
Is success merely a matter of chance? More often than not, those who seem to have all the luck have created their success by upping their opportunities. The best leaders are those who lead by example, and their track records … Continue reading
Is success merely a matter of chance? More often than not, those who seem to have all the luck have created their success by upping their opportunities. The best leaders are those who lead by example, and their track records … Continue reading
Have you ever wondered how to master the art of mingling? At social functions, you can always spot a person or two who seem to effortlessly work the room, weaving in and out of conversations as they connect with almost everyone in their path. Networking with that kind of social finesse doesnât come naturally to most â but thankfully itâs a skill that can, in fact, be learned and mastered through practice and preparation. Here are some tips to develop the skill set to catch the attention of those who will benefit your professional network:Â
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After youâve done all your preparation, make sure that you physically work the room â moving around increases the number of people with whom your path will cross, after all. Get out there and show them all youâve got!
In his famed work The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell discusses what he terms âThe Law of the Fewâ: âThe success of any kind of social epidemic is heavily dependent on the involvement of people with a particular and rare set of social gifts.â Gladwell breaks these socially adept individuals into three personality types â connectors, mavens, and salesmen. How does each of these personality types propel social epidemics â and how can you improve your networking by taking a page from each profileâs playbook?Â
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Whether youâre a connector, maven, or salesman, donât forget to follow up with your contacts. Marketing statistics say it takes 7-12 impressions before a consumer makes a purchasing decision. Donât stop building your network after an impression or two. Take that extra step â a phone call, email, lunch date, etc. â to continue feeding those relationships that will tip the scales toward success.
Picture this: youâre heading off on a road trip to exciting â but unfamiliar â territory. Do you just set off on the open road and hope you eventually somehow reach your destination? While some adventurers might take this approach, … Continue reading
A business card might only be a few inches of cardstock, but that small piece of ink and paper plays a critical role in business networking. Itâs this card that you leave behind to remind someone that they met you and that you are someone worthy of their time and connection â but itâs also small enough to fit in oneâs palm, meaning youâre pretty limited by space with what you can say.Â
How do you develop a catchy business card that sums up the essence of YOU? Here are some ways to make an impression with the right information:
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Take time to look at the business cards youâve received. Which do you like? What is it about these cards that speaks to you? Spending time to deconstruct what people have done well (or not) in the past will help you create a winning business card that leaves the right impression with those you come across while you network your way to success.
Picture this scene: Youâre at the birthday party of a friend you regard highly. The friend is someone you crossed paths with years ago, and you currently have few mutual connections, which means the party is filled with people you donât know â but who come pre-approved to a degree, if they gained this friendâs friendship. While grabbing another drink, your ear catches a snippet of conversation. A friend of this friend is talking about a subject youâre passionate about, and youâre impressed. This is someone youâd like to get to know. Do you step in and start sharing all the information you have on the topic?Â
In a social setting, you wouldnât walk into a conversation and immediately dominate it or flash your smarts â at least, not if youâre trying to be socially adept and establish real connections. Rather, youâre more likely to ask questions and to learn what this interesting individual has to say first. After all, connection is a two-way street â if you want this person to value what you have to say, you have to be authentic and show that you value him or her first.Â
The same rules apply to business networking: focus first on connection before sales, whether the object youâre selling is yourself as a worthy contact or a good or service that puts bread on your table. Dr. Ivan Misner, founder of Business Networking International (BNI), shared on his blog about attending a networking event once and asking the attendees how many of them had come in the hopes of making a sale or doing business? Half of the audience raised its hands. However, when Misner asked the same crowd how many had come with the intention of buying something, not a single hand went up.Â
Misner called this a ânetworking disconnect.â The standard practice of networking too often focuses on selling instead of connecting. He refers to it as hunting â moving in on a specific prey in a single moment â when true networking is about farming, cultivating relationships with patience and care. Down the road, these relationships are likely to lead to business leads, but the connections are the focus, not the sales.
Here are four ways to cultivate that relationship for a quality connection:
How do you establish a connection with someone youâve just met? A crucial element to kicking off any relationship is building rapport based on trust, understanding, and commonalities. Power networking works best when you can build rapport quickly and genuinely. … Continue reading
An old adage says that 80 percent of success is just showing up. But how do you accomplish that other 20 percent â particularly following a networking event like a tradeshow or membership meeting? What comes after collecting a stack … Continue reading