that he couldn't believe the difference that skill made. She was doing more in 8 hours from home than his other attempts had done in 20 hours in the office. He said that he had doubled his income because of the work that we were doing for him. Now he uses her 20 hours a week and estimates that she pays for herself more than 5 times over every week.
We have a client who was five years behind on her taxes. She hired a VA to get her receipts organized and her bookkeeping up to date. She called to tell me that not only is she (not to mention her CPA and the IRS) thrilled that her taxes and bookkeeping are finally up to date, but her VA created a simple system for her so that she could stay up to date in the future. She said that it felt like a 5,000lb weight was lifted off of her shoulders and that she is not actually spending less time staying caught up than she was spending when her system wasn't working. She is now using one of our VAs once a month to do her bookkeeping data entry. She said the she is happy to pay us for 4 hours of work rather than spend the 8 hours it takes her to do it herself.
---
What can you do to set yourself apart both in the way you are seen and how your business is perceived? Those who are persistent and creative in seeking these answers will reap the rewards.
There really is value in the various forms of online networking. I asked my friend Chris Garrigues to share his experience in nearly landing a job through Twitter. In the end this job fell through for Chris, but the lessons are no less instructive. Thank you Chris for sharing this story!
When I started twittering back in June, one of my goals was to see if it would be useful in finding a job. I asked Jason Alba of JibberJobber.com fame if it would be and he said:
"For a job search I'd suggest it's not going to be much help (prove me wrong, though, if you can :p). It's more of a long-term relationship building tool... so if had been on for a year, and had built a network, I could see that being really helpful, but for now, it's going to be more of listening to who is out there, what they are saying, and how you could develop relationships with them... just my two cents."
My Twitter job seeking strategy was to follow anybody in recruiting or HR I could find located in the Austin area. My hope was to be “top of mind” for these recruiters if they should find something that would be a good fit for me. I followed several of them and they followed me back. Of course, I also continued pursuing the job boards and working my traditional network and attending events like the ones held by Door64.
As the months went by, I didn't think about Twitter as part of my job search strategy, but more as just one of the tools I use to stay in touch with some key parts of my network. It also became a place where I felt comfortable discussing the presidential election with a diverse group of people. I ignored the advice of Scott Ingram who was concerned that I would offend half the people out there no matter which side I took.
One Tuesday afternoon in early October, while watching my girls at a playground, I sent the following tweet:
"Isn't 'tying McCain to the Keating 5' like tying John Lennon to the Beatles?" (from TPM, but paraphrased) 4:43 PM Oct 7th
One of the recruiters in my network replied:
@DeepEddy Oh that is funny! And look how open minded (sellout!) I am that I can laugh at the jokes from the other side? 4:48 PM Oct 7th
His very next tweets were:
So we need to find a Network Engineer, but the manager INSISTS on an actual BS in Comp Sci (no MIS/IS). I have never met such a creature. ?? 5:23 PM Oct 7th
Most people with Computer Science degrees become programmers/developers/etc, not Server/Router people. Thats how I see it - anyone disagree? 5:24 PM Oct 7th
I responded:
@davidrees I'm one. We exist. When I started in R&D labs, having only a BS made me undereducated. DM me re this position. 6:12 PM Oct 7th
@davidrees I'm mostly a Unix systems guy w/ management experience. What's the client willing to pay? 6:15 PM Oct 7th
David discovered that I wasn't in his files, so I sent him a résumé and told him how glad I was that he found my joke funny. By the next day he had told me that I had one of the best IT résumés he'd seen, but it might be a little while before I heard from them since this was the least important of three positions they were filling. Two hours later, he called me back to see if I could talk to the guy the next day.
[In an effort to shorten this story I've edited Chris' play by play of the aftermath. Long story short he was told that he had the job, but later had the rug pulled out on the offer based on the CFO's "assessment of the current economic conditions." Chris continued to explore other opportunities as this was transpiring.]
Lessons I can draw from the experience:
Pursue multiple channels when looking for a job and feel free to try things nobody else has done.
You can get away with discussing “controversial” issues like politics if you are never mean about it and remain in good humor. I never lost a Twitter follower as a result and even got an interview through someone who had opposing views. You gotta remain likable, however. I wouldn't try it if you aren't capable of being liked and respected by people who disagree with you.
Never stop prospecting until you have an offer in hand. The job I eventually got turned up during a time that I thought this one was going to come through.
You've probably noticed that unemployment has been on the rise lately. The national unemployment rate is up to 6.5%, and here in Austin it has grown to 4.7%.
It's certainly noticeable. I'm seeing more resumes come across my desk than I've ever seen in the past. Not to mention quite a number of personal friends who have found themselves in the ranks of the unemployed.
At a time like this many people are realizing just how important networking really is. Especially when they find themselves without a job knowing that the majority of job opportunities are found through networking and not through traditional means.
This has prompted me to start a series on job networking and career networking. The distinction being that job networking is an active search for a new position through relationships. Career networking is for those with a job who are looking to advance inside their organization or move up the ladder via another employer. There are many similarities between the two, but there are also quite a few differences.
My goal with this series is to create a truly valuable resource for those in a career transition, and a resource for their friends to be able to refer them to so that they can easily add some value.
I've already received an incredible Guest Blog post that I'm formatting now about how a friend of mine nearly landed a real job opportunity through his use of Twitter.
The following posts are currently in the queue over the next few weeks:
Networking to Your Next Job: Using Existing Relationships
Networking to Your Next Job: Starting From Scratch
Unemployed Networking: Maintaining Your Professional Identity
Best of Breed Tools for a Job Search in the Time of Web 2.0
Helping a job seeker: The Ultimate Referral
Networking Up The Ladder Inside Your Company
Job Networking in Austin, Texas
What's missing? What do you need to know about career or job networking? Do you have your own networking success story? I'd love to have you as a guest blogger to share your stories and suggestions with others.
It seems that everyone I talk to lately is incredibly busy. I know I am. This causes us to look more and more at how we're spending our time to try and find ways we can be most effective. In the last few weeks I've had several opportunities to combine networking with other activities. Each of these different events were fantastic and I'm sure I'm not the only person who'd like to find more ways to do this.
As I was thinking about writing this blog post it dawned on me that I already combine networking with other activities quite well. Being that I do a huge portion of my networking during lunch is the perfect example. For some combining coffee and networking would count, but being that I don't ordinarily drink coffee doesn't exactly put this in the win column for me. Golf is another tried and true combination networking opportunity utilized by many.
This morning I went on a great 20+ mile bike ride with CJ Romberger and Brian Massey. I can't think of many other ways to combine burning 800+ calories with great conversation and relationship building. In fact I'm pretty sure we're on our way to working together in a meaningful way on a project (stay tuned for details).
A couple of weeks ago Chris Garrigues put together the second Twitter Playdate where he helped gather a number of local professionals who use Twitter at Zilker Park with our kids on a Sunday afternoon.
In both of these examples networking was combined with activities that are important by themselves, and serve to bring us even closer together via our shared interest (cycling/kids).
Here are a few other ideas:
Networking and many types of exercise: Running, Cycling, Walking, Golf, Weight Lifting, etc. (Swimming... Not so much)
Volunteer - Bring a group of people together and do some good in the community together.
Put together a dinner party and include spouses/significant others.
Wine Tasting - Do you have a love for wine? What a great excuse to bring people together
Favorite Hobby? Bring others who share your passion together around this special interest
These aren't exactly unique ideas. I'd be willing to bet that some of your closest friendships have been developed around activities or interests that you share with another person. These are a major source of accidental networking connections. I'm suggesting you be just a bit more intentional about the activities you love and the people you'd like to build better relationships with.
What other experiences and activites can you combine with your networking efforts? No really, I want to know. Please add your own comment, story or suggestion to this blog post. Thanks!
A few weeks ago I blogged about the concept of Passionate Involvement. On November 5th there is an incredible opportunity for you to find your own passion and get involved. Next Wednesday Greenlights for NonProfit Success, The Junior League of Austin, Leadership Austin along with Comerica Bank and Vinson & Elkins will present the Fall 2008 Board Summit.
This event will be held from 5:45 - 8:00pm at Vinson & Elkins (2801 Via Fortuna #100) and Registration is only $35.00
You'll have the opportunity to network with 150+ business professionals and listen to business and community leaders talk about nonprofit board service.
The best part is you'll have a low-risk opportunity to learn about 20 diverse, pre-screened local nonprofit organizations that are actively looking for board members just like you.
There are so many reasons you should attend this event. Do yourself a favor and Register Right Now!
Here is a little more information and links to the websites of each of the 20 participating nonprofits: AIDS Services of Austin, Inc.
Mission: AIDS Services of Austin responds to the HIV needs of the Austin area by providing services that enhance the health and well being of individuals and the community in the face of an evolving epidemic.
American YouthWorks
Mission: Building productive lives and better communities.
Anthropos Arts
Mission: Anthropos brings professional Latin and jazz musicians into low-iincome public schools (Grades 6-12) to lead students through free music programs: workshops, individualized lessons, concerts, and master classes.
Austin Child Guidance Center
Mission: To improve the mental health of children and their families through early intervention, diagnosis and treatment to help them develop the emotional skills for meeting life's challenges.
Big Brothers, Big Sisters
Mission: To help children reach their potential through professionally supported one-to-one relationships.
Breast Cancer Resource Centers of Texas
Mission: To be a centralized source for breast cancer information, education and support that enables women to become active, knowledgeable, participants in their healthcare.
Camp Fire USA Balcones Council
Mission: Camp Fire USA builds caring, confident youth and future leaders by engaging children and their families in inclusive, coeducational activities.
Citizen Schools
Mission: To change the life trajectories of low-income students. We challenge them to be producers, leaders, and stewards of their own futures. We strive to move them onto a “success track,” heading toward high school graduation, college attainment, and positions of leadership in their careers and communities. Citizen Schools also seeks to lead the nation to reconsider the traditional school day and to re-imagine a new “learning day.”
Crime Prevention Institute
Mission: To break the cycle of crime and strengthen individuals, families and communities by supporting individuals with education, information, resources and case management as they transition from incarceration to communities.
Down Home Ranch
Mission: To build a rural, self-reliant community for adults with intellectural and developmental disabilities, offering training, housing, recreation, and dignified employment, as well as opportunities for growth in mind, body, and spirit.
EmanciPET
Mission: To provide services and advocacy that will result in a more humane and effective approach to controlling our pet population.
Girls Rock Camp Austin (GRCA)
Mission: Girls Rock Camp Austin is dedicated to empowering girls and women of all backgrounds and abilities through musical eduation and performance.
Heart House of Austin
Mission: Heart House is a safe place for under-served children to be every day after school where free programs teach them how to be successful in school and in life and to think critically and be self sufficient, kind and responsible citizens.
Launch Pad Job Club
Mission: To present programs that lead to employment of its members through networking, training, and maintaining a positive attitude.
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Mission: Cure Leukemia, Lymphoma, and Myeloma and improve the quality of life for patients and their families.
Mobile Film School
Mission: The Mobile Film School is committed to bringing media arts education to rural and underserved communities; creating long-term mentoring relationships by pairing students with seasoned industry professionals and educators, and cultivating a unique appreciation of local history and culture using storytelling in film.
SAHELI for Asian Families
Mission: SAHELI helps and empowers Asian victims and survivors of domestic abuse, improves their access to services and increases community awareness of various forms of violence and oppression.
Texas Alliance for Minorities in Engineering
Mission: Enabling Texas students to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) by creating partnerships among educators, industry, government, and families to inform, educate and motivate students with particular focus on underrepresented populations.
The Care Communities
Mission: Provide practical, compassionate, non-medical care through our volunteer care teams to people with AIDS or cancer so they may live in their homes for as long as possible.
Waterloo Counseling Center
Mission: To provide affordable mental health counseling services and training with an expertise in gender and sexual diversity.
Wonders & Worries
Mission: Wonders & Worries helps children cope when their parent or caregiver has a chronic or life-threatening illness.
YMCA of Austin
Mission: To put Christian principles into practice through programs that build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all.
The number of social/online networking tools is, to put it bluntly, overwhelming. From Business Blogs to Twitter, LinkedIn to Facebook, Plaxo to MySpace and everything in between the choices are astounding. Hopefully you're using at least one of these tools, even if it's only casually.
The trick is to develop your own strategy in how you utilize these tools so they don't take over your life. If done incorrectly the time you spend on e-mail and your social networking activities will consume ALL of your available time. That would be bad, unless that's your business.
So how do you develop this strategy? First an understand of what you're trying to accomplish would be very helpful. Personally I have three primary goals when utilizing these tools.
Maintain or deepen connections with people I've already met.
Build visibility for myself and the things I work on and am passionate about, and attract other like minded people to me through these efforts.
Find appropriate contacts and make connections through referrals/introductions.
Initiate new professional relationships that make sense.
Once you're clear about your goals you can start to think about how you'll use each tool.
I'll share with you 2 of my own examples:
I've already written about My LinkedIn Networking Philosophy I encourage you to read that. Very generally LinkedIn is a way for me to maintain contact with people I have a genuine connection with. That way if they change jobs or move I don't lose track of them because all of their other contact information changed. I have a way of being in the loop. It also helps me see relational connections. For example if I want to meet the CEO of a prospective company and they're on LinkedIn I can see our mutual connections and potentially ask those individuals to make an introduction for me.
Twitter is quickly becoming my new favorite tool. I avoided this one for a long time because from the outside it sounds just plain goofy and like it will be a colossal waste of time. Turns out it's the best relationship deepener I've ever seen. People I know well who I follow on Twitter I now know really, really well. Even more impactful are those that I kinda know, and have the ability to get to know at a much deeper level. It's a little hard to explain just how this works. I highly recommend you just quickly create an account, follow a few people and see what you think. You're welcome to start with my profile just to get an idea: www.twitter.com/scottingram
Over time I will go deeper into the use of each of these tools (stay tuned!). In the mean time your best bet is to just begin to play with a couple of these sites. Here's a little bit of generic guidance on the order in which you should explore these sites and why.
If you are a business professional this is my opinion of the order of importance of these tools:
LinkedIn - If you're a professional you MUST be on LinkedIn.
Facebook - It's less geared toward professionals, but it's much better at helping you reconnect with people in your long ago past. High School, College, etc.
Twitter/Business Blogs - In terms of priority these are tied. However, what they each bring to the picture is very different.
Plaxo/Myspace - For the professional I think these are fairly irrelevant. Plaxo doesn't really add any value beyond those listed above (it used to in the past when it was about keeping contact information up to date). As for MySpace it's maybe not my place to say this since I'm not even on it, but I don't see how it adds value for the professional. Please feel free to comment if you disagree.
All others - Beyond these core tools there are probably hundreds of others. The learning curve and critical mass is typically steep enough that unless there is something in a very specific niche that would be helpful to you it's probably not worth your time to explore these. Again, I'm open to suggestion and hope you'll comment if there are other tools that have been helpful to you.
I encourage you to look beyond this post. I've written at least a little bit about most of these tools, especially business blogging (as that's what you're reading now) and you can navigate these topics using the categories listed below.
In my opinion the most important part of networking is giving and adding value to those you're networking with. If you don't have a mindset of helping others in your networking efforts then you're not likely to see a very good return on the investment of your time, money and energy.
You won't be able to help everyone, but as long as you work hard to make a difference for others those networking deposits will pay dividends back to you.
I can't quote it directly, but on a recent vacation I read: The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea. In this book it says something like: To give and not expect to receive is unnatural. This is an important networking lesson that even very good networkers frequently forget. I'll talk more about this book in a future post, but I do recommend it. It's a nice quick read and breaks down what networking is really about into a very readable fictional story.
Now that you've done a great job of giving through your networking efforts it's time to receive right?
It's not quite that easy. Most people are not mind readers, and many times if they were to guess what you need based on your title or some other piece of information it might not be what you really wanted.
So ASK for what you need! I know this sounds impossibly simple, but so few people do it. You have to tell people what you're looking for or there's no way they can help you get it.
The more specific you can ask the better... "I need to grow my business" or "I'm looking for a job" is not nearly specific enough. The more you can focus in on exactly what you need the more likely somebody will be able to help you find just that.
Just look at the difference:
"I need to grow my business." or "I'm looking for an introduction to the sales manager of a high-tech startup company based in Austin."
"I'm looking for a job." or "I'm looking for an HR generalist position with a company that has between 50 and 100 employees."
Aren't you be in a much better position to help someone who asked the latter questions? Give your networking partners the same opportunity. Ask as specifically as you can and you're much, much more likely to get what you want.
What do you want? How can you ask specifically for that? Who can you ask that question of right now?
It's probably no surprise that one of the questions I'm asked most frequently is some form of: "Where's the best place to network?" To which there is certainly no standard answer. So much depends on what you're trying to accomplish, your industry, the type of people you'd like to meet, etc. etc. However those answers that people are looking for are typically more about specific organizations, events or groups to get involved with. Finding the BEST place to network is actually a little different and is an even more personal choice.
In my opinion and experience the best relationship are forged when you're doing something you are absolutely passionate about working shoulder to shoulder with other individuals who share that same passion. These experiences often times create the deepest of life long relationships. So the obvious question here is: "How do I get there?"
The first step in what I'll call 'Passionate Involvement' is either the most difficult step, or absolute no-brainer easy depending on your experience. You first have to ask yourself what you are most passionate about. Is it your church? A favorite hobby? Your industry? A non-profit organization? A political cause? Serving some subsection of the community? Figure out for yourself what you're most passionate about that absolutely gets you fired up.
The next step is finding other people who share this passion. Most frequently there will be some organization where these like minded individuals congregate, donate or otherwise take part and get involved. In many instances there may be several of these organizations. Spend the time to get to know these groups and determine where you think you best fit.
The third and final step is the most important, but if you haven't done a good job with step one it won't be meaningful and may even be difficult. This is where you get involved! Whatever that is for you. Ideally you want to figure out how best to leverage your talents and skills and apply them to your organization or cause. Your ultimate goal is probably to work on a board of directors or to be equally involved in the inner-circle if your particular passionate outlet doesn't have a board.
Please don't expect to complete steps one and two and immediately be nominated to serve on the board. You're going to need to make some contributions before that will happen, and it may take years before you attain a seat on that board depending on the organization. However, if this really is your passion those years you spend contributing will be tremendously fulfilling and you'll be making incredible connections with new friends all the way along. Again, you'll know you've not made the right choice if at any point you're not being energized by your involvement. Sure there will be frustrations and challenges like anything else, but as a whole your contributions really should be quite fulfilling.
How are you passionately involved? Please feel free to share your passions and involvement success stories for others to learn from.
If you've been reading my blog for any length of time you know that I consistently write about finding ways to add value to your network. A couple of ways that you can quickly add lasting value to those deserving individuals in your network are through award nominations and testimonials.
If you pay attention to it you'll notice quite a few requests for nominations for a variety of different awards through out the year. Here are just a few examples:
Austin Business Awards - Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce
Austin Under 40 - Young Men's Business Leage (YMBL) and Young Women's Alliance (YWA)
Entrepreneur of the Year - Ernst & Young
BiG IDEA Awards - BiG AUSTIN
Best Places to Work - Austin Business Journal
Keeping an eye out for these calls to nominate and spending just a few minutes to think about the one or two people in your network who are really deserving of this type of recognition. Investing just a few minutes of your time to fill out a nomination form can bring some great recognition and publicity to your nominee. Please don't make the mistake of thinking that somebody else will nominate them. Worst case scenario there is nothing worse than for them to receive multiple nominations. How do you think these awards get won?
The most deserving of recognition in your network might not fit a particular award category. That's ok, you can always write an unsolicited testimonial. Again, this act takes just a few minutes but can be incredibly valuable to the person you're testimonializing. Best practice: make the testimonial public. An easy way to do this is to write the Testimonial on LinkedIn. That way the person you've written it for has the choice of whether or not to display what you've written (they'll be thankful either way). If they do choose to add it to their profile both your entire LinkedIn network and their network will be made aware of your kudos.
The next time you see a nomination request take 2 minutes to think of someone you can nominate.
Right now, choose the one person in your network most deserving of a testimonial (the name should pop into your head almost immediately). Now take just 5 minutes to write a quick testimonial and send it to them. I promise you'll make their day.
One of the biggest traps many networkers fall into is the "busy" trap. Often times this is in direct proportion to the success of their networking efforts. However, being "busy" is not a good reason to neglect your relationships and let your network whither and die. If you fall too deeply into this trap you'll have that much more work ahead of you when you're not busy and really need your network's help. If you suddenly need a new job for example it's too late to 'start' building your network, it needs to already be in place.
The most common symptom of busy networker syndrome is not attending events regularly or at all. In the beginning your absence might be conspicuous. Over time though people won't even think about you. Out of sight, out of mind. It's really hard for people to think of you for referrals and other opportunities when they're not thinking of you at all.
In the worst stages of busy networker syndrome the afflicted will fail to nurture any of their relationships. They're too busy working to quickly touch base with even their most important contacts. They are soon completely forgotten, and in extreme cases written off because they fail to return phone calls and e-mails from those who don't represent a current paying client.
I paint a dire picture and in most cases it doesn't get this bad. The really good news is that it's easy to fix.
Beginner networkers or those building a new network in a new town or new industry frequently over commit on the number of events the can attend in a sustainable way. In and of itself this isn't that big of a problem. As their network begins to grow and time is less available it's important to determine which groups and events are the most important. Focus on those singled out, and commit to attending regularly even if regularly for you means monthly or even quarterly.
If you've been out of the loop nearly everyone will be happy to see you back. Again, determine where you should be focused and how much time you realistically have available. Then get those meetings on your calendar well in advance.
Busy networker syndrome happens to all of us from time to time. I can tell you that in some ways I've been there myself for a while with 2 little girls under the age of 3. The important thing is to recognize it when it's happening. Make sure you're not neglecting your core network, and work to do the best you can with the time that you do have available. [Hint: You may need to make some time]
Your networking efforts are not just about events either. You've already built relationships and those need to be nurtured. Pick up the phone and make a quick call to catch-up. Send an 'I was thinking about you' note. Put together an impromptu happy hour and invite your core network. It almost doesn't matter what you do, just keep the lines of communication open.
If out of sight is out of mind then the solution is really quite simple. Don't be out of sight, in fact be as visible as you can be. Work to be highly visible and top of mind.
It's one thing to use the standard "I'd like to add you to my network on LinkedIn" boilerplate when making a LinkedIn connection request to somebody you already have a relationship with. I'm sure many would disagree, but if we already have a real life relationship I'm not going to be upset that you didn't change this message.
Using this to connect with somebody you've never met, and have never had any previous interaction with on the otherhand is rediculous. Yet I get them all the time. It's what prompted my previous post about My LinkedIn Networking Philosophy.
Today I bring you the best connection request I've ever received. With permission here is Sherry Lowry's request from late last week:
Scott, I'd say at this point i may be more of a FAN than a friend, and I'd like to change that.
Interim, I'd also appreciate adding you to my professional network on LinkedIn -- and ALSO buy coffee when you have time to connect live in Austin.
I like everything i've learned about you - and none of it has been first-hand. It seems well past time to know more DIRECTLY about you and what you want next in your own future.
Granted Sherry and I have a number of mutual connections so this wasn't the coldest of cold introductions. However, she's obviously taken the time to understand my networking philosophy and made the entire request about me and not herself.
Work to incorporate these 3 points into any cold connection request or introduction:
A connection point that you both share and/or why you think it makes sense to begin a relationship
Specifically how you think you can add value to them (What's in it for them?)
Suggest a specific next step. This could be an e-mail dialogue or scheduling a time for coffee or a phone call.
I'm looking forward to my phone conversation with Sherry tomorrow morning.
How do you introduce yourself into stronger connections?
I'm frequently sent LinkedIn invitations by people I don't know. Generally speaking I do not accept these connections, but have in the past written a long winded response explaining why not. Frankly I'm a little tired of doing that so I thought I'd share the philosophy on my blog and just link to this in the future. Plus it might also help you clarify some of your own thinking about how you use LinkedIn.
There are two schools of thought on LinkedIn. There are LIONS or LinkedIn Open NetworkerS and then there are the rest of us. (Does that make us closed networkers?) The real debate is between quantity and quality. LIONS believe in quantity and that every connection is valuable because you just never know. I believe in quality networking and work to have some type of relationship with every person I'm connected to.
Having a relationship is a tough thing to define. Typically if my fellow networker is here in Austin I want to have had some type of face to face interaction with them. Typically I want this face to face to have been just the two of us (lunch, coffee or some other one on one encounter). If this type of connection isn't possible due to geography or some other type of circumstance I want there to have been some type of meaningful dialogue. Maybe we spent 40 minutes together on the phone or have gone back and forth a descent number of times via e-mail in an online discussion.
I try to hold to these standards because when someone uses LinkedIn the way it is intended and finds a connection to someone they'd like to meet where I am the connection, I want to be in a position to make that introduction. If I accept just anyone's connection it's very likely that I have little or no credibility with the person you'd like me to introduce you to. The only thing we share is our LinkedIn connection.
This is simply my LinkedIn networking philosophy. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, it just how I play the game. I encourage you to develop your own philosophy. Take the time to learn about the rationale behind being a LION and decide which is best for you. If you choose not to be a LION this does not by any means make you a "Closed" networker. It probably just means you're more focused on real relationships which is where the real business and real opportunities will come from.
If you are reading this because you tried to connect to me and I sent you this link you are on the right track! Many who initiate blind LinkedIn connection requests have no intent in ever building any type of meaningful relationship (and would never take the time to read all of this). The fact that you've just read this shows you're clearly not one of these folks. Now that you've gotten this far please send me an e-mail or LinkedIn InMail. I'm sure we can find a way to resolve the issue with our current lack of relationship.
In the last few weeks I've been engaged in my own online networking experiment (using social media, web 2.0 or whatever you want to call it). I've been a big fan of LinkedIN for a couple of years now, but until a few weeks ago hadn't made the leap to Twitter, Facebook, etc. You can expect to find a series of posts here about the results of my own experiments. I also feel pretty close to developing my own strategy for leveraging all of these tools as a professional which I'll share with you here as well.
I thought I'd start with a little bit about Twitter. My first impression of Twitter was that these quick little updates were an asinine waste of time. How could writing and following constant updates possibly be productive? I was amazed at how quickly I was turned around. I quickly realized that there's almost no better way to deepen some of your relationships. I have friends who I follow on Twitter who I see in person once or twice a week on average. I'm way more connected to them and what's going on in their lives now that I'm following them on Twitter. Again, I'll write more about this, but this benefit alone makes any and all of the effort worth it.
Even more recently I've found that you can find numerous ways to give referrals to and otherwise help those that you're following since you know what's going on with them. In a very recent example a friend and I started following each other on Twitter. I learned that he's intensively working on learning a new technology. Several days later I received an e-mail about a local conference on this very topic. I was able to forward that e-mail and within a day he was registered for the conference. How cool is that? Without Twitter I never would have known that this was even on his radar screen.
Do yourself a favor and setup an account today. You'll thank me for it.
Referrals are a tricky business, especially the receiving part. It's not always easy to control the number of referrals you receive. Yes, you can ask for them and you'll receive more, but that's a different post.
In my experience and in conversations with the top business networkers in my own network there seems to be some consensus that there is a give to receive referral ratio. It's truly going to depend on your business and how easy or difficult it is for others to refer you, but the most common ration seems to be 3:1
For every 3 referrals that you give you should receive 1 referral. This ratio is in the short term. Over time your ratio is likely to get a little better.
Again, this is an average. For some folks it might be 5:1 or 10:1, others might be really easy to refer and will see the reverse: 1:3 or 1:2.
Give some thought to what your own referral metric is. Start paying attention to it, and you might even think about starting to track it.
Now for the networking tip. The most important part of this equation is the front half of the ratio. How much are you giving? If you want to receive 2 good referrals a week wouldn't it make sense to give 6 qualified referrals so that you'll get the 2 if your ratio is 3:1?
It's much easier to control, measure and track the number of referrals you're giving. The focused networking groups I belong to are full of top notch referrers. Several of them have turned referring into a daily habbit. They set a goal of finding a way to give at least 1 good referral a day. Just being aware of this makes you think about how you can make those referrals.
You can also leverage your networking at events to accelerate your giving. Last night I attended Texchange. I met some really cool folks and because I was focused on them, and finding referral opportunities I was able to have some really neat conversations. Over the course of the night I created 6 referral opportunities. 2 I was able to make on the spot because the people were there at the event and I just made an introduction. The rest will receive virtual e-mail introductions so that they can connect with the people I think they can help or vice-versa.
What's your referral ratio? How much should you try to give in order to receive what you want?
In my experience the biggest reason most people network is to create opportunities (If they're doing it right they're creating opportunities for themselves AND for others). Not to mention a whole slew of other positive side effects.
In this networking context there's a lot of good, but there's also some bad and some ugly. One of the toughest parts of networking is knowing how to handle bad news or negative press about someone else in your network.
This stuff can really go a couple of ways. In some cases the information will be about someone you don't know very well. In which case you probably want to take a closer look at that person and think about your future relationship. Is this person ethical? Do they come from a place of integrity or would it be better for you to distance yourself from them. Personally I've removed a couple of connections on LinkedIN after hearing very negative things about some folks who I'd met with a time or two, but didn't really have a deep relationship. I also did my due diligence and verified the negative claims before taking this action.
Other times the bad news will be about people you have a much deeper relationship with. Because of your depth of relationship hopefully you'll already know that they're one of the good guys. So what do you do when you hear nasty stuff about them? You tell them! Wouldn't you want to know if somebody was talking trash about you? Maybe a client of yours is upset with you because of an incident outside or your control or even outside of your knowledge. Wouldn't you want an opportunity to reach out to the client and fix the issue, even if it wasn't your fault. So they aren't out there telling some horror story to everyone they meet about you?
Tell your core network what you're hearing about them. Not just the bad. Tell them when you hear somebody bragging on them as well. Give them the opportunity to thank that person so they'll continue that behavior. We love it when people say great things about us!
What are people really saying about you? The only way to really know is to have a great network out there listening for you who will report back.
Ordinarily I am rediculously diligent about having business cards with me. With stashes in my coat pockets, glove compartment, laptop bag, etc. It's nearly impossible for me to be without cards.
Of course this Sunday I was caught in a perfect storm of not having cards. I went for an early morning cycling trip on Loop 360 here in Austin. Met with a small group that had invited me in the past and got a chance to get to know a couple of really great guys during the ride. When we got back to the parking lot where we'd all started it was time for the card exchange. There I was.... No Cards! I'd brought my bike in my wife's van where I didn't have a stash.
The situation was easily rectified. I did get cards from the other guys and followed-up with my own contact information. However the experience taught me (again), that you never know where you're going to be when you need a couple of cards.
The solution is pretty straight forward. Stash those puppies everywhere you can think of: At home, at your office, in your coats (purses for the ladies), in your cars, everywhere! I'm never a fan of the mangled card in the wallet, but a mangled card with your phone number and e-mail address sure beats the heck out of no card at all when you really need it.
New business relationships are one of the most exciting parts about networking. You never know where it is going to lead. Will your new friend open the door to huge untapped opportunities, or will it prove to be another learning experience?
I always take a 'give and see' approach. I'm not sure if I've always done this. It's likely that I have, but only recently have I noticed that I even have a strategy around new relationships like this. I tend to be a little different than what the traditional networking advice will tell you to do. I'll spend a lot less time than most learning about the personal side of the other person. Family, kids, hobbies, etc. Not that those things aren't important, I just tend to get to them a little later in the relationship.
In my very first meeting or two with a new connection I'm rediculously focused on how I can help them. If I met them in a business context then there's probably a business reason why they were out networking in the first place. So what is that reason? I'll look as hard as I can for some way to provide value. Sometimes this is a referral, other times it's just advice or an introduction to someone else who can be more helpful than me because of their own background, industry or connections.
Once I've figured out how to help I do it. This is the deposit or the 'give' that I mentioned earlier. If I've promised a referral or introduction I make it. Quite often there are a couple of follow-up items for me to execute based on our first meeting. Then... I wait and see.
There are several levels of response that give me a pretty good indication of how good or helpful my new networking friend is going to be.
Level 1 and sadly the most common level is nothing. Without my prompting I won't get anything back. They become a communication vacuum and I don't hear anything from them proactively. You can guess what kind of category I put these folks into. [This is only a mental category, it's not like I have a loser field in my contact manager or anything... Hmmm?]
Level 2 is a minimal response. They might send a real quick e-mail thank you, but that's where the buck stops. This is a satisfactory response as it's much better than nothing, but it's hardly what you're looking for especially if you've made a solid introduction or referral for them.
Level 3 is the beginning of good quality networking. They will communicate and keep me in the loop. If the referral I made didn't work out they'll give me the heads up and let me know why (so I can be of better help next time). If it did work out they give me the heads up and let me know why. They will typically show some level of appreciation. (Most times a thank you is enough, this isn't necessarily a monetary step).
Level 4 may or may not communicate as well as a Level 3. What they will do is make an effort to reciprocate. They'll make an introduction, referral, or provide some form of value within a reasonable amount of time. Sadly, too many Level 4 networkers then drop the ball and don't follow-up, or otherwise disappear in the early stages of the relationship when extra time and attention are typically necessary.
Level 5 is where you can almost instantly identify the great networkers. These folks either did the same thing that I did in the beginning and worked to understand how they could help me. If they didn't they work quickly to catch-up and make sure they know what they can do. Then they execute themselves. They do all of the things they promised to do and follow-up appropriately.
Without making a deposit, or finding some way to give to the other person in your new relationships it's really hard to identify what type of networker you're dealing with. Your networking efforts will be far less effective than they could be and you could end up spending months on a new relationship only to find out they're a Level 1 or 2 and aren't likely to help you in growing your business.
I always struggle with making this point and not having people take it the wrong way. It's important not to prejudge any relationship, and to be forgiving of those who don't perform the way you'd hoped. It doesn't mean you malign or mistreat the relationships that don't immediately bear fruit. Some relationships just take longer. However, you DO want to make sure you invest more of your time and energy into developing relationships with the Level 4 and 5 networkers. The more you value them, the more they'll value you.
Don't believe me? You probably already have a couple of good Level 4 or 5 networkers in your own circle. Find a way to help them out and watch what happens.
Being in a position where you have no network is like not having a safety net. There's nobody there to catch you if you fall. The early stages of networking are like building a safety net. These are the critical relationships where if you misstep or faulter you have a support structure to help you get back up on your feet and moving in the right direction again. This comes through friendships, mentors and other meaningful networking relationships with people who care about you.
If you're serious about networking then the safety net is just the start. The smart ones among us build that safety net long before they need it. Sadly many realize they should have been networking and building their own safety net after they've already fallen, and it's too late. Most frequently this happens in a layoff or other job loss situation. If you've been building relationships in and around your industry then it's easy to bounce back. If not it generally takes significantly longer to climb back up to where you were.
Over time as your continue to strengthen your safety net through deeper more meaningful and broad based relationships your net not only grows stronger, but begins to develop some bounce to it. It's at this point that your network isn't there just to protect you from whatever life throws your way. Now it's creating opportunities.
Before the networking safety net was built a fall resulted in a major set back, not to mention some major bumps and bruises. Now the strength of your safety net more resembles a trampoline. You're able to use it to gain alititude and move to the next level through promotions, increased sales or upward job transfers.
If your network is weak start building your safety net today. You never know when you'll need it, but work hard to strengthen that network and you'll quickly find it will take you to new heights.
I'm not quite religious, but pretty regular about sending hand written thank you notes. Most frequently I'll do this after a first face to face meeting, but there are numerous other times I'll use as an excuse as well.
These thank you's are something I've done for years for a variety of reasons. I always thought there were powerful, but I couldn't always prove it.
Anecdotally I always thought they easily put me in the top 1%. In the past I frequently asked people how often they received thank you cards. For most it's a VERY rare event. In fact the one time that you would think it's almost obligatory to send a thank you note; after a job interview. The numbers are almost depressing. I've recently asked hiring managers I know how often they're getting thank you notes. The most common response I heard was: "rarely."
So the thank you note for me was just an easy way to stand out. Nobody else is doing it so it's easy to top the "everybody else." Plus it gives me another opportunity to put myself in front of somebody so that they'll remember me, like me, think of me, whatever. E-mail just isn't enough anymore. It doesn't require any real effort.
Recently the real proof in the pudding came. As part of my regular process I sent one of my hand written cards. Several days later I received the following e-mail from one of the executives I had met with:
Not to start an endless circle of "thank-you," "No, thank YOU," I must say that your note was the first hand-written thank-you note I have received in a business context in years. It is rare to see a hand-written note in this age of emails! You are to be commended for that gesture.
We look forward to receiving your proposal…
There you have it. Real proof that this stuff works. I'm sure it wasn't the only reason, but I also ended up getting their business in a very competitive situation.
Do you send cards? Were you aware that you could have this kind of an impact for $1.00 - $2.00 and two or three minutes of your time? If the averages I've seen hold true than I can almost guarantee you're NOT. Why not? Make it a part of your standard process to start sending hand written cards to new people you meet.
You can thank me later... preferably in a hand written card!
P.S. If you meet with multiple people. Let's say you get a meeting with a CEO, CFO and HR Manager... Send cards to everyone individually! Each person is just as important as the other. Don't make the mistake of only sending a card to the person YOU perceive as being the most important. You wouldn't want to negate your efforts.
I just finished going back through all of the archives on my blog. Can you believe it's been almost 3 years since I started this blog? I sure can't. It amazes me how much has changed in that time.
The result of this dive through my blog history is a complete index of all of the relevant networking tips I've posted over the years. The list is pretty long and I think I'm getting really darned close to have over 100 of these very focused posts.
The best part about the index is that all of the titles are linked directly to that individual post. No longer do you have to dig through reams of archives and sort through posts about events that may have been current at the time. Now you can just click on and get directly to the meat.
Take your own networking to the next level. Find the most relevant tip for YOU!
If you don't already have an established network and you need sales right away, putting all of your eggs in the networking basket is going to leave you very disappointed (broke?).
Networking is a long-term business development strategy. In many cases that flood of referrals you're looking for is years away.
I don't share this to discourage you, but to inject some reality. I truly believe that relationship marketing is one of the most powerful strategies out there, but it's like an investment that you put just a little bit of money into a couple of times a week. After the first week there probably won't be enough in there for you to retire. But, over time with consistent deposits and compounding you'll be amazed at your balance.
I think many people start networking to grow their business because their afraid of sales. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and pick-up the phone. There's no faster way to immediately generate sales, unless of course you already have an established network who can help with some referrals and introductions.
The real difference is in the lasting effects...
If you pick up the phone and consistently make cold calls several times a week for 6 months I guarantee you'll make some sales, or depending on your business at least start buildling a very good pipeline.
If you consistently start working to build your network several times a week, after 6 months if you're networking effectively you should start generating some sales and building a referral pipeline.
In the short-term cold calling will wildly outpace the results of your networking efforts. But what if you completely stop doing both?
Your cold calling efforts will immediately stop producing results.
Your networking efforts will most likey continue to produce results.
Relationships don't die, and it's tough to build relationships making cold calls.
The right approach is a balanced approach. If you're just starting out you're going to need to start focusing on things that are going to produce revenue immediately. That balance might be 90/10 or 80/20 cold calling vs. networking. Over time as your network grows, your relationships deepen and the referrals beging to flow you'll be able to turn the equation over to 10/90 or 20/80 cold calls to networking.
Just don't expect it to happen overnight. Keep networking, but don't be afraid to pick up the phone.
Today I had a really fun experience. I called one of the smartest most well connected bankers I know to connect him with another friend who could benefit from his expertise. As we were catching up on what was going on in our own lives I quickly realized he was in a position to help me with one of my own challenges. This was not the intent of my call at all, nor had I even considered the possibility.
Every now and then the return on your networking investment is immediate and more than you expect. Had I not tried to help my friend I never would have known this resource existed.
You never know how helping someone else will help you in return. Rarely is it immediate, nor does it come back in the way you expect it to... But it does come back, usually with interest!
In my experience the hardest part of keeping up with those in your network is job movement. Much of the time all of the contact information I have for a particular individual is 100% related to their job. Company name, work phone number and a work e-mail address. If they leave that job I suddenly have no way to reach them.
Job changes happen ALL the time! I don't know exactly what the statistic is these days, but I'm sure it's safe to say that the average tenure at one company is only 3-5 years. So how on earth do you figure out where these people in your network went if they change jobs and you don't have any relevant contact information?
The answer is LinkedIn. One of the most valuable things about LinkedIn for me is also one of the simplest. It's the notification that someone has added a new position or made another change to their profile. The other side of the coin is important also. If you change jobs you want your network to know that you've made the move. All you have to do is update your profile on LinkedIn and notify all of your connections.
If you're not already on LinkedIn, then please setup an account today. It's free and a very valuable service. You can find some great information about how best to use LinkedIn on Scott Allen's Blog: LinkedIntelligence. I have another friend who is in the process of writing a book about how best to used LinkedIn that I'll let you know about as soon as it comes out.
To get the most out of LinkedIn you'll want to connect with those in your network (this is what LinkedIn is all about).
Finally, make sure that your profile is up to date and that your correct e-mail address is listed so you can be contacted by those in your network.
LinkedIn is a great tool. Like any tool, it only works if you use it. If you're not on LinkedIn spend 20 minutes and setup an account, start your profile and make a few connections. If you're already on LinkedIn spend 20 minutes learning how to better use it, or make a few more connections.
P.S. If we're not already connected on LinkedIn you can find my profile here: Scott Ingram's LinkedIn Profile. Please only make a connection request if we actually know each other. I do not connect randomly to people I haven't met (we're not actually part of each others network). Of course those situations can be corrected if you reach out and work to build a relationship with me.
It's often difficult to keep up with all of the things that are happening with people in your network. But, there are some great tools that can help you keep up.
One that I've been using for the last six months is Google Alerts. This handly little tool allows you to select a key word or phrase and will notify you when something new about that topic hits the web. You can set the notifications for daily, as-it-happens, or weekly.
First I recommend that you do this for yourself. Setup an alert for your own name. I've been surprised a number of times at being quoted in blogs and other news publications that I wouldn't have known about otherwise. Next think about your best clients and customers. I've been able to make some really fun congratulatory calls to clients when I've been notified about awards, acquisitions and other honors. What about your top prospects? Do your competitors, or even their incumbent vendors know what's going on with these folks. This is an incredible opportunity to stand out.
My own Google Alerts consist mainly of full names and company names, but it's also a useful tool for keeping up with speific industry news that might be useful for you.
Everytime you take the time to get to know someone over a cup of coffee, a meal or a visit to their office you have a huge opportunity to learn. You can learn about that person and their background and what makes them tick. You can learn about what's made them successful now and in the past. You can also learn more about their industry and what distinguishes their organization from another.
This will serve you in a number of ways. First, you'll be able to develop deeper relationships as you show an interest in the person you're meeting with. Second, the more you know the more valuable you become... to your clients, prospects, colleagues and friends.
I'm not sure that I've ever had a formal mentor. But, I've had hundreds of mentors. You can learn something from anyone, no matter who they are. They might be the CEO of a large company or the lady that arranges your flowers. It doesn't matter.
I often talk with people who at one time or another were active networkers. Either intentionally or unintentionally they stop networking. For some reason these former networkers are sometimes more apprehensive than new networkers to get back out there. My guess is that they think that their absence somehow reflects negatively on their credibility.
In reality getting back out there is a breeze. You already know people and they'll be excited to see you, they'll want to catch up and will probably be eager to introduce you to new networkers that you may not have met during your absence.
You just need to pick-up where you left off. Before you know it nobody will even remember you were missing. Did you used to be really active in the Chamber of Commerce or another active networking group? Get back out there. You'll be glad you did.
Of course what prompted this post was my blogging absence. One thing lead to another and before I knew it it had been over 2 months since my last post! One friend and fellow blogger even wrote an obituary memorializing the death of my blog.
Just like getting back out there and networking it only takes one post for me to be a blogger again. After a few more posts most of you won't even remember that I took such a long unintentional blogging vacation.
I had an interesting experience earlier this week. I scheduled a meeting with someone I wanted to network with. We'd met a couple of times before, but never had the chance to really get to know each other individually. (Remember, Networking doesn't happen at networking events... You have to meet one on one).
This meeting for some reason just felt difficult. The problem was that we weren't really connecting. We hadn't found very much common ground. I just continued to listen hoping I could find something to open them up.
Then it happened. They mentioned running and I saw something in their eye. So I asked a question or two. That's all it took. We talked for a good 15 minutes about Marathons and training and how they started. The whole meeting changed completely. We both left feeling great.
The secret was finding passion. Find something that someone is passionate about. It might be running, their family, a hobby, with entrepreneurs it's often their companies. Whatever it is find it, and start asking questions. You'll open the door to a great connection.
Confirming your appointments is a good practice to get into anyway. For the next 3 weeks it's going to be almost a necessity.
If you haven't noticed already everyone's schedules are a little fouled up with the early change to daylight savings time. This change was enacted by Congress just 2 years ago and many software programs that automatically account for daylight savings time are off by an hour. I noticed it myself last week when I was trying to schedule an afternoon appointment. Somehow my Rotary meeting that always happens at noon thought it was starting at 1pm.
There are just too many ways that times could have gotten crossed for the next couple of weeks. Perhaps your software moved something to the wrong spot. Maybe the person you're planning on meeting got tripped up by their software.
The easy fix is simply to call ahead and confirm the time of the meeting.
I've recently rediscovered my local library. Until a few months ago it had been years since I'd been to a library. I can't believe how much is changed. I'm also a little disturbed at how much money I've spent at Amazon.com and other local book stores over the years when I could have just as easily used the library. Especially since I almost never re-read books. (Networking tip: If you DO buy books, loaning or giving one to someone is a great way to extend a relationship)
I'm sure this has been around for quite a while and maybe I'm the only one that hasn't known about it. But with the technology the Austin Library has with their online catalog and the ability to put holds on books I feel like it's better than Netflix and Blockbuster combined.
You can pick out the books that you're interested in and even have them set it aside for you at the most convenient library for you. Plus if you're going to be late you can always renew the material online or worst case pay 25 cents a day vs. Blockbuster's $4 late fees.
If you're not a regular already, do yourself a favor and reaquaint yourself with your local library.
Think you're too busy to read? They also have a great collection of audio books. So rather than listening to some radio talk show and feeling yourself get dumber as you drive you can listen to a great book you don't have time to read and get smarter!
I was recently asked this question after speaking to a local group of folks in the middle of career transitions.
It took me a little while to formulate an answer after I realized it's not something that I think of as taking time. Really it's more of a lifestyle. I'm always networking.
Whether it's trying to help a co-worker solve a problem, making a connection for a job seeker, or the give and take of thoughts and ideas with a friend at lunch. It never stops.
Networking is not about mixers and "networking events." It's about making a difference in the lives of other people and building relationships. Something we should all strive to do all the time.
Like anything else, if you do it long enough you'll find that you're doing it without even thinking.
Thom Singer and I presented a new program called: "Networking in the New Year: Developing Your Strategic Plan" to the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce last night.
We promised to make the slides from the presentation available for the folks in attendance. So if you missed the presentation you can get an idea of what we presented: Austin_Chamber_Presentation_5.ppt
Here also are some quick links to some of the other resources we mentioned in our presentation last night:
Once again we had a great turn out and we appreciate all of you who took the time last night to learn how to improve your networking skills and develop some of your own strategies.
Unfortunately you're not able to post comments on my blog. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions about our presentation please write your comments on Thom's Blog.
Thom and I are both professional speakers and speak regularly to a wide variety of audiences. We are both available individually (if you have a preference), or together as we presented last night. If you have an event or organization that you need a speaker for please contact us.
This may seem ultra obvious but experienced networkers got where they are because of their experience networking.
Whether you're a novice networker or a seasoned pro, only one thing is going to make you better: Networking more.
For the newbie networker networking is probably a pretty uncomfortable act. So was driving when you first started. Over time you did it over and over again and now you probably don't even think about it anymore. With enough consistency and effort over a period of time your networking skills can become just as second nature.
Nearly all of us learn best by doing. You could read everything there is about driving, but until you get behind the wheel and do it for yourself you're not going to be very good at it. The same is true of networking. You could read all of the networking books and blogs out there and still not be a very good networker until you get out there and do it for yourself. Now I'm not telling you to stop reading my networking blog, but I'd much rather you actually go out and network then sit there at your desk reading this.
If you're a more seasoned networker the same still holds true. You can read this blog and get some great suggestions (if I do say so myself), but if you don't implement any of the tips or strategies I suggest they won't do you a bit of good.
In other words... Get out there and network. You'll be better for it.
If you're in Austin, Texas you're probably working from home like me today rather than trying to slide your car around on the hills and bridges of Austin.
Today face-to-face meetings are impractical and all of the regular meetings that you would usually attend have been cancelled. Plus you probably have even more time available than usual since you didn't have to hassle with any type of commute.
Therefore and henceforth by the lack of power vested in me by some non-existent authority I decree today to be: Follow-up Day!
What a great time to pick up the phone and reach out to all of those people you've been meaning to follow-up with, but haven't had a chance. I'm even a little ashamed to admit that I have a number of them myself. (How else do you think I came up with such a great idea?)
If the people you'd like to follow-up with are also here in Austin or Dallas or Waco or you get the idea, then they're probably more reachable than they might ordinarily be.
Only have an office number and they're not in the office? Start with an e-mail and ask if there's a number that they can be reached at. I'm willing to bet you'll get a pretty quick reply in most cases.
Take advantage of this adversity to take your 2007 goals and networking to the next level. Make today your own Follow-up Day!
As you can imagine I'm asked this questions a LOT. It was most recently posed by Chris Garrigues on LinkedIn's new service: LinkedIn Answers.
The short and the long answer to this questions is simply: "It depends."
People network for many different reasons, and there are just as many networking events in Austin. These groups all have different personalities and cultures and some will be a great fit for you, others will not.
First, ask yourself why you want to attend networking meetings? Is it to find more clients? Find a new job? Identify resources to make your business more efficient or grow to the next level? Maybe you're just new to Austin and are looking to make some new friends.
Once you know the why look for the who. Who is it that you want to meet? Prospective new customers, hiring managers, really nice people?
Finally you'll probably want to give some thought to the frequency of meetings. For some a weekly meeting is just too much of a committment, while a monthly meeting would be perfect. For others looking to build deeper relationships a monthly meeting may not be frequent enough.
Unfortunately once you've done all of this ground work the hard work starts. The only real way to know if a group is right for you is to visit a time or two. Once I know what people are looking for I can often make suggestions of groups that 'might' be a good fit. In the end you'll need to check them out for yourself to see if they're right for you.
Another strategy you can get a lot of mileage out of is simply to ask the other networks at the meetings you visit: "What other networking groups do you think are worthwhile?" You'll get a lot of different opinions and suggestions. By asking this type of question you'll be able to learn what may or may not be a good fit for you.
Here's a short list of groups I've visited myself and found to be very good:
Or course there are many more. Most of which you can find on the NetworkInAustin.com Calendar. We've added over 4,000 events for 2007, but still have a lot more work to do. Please check back often.
The difference between a great networker and a bad networker can be minute. The good news is that you can really set yourself apart by doing very basic things.
Ok. Now that you're back you can see the Liz had an experience with a great networker and a bad networker in the exact same scenario. The only difference between great and bad was the 3 minutes it took to write a quick thank you note to Liz.
Now I'm sure that Liz would have been just as satisfied with a quick 30 second phone call or even voicemail simply acknowledging the help she provided and a simple "thank you." That's literally all it takes. That's the difference.
Thank you notes are one of the most powerful tools available today. Between the card, envelope and stamp you'll probably spend a whole dollar ($1.00). Literally I don't think you can possible get more bang for a buck.
How do you feel when you get a hand written note in the mail? It's probably the first thing you open and the last thing you forget as you go through your mail opening routine. You can have that kind of impact for the investment of $1 and a few minutes of your time.
This is very unscientific, but based on my experience networking here in Austin I'd say that 3% of networkers regularly use thank you notes.
After suggesting repeatedly in my last post that you create your own networking plan I thought I'd share a little of my 2007 strategy with you.
Over the last several years I've literally met thousands of people in the Austin business community. However, just meeting someone and exchanging cards does NOT make them part of your network. So my own 'real' network consists of several hundred people.
I personally believe that I'm at a point that I will get the best return on my networking investment of time and money by focusing on deepening my existing relationships. Not that I will stop meeting new people or attending new events. But, I've built my personal network to a point that a lot of that happens automatically. My network continues to grow by itself as others in my network connect me with more and more great people.
When I say I'll be deepening my existing relationships I don't mean ALL of those relationships. First I'll focus on my core network. The total number is roughly a few dozen people who frankly I like a lot and who've made a difference in my life. They represent the quality portion of my network.
My core network is not a static list of folks. The dynamics of relationships change over time and some will come and others will go. That's half the fun.
Once the focus has been put squarely where it belongs comes the real meat of my own strategy. Making a difference in their lives. My job is to find ways to make a contribution to their success and the completion of their goals. Sometimes it'll be small contributions, other times I'll be able to make a huge impact. The important thing is to build the relationship by helping them. It's also important to help them help me. I have to be able to articulate what they can do for me. Relationships are bi-directional.
This strategy of focus, quality and contribution also applies to events. I will probably attend fewer events this year than I have in the past. I can get just as much if not more value by focusing on the events and organizations that have proven to provide me with the most benefit (quality). Then I'll again make a contribution by getting more involved in those organizations.
My hope is that by sharing some of my own strategies you'll have an easier time devising your own. So... What's YOUR 2007 networking strategy?
With the new year comes that feeling of a fresh start. A chance to start with a clean slate and make something happen. What will you make happen for yourself this year? How will networking play a role for you?
Networking is powerful because of the opportunities that will come your way because of the relationships you've built. Relationship building is an ongoing process. You'll need to build new relationships and grow your existing relationships. Doing that will be a lot easier if you have a plan. Do you have a plan?
You might want to start with a goal. It could be a certain number of new relationships, a target number of referrals or a weekly or monthly number of events you'd like to attend.
How will you get there? Decide how you'll meet the new people you'll build relationships wtih or which meetings and events you'll attend regularly.
Successful networking is like farming. It doesn't work if you put a lot of energy into it in January and February and neglect your crop for the rest of the year. You'll need to apply consistent effort over a long period of time. Come up with your own strategy to nurture your network of opportunities. Make sure it's a plan that you can easily maintain over the long haul (think MANY years).
It seems to me that people fall into 2 camps in December. For one group it is one of the busiest times of year and they don’t have time to stop and think; think retailers. For the other group things slow down a bit. Work isn’t as busy and they have some extra time to plan and work on catch-up projects leading into the new year.
I’ve been in the second camp this year. I took the opportunity to reach out to a lot of people in my network that I haven’t talked to in a while for one reason or another. That time was very well spent. Nobody ever complains that they just heard from an old friend that they haven’t talked to in a while. Especially this time of year.
It’s been such a rewarding experience that I’m hoping to repeat it a little more often than just in December next year. It only takes a few minutes to pick up the phone to say “Hi! How’ve you been?”
Who can you reconnect with? Take 5 or 10 minutes right now and reconnect. Unless of course you’re in the first camp of crazies in which case you shouldn’t even be reading my blog right now.
I love working with people who think big. I came from a meeting this morning where everyone in the room is always thinking bigger. All of these folks are also very successful and respected.
You do yourself a disservice by thinking small, or working on small incremental gains. The real magic: big ideas, big gains and big profits all come from thinking big.
Your big thoughts will become even bigger and more real when you share them with others in your network. What may have seemed impossible at first will become more and more attainable if you ask the right friends for help. They’ll help you find the tools, connections and inspiration you need to get there. Of course you’ll have to ask to get their help to get it.
I’m frequently asked where the best place to network is. The short answer is: “it depends.” There are literally thousands of networking opportunities just in the greater Austin area. Yet some of the best networking doesn’t happen at traditional networking events.
The better answer is that there’s a right place for everyone, and it probably depends more on their personality then on their profession. The best place to network is in an organization that you’re passionate about where you can truly get involved.
Again this will mean different things to different people. For some it might be volunteering more in their church. For others it means becoming the president of their Rotary club. What’s important is that you find something that you truly love and enjoy and make a contribution to the best of your ability. Making great connections will be easy because the people you’ll be working shoulder to shoulder with will be just as passionate about the cause as you are. This provides a great foundation for a long term relationship.
There is an incredible opportunity in Austin to find the right leadership opportunity for your interest and skills. Greenlights for NonProfit Success is a local organization that helps strengthen Central Texas nonprofits through consulting, education, networking and resources. They’ve recently launched a program called BoardPlace where they will match individuals with appropriate nonprofit board positions. This is currently a pilot program and you must apply by November 30th
This is a great chance to find the perfect networking opportunity for yourself.
Thom Singer has gone and done it again with the Networking Quotient Quiz. After answering 30 questions you’ll be able see where you are with your networking skills. The final report will even show you how you compare to others who have taken the quiz.
Just taking the quiz will help you discover areas where you can improve your networking efforts. Encourage your co-workers to take the quiz as well and compare your scores. You can all help each other on the path to becoming great networkers.
I just got an e-mail this afternoon that absolutely made my day:
"Scott, it's no wonder why you are as successful as you are. I've never met someone willing to give so much and ask for so little in return. I have a lot to learn from you. Don't be surprised if I become a Network-In-Austin-groupie! Thank you for your help and support."
It only took this wonderful human being 2 minutes to add this little note to the rest of her e-mail. That's all it took for her to have me walking on a cloud.
Who's day can you make today? Tell someone that they've made a difference for you. I promise they'll be grateful for it. You might even make their day.
If you network on a regular basis you are likely exposed to many more diseases then the average person. All the hand shaking and huddling together in crowded rooms. When the cold and flu season rolls around you probably have a legitimate reason to be concerned.
Fortunately for you, good readers of my blog, I've discovered the answer. Below is a link to a very important video that will help you protect yourself and others from bacteria, viruses and other networking bugs.
It's very important that you take the time to watch this important video based on the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control.
If you don’t regularly exhibit some evidence of your existence people will quickly wonder whether or not you’re still around.
In the last few weeks I’ve had an awful lot of conversations with people asking if I’d seen this person or that person. In most cases it had only been a few months since either of us had seen the people in question. The good news for these folks is that at least people were still thinking about them. That’s much better than the alternative.
If you have people like this in your network I suggest you do as I did. Pick up the phone and call them. There’s almost always a reason why they haven’t been as visible. This is a great opportunity to find out why. They may have had some recent successes that have just kept them too busy. Other times there might be a problem that you can help them with, or at least refer them to someone who can.
You have to find your own ways of remaining visible. You might not have as much time to attend all of the networking events you once did, but it’s important to let your existing contacts know that you’re still alive and kicking.
Here are some ideas:
Write a regular blog to keep people abreast of what’s happening in your life.
“Yikes! You just lost your job! You’ve been so busy at *work* that you don’t feel your network is as strong as you would like it to be! What are you going to do with (and to) your network in the next 6 weeks as you begin an aggressive job search campaign? And, outside of your network, what job search tactics will you employ? Or your best networking tips related to job searches.”
My answer:
Congratulations! You’ve just landed a new sales and marketing position. Whether or not you were in sales and marketing before, you are now. Your new job search will be a lot easier if you start thinking like a sales and marketing professional because that’s exactly what you’ll be doing. You’ll be selling and marketing yourself. Don’t forget that this is a full time job, and you’ll need to put in at least as much energy as you did into your previous position.
Before you start networking and dusting off your resume you should first identify your target market. Without a specific target your other efforts won’t be focused enough. If you don’t know what your target market is then you’ll need to do some market research.
Identify as clearly as possible the position or career that you’re looking for.
What industry is it in?
What is the job title?
What exactly do you do?
What are the necessary skill sets?
What size company?
Who do you report to?
What is the company culture?
Why do they need YOU?
The more specific you can be the better. It’s the difference between saying that you want to work in technology, and saying that you’re looking for a position as the IT Director of a medium sized financial services company in downtown Austin, Texas.
When you’re able to be that specific it’s easy to find companies that meet your criteria that you can begin targeting.
The traditional method of job searching would have you pour through classified ads and sites like monster.com to find jobs you’re qualified for and send out resumes. That’s akin to applying a direct mail approach to marketing yourself. You can probably expect about the same results; a 1-3% response rate. Instead I’d suggest a much more focused and direct approach.
A resume is essentially a brochure that’s designed to get you an interview. It's no different than a company or product brochure. Let me ask you this: When was the last time you actually read a brochure for more than 6 seconds? That’s how your resume will be treated. However, if the whole purpose of a resume is to get an interview why not just call and ask for the interview?
This is where the parallels between sales and your job search really become apparent. We’ve already talked about blind resumes being like direct mail and having a very low response rate. You could also make cold calls. That is, call the prospective companies that you’re interested in working for and asking for an appointment. You’ll probably get a little bit better response then just sending a resume, but your results probably won’t be spectacular. This is why networking is so valuable. If you can find someone that already has a relationship with your target company you can simply ask for a referral. Your odds of getting an interview will be much higher.
Ideally you’ve identified your target market so clearly that you have a list of companies you’re interested in working for. If you don’t have a list of specific companies than at least a crystal clear description of the type of organizations you’re interested in. This is where you start networking.
Start talking to your existing network. Focus on those that you have the best relationship with, and who are most likely to know someone at your target companies. Work your way down from there. The more specific you can be when you ask for introductions the better. That’s why a list of target companies is so useful.
The question as Jason asked it suggests that your network isn’t very strong. Networks take a long time to build, and you’re not going to be able to build a new network in just 6 weeks. However, you can build some strategic relationships and still get where you want to be. Try to find someone who is in a similar position, or the same department as you’d like to work in at your target company. Give them a call and ask them to lunch or coffee. Here’s your chance to learn about the organization from the inside. What are their biggest challenges? Do they have a position available or need additional help? Who else in the organization would they suggest you talk to? By building several relationships inside the company you can quickly learn a lot about how you might be able to fit in. If you play your cards right and act graciously you might even get that introduction or referral you were looking for.
This same process can be used to build relationships with vendors, customers, suppliers or anyone else who might have relationships with the organizations you’re interested in. If you’re targeting a specific industry there’s a very good chance that that industry has an association. Go to those association meetings. Market yourself at those meetings. Let people know what you’re looking for. Don’t forget to follow-up with the people you meet at those meetings.
By following this process you should be able to find opportunities for yourself relatively quickly.
Job networking is a very broad topic. I’ve really only scratched the surface and I thank Jason for posing the question. I’m sure there will be lots of other terrific advice from other bloggers so check out Jason’s blog for links to their responses.
You can also expect more posts about career networking here on this blog in the future.
Obviously active listening is an important networking skill. As an active listener it’s important to ask clarifying questions in an effort to truly understand your fellow networker.
I had an interesting experience last week that really brought this point home. In the course of our conversation we began talking about “achievement.” I’m very thankful that I asked what achievement meant to her. It turns out her definition was completely different from the one that I have in my head.
I think this is a male/female difference. It seems to me that both men and women have a range of emotions that closely resembles a box of Crayola Crayons. Speaking for myself I think most men only have the 8 basic colors, while women have the big box with 64 colors and a built-in sharpener.
I get this impression because when my wife asks me how something is at dinner I will often reply with: ok, fine, good, etc. which to me all mean more or less the same thing. Emily obviously has more crayons in her box, because each of these words means something different to her… I digress.
The point is, to truly understand someone and build a deeper relationship it’s important to know where they’re coming from. In this case, a simple difference in definition was the different between our coming to complete agreement and an otherwise so-so conversation. I never would have learned this had I not asked her to clarify what she meant when she said “achievement.”
For the record I stuffed this new “achievement” crayon into my limited box, because it was far superior to my previous definition.
Clarify your own communications by asking better clarifying questions.
Thom Singer and I did another presentation for the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce this morning. This was our second breakfast in the series and we facilitated everyone’s networking by helping them to share their “signature stories.”
I’ve expressed my dissatisfaction in the past with elevator pitches. For the most part I think that most are ineffective, forgettable and just take up valuable networking time in group meetings. Rather than just complain Thom and I worked on an alternative solution. We asked people to tell a couple of different stories.
A client story:
Rather than explain what you do, tell a story about how you’ve helped one of your clients. First identify the client by name or type of company (this should represent your target market), then explain how you helped them (what you do), finally talk about the outcome or results that they experienced (this should explain why someone would want to work with you or refer you).
Your Austin story:
Nearly everyone in Austin is from somewhere else, and we all came here for different reasons. Yet we all have one thing in common. We love Austin! So tell your story about Austin. What brought you here, what keeps you here, etc. This is a great way to make a connection with almost anyone in this city whether you’re native or you’re brand new to Austin.
Your background story:
What did you do before you did what you’re doing now? Everyone brings unique talents and perspectives to any industry or occupation. Most often that’s developed by the type of work you’ve done in the past. What was that work, and how does it contribute to what you do today and make you better than your competition?
Think about how you might be able to use these types of stories in place of the traditional elevator pitch. It’s a great way to set yourself apart, and really show your passion in what you do.
Once again the feedback from this event was wonderful. Thank you those of you who took the time to come up to Thom and I afterwards and thank us. Hopefully you’d like to see more of these in the future. I’d encourage you to call the Chamber and tell them how much you enjoyed the presentation.
Of course, both Thom and/or myself are available for other networking speaking engagements whether it’s for your company or department or your association. Feel free to give us a call, we’d love to help.
The Statesman ran an interesting article this morning in the business section: “Pulling the plug on MySpace, Facebook.” The article talked about people who were deleting their online profiles on MySpace because they were only building networks of acquaintances, not real relationships.
I’m often asked about online networking vs. offline networking. At the end of the day there is no substitute for time spent face to face with someone. There’s just no way to replicate that type of interaction. Most of the successful online networkers I know can literally work anywhere in the world, and their networks are very broad. This can work, but I know that their relationships aren’t nearly as deep.
For most people they do business in a specific geographic area. It might be small like the city of Austin, or it might be larger, like the state of Texas. In most cases, they still have the opportunity to get some face time with their clients and prospects.
In my book online networking is an enhancement to the more traditional form of belly to belly networking. It’s great from a visibility standpoint. If someone loses your card how will they find you again? Many members of NetworkInAustin.com are found by Internet users Googling their name or company name. Without their profile they might not have been found and lost out on an opportunity for a referral or new business.
A service like LinkedIn can also be used to see who your fellow networkers know. This can expose opportunities that you probably would not have known existed otherwise. But don’t expect to build new relationships just because you’re on LinkedIn. Relationships take time to develop, and most of the time that involves sitting down together in person.
Use online networking tools to enhance the business networking that you’re doing, but not as a replacement. There’s no substitute for building human relationships if you’re going to succeed in your networking efforts.
These days it seems that everyone is trying so hard to set themselves apart. That makes it even more difficult to get noticed. But, don’t think that you need to have a multi-million dollar ad budget to get noticed. Sometimes it’s the little things that really make the difference.
I have to admit that this post was prompted by a bad experience that I had. Several months ago I was working with one of my clients and accidentally learned that they had started using another vendor that I had referred to them prior to our meeting. I’m glad they chose to work with that vendor, but I was a little surprised simply because the vendor had never told me that they landed the account.
This was a substantial account, probably worth 5 figures to this vendor. Now, I don’t expect to be lavished in gifts or sent exorbitant referral fees (although that can be nice). All I really expect is a simple thank you.
The next time it made sense for me to refer this vendor I gave it a serious second thought. Are you losing business simply because you didn’t say Thank You? I will tell you that I did make the second referral because they were the best fit for that client, but if I’d had another alternative it’s very likely that I wouldn’t have referred them again.
Just saying “Thank You” goes a really long way. Who should you thank today?
There’s a big difference between a typical referral and a great referral. If you want to receive great referrals you need to give great referrals.
Most referrals are one sided. I might be having a conversation with my friend Sue, and she tells me that she’s thinking about starting a new marketing program. This would be a great referral for my friend Bob at the Super Mega Good Marketing Agency, so I suggest that she call Bob and give her his number… 9 times out of 10 Sue probably won’t call Bob. Poor Bob just missed out on a potentially great new client.
Giving a good referral means both parties need to know about each other and have an opportunity to follow-up. By spending 3 more minutes I can turn my simple referral to Bob into a great referral for Bob. When I get back to the office I put together a quick e-mail to both Bob and Sue. I briefly introduce them to each other and provide their contact information. It’s a small act, but it makes a huge difference.
Before Sue was unlikely to contact Bob. She might have lost his number, or like most of us other things came up and she just didn’t get a chance to make the call. By giving this bi-directional referral Bob can now contact Sue. By being polite and following-up consistently he is probably 10 times more likely to get Sue as a new client. Plus Sue was able to find a great new marketing firm that can really help her.
By giving these great referrals you’ll start to get referrals of equal quality. Then you’ll stop hearing “Oh, I referred you to Billy Bob, did he ever call you?”
After getting out there and networking for a while many networkers will begin to get complacent and will spend the majority of their time with other networkers they’ve already built relationships with. They should be spending at least half of their time making new connections and growing their networks.
I’m a big believer in reconnecting at networking events, but don’t forget to meet new people. In fact use your existing contacts to help you make new connections at a networking event.
It’s also important to get out of your comfort zone every now and then and really make things happen. That might just be working your way into a group of folks that are already talking, or it might not even be at a networking event.
Something that I like to do every now and then is to call someone that I’m intimidated by and ask them to have coffee or lunch with me. I’m almost never turned down, and most of the time I find that reaching out and making that connection is extremely valuable. Plus, the more often you do it the easier it gets.
Try it right now. You probably already have someone in mind. Pick up the phone and simply ask if they’d be willing to sit down and have a cup of coffee with you. The hardest part is picking up the phone. I promise your fear is totally irrational. 9 times out of 10, especially here in Austin, the person on the other end will be glad you took the time to make the connection.
I’m extremely aware of both the referrals I give and the referrals I receive. I suppose running a business networking website and writing a networking blog will do that to you.
I don’t actually track the number of referrals that I give. It’s such a part of the way that I operate that it would really be ridiculous to try and track the number. On average I’d say I give at least 3 referrals a day.
On the other hand I religiously track the referrals I receive. My memory doesn’t always work so well and I want to be sure I remember the folks who refer business to me. I’ve found that if someone refers me once they’re much more likely to refer me twice, and when someone refers me multiple times I know I need to take care of them because they will continue to take care of me.
That being said I’ve found that I have to give 4-5 referrals for every 1 that I receive. You truly can’t expect to get referrals unless you give referrals. The more you give the more you’ll get, but don’t expect the numbers to be equal.
Are your referral expectations in line with these numbers? You should expect to give more than you receive. In the end it usually works out pretty well… It certainly does for me.
I think I’ll probably write some more about this in the future, but generally speaking I think 30 second elevator pitches are useless. I think it’s time we start looking beyond the elevator anyway. Besides, nobody talks in elevators… they’re almost as quiet as a men’s restroom.
Stories are so much more powerful. Think about the movies for example. Hollywood can throw hundreds of millions of dollars at a movie and it can still fail. Most of the time this happens because there’s not a good story behind the movie, and no amount of special effects and well known actors can overcome this core problem. Great stories are the same reason that Pixar hasn’t had a miss yet. Every one of their movies starts with a really great story.
So what’s your story? A good story is powerful, can help you get your point across much more clearly, and help you build credibility… and if you craft it right it won’t take much more than 30 seconds, although a couple of minutes is perfectly acceptable.
There are two kinds of stories that should serve you well when you’re out networking. A good business story should help someone understand more clearly what it is you do. The easiest of these is a customer success story. How did you help one of your customers? Who are they? What was their challenge? What were the results that you helped them produce?
The second type of story is a personal story. I’ll never stop saying it: “Networking is about relationships.” Telling a personal story is a great way to connect with someone you’re starting to build a relationship with. This can be about anything. The idea is to give your fellow networker a better glimpse of who YOU really are.
I have quite a few short stories about myself that I’ll often tell people when I’m getting to know them: How and why I started NetworkInAustin.com. Why Emily and I moved to Austin/Why we left California. How my wife was literally referred to me.
What’s your story? Think about how you might be able to better describe what you do, what makes you different, and who you are by telling stories. Besides, who doesn’t love a good story?
For most of us the hardest part about networking is getting out there and meeting a bunch of strangers. I’ll admit that even I get pretty uncomfortable in a group where I don’t know anybody. Fortunately, the more you network the less often this happens.
What can you do to get past these networking nerves? Obviously the easy answer that doesn’t take any pre-planning is to get over it and just go up and introduce yourself to someone. Typically they’re there for the same reason you are and will be glad to meet you. This can be REALLY easy if you identify the other nervous networkers standing by themselves looking uneasy. You obviously have something in common with them. Then you can help introduce each other to new folks you meet.
The other solution is to bring a networking ally. If you’re planning on going to a new networking event, invite someone you already know who could also benefit from meeting people at that same event. Then help each other. You’ll never experience the uncomfortable feeling of not having anyone to talk to, and you can say really great things about each other and help build credibility for yourselves.
Are you planning on attending a new networking event in the next week or two? Pick up the phone and call a friend who will also get something out of the event. Better yet; call 2 friends!
When you think business networking do you think of more formal networking groups and events? Things like Chamber of Commerce mixers and luncheons, or some other type of leads group or referral group?
Networking doesn’t have to be formal, structured or organized at all. Networking takes all shapes and forms. You might even hang out at coffee shops and strike up a conversation with random folks who happen by like my friend Steve Harper “The Starbucks Stalker.”
Really what prompted this post was my wife. She has started developing an incredible network and probably doesn’t even realize she’s networking even though she lives with me. The Mommy Network is a powerful thing. She knows about all the best places to shop, free classes, and baby playgroups in Austin. When one of these babies gets sick you should see the reinforcements that get sent in. E-mails fly with help and advice, and offers of additional assistance abound. It’s unbelievable.
Then last week I witnessed a pretty spectacular event. For one full afternoon our home was turned into a baby food making factory. 5 moms with babies in tow peeled, diced, boiled, blended, sliced and strained 2 months worth of baby food for themselves. Colette now has far more food choice than I do, and I’ve got to tell you first hand that the stuff is awesome! Everyone was sent home with instructions on what could and couldn’t be frozen, and was satisfied having spent a very productive afternoon having a lot of fun together.
It just goes to show you that networks are everywhere. They’re not always about business, but the mommy network definitely means business!
Look around and find the networks that surround you everyday. Looks an awful lot like an opportunity to me.
For many networkers lunch is probably their most productive time of the day. While everyone else is taking a break to eat they’re going to work. It’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it.
Many entrepreneurs, business owners and sales professionals know this and take full advantage of their lunch. Lunch may provide an even greater opportunity for someone looking to advance their career, or trying to find their next job opportunity. Sadly most people will have lunch with the same people, day after day after day. This is truly a missed opportunity.
If you’re looking to advance your career have lunch with people in other areas of your organization. Get together with folks in other departments and learn about what’s happening in other facets of your company. Go to lunch with your superiors and learn to see the enterprise from their perspective. Learn more about those who report to you, or others in the organization and see if there’s a way that you can help them advance their career. You’ll quickly become a more valuable employee with a better understanding of the bigger picture. This will improve your chances of advancement, or at the very least insulate you from the next downsizing event.
Next look outside your organization. Ask your counterpart at a competitor to lunch. Learn about their successes and challenges. See if you can’t build a relationship where you can help each other out. These can be invaluable should you ever find yourself without a job or if a better opportunity presents itself within your industry you’ll be one of the first to know.
This certainly isn’t rocket science, it’s just lunch. Don’t be afraid to ask ANYONE to join you for lunch. You’ll find that you’ll rarely if ever be turned down.
Two things have happened in the last 2 days that prompted this particular post. First I got Susan Morrow’s Networkers’ News in an e-mail where she and others noticed that people are becoming more selective about their networking efforts. Then I read Thom Singer’s most recent blog post about Focus.
I’ve been going through this process myself recently. I’m attending substantially fewer networking events than I have in the past. There are 2 reasons for this. One, I’m much more focused on my family and trying to spend more time at home with Emily and Colette. Two, I’m getting far more referrals from my existing relationships by focusing on those who have given me referrals and helping them to be more successful.
There may be such a thing as too focused. You’ve probably noticed that it’s been several weeks since my last blog post, and since my last newsletter.
In a future blog post I’ll try and talk more about the phases of networking that I’ve noticed. Essentially it seems to be that there’s a cycle that moves from quantity to quality. Initially you spend a lot of time meeting people and growing your network (quantity). You probably attend a larger number of networking events during this phase. Once those relationships begin to produce; you are able to learn who can help you the most, and who you’re able to help the most (quality). Here you are likely busier doing business and will find yourself cutting back to the highest quality networking events that you attend.
Focus is what brings about the higher quality. By focusing on relationships you’ll build higher quality relationships. When you focus on networking effectively you’ll find for yourself which events, groups or organizations give you the most bang for your buck (time and money).
The more focused you are the more effective your networking efforts will be. What are YOU focused on?
Really good networkers are usually very easy to spot. Why? They realize that the key to being a great networker is giving first. The best way to know what to give someone is to ask them. How can I help you?
I ask this question as part of almost every conversation I have. 9 times out of 10 I don’t get an actionable response. This is a tremendous lost opportunity… for both of us. I don’t know what I can do for you, and you miss out on a referral or two.
Lawrence Jackson once gave me a document that was the perfect answer. I asked him this question and he fired off an e-mail with EXACTLY what he was looking for. You can see that document on his NetworkInAustin.com profile: Lawrence Jackson - Friends Forever Enterprises
I’m actually going to work on this myself. In fact, I may even post the resulting information here on my blog?
Just going through the process is a very useful process. If you take the time to write down specifically what it is that you need you won’t draw a blank the next time someone offers you their help.
Of course this is a two way street. First, know how to answer the “What can I do for you?” question. Second, be a good networker and ask others how you can help them. If they can’t answer you might want to refer them to your favorite networking blog. (That’s one way you can help me).
It should go without saying that you should be respectful of the other professionals you meet through networking. Most of these rules are pretty common sense, but I see most of them broken on an almost daily basis. It doesn’t take much to hurt a perfectly good relationship. Be respectful.
Show up to your appointments on time, even a couple of minutes early
Expect that you’re going to encounter some traffic and leave a few minutes early to account for it. Traffic is a pretty lame excuse.
If you’re running late for a meeting, call
Even if you’re going to be just a couple of minutes late to an appointment call and let them know. Especially if you’re meeting someone someplace. They were probably there early and will quickly wonder whether or not you’re going to even show up.
Show up!
Honor your commitments and make your appointments. It amazes me how often folks don’t make appointments and never even call. This is beyond common sense, but it happens all the time.
Don’t answer your cell phone
When you’re sitting in front of someone that has taken the time to meet with you there is almost never anything more important than them. Don’t answer your cell phone! It’s probably the most disrespectful thing you can do. If you are waiting for a call to close a $12 Million dollar deal or your wife is about to have a baby, simply tell the person up front that you might need to take that call.
Don’t take anyone for granted
Networkers start at different levels. Just because you’re not talking to the CEO doesn’t mean they’re not important. I can’t tell you how many stories I’ve heard of folks losing big deals because once 7 years ago they blew off a new junior person in an organization and now the run the show and will never forget what you did to them.
Do what you say you’re going to do
If you tell someone you’re going to do something after a meeting… Do it! Be sure you don’t set false expectations. If you’re not going to be able to do something, then say so.
If you screw up, apologize and give people a second chance.
Even the best of us sometimes screw up some of the most basic rules occasionally. When you do, own up to your gaf. Be humble and apologize.
By the same token. If someone is disrespectful to you and makes the effort to own up to their mistake and apologize; please give them a second chance. Whether or not they get a third chance will be up to you. :)
If you haven't already been by to check it out NetworkInAustin.com has a Networking Resources area. Here you'll find articles, links to member blogs, a book list and the Weekly Referral Newsletter archive.
Members are encouraged to write articles about networking that would be useful to other networkers. I just received a great one today from Ragen Chastain. Ragen owns a business organization and outsourced administrative assistance company called Total Administrative Solutions. She has built a very successful company almost exclusively through networking.
P.S. If you're a member of NetworkInAustin.com and would like to write an article about the lessons you've learned through networking please e-mail me.
If you haven’t already noticed, I’m a big fan of analogies. Not sure what prompted this one (high gas prices in Austin?), but I think you’ll enjoy it.
This particular analogy can be used quite broadly, but for this example I’m going to focus on networking and/or marketing to grow a business.
Think of your business as your vehicle. The speed you’re traveling represents revenue or profits, the higher the MPH the larger the dollars coming in. The gas pedal is your personal marketing and networking efforts.
When you start from a dead stop you have to apply more pressure to the accelerator just to get moving. At first the progress is slow and your engine has to work hard. Once you’ve applied consistent pressure you’re able to build speed fairly consistently until you finally reach a comfortable (legal?) speed you’d like to maintain. Fortunately in the business world there are no speed limits!
Here’s the important point. Once you’ve reached your desired speed you must continue to apply pressure to the accelerator just to maintain your speed.
If you spend a lot of time an energy building a network and then take your foot off the gas you will begin to slow down, and eventually stop! You’ll get the best results for your business if you are consistent over a long period of time. In networking there is no cruise control. You have to personally exert the effort; you can’t just set it and forget it.
In order to maintain a constant speed you must keep your foot on the Accelerator!
I just finished clearing out over 400 e-mail messages from my inbox. My e-mail inbox works much like an inbox on my desk. If there's a message in there it means I haven't dealt with it. So having 400 e-mails meant that I had 400 things to do. Yuck!
As I was going through my messages I kept thinking that I can't be alone in this e-mail inundation. That means that all of the people that I send e-mails to are just as overwhelmed as I am.
Generally e-mail is my prefered mode of communication because I can deal with it whenever I feel like it. Most often that's really early in the morning. Other times it's in the evening, or on days like today it's in the middle of a Sunday. It's great because nobody is going to get upset with me for having dealt with their issue on a Sunday like they would if I made a phone call.
Unfortunately we're all so bombarded by e-mail that much of it doesn't get the attention it deserves. Plus with all of the spam filters and Internet service providers out there you can never be sure that your e-mail even made it to it's final destination.'
The solution: Don't just rely on e-mail to communicate and follow-up. For those items that are really important, pick up the phone and make a call.
Keep using e-mail. It's a great tool, but don't forget that phone sitting on your desk. It's still one of the best business tools we have at our disposal.
Networking doesn't have to always be about referrals, job leads and the like. Sometimes it can be as simple as sharing information and resources.
Emily, Colette and I just got back from a nice little vacation yesterday. We went to visit Emily's parents outside of Syracuse, New York. It was the first time we've traveled and vacationed with Colette. It was a dream! Not only were Emily's parents there, my parents were there as well. So was Colette's great grandmother. We all got together for Easter and Colette's christening. It really was a vacation for Emily and I since we were able to pass Colette between 4 grandparents, 1 great grandparent, 2 uncles and an aunt.
When I'm on vacation I love to read. It's about the only time I read fiction. One of the books I read on the flight to New York was one I had borrowed from a friend. The other 2 I finished while I was there I'm going to give to a couple of other friends.
Books like so many other things we typically use once and then set on a shelf forever. Rather then putting a book on a shelf I find it's much more productive to lend or give them to someone else. Especially if you've finished reading the book and know who would really get a lot of benefit from it.
Think beyond books. What else do you have laying around your office that you hardly ever use that someone else would get a ton of value from?
Whether you're attending a brand new networking event you've never attended before, or you're a long time member of a well established group you can benefit by bringing someone with you.
Walking into a new networking group where you don't know anyone can be really uncomfortable. Even after all the networking I've done I still get a little nervous in a big group of total strangers. You can help yourself and one of your customers by bringing them along. I'm not saying the two of you should go to the event and just talk to each other. Instead use each other to get to know new people.
By introducing each other to every new person you meet you can become walking testimonials for each other. It'll make you feel more at ease since you can just worry about promoting your customer. You'll also be a little bit more credible in the eyes of the new folks that you meet since you'll have someone right next to you who will vouch for your work.
This works equally as well if you're very established in a group. Invite a friend or colleague to visit the group with you. You can then take them around and introduce them to the key people that they should know. Your guest will be extremely grateful for your efforts, and the other members of your organization will appreciate your help in bringing new people to the group.
Pick up the phone and invite one of your customers to your favorite networking group, or call a friend who'd also be interested in a networking group you'll be visiting for the first time. It'll be a lot easier than going alone, and you'll both win.
Having a relationship with your competitors is much more likely to help you than it is to hurt you. I’ve written about competition a few times on this blog (see the competition category), and I often speak about it as well. There is so much good that can come out of being on good terms with your competitor. Something recently happened here in town that showed me yet another benefit of this type of relationship that I hadn’t thought of before.
I’m going to tell this story and leave the names of the individuals and companies out to protect the innocent (and the guilty).
Company A had 2 local sales reps who were both excellent networkers. They both spent nearly 2 years building a very strong client base. During that time they both had a good relationship with one of the sales reps from Company B. Recently Company A had some major problems and couldn’t fulfill their promises to their customers. The 2 reps from Company A quickly saw what was happening. They both have a lot of integrity and quickly left the company to pursue other opportunities.
Both of these reps had spent a substantial amount of time building relationships through networking, and valued the relationships they’d developed with their customers. Because they wanted their customers to be taken care of they spoke with the sales rep they knew from Company B. They both knew that this former competitor could take care of their customers so they referred ALL of their former clients to the sales rep that worked for Company B.
Can you imagine having one of your competitors giving you ALL of the business they had spent the last 2 years developing? It gets better. Company B has over a dozen local sales reps. Only this one individual knew BOTH of the sales reps from Company A since they invested time networking and the other sales reps at Company B did not. Because they went out and networked and built relationships with their competitors they received ALL of the business from the former Company A sales reps.
Pick up the phone. Call one of your competitors today and find a time that you can get together for lunch. You’ll find that they’re people too, and you never know where that relationship might lead.
Consistency is probably the most important element of any marketing strategy.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the various things that I do. Almost all of it comes down to helping people market and build their businesses or careers. Of course networking is my personal favorite marketing strategy, and the work I do with Levelfield as their referral program coordinator is about helping people develop successful marketing tools.
The number of marketing tools and strategies out there is absolutely endless. None of them work if you don’t implement them and do them consistently over time.
I’m not saying that every marketing strategy works. Something what works exceedingly well for your friend may not work in your industry or with your target market. Most people spend too much time trying to find the marketing magic bullet. There is no magic bullet. The best strategy is the one that you do consistently over time, and continue to refine as you learn more about that strategy.
If you’re like me and most of the people I know; the best way to learn is by doing. Reading more and more books and not acting on any of the information you learn will NOT help you get more clients or find your next job.
Now STOP reading my blog and go sell something! (but, feel free to come back later… AND be sure to act on the things you learn here.)
Yes, you’re right! I’ve not been blogging as consistently as I used to. Having a new baby girl has had a fairly significant impact on my own level of consistency. Thanks for your patience as I work on become both more effective and more consistent myself.
In one way shape or form I have always been in sales. Whether I was willing to admit it or not this has always been the case. This is probably true for most people, especially if you’re reading this blog. We’re all in sales at some level even if we’re just selling ourselves in a job interview, asking for a raise or promotion, or just trying to convince our significant others to change the channel!
Like a lot of people I’m not completely comfortable with my role as a sales person. Of course it’s critical to my success. If I can’t sell, I can’t generate revenue, my business goes under, my family starves… I digress.
Fortunately my approach to sales has insulated me from my more obnoxious used car selling brethren. I’m a consultant!
There’s a huge difference between a sales person and a consultant. A sales person is always trying to close you. Who wants to be closed? A consultant works with you to find solutions. Given the choice who would you rather work with? You’ll notice a huge difference in your own mindset when you consider yourself a consultant, and not a sales person.
Anyone can use this consulting approach, and networking will help you become a much better consultant. As a consultant I can help you find a solution to your problem, and it may not be something that I sell. I also have dozens of other product and service providers that I can refer you to who can help you solve your problems.
Tired of having your sales prospects run and hide from you when you come calling? Use this consulting approach and your clients and customers will look forward to your calls and visits.
After years of networking, referrals still don't always make sense to me. They never seem to come from the people I'd expect them from. The lesson I've learned is that it's most important to take care of those people who DO refer you.
Referral partners don't always work out the way we think they will. I'll be the first to admit that I've spent dozens of hours getting to know certain individuals who I thought could refer me a lot of business. I've bought them lunch after lunch, learned about their business, their families and their interests. I worked hard to make sure I gave them value. Usually in the form of referrals to help them grow their own businesses. Even still, some of these folks have NEVER referred me. Not because we don't have a great relationship and trust each other. It just hasn't happened.
I went through this experience over and over while I was building my IT consulting business in California. Fortunately I've learned from my mistakes since I've been here in Austin.
I'm always surprised by where my referrals come from. The individuals that refer me are almost never the people I would expect. Here's they key: If someone refers you once they are far more likely to refer you again... and again... and again!
Pay close attention to where you referrals come from. Spend the bulk of your time cultivating relationships with those people who DO refer you, not on those who COULD refer you. Of course I'm not saying you shouldn't be building new relationships with people who are in a great position to refer you. I'm simply suggesting that you invest in the people who are already helping you.
Add value however you can. Certainly the best way to thank someone for a referral is to turn around and refer them. That's what most people are looking for, but don't assume. Take the time to get to know the great people who refer you. What makes them tick? Look for things that you can do for them that may not be obvious. Only by asking and building an even stronger relationship will you learn how you can really help someone.
If you're anything at all like me one of the key reasons you network is to get referrals. Do a good job of taking care of the people who take care of you, and you'll get more and wonderful referrals.
One of the things that separates good networkers from great networkers is their ability to ask specifically for what they need.
Good networkers know that you have to give to get. On the surface they're great, especially in the eyes of those they're giving those precious referrals to. Where the fail is in asking for what they need.
I don't mean asking generally for referrals, I mean asking specifically for referrals.
Too often we're afraid to ask specifically. We think we might miss out on those referrals for the other things that we do, or people will forget the full scope of our capabilities. In reality the opposite is true. If you ask broadly for what you need it's likely you'll get nothing. For some reason Dentists and Chiropractors seems to be the worse offenders of the broad ask. If I hear one of these lines again I'm going to scream: "A good referral for me is anyone with a spine." "The best referral this week is someone you know with teeth."
Let me make this very clear. I know hundreds of people and have their direct contact information readily available with me all the time in my ridiculously huge phone. I'm pretty sure that almost all of them have a spine, and the same goes for teeth. How many referrals do the generic chiropractors and dentists get from me? ZERO!
Now, if they ask a more specific question: "I'm looking for a parent you know whose child is suffering from repeated ear infections." Now I might know a person or two that fits that category. Don't be afraid to ask specifically, I promise you won't miss out on all of the referrals to people with spines.
The more specific the better. A great networker friend of mine recently asked if anyone at the table we were sitting at knew someone at a specific company here in Austin. He was immediately handed 3 cards.
From my own experience I don't want to have to work too hard. It's not that I'm lazy, it's just much easier if you're specific. Remember all of those contacts that live in my phone? If you can narrow that list down to 2 or 3 I'm much more likely to give you their information, and maybe even a personal introduction. If you can't narrow your request down to less than a dozen people that I know it's just going to be too much work for me. I'm sure I'm not alone. There are many networkers who are much lazier than I am. :)
I've created a simple task list for you the next time you need something: 1) Ask for what you want! If you don't ask nobody will be able to help you. 2) Be as specific as possible when you're asking for what you want.
Most people network because they're looking for some type of referral. I use the term referral generically, because there are several different types of referrals that vary in quality and value.
The most basic form of referral is a sales lead. Personally I find these to be the most frustrating type of referral. Typically a lead consists of a name and contact information of someone who might need what you offer. In most cases it would be inappropriate for you to use the name of the person who gave you the lead. Meaning that this sales lead isn't much better than a cold call. It may have a little more value depending on the information you receive from the referrer. The lead may prove to be better qualified than a random cold call you might make.
True referrals vary in quality. At the very least it would be an improved lead where you are given the name and contact information for a prospect, and permission to use the referrer's name. A better referral would one where the referrer talked to the referee about you. That way they're at least expecting your call, and probably know a little bit about you and your capabilities. The best referrals include some type of introduction. Whether it be a simple virtual introduction via e-mail to a professional in person introduction.
We all love referrals. For many of us our businesses wouldn't exist without these personal recommendations and introductions.
As much as I like referrals, I truly love making connections. In my opinion helping someone make a connection, if done correctly, is the highest form of referral. When I help someone make a connection I'm introducing two people who probably wouldn't otherwise meet, who can massively impact each other. For example, I recently introduced someone who represents a company that sells and services copiers and printers to another gentleman who provides IT services. They were a perfect fit, and are able to refer substantial business back and forth.
Connections are the referrals that keep on giving. This week think about 2-3 people who've recently helped you. Help them to make some connections. Most of the time they'll be so thankful they won't know what to do for you... That's why you'll need to stay tuned for my next post about asking for what you need.
It dawned on me a few weeks ago that I've accidently been getting speakers at the events I attend to promote me for free! I've been using this approach for years without even being aware of what I was doing.
This is actually a very simple tip that anyone can use, and it actually helps the speaker. As a speaker myself I love it when people do this for me...
It's simple really. At your next event find out who the speaker is and what they're going to be talking about. Then show up early, and look for the speaker. Wait until they look like they're comfortable, don't rush up to them when they're still trying to figure out AV issues or coordinating with the host. Now just introduce yourself. Your goal here is to make the speaker feel welcome and comfortable. At some point in this short conversation try and share a brief personal story with the speaker that relates to their topic.
Most good speakers will mention you during their speech, and work your story into their presentation. This helps the speaker because it allows them to make a more personal connection with an audience they may otherwise not know. They know that other folks in the audience probably know you, and by sharing your story it builds credibility for them and promotes you! Don't you just love win/win networking tips?
Please make sure you don't abuse this approach. Be sure any story you share is true, and relevant. You'll also want to use this with speakers and topics you're generally interested in. Don't expect the speaker to plug you. They might just talk about your story and not mention you at all. Just know that you were able to help the speaker feel more at ease, and make a better connection with the audience.
Give it a try at your next event. You don't have anything to lose, and at the very least will have a new way to connect with speakers that may otherwise seem intimidating.
One of the things I hope to talk about more this year is job networking. If you’re reading this blog you’ve probably already experienced the power of using your network to find a job, or maybe a better job found you because of your network.
To kick off this new job networking category on my blog I’ve recruited the poster child of career networking to help me. Tom Matula has done the best job of anyone I’ve ever seen work on networking his way to a new job. I’m a little surprised that a very smart company hasn’t snapped Tom up already, but he started from a pretty disadvantaged position. He was brand new to Austin and had to build his network from scratch! That’s no small undertaking, and I applaud Tom for his efforts. He’s done a great job so far.
Tom has written 2 articles about his quest so far:
For the most part I’m going to let Tom serve as the career networking education section for me. His insights are going to be far more relevant than mine since they’re real world based. I can really only comment on my observations of others. Of course, you can bet that I’ll occasionally make reference to some of the posts on Tom’s blog.
One more thing. Tom IS looking for a job. Read what he has to say, and if you know of any opportunities that would be a good fit for him, then please pass that information on to Tom. Networking is about helping other people. I hope you’ll help me help Tom. He’s certainly been a great asset for me in the few short months that I’ve known him.
Testimonials are a lot like gifts. They're a lot of fun to give, and they're also pretty exciting to receive. Especially when you're not expecting them. In fact, the best testimonails are those unsolicited testimonials that a client surprises you with.
I'm particularly proud of one I received very recently from my friend Stan Tyler of Champions Edge (Thanks for prompting this post Stan!):
"I agree or suspect you are on to something re b2b, but what I think is more apparent is what really is obvious from the viral-ness is your ability to network is based on your good strong relationships with many people, from that foundation we/they will take your idea and 1) read it, 2) trust you to bring quality, and then as a result 3) share it with my/their networks.
I was telling someone earlier today on a call that I now have an absolute knowing that my number one business development tool is being interested in others and by being interested in them I can then provide value. The second cut of that is “providing value” often is being the connection for people to someone who will do great work for my friends/network (period)
I have known this but it has really come home in a stronger way by being around you...
Thanks for how you serve me."
Giving a testimonial is one of the best ways to show your appreciation for someone you've done business with who's done a great job for you. It ranks right up there with giving a referral. Sometimes a well written testimonial is better than a referral. If your testimonial helps someone establish a higher level of credibility and is something they can use on their website, brochures, mailings, etc. It can be of immeasureable value.
Here's my personal challenge to you. Write a testimonial for someone who's not expecting it TODAY. Pick that one person who is always going above and beyond the call of duty in their service to you.
For a couple more great testimonal examples read the enorsements on my: LInkedIn Profile
P.S. Stan deserves his own testimonial as well. If it weren't for Stan you might not be reading this blog right now. Stan helped me take NetworkInAustin.com from a vague idea to a profitable business in roughly 45 days! Stan is an incredible business coach who I can't recommend highly enough. If you're wanting to make 2006 your best year ever you'll want to call Stan right now. Thank you Stan for how you serve me.
I had a really interesting conversation with someone I respect very much earlier this week. He's a much more experienced father than I, and we were talking about raising kids. He told me that'd he'd recently read that as much as we try and teach our kids right and wrong and help them make good decisions we don't necessarily have as much of an impact as we would hope. In fact, the single thing that has the biggest impact on kids as they grow up is their peer group.
Talk about an 'aha' moment. This is not just true when we're kids, but throughout our lives. I thought back through my own history and upbringing, and know this has been absolutely consistent throughout my life. In the periods of my life where I made poor decisions and did rather stupid things I was ALWAYS with other kids who regularly acted this way. At the times that I was at my best I was closest to others who were at the top of their game as well.
The more I think about it the more I realize how much of an impact this has at any stage of our lives. No wonder the stereotype of folks in nursing homes is that of bitter, cranky old people. That's what they're around.
I'm sure I've read it several times before, I just can't recall where, that we will become just like the people we're closest to. If we're aware of how significant of an impact our peer group has on us we can make this concept of proximity work in our favor.
Your networking efforts will give you a chance to meet some very successful people, and probably a lot of not so successful people. Surround yourself with those who are successful. If you're new to business and/or networking don't surround yourself with people who are down on themselves, their abilities, and their prospects. Otherwise you will become them. Surround yourself with success and you will become successful.
Over the last few months I've made a very conscious effort to surround myself with doers. People who don't stand around talking about what should be done. Rather, people who go out and get things done. These are the networkers who do what they say they're going to do, are where they say they're going to be, and are always committed for the long haul.
Think about your current peer group. Who are the 6 or 8 people that you spend the most time with. If you were like them would that be ok? If so, congratulations! You're primed for success. If not it might be time to re-evaluate who you are letting influence you whether your conscious of it or not.
Networking ineffectively is a rediculously expensive marketing strategy.
If you pay $20 to attend a networking function, and rely solely on your elevator speech or 30 second commercial to attract new customers you're effectively spending $2,400 per hour to market to a very small group of people.
The real value of networking meetings is not in the elevator pitch. It's in the ability to meet new people, and begin new relationships. There's also value in being able to reconnect with your existing network face to face.
On the other hand... If others in the room are paying the equivalent of several thousand dollars an hour to market to you; you might want to listen!
Food for thought. In the future I'll post about how to craft an effective 30 second elevator pitch.
Networking is not just an activity for extroverts. Several conversations I've had in the last couple of weeks have led me to believe that in many ways introverts are naturally wired to be better networkers.
In too many ways networking has a negative connotation. This reputation is often propagated by what I frequently call "card sharks." These bad networkers dash through networking events trying to hand out as many of their own business cards as possible, and show no interest in anyone they hand their card to. In addition there's the introverts worst nightmare. Having to walk up to a group of strangers to try and join a conversation. That's a prospect that's often difficult for extroverts as well.
How can the introverted networkers adapt and become effective networkers?
If you've been reading my blog for any period of time you know that I say over and over again that networking is about relationships and people. If you break that down even further you'll see that it's about individuals. This is where the introverts excel!
Introverts posses the natural talent of being at a large event and focusing only on the individual they’re speaking with. For them this is the most comfortable space. Since they often are most comfortable in small groups of close friends, or one on one they are great at building stronger relationships with the individual.
If you yourself are an introvert you probably see the value of networking. Embrace it! Don’t shy away from it because of the large groups and the overwhelming number of extroverts. Simply apply your unique style to networking and it will pay off.
At large events just look for others who are standing alone. They probably feel the same way you do. You’ll be able to make an instant connection. Work on individual relationships and don’t limit yourself in thinking that networking is only about mixers and luncheons. You can also network with your co-workers, counterparts with other companies, and just about anyone else by getting together with them individually.
The introverts that I’ve spoken with over the last couple of weeks enjoy nothing more than a comfortable one on one interaction with someone over a cup of coffee.
Thank you Catherine for such a great tip. I couldn't have said it any better myself:
"When networking in a professional association, be sure to show up 6-8 months in a row, before you expect results. After meeting you a few times, people will begin to warm up and share really meaningful information – some of which might provide business for you. A good goal is to have three meaningful conversations per meeting. Thoughtfully exchange cards and do some follow up – a personal note or email. Do this over the course of a year, and you have 36 new business associates!"
If you'd like to submit a networking tip for an upcoming Weekly Referral Newsletter, please send it to: info@networkinaustin.com
Archives of the Weekly Referral Newsletter are available on the Networking Resources page.
In my last post, Investing in Networking, I compared networking to investing. You may want to read that post before reading this one. The way you invest in networking is by investing in people and relationships.
Each time you can make an impact in somebody else’s life you’re investing in them. You might be able to give them a referral, connect them with a mentor, or provide some other type of resource or advice. It’s these investments that will pay dividends in the future. Just be sure not to expect it from them. Forcing your expectations on these people you’ve invested in will quickly spoil your relationship with them.
I’ve made many many investments in people. Sometimes it’s a small piece of advice that may or may not have been useful for the person I gave it to. Other times I’ve gone out of my way to help someone on their own road to success. In every case I’ve always gotten back more than I’ve given. Even if what I got back was the satisfaction of having helped make a difference in someone else’s life.
I can’t tell you how many people have, and are making investments in me. The generosity I’ve seen, especially here in Austin has been amazing. Those of you who know me know that my memory isn’t always the greatest. That being said, I don’t ever forget the people who have helped me. It’s very important for me personally to make sure that those who have invested in me not only get back at least what they invested, but also interest on their investment.
It almost always works out… You might want to read my previous post about “Networking Karma.” Things don’t always come back exactly the way you’d expect, but a lot of times they do. I’ve been fortunate enough to have been on both ends of these investments where one person did so much more for the other it didn’t seem like it would be possible to ever repay them. In almost every case it’s worked itself out. These are the ultimate win/win situations.
Business networking is very similar to investing in many ways.
Networking like investing works best as a long term strategy. If you invest for the long term, and contribute regularly your chances for success increase exponentially, and so do your gains for that matter. It is extremely rare for anyone to double their money in 30 days or 90 days. Building a strong business network that pays dividends is also a long term strategy. It’s not something that you can work really hard on for 1 month and expect to get more business than you know what to do with.
The most successful investors are those who invest consistently over time. The same is true of successful networkers. They’re committed, and show up consistently over a long period of time.
Most good investors are diversified. They choose several different investments in several different industries to insure that if one of them should fail the growth of the others should more than make up for that one loss. Good networkers build relationships in diverse areas. They’re involved with their local chamber of commerce, an association group or two, and maybe a non-profit board or pure networking type group. They find that having a diverse network allows them to add more value for everyone in each of their individual groups.
Investors can increase their likelihood of success by doing their research. They learn all about the particulars of the companies they invest in. They look to understand the industry and the opportunities and threats they face. Networkers increase their likelihood of success and their value to other networkers by doing their research. They talk to those in their network to understand what they need, and what their challenges are. They constantly read to understand what’s happening in their local economy and in their industry.
Experienced investors know that there will be ups and downs, successes and failures, and eventually they’ll come out ahead. Experienced networkers know that economies change, people come and go, and over time as they build and solidify their relationships they will be successful.
Look at your networking efforts as a long term investment strategy. Network consistently over time with a diverse sampling of your community. Do your research, and know how you can add value to those you meet. Know that there will be set backs, and incredible surges. Do all of these things and your investments in networking will pay off.
Too many of us have the self limiting belief that the holidays are a slow time. Nobody does business during the holidays they’re too busy thinking about holiday parties, and aren’t focused on working. I used to buy into this, but have realized that it’s self perpetuating garbage. If we all sit around thinking that nobody else is really working then of course the holidays are going to be a slow time for us all.
This is a great opportunity that only comes around once a year. Think about how much easier it is to get in touch with all of those busy people in your network when they’re not being bombarded with calls and projects because it’s their supposed slow time.
You may not be able to generate as much business as you would like in the month of December, but you can really prime the pump for the beginning of a spectacular year that starts that way in January.
Start by picking up the phone. Reconnect with your network. Spend a few minutes and learn about their goals and desires for the coming year. How can you help them accomplish those goals? Hint: This is a big referral opportunity. You’ll be able to help them by helping others in your network get more referrals. In a slow month no less.
This is also a great time of year to be working on your strategic alliances. Sit down with those people in your network who you have the most synergy with. If you’re a graphic designer you might want to get together with your printer or web developer. Work together to figure out how you can truly leverage your relationship into more consistent referrals for each other.
Don’t sit around this December complaining about what a slow month it is. Take advantage of the opportunity to reconnect with your network and build stronger relationships that will lead to more referrals in 2006.
Call them what you will: card sharks, negative networkers, time wasters, unprofessionals sales professionals. The cure for these poor unfortunate souls is simple. Simply suggest that they read the "Business Networking in Austin Blog" which of course they can find on NetworkInAustin.com :)
Before I start today’s tip I’d just like to thank all of the NetworkInAustin.com members who came out to support me at Freelance Austin yesterday. For all of the freelancers who were in attendance I hope you learned a little bit more about business blogs and about networking and will find the rest of the information on my blog useful.
Following-up is probably the single most important part of successful networking and often the most difficult. Without following-up with the people you meet at networking events you can’t take the relationship to the next level. Networking is not about meeting as many people as possible, it’s about building quality relationships.
I don’t think I know anyone who is perfect at following-up. So don’t feel like you have to be perfect, just be sure to make the effort.
Don’t feel like you have to follow-up with every single person you meet either. You won’t be able to keep up. Focus on those that are most important to you, whatever those reasons are. If you participated in the networking exercise that I facilitated yesterday at Freelance Austin you talked with 4 people. Pick just one or two of those people and follow-up, preferably today (After you finish reading my blog of course!).
Make an effort to do your follow-up in a timely manner. The sooner you can do it after meeting someone the more likely they are to remember who you are. You won’t have to spend as much time reestablishing the relationships; you can simply start where you left off. You’ll see the best results if you can reconnect with those you’ve met within 1-2 days, but anytime within a week or so will work also. Even if you can’t follow-up within a week or 10 days don’t stress. Late follow-up is 100% better than no follow-up at all.
E-mail is certainly the easiest way to follow-up, and I think you should consider more than just an e-mail. If you can setup a time to get together via e-mail that’s fine. However, adding a phone call, or a quick thank you note will add a lot of impact to your follow-up. Why? Because very few other people do those things.
We’re all busy and probably have too much to do. It’s important to make the time to follow-up or we’re really wasting much of the time that we’re spending at networking events.
Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like I’ve personally been pressured for referrals in the last couple of weeks.
There’s a big difference between asking for a referral and pressing someone for a referral. You can’t expect anyone to give you a referral. Even if you’ve just done a huge favor for them. Just because you’ve been able to help someone else doesn’t mean they can or will give you a referral. Good networking is not about “I do for you, and then you must do for me.”
Good networking follows a model that you’ll be more familiar with if you’ve seen the movie Pay it Forward. For more about this particular topic you might want to refer to the post I wrote in August about Networking Karma.
Referrals will come naturally once you’ve built a relationship, established trust, and proven that your product or service is worth telling someone else about. You can’t pressure someone into giving you referrals, and not everyone can or will give you referrals.
Referrals should not be an obligation; they are a well earned gift.
Keep building those relationships, show that you’re worthy of trust. Do this consistently over time and you will be showered in gifts!
I was fortunate enough to meet Scott Allen last night. Scott is the co-author of a new book called “The Virtual Handshake” which discusses online and electronic networking. He is also the entrepreneurs guide on About.com (www.virtualhandshake.com and entrepreneurs.about.com). Lucky for us Scott lives here in Austin.
Scott and I had a great conversation about what’s missing from a lot of networking books. That is the fact that there isn’t just one way to network. What might be the perfect method for one person might be totally wrong for the next and vice versa.
The best strategy is one that helps you accomplish your networking goals. Whether that’s to land a new job, get more clients, get funding for your new venture or even to make some new friends. Think about what different strategies would be most effective in helping you accomplish that goal.
For instance… It might make the most sense for one person to build very strong and deep relationships with 8-10 targeted individuals for them to accomplish their long term networking goals. It might make more sense for another person to cast as wide a net as possible and build a vast network of thousands of contacts to reach their networking goal. It all comes down to each particular individual and their needs.
What do you need? Is your networking strategy really helping you accomplish your networking goals?
Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting Dean Lindsay, the author of “Cracking the Networking CODE.” Dean had invited me to hear him speak to the Texas Chamber of Commerce Executives (TCCE). We were able to sit down for about an hour before the event to get to know each other and share our philosophies.
Dean’s primary business is an organization he founded called Progress Agents. He spends most of his time speaking to groups and doing workshops in the areas of sales, marketing and customer service. When I asked him how he got into that business and how all of this ties together his one word for me was “Communication.” He then went on to say that what he teaches is Authentic and Honest Communication.
He is so right about these to elements. It’s the authentic and honest networkers who get the best results. They’re able to quickly build rapport with just about anyone, and for them it’s usually a pretty short trip from rapport to trust. Trust being the key ingredient needed before any referrals are likely to be given.
This caused me to think about great sales people. In my opinion the best sales person is the one who whole heartedly believes in the product he or she is selling. It’s that belief that allows them to communicate their sales message and be 100% authentic and honest in their communication. We all have a sixth sense about someone’s authenticity and honesty. We don’t always recognize it for what it is, but it’s what causes us to trust this person and makes us willing to buy from them.
This is certainly true for me personally. I know, unfortunately from experience, that I absolutely cannot sell anything that I don’t completely believe in.
Personally I love the fact that being authentic and honest get such great results. Why? Because it’s so easy. In order for me to get the very best results all I have to do is be ME. I can do that. I know that you can too.
P.S. You can learn more about Dean Lindsay and his book at: www.progressagents.com. I’ll also post a review of Dean’s book in the not too distant future.
This week's networking tip was contributed by Steve Harper, auther of "The Ripple Effect: Maximizing the Power of Relationships for Life and Business" --- Here's what Steve has to say about being different:
Set yourself apart from 99% of the people that attend the ho hum networking events and connect with the individual as a person before exploring what the person does or promoting yourself or your company.
One of the fun questions I like to throw at people when I am at a networking event is “So, what would you be doing if you weren’t doing what you are doing now?” Two great results happen from this question:
First, the hardcore networkers that have really zero interest in getting to know you (for you) will actually have a brain freeze. They won’t know how to respond and it allows you to know pretty quickly that this person isn’t someone to be spending time with.
Second, for someone that really isn’t all about business, you will pleasantly change their state, cause them to stop and think and you will be amazed at the answers you will get. You will find you can get some incredibly insightful responses that will allow you to perhaps get a glimpse into the person as a person, not just what they do for a living.
Their answer may open up a richer more meaningful channel of conversation. When and if that happens, it will make the connection for business later on that much easier and rewarding. --- Thanks Steve! If you're a member of NetworkInAustin.com you can take advantage of Steve's member to member discount and get a copy of his book for only $17.95. Details are available on the NetworkInAustin.com Book List page.
Getting good at just about anything is usually just a matter of doing it more. This applies to just about everything we do in business.
If you want to be a better speaker… Speak more. If you want to be a better writer… Write more. If you want to be a better negotiator… Negotiate more.
I joined a Toastmasters club when I was living in California because I was so impressed by the people who I knew were toastmasters. They always came across as the most articulate well spoken people I knew. I joined Toastmasters because I wanted to learn their secret. Turns out it’s very simple. The speak a lot! Every week, week after week, they would show up at these meetings to speak. No wonder they were so good. The very best were invariably those that had been showing up every week for years.
There’s a lot of value in learning from those who’ve gone before you. By reading their secrets and tips, asking them for advice, etc. These are all important, but without actual application you won’t be able to do it.
I remember reading a story about a pottery teacher who proved this very concept. He was teaching two different pottery classes. The first class he told that their entire grade would be based on 1 single piece of work. The second class was told that their grade would be based on the volume that they produced. At the end of the class the second class produced far superior work. Why? Because they spent their time making a lot of pottery. They made many mistakes, and learned from them. By doing more they had more expertise and were able to learn from experience the finer points of the craft. The first class failed miserably. Even though they’d spent time reading and learning about the finer points of the craft when it came time for them to do it they had no real world experience.
If you want to be a better networker… Network more.
When I was growing up my mom frequently told me: "If you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all." An experience just this last week showed me just how important that advice is.
I was speaking with someone (who will remain nameless) on the phone this last week. We were catching up on several things and as we were talking he was browsing the business directory on NetworkInAustin.com to see who else was a member. He stumbled across one of his competitors and basically said that she had no clue what she was doing and the advice that she gives publicly is all misinformation.
Unbeknownst to this nameless individual the competitor he was referring to has been a very valuable asset to me. She has helped me tremendously and has provided some very useful advice. This causes me to have a lot of trust and respect for her.
As I result of our conversation I now have no respect for this person who recklessly trashes his competitors.
Since I was watching some college football this weekend I'm reminded of the commercial where the referee tells the fans: "You have to give respect, to get respect." That guy is almost as smart as my mom!
You never know what kind of relationships folks have with your competitors. Saying anything negative about them is NOT going to help you. If anything it'll make you appear weaker. Respect your competitors, and work to demonstrate that you are the better person and have the superior product or service.
Since we’ll be at the Austin Business Trade Show next Tuesday I thought I’d share some specific networking tips you can use at trade shows. I’ll be facilitating some structured networking from 6:30 – 7:30pm during the event. Please come out and join us. Tickets are only $10, and if you’re already a NetworkInAustin.com member they’re only $5 each! What a deal.
Trade shows are a great place to network. People are there to meet other people, and learn about who’s doing what. These 6 tips will help you maximize the networking opportunities at any trade show.
1. Meet the exhibitors
The exhibitors at any trade show paid to be able to talk to you. Make an effort to visit as many vendors as you can. Learn about them and what they have to offer. You might also ask who their target market is, or who their ideal client is.
2. Make it fun!
Consider making a game out of your networking efforts. Try to meet at least one new person every 10-15 minutes. That’ll give you enough time to spend 5 or 10 minutes getting to know them. You’ll also have a few minutes left over to meet your next new friend.
3. Listen
When you’re meeting new people listen more than you talk. Try to find a common interest. Ask them about their business and their personal interests. This information will come in handy later when you follow-up with them.
4. Give people value, be a resource
Be listening for ways that you can help people. Direct them to the exhibitor you met earlier who might have a great solution for them. Tell them about the great drawing you just entered, and suggest that they do the same. Offer to introduce them to someone else you know at the event who you think they might be able to make a good connection with.
5. Use business cards
Business cards are a tool. After you meet someone be sure to ask them for a business card. Take a couple of seconds to make a couple of notes about what you learned about them. Before handing someone your own business card you might want to write a quick note that will add value. Write the name of a website they might find useful (NetworkInAustin.com perhaps?), a book, another networking event. Anything that will make your card stand out, because you’ve show that you’re a valuable resource.
6. Follow-up
This is probably the most important tip of all. Your networking efforts at any networking event are unlikely to bear any fruit if you don’t take the time to follow-up with those you met. Be sure to make at least one preferably two contacts with each person you met in the following week. A hand written note and a voicemail. A brief phone conversation and an e-mail. Just be sure to reconnect so you can truly begin building a relationship.
I've been reading a lot of debate lately about wether quality or quantity is more important in successful networking. I strongly believe that quality is far more important than quantity.
Let's explore an example. Would you prefer a network of 1,000 people who you've met once or twice and might remember your name. Or, would you prefer a network of 25 people who would consider you their friend? Personally I'd take the 25 people. They'd be much more likely to actively help me.
Why?
It's really about top of mind awareness. The first 1,000 people are unlikely to be thinking about you unless someone mentioned your name or something very specific about what you do that would trigger them to think about you. Your 25 close friends are much more likely to think about you without needing such a specific trigger.
Networking isn't just about attending networking events, collecting business cards and following up. It's also about building better and stronger relationships. You don't even need to go to business events to do this. You can build better relationships with your customers. Show them that you really care about them and their needs, beyond the services that you provide. Strengthen the relationships with your vendors. Who provides you with products and services who has a vested interest in your success?
There's also the 90/10 rule that says that 90% of your revenue will come from your top 10% of customers. This applies to relationships as well.
Think about who you already know that fits in this top 10 or 20 percent. Strive to build a better more personal relationships with these people. You can't have a great relationships with everyone, it's just not possible. Focus on those that are most important. That's real networking.
If done appropriately and consistently over a period of time networking is a powerful marketing strategy. But, it's not a magic bullet.
In business it seems we're always looking for the magic bullet. That one secret sales technique or marketing strategy that will payoff beyond our wildest dreams immediately. There's got to be a service, consultant or trick I can use to get unbelievable results within a week.
The truth is this type of magic bullet just doesn't exist. Instead it's a well thought out, constantly tweaked and refined and consistently implemented strategy that works best. Even a mediocre plan that is done consistently will produce far superior results than a great plan that is only worked for a couple of weeks.
Networking is no different. It's more important that you do it, not necessarily how you do it. Certainly doing it well will produce better results. However, being the greatest networker in the world won't do a darned thing for you if you don't get out there and build relationships.
This doesn't apply just to networking. Any marketing strategy is going to follow the same rules.
Be consistent and your chances for success will be much higher. If you're also consistent about continuing to learn and improve your odds will improve even more.
I've been very fortunate in my life to have learned from a lot of mentors. Folks who have taken their time to share their knowledge with me. I've been able to learn from their own successes as well as their mistakes. What they've taught me, whether they knew they were teaching me or not, has been invaluable.
Most of my mentors I met through networking. Just one more of the benefits of networking that goes beyond referrals and new business. Now I'm to the point that I learn something from just about every meeting I have with anyone. I even learn from those who are younger than me who've asked me for advice.
The majority of my own mentors took on that title accidently. I hadn't sought them out, they were just there when I needed them. I'm not sure that I did it on purpose in the past, but I put myself in a position to find good mentors. Being a Rotarian has helped me find some of my mentors, as has my willingness to spend time with people who are much smarter than me.
Now I do it on purpose. If I'm having a particular challenge or question I will simply call someone who's been down this path before. What they can teach me is far more valuable than what I can read in most books. Plus I can ask them questions and get advice about my particular issue.
Take the time to learn from the wisdom and experience of others. It's free and you'll both win!
I think Hurrican Katrina has helped us all realize how really fortunate we all really are. If you think about it, the fact that you're able to read my blog is a real luxury.
If you're anything like me you're probably very grateful about a lot of things. Unfortunately we don't always show that gratitude.
This is a great opportunity to sincerely thank someone. Think for a second about someone who helped you out when you were in a tough spot. I have a feeling that someone has already flashed into your mind.
When you're through reading my blog take just 5 minutes to thank that person. You might pick up the phone and give them a call, or just write a quick note to express your gratitude.
It's a small gesture and won't take long at all. At the very least it'll make 2 people feel good.
I've seen too much advertising copy saying that business cards and the greatest marketing tool since sliced bread. They're a very important tool, but if you're relying on your business card to sell yourself then I'm worried about you.
Honestly, I'm just really frustrated with the number of people that don't bring, don't have, or who run out of business cards during a networking event. For me, a business card is just a tool that helps me remember who you are. My memory is pretty sketchy when it comes to names. If I don't get a business card from someone I just met I'm screwed!
There are lots of opinions out there about business cards. What information should be on the card? Should it be horizontal or vertical? How about more information on the back of the card?
A basic, simple business card it what makes me happy. Who are you? What do you do? Who do you do it for? How can I get in touch with you? That's all I really need. I also prefer that the back be blank. [I know I'm going to get all sorts of folks telling me that this is a missed opportunity to sell, educate or whatever.] If you have stuff on the back of your card then I don't have space to write where I met you, something unique I learned about you, and why it's important for me to follow-up with you.
It's also a great way to make an impression with someone when you hand them your business card. I often will give someone I've just met a little piece of information by writing it on the back of my card. That you if what I've given them is useful they can remember who it was that gave it to them.
Everyone should have a business card! Especially if you're looking for a job, or new to an area. Even if your not in sales, or think you don't have a reason to need business cards... You do! There's no excuse not to have them either. If you need some business cards printed very reasonable give me a call. I'll be happy to refer you to some very inexpensive printers, or print them yourself.
Ok, enough of my ranting. Just remember that a business card no matter how well designed and/or useful it might be is absolutely useless if you don't have any to give to that person you just met.
The give and take of networking is probably best described as networking karma. It doesn't always make sense, and in the end you'll generally get back what you've given. Give a little, get a little. Give a lot, get a lot.
I recently heard networking described in terms of a bank account. The idea is that you've got to open an account (relationship) with a deposit. The more you deposit the more you can withdraw. Of course you can't be overdrawn. This is a good explanation in that it clearly describes the fact that you need to first help other people.
However, in the real world of networking things don't always follow such a simple cause and effect pattern as a bank account. Following the bank account example you can't make multiple deposits at one bank, and then take withdrawals from another bank that you didn't even know existed. Where the benefits of networking come from are often a surprise.
Zen Networking The payoff from networking usually comes from where you'd least expect it. Because of this unusual way that your good deeds will be rewarded it doesn't necessarily matter who you do them for. Many times it's better to help out someone who theoretically could never pay you back.
Don't take networking too seriously. You'll become frustrated very quickly if you spend a lot of time trying to plan your outcome. It rarely works the way you think it will, but it does work!
Are you as tired of this line as I am? I'm tired of hearing it, I'm tired of asking it. I think it's time, as a networking community, that we try and move beyond this overused question.
I asked my friend, Steve Harper, to post his insights about this very topic on his blog: The Ripple Effect. He was kind enough to oblige and wrote: "Dippy Do & Networking TOO - COME ON ORIGINALITY....WHERE HAVE YOU GONE?" Thank you Steve for taking the time to do this for me. Steve is also the auther of the book The Ripple Effect which is available to NetworkInAustin.com members at a discount on our book list. I highly recommend Steve's book. It'll give you some good insights into the relationship aspect of networking, and will show you that what comes around goes around even in business.
So... What do you do?
The real problem with this line is that it does nothing to move us in the direction of a personal connection with the person we've just met. Really all it does is opens the door for a canned and over used elevator speech. Yuck!
What we're really trying to do is to open the door into this persons world. Who are they? Why are they here? What is the meaning of life? Getting to something personal is what you're really trying to uncover. This is easier to do if you do as Steve suggests and don't take yourself or networking so seriously.
Now I'm not suggesting that you avoid the topic of business completely. It's still important and that's probably why you're there at a networking event in the first place. What I'm suggesting is that you move beyond and outside of business to learn something REAL about your new friend. You don't need to be pushy and overzealous. Just let the conversation develop naturally. I think you'll find that you're able to develop better rapport and more trust by taking this approach. Keep this up and more business won't be far behind.
In networking, much as in life, you get out what you put in. You'll probably notice that the most effective and productive networkers are those that are the most involved.
Look around the organizations you're involved in. If it's a Chamber of Commerce look at the Ambassadors. In a larger organization look towards those that serve on committee's or on the board of directors. You'll generally find that these people are the ones who get the most from their participation in that organization. Interesting coincidence...
Think about a membership organization and think about what type of people receive little or no benefit. It may not be entirely obvious at first, because the people who aren't getting any benefit probably aren't even there. Another interesting coincidence...
Obviously my point is that it's important to get involved. At the very least Show up! If you're not actively participating on a regular basis you're very unlikely to receive any benefit. The next step is to get more involved. Volunteer to serve on a comittee, or to help check people in at the next event. Demonstrate your expertise. If you're an accountant offer to help with the bookkeeping. Contribute, you'll be amazed at the coincidental business you'll pick up.
As Woody Allen says: "90 percent of life is showing up."
We've even redesigned the ranking system for NetworkInAustin.com members to reinforce this philosophy. Now the more complete your profile is in our business directory the higher you'll be ranked. All of the details can be found in the new member's area.
If you look at our business directory now you'll see exactly what I mean. Look at the members who have already added information to their profiles. If you know any of these people you know that they're the ones who typically reap the most rewards. These folks tend to be actively involved in all areas of their life, and get the most rewards in all areas of their life as well.
This past weekend taught me a very valuable lesson about how absolutely critical rapport is in a relationship. Without rapport there really is no relationship.
Think about it. If you don't feel a connection to someone on some level, does anything they say have any impact on you? Isn't the opposite true? Won't you be more likely to discount most of the things that person says or does?
It was an amazing lesson to watch unfold. Especially since I wasn't the only one involved who was having these feelings. Hearing what other people thought about interacting with this person whom we had no rapport with was incredibly reinforcing.
Lesson learned: You MUST have rapport BEFORE you can have any type of positive relationship.
Rapport becomes critically important especially in a sales situation. If you've not connected with your prospect it would be nearly impossible to close the sale. Same goes for a networking relationship. You're never going to get referrals or assistance from someone who doesn't feel some level of connection with you.
The good news is; building rapport is easy, especially with awareness and practice. We build rapport through finding connections and associating with the other person. This may be through similar interests, history, desires, beliefs, or experiences. It can also take the form of a physical connection. This can be done through the process of matching and mirroring. (more on matching and mirroring in a future blog post)
Whatever form the connection takes doesn't matter. As long as it's there. Without it the relationship will NOT move forward.
Build rapport, connect, and start a relationship. That's what networking is all about. In fact, it's where every relationship starts.
I've just returned from vacation with Emily. After a couple of days in Cleveland, OH for her cousin's wedding we visited with Emily's parents outside of Syracuse, NY. On our way to the airport we stopped at a Chinese restaurant for dinner. I actually got a descent fortune from my fortune cookie:
"Questions provide the key to unlocking our unlimited potential."
Wow! A fortune cookie that gives networking advice.
Questions are a truly powerful tool when it comes to building good solid relationships.
In Dale Carnegie's book: How to Win Friends & Influence People Mr. Carnegie tells us that to become a good conversationalist we must listen. He tells a story about being at a party and having a conversation with someone. In that conversation all he really does is listen. Later, this person describes him as a great conversationalist.
The secret is active listening, and questions are the key ingredient to ative listening. Through questions we can learn all sorts of things about someone. Not only will you learn more about the person you're networking with, they'll also think more highly of you since you're genuinely interested in them.
The best way to do this is by asking open ended questions that can't be answered by a simple yes or no. Get them talking. Learn about them, their background, their family, etc.
Ask good questions and unlock your own unlimited potential.
As I say over and over again, networking is really about relationships. It's having those strong relationships that allow you to get the things you want.
You're very unlikely to get what you want until you ask for it. So ask!
It doesn't get much simpler than that. Just make sure that you are specific and clear about what it is you're asking for.
I attended an interesting presentation late last year in which I first heard the term: “Coopetition.” A combination of the words Cooperation and Competition.
After spending some time thinking about the concept I decided at the beginning of this year that I no longer believed in competition. Having adopted that mindset for the last 6 months has really shown me that doors that you couldn’t even see before get flung wide open when you embrace this way of thinking. I’ve even started referring a lot of competitors to each other.
Here’s the way I see it. As long as you go in without preconceived notions and an open mind, you can have a great meeting with your competitor. 90 percent of the time you’ll find that there are a variety of things that your company does better than they do, and there are several things that they do better than you. Therein lies the opportunity. If you can find these areas, and find a way to work together to take advantage of these expertise you’ll both win!
I know, I know. You think I’m nuts! Humor me. Pick up the phone right now and call one of your competitors. Tell them that you’d like to get together for lunch, a cup of coffee, or better yet a couple of beers. Be up front! Either tell them on the phone when you’re setting the appointment what your agenda is so that they can prepare themselves, or make sure you explain the purpose of you’re meeting at the beginning of your time together. Better yet, have them read this blog post (you can use the ‘e-mail this page’ link at the top of the page).
There are other reasons to network with your competition as well. Read my friend: Thom Singer’s August 2nd post entitled “Competitors As Friends” on his Business Development/Networking Blog. In this post Thom suggests some other compelling reasons why you might want to build a good relationship with your competition.
Look for other opportunities as well. Do they service a market that you’re not interested in? Refer that business to them. Maybe they’ll be willing to call up their old prospects and refer them to you. Imagine the power and goodwill that would be created in your own mind if someone that you decided not to do business with called you and said the following: “Ms. Prospect. I know you’ve decided not to do business with us, and that’s ok. In case you still have a need for wacky widgets I thought I’d offer to connect you with our competitor. I want to make sure you get what you need, and they might be a better fit for you. Should I have them give you a call?” I don’t know about you, but I’d probably fall out of my chair. I’d also have a really great feeling about both companies.
The possibilities are endless. Try it! What’s the worst that could happen?
Have a competitor experience you’d like to share? I’d love to hear about it. Send me an e-mail: scott |at| networkinaustin.com.
Networking isn’t always easy. If it were, everyone would be doing it. Instead it takes consistent time and effort to pay off. As long as you expect that your networking efforts will take some persistence and a lot of patience you’ll be fine.
Based on my own experience and conversations with others; having your relationships building efforts produce results in a substantial way will probably take between 6 and 18 months. Of course there are a lot of variables that will influence where you will find yourself within that range. It’ll depend how frequently and effectively you’re connecting with others. Your line of business will have an impact as well.
Someone who’s going to 3 meetings and getting together with 5 different people on a one to one basis every week is going to experience results faster than someone who’s only attending 3 networking meetings each month. You’re going to get out what you put in as long as you’re using common sense. I wrote in an earlier post about the right amount of networking. Find what works for you. Most importantly, be consistent! Going to 7 meetings in one week and then not showing your face again for 4-5 weeks isn’t going to produce very good results.
Your profession is going to have an impact also. If you’re in a very competitive industry such as real estate, insurance, website design, etc. expect that it’s going to take longer. Trust that as long as there are no major differences between you and your competitor’s offerings, relationships will win out. You’ll just have to build better, stronger relationships than your competition. As my friend Jim McCullick who runs Networking Austin frequently says: “If you touch people’s bodies or money it’s going to take longer for you to get referrals.” He’s absolutely right. Anytime you’re dealing with a high level of trust it’s going to take more time to earn those referrals.
All of that being said… Austin is a different place. I think the culture in Austin and to a larger extent Texas is one of helpfulness and friendliness. I’ve never been anyplace else where people have been as open and willing to help. Ask anyone who’s new to Austin. We all notice it. It’s probably why the folks who come to Austin almost never leave. That culture makes networking here a little easier than in other parts of the country.
On average it’s probably best to expect that your networking efforts will take right around a year to reach a point of critical mass. Realize that building quality relationships through networking is an investment. It takes time to accumulate that wealth, and when you do it will pay dividends for years and years to come. Now there’s something to appreciate!
For your second weekly meeting I suggest you get involved in a variety of organizations that typically get together just once a month. This would include groups like: Chambers of Commerce, industry associations, Breakfast Club Network, Independent Business Associations, Non-profit groups, etc. The idea here is to get some depth and to meet folks you wouldn’t ordinarily meet.
Here’s where the leverage comes in. In order to get referrals you’ve got to give referrals. The opportunity in this model is providing lots of referrals for your core network. When you’re out meeting new people each week at the Chamber of Commerce or association meetings be thinking of your core network. Who in these organizations could use their services? Refer, refer, refer. If you follow this model consistently over a period of time I promise you’ll be surprised at the results.
You’ll probably be able to develop relationships with several hundred people over the course of a year or so. A network of people who you’ve helped and who will be looking for ways to return the favor. We call this the law of reciprocity.
If you’re a more seasoned networker with a more substantial number of relationships you can probably get by with fewer traditional networking meetings. Your core network will consist of those that you already have ongoing relationships with. In this case I would suggest that you work more on cultivating these relationships rather than developing new ones. Focus on the top 10-20% of your relationships and make them stronger. Now I’m not saying you shouldn’t work on meeting more people. It’s important that you get out at least a couple times each month to establish new relationships, and look for business opportunities for yourself and your core network. What I’m suggesting is that you’ve already spent a lot of time cultivating your existing relationships. Don’t drop the ball now. Work on making those connections stronger.
Ultimately the decision is yours. What benefit do you expect from networking? How much time can you devote to working towards that benefit? Take some time to answer these questions and develop your own networking strategy. When you’re done I hope you’ll tell me about it. I’d love to share what you’re doing with the other readers of this blog. As always I love hearing from you. E-mail me your thoughts: scott (at) networkinaustin.com
Networking is not a particularly difficult endeavor. It really comes down to a lot of common sense and the right attitude.
What really sets the good networkers apart from those who aren't as successful is the follow-up. You've go to do what you say you're going to do. Otherwise you'll find networking to be quite ineffective.
This starts with the meeting. It's generally best to confirm your meetings 1-2 days before they're set to happen. Give your fellow networker a call to confirm the time and place of your meeting. This step can save a lot of trouble. Occasionally I'll forget to write down an appointment, or write down the wrong time. You can also clarify that you meant the Kerbey Lane on 183, not the Kerbey Lane on Kerbey Ln. (based on a true story).
Show up to the meeting on time! This may seem like a trivial point, but it's incredibly important. If you can't be on time make sure you have their cell phone number. If I'm going to be even 3 minutes late I will generally call 5 - 10 minutes before the meeting to tell you that. Realize that the people you're networking with are generally very busy people, and their time is valuable. Respect them and their time. They'll respect you.
Then there's the real follow-up. Anytime you say you're going to do something for someone you MUST do it! Don't say you're going to do something if you're not. Again, this may seem like a very silly point but it's critical. Think about your own experience. How do you perceive someone who says they're going to get some information to you, and never follows through. Compared to someone else who quickly provides you with what you needed. It's a night and day comparison. Make sure you're doing this for those you're building relationships with. Heck, if you're going to be successful in business and in life you need to do this for everyone.
Personally I have a really crumby memory. For those of you who've seen the size of my phone you know it's that big because it's my replacement brain (much better memory). Another trick I use quite frequently is business cards. If I tell someone I'm going to do something for them I ask them for a business card. I'll then make a quick note on the back of that card to remind me what I need to do. At the end of the day I have a stack of cards with these notes. I know what I promised to do, and on the other side is all of their contact information.
Develop your own system. Find something that works for you so that you become incredible with your follow-up. I promise it'll be worth the effort.
Being a successful networker has a lot to do with your frame of mind, and what your agenda is.
First it's important to realize that sales and networking are two different things (this issue probably needs to be a future blog post). Networking is about building relationships and impacting others.
Where I see folks get into trouble is with their personal agenda. If your agenda when you're out networking is to make a sale you're going to have a very hard time. Too often we look at a room full of people in a networking event as a room full of prospective customers. This is a dangerous trap. If our agenda is to sell to these people we're going to miss out on the bigger opportunity. There may be a few dozen people in the room, but if we look at the number of people that they directly influence it can be in the thousands!
My agenda when I'm at a networking meeting is to do two things. First, build relationships. I want to get to know a couple of people a little bit better at each event. This often leads to us getting together one on one later to really begin to build our relationship. Second, I'm looking to help 2-3 people. This can take many forms. I might be able to refer them to someone. I may be able to suggest another meeting or opportunity that could benefit them. It can take a lot of forms. Really I just want to be able to make an impact, even if it's a small one.
What's your agenda? I'd love to hear about how you approach networking. What else has worked for you personally? Please e-mail me your thoughts: scott {at} networkinaustin.com
Most of the time when we're out networking we're doing it because we're looking for referrals to new clients. We tend to be very focused on growing our business, and not on the other benefits of networking.
Building relationships through networking has some side effects that most other forms of marketing don't ever offer. Regardless of how else you're marketing or advertising yourself or your business the only thing you're likely to get, if you do it successfully, is more clients.
The relationships we cultivate through our networking efforts bring us so much more than that. This probably isn't a complete list at all, but it's a start:
Friendships - Think about some of the people you've met through networking. If you're truly building lasting relationships you're going to make some good friends along the way. I know I have!
Opportunities - So many times we don't know what we don't know. In talking with people and sharing with our network we're often made aware of opportunities we never would have known about on our own.
Resources - Probably one of the most impactful side effects is that of finding great people to help you. I doubt that you're very likely to find a really great Attorney, CPA or printer in the yellow pages. How many vendors have you found that you couldn't live without because of networking?
Giving back - I think most of us feel it's important to give back. It can be a real challenge to find good outlets for our money and our time. Often we never know whether or not we had an impact. By giving of ourselves and our contacts we can often give more, and have a much greater impact through networking.
What did I miss? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Please e-mail me: scott {at} networkinaustin.com
Look for my next post where I'll talk about our "networking agenda"
1) 1 new client. 2) Someone who can refer you to 1 new client once or twice a month.
I don't know about you, but I'd pick the second option every time.
Too often we're focused on that next sale. That one new client. Imagine the leverage that we'd have if we focused on building relationships with people who could refer us not 1 new client, but dozens.
Now imagine the impact you could have on the folks that you're networking with if you referred them not just a single opportunity, but someone who could bring them potentially hundreds of opportunities over the course of many months or years. That'd certainly get me excited.
Now consider this information from both sides.
First, think about yourself. What type of person could have the potential of referring lots of new business to you? Next time you ask for a referral ask for this person, not a potential client. For example, a great referral for me is that incredible networker that you know. They obviously believe in networking, talk to a lot of people, are generally very well respected, and have the potential to refer dozens of people to NetworkInAustin.com.
Second, when you're out networking be thinking about who you might know that could refer a lot of business to the person you're speaking with. It's very likely that this person would never do direct business with this person themselves, but they could refer a lot of business. Your job is simply to introduce them to each other. It'll be up to them to build their own relationship and see if they can help each other out.
I realize this is a pretty outrageous statement, but the truth is very little networking actually happens in a networking meeting.
The reason I say this is because real networking is about building relationships. It's very difficult to begin building a relationship with someone with the many distractions present at the typical event. Between the dozens or even hundreds of other people in the room, food being served, presenters and speakers a real personal connnection is almost impossible.
Networking meetings are just the beginning of real networking and relationship building. It's at a networking meeting that you can make a few brief connections with a variety of people. Until a follow-up step is taken by you or your fellow networker you'll probably forget all about each other within a few days.
A networking meeting is a great place to identify people you'd like to begin cultivating a relationship with. You may want to review my previous post about Large Networking Events. I'll also be talking more about networking strategically in future posts.
Networking really starts with a one on one meeting. Getting together over coffee, or lunch and spending some time learning about your fellow networker is where a true networking relationship starts. This is not the time for a sales pitch! Instead take the time to learn about the person you're meeting with. What are they passionate about? What is their biggest challenge? Is there anything they need that you might be able to help them with?
Start really networking today! Pick-up the phone and schedule a meeting with someone you'd like to network with. It'll be time well spent.
Regardless of how large the networking event you're attending is, it's important to focus on quality not quantity.
Whether you're in a room with 30 people or 300 other networkers your agenda should be the same. Have a small number of meaningful conversations before the end of the event. Depending on the duration of the event we're probably only talking about 3-5 good conversations.
3 may seem like a very small number, but remember that to be a successful networker you have to follow-up. It's easy to follow-up with 3 people. It's a lot more difficult to effectively follow-up with 30.
In the course of your conversations be listening for a way that you can help the other person. This may be a referral, or a resource you can share with them. This becomes your reason for following-up. At this point I will often write a quick note on the back of their card to remind myself how I can help.
Shortly after the event, reestablish contact with the person you met and share your referral or resource with them. This is also a good time to suggest getting together to really get to know each other a little better.
That one on one meeting is where real networking begins!
One of the biggest obstacles to successful networking is realizing that it's not about yourself. We're all looking to get referrals from our networking efforts, but in order to get referrals we must first give referrals (without expectations).
In his book The Ripple Effect, Steve Harper tells us that the act of being selfless is the most selfish thing we can do. The act of helping others creates 'ripples' which always come back to us. They don't always come back exactly as we would expect, but they do come back.
A referral is a powerful tool when used appropriately. A good referral has an impact on 2 people. The person you gave the referral to, and the person whom you are referring. You get 2 for the price of 1, and it doesn't cost you a thing.
My buddy Ralph Young with Word of Mouth Marketing says it best, and I probably quote him 2-3 times every day! He says: "If you give it away in bricks, they'll build you a house." I love this quote, because it so succinctly describes the power of referrals. You just have to remember 2 things.
1. It takes quite a while to build a house. 2. Building a house takes a lot of bricks!
The same is true of building a successful business that operates by referral.
. In this book it says something like: To give and not expect to receive is unnatural. This is an important networking lesson that even very good networkers frequently forget. I'll talk more about this book in a future post, but I do recommend it. It's a nice quick read and breaks down what networking is really about into a very readable fictional story.
Mr. Carnegie tells us that to become a good conversationalist we must listen. He tells a story about being at a party and having a conversation with someone. In that conversation all he really does is listen. Later, this person describes him as a great conversationalist.
