Albert Einstein once said: “Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing it’s stupid.” Henry Ford once said: “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” When it comes to business networking, many feel […]
In my last column I suggested 10 ways to build your business network. As a reminder, those 10 areas are active listening to telephone conversations, never eating alone, using staff meetings, working your network, joining service organizations, educating yourself, offering special thanks to referral sources, using social media, effective conversation and proper planning. Active listening […]
When it comes to building strong business networks, the first step is realizing there’s always something you can do to strengthen your business relationships. Once you realize there’s work to be done, you’re ready for the top 10 ways to build a stronger business network: The telephone is the first place to build relationships. A […]
Let’s face it: If you had a knife to your throat and someone demanded all your money, the $20 in your pocket wouldn’t seem nearly as important as getting the knife removed from your precious neck. Now, what does that have to do with business networking? Three things: the feeling of urgency, the feeling of […]
Business networking is something that for some is the most exciting part of their day; for others just another “thing” to do; and for still others a stressful event just to think about, let alone do. For many, talking to people can be overwhelming — whether it’s in an elevator, in line at the grocery […]
A long, long time ago in another place and time, I thought about starting a business to help companies with the impressions they create for their customers. While that business ended up on a back burner in someone else’s house, first impressions remain important. People become comfortable in their own spaces, whether those spaces are […]
I recently heard a business person complain they belong to several networking groups, but the number of referrals they receive remains far too low. A referral network is not an overnight endeavor. It takes a long time to establish. One of the biggest misconceptions people have about referral networking is the belief they’ve established a […]
Networking events are of little value if you’re not prepared. Here are five things to keep you on task at any business networking event — as adapted from “The Ten Commandments of any Business Networking Mixer” in “The World’s Best Known Marketing Secret” by Ivan Misner. Make your badge count. A large part of your […]
If you do business right and you help people, eventually someone is going to make the statement, “If there’s anything I can do to help you with your business, let me know.” Now the funny part: Your response was probably, “Well, thanks, I’ll let you know.” Most business professionals could use the help, but don’t […]
Every networking event should end with two things: the thought that several valuable connections were made and a pocket full of business cards. It’s not a contest of how many business cards you can collect, but rather the quality of those cards. In any case, the question still remains: “What do I do with all […]