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Success Newsletters

Vol 10, Number 3-4 March-April 2010

In this Edition
1. The Keys to Product Networking (Part 2)
2. Monthly Inspirational Quote
3. Recommended Reading

The Keys to Productive Networking (Part 2 of 2)
Continuing on from the last issue of the newsletter with five further keys to productive and successful networking.

6. Make an investment in the right materials that will make your networking most effective. Look the part: always dress well, carry an appropriate briefcase, note pad and pen. Attention to detail is everything. People do notice appearance. In addition, read everything you can on effective networking.

7. I mentioned in the last issue about nurturing relationships with people; build those winning and lasting relationships over a period of time. I need to reinforce that it won’t happen overnight. The key is to be in it for the long haul and to stay in touch with people, even if they are not responding to your contacts with them. Have a 30 day rule. Don’t let people you want to keep in touch with go longer than 30 days without hearing from you. Also remember to be imaginative in ways that you keep in touch.

8. What’s your elevator speech? Imagine you are in an elevator with someone who starts up a conversation with you and asks you about yourself. You have 30 seconds before the elevator reaches the lobby. How do you grab their attention and interest?. Let’s use me as an example: the boring, non engaging answer is: “I own my own company, and I am a professional speaker and success strategist.” A more thought provoking and engaging answer might be “Thank you for asking. I work with organizations and their people that want to go deep, be exceptional and get to world class.”

What you are looking for is a response, a reaction, for someone to ask you for more. “How do you do that?” is the perfect response.

Create your elevator speech. Rehearse it; say it with conviction and confidence and then wait and be ready to answer questions and make a connection.

9. Be prepared. What is your goal for the networking event you are attending? What is your plan of action? Are you going to solicit new prospects, make new business contacts, looking for referrals, partnerships? Whatever your intentions are, you must set goals and have a plan of action to make any networking session productive and effective. Remember to have fun also, socialize, but never lose sight of your goal for attending.

10. Follow through. Here are a few tips to make this more relevant:
It is better to take someone’s business card then give your own. By taking the other person’s card, that way you are in control of the follow-up and not the other person. I cant tell you how many times early in my career when speaking for free at networking sessions to hone my speaking skills and usually leaving last, did I notice the garbage full with business cards.
Write on the back, the few points from your meeting before you put it in your pocket, that way you will remember the conversation and key points. Remember to ask permission before writing on the back. That is good etiquette.

A simple email to the person in question after, thanking them for the chance to chat with them is nice within 48 hours at the latest. A short handwritten note is good too if you feel the contact could be of importance. In that communication I always ask how I might be of help to that person?

Focus on next steps. Possibly arrange to chat on the phone or have a face to face meeting. The key here is to follow through.

10.5. Good luck or as my friend, and networking guru Michael Hughes say’s, “Now go to work on your network!!!!”

MONTHLY INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE
“Avoid negative people at all costs. They are the greatest destroyers of self-confidence and self-esteem”
Brian Tracy

RECOMMENDED READING
Deviating from my regular article here, people ask me what am I reading on my travels. Let me profile two wonderful magazines I always buy on my travels. For complete diversion and to dream and look for new places to visit I always read Conde Nast and Travel and Leisure, the two best travel magazines in my opinion. For business and personal/professional success, there are many, and I have featured them in previous issues. The most recent one I have found myself back to is Fast Company.

Date Added: March 30, 2010 | Comments (0) | Filed under: Newsletters



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