This happened like four years ago, but I recalled this today: a friend was done for for Driving-Under-Influence (DUI).
I came to know although I was at home, presumably watching footy on the telly, as it was a Saturday night, and I am a fan of the English Premier League.
I received a call, it was about 12.15am, and this chap, who had sobered somewhat, (guess everyone sobers after being arrested) rang from his mobile to say that he was in a police station in the city and the prospect of spending the night in the lock-up was too harrowing.
He didn't ring his wife. Why? Suppose his beloved wife will just give him an earful, so he rang me, 'the' networking expert to get him out. 'Get your lawyer friend here quick, man!' he pleaded.
So, when your friend gets done, who does he ring? His spouse or you?
It is an indication of your ability to connect people from your network, for various products and services.
Keep at it, volunteer information about your colleagues from your network and eventually you'll be the person your friends ring up when they get arrested!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
Two-sides to a coin. Invite and be prepared at all times!
This scenario happened many years ago, and there's every possibility for this to repeat yet again.
A networking group received a guest to their weekly meeting.
I noticed that this guest was taking notes throughout the meeting, especially when the members in that group were giving the Sales-Manager Presentation.
Then there was another member, who explained to the group that she needed an alternative contact in the American Embassy for her business proposal providing certification to companies and organizations as she was stuck with her current line of contact in that organization.
Would you believe it, this guest got up and said that he had a good contact in the American Embassy with whom this member can hook up with for her business.
There are 2 sides of the coins here which we need to understand thoroughly:
First: A visitor is so important to a networking meeting, as they can be a great referral to the members. Better still if their classification is opened and they participate, they can be a Referral Source to the members for long term.
Second: when giving presentations, it is essential to prepare on the eve of the meeting, and be as specific as possible, as you’ll never know who’s going to be in the room who could provide or refer you to whomever you want!
So, have you picked up the phone to invite that visitor? Have you prepared your presentations for your meetings?
Inviting is easy, and when your visitors come to the meeting, it makes the meeting so much fun!
It’s so important, just by allocating 10 minutes on the eve of the meeting, you can, like the Boy Scouts, be ‘Always Prepared’.
If you were not prepared in your presentation and just winged it, you would miss out on contacts a guest can connect you to to grow your own business. Hey look, if that doesn't turn you on, nothing else will!
Just like the coins have two sides to it, invite and be prepared at all times.
A networking group received a guest to their weekly meeting.
I noticed that this guest was taking notes throughout the meeting, especially when the members in that group were giving the Sales-Manager Presentation.
Then there was another member, who explained to the group that she needed an alternative contact in the American Embassy for her business proposal providing certification to companies and organizations as she was stuck with her current line of contact in that organization.
Would you believe it, this guest got up and said that he had a good contact in the American Embassy with whom this member can hook up with for her business.
There are 2 sides of the coins here which we need to understand thoroughly:
First: A visitor is so important to a networking meeting, as they can be a great referral to the members. Better still if their classification is opened and they participate, they can be a Referral Source to the members for long term.
Second: when giving presentations, it is essential to prepare on the eve of the meeting, and be as specific as possible, as you’ll never know who’s going to be in the room who could provide or refer you to whomever you want!
So, have you picked up the phone to invite that visitor? Have you prepared your presentations for your meetings?
Inviting is easy, and when your visitors come to the meeting, it makes the meeting so much fun!
It’s so important, just by allocating 10 minutes on the eve of the meeting, you can, like the Boy Scouts, be ‘Always Prepared’.
If you were not prepared in your presentation and just winged it, you would miss out on contacts a guest can connect you to to grow your own business. Hey look, if that doesn't turn you on, nothing else will!
Just like the coins have two sides to it, invite and be prepared at all times.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Walk slowly through the crowd...
And smell the roses!
In a networking meeting I attended last Friday, I was conscious to speak to as many people as possible.
This would require me to pace-down a notch my current habit of doing things too fast. I also have to use smart discretion where necessary.
Example was, a guest was stuck in traffic and hence arrived a few minutes later than scheduled. We could have started and then let her in anyway when she eventually arrived, but then I decided to give it a few minutes. Even as she arrived via the elevator to the 22nd floor of the building where the event was held, her first order of business was to visit the ladies. Understandably so. So there was another few minutes taken there.
On top of it, the person who invited this guest was also becoming nervous by the minutes, constantly on the phone with the guest, presumably trying to hurry her up.
Still I said to the Chair Person, let's give her (the guest) time and space to come in, sign-in, and catch her breathe.
Aren't we glad we did. You see the smallest things makes the biggest difference.
This guest came in calm, and more importantly the person who invited her, was now happy, smiling and so energized. That was the key to the next sequence of events.
While the Visitor Hosts were hosting this guest well throughout the meeting, I had an opportunity to spend a few moments with the person who invited her, Moon is her name. And a lovely person she is when you get to meet and know her.
We had a conversation about how successfully she invites guests to visit the group and learnt some of her goals.
As a result, we determined that she should share her experience with the rest her colleagues, on her visitor goals and technique of invitation and follow-through.
Yes, you guessed it right: she was further energized by this empowerment and on Saturday (the day after the meeting) even sent me a text message saying that the guest that she invited on Friday, would visit us again and this time with her father, who could possibly be a contact I am looking for to grow my business in the coming future.
So, I learnt or shall I say, I re-learnt a distinction: that always walk slowly through the crowd and pace-down at times. Then most defining moments in our lives will happen during the slowest moments where time stands still. A fine networking skill horned.
Have you had that moment? Well, I know I will from now on: I will walk slowly through the crowd, and even stop at times to smell the roses.
In a networking meeting I attended last Friday, I was conscious to speak to as many people as possible.
This would require me to pace-down a notch my current habit of doing things too fast. I also have to use smart discretion where necessary.
Example was, a guest was stuck in traffic and hence arrived a few minutes later than scheduled. We could have started and then let her in anyway when she eventually arrived, but then I decided to give it a few minutes. Even as she arrived via the elevator to the 22nd floor of the building where the event was held, her first order of business was to visit the ladies. Understandably so. So there was another few minutes taken there.
On top of it, the person who invited this guest was also becoming nervous by the minutes, constantly on the phone with the guest, presumably trying to hurry her up.
Still I said to the Chair Person, let's give her (the guest) time and space to come in, sign-in, and catch her breathe.
Aren't we glad we did. You see the smallest things makes the biggest difference.
This guest came in calm, and more importantly the person who invited her, was now happy, smiling and so energized. That was the key to the next sequence of events.
While the Visitor Hosts were hosting this guest well throughout the meeting, I had an opportunity to spend a few moments with the person who invited her, Moon is her name. And a lovely person she is when you get to meet and know her.
We had a conversation about how successfully she invites guests to visit the group and learnt some of her goals.
As a result, we determined that she should share her experience with the rest her colleagues, on her visitor goals and technique of invitation and follow-through.
Yes, you guessed it right: she was further energized by this empowerment and on Saturday (the day after the meeting) even sent me a text message saying that the guest that she invited on Friday, would visit us again and this time with her father, who could possibly be a contact I am looking for to grow my business in the coming future.
So, I learnt or shall I say, I re-learnt a distinction: that always walk slowly through the crowd and pace-down at times. Then most defining moments in our lives will happen during the slowest moments where time stands still. A fine networking skill horned.
Have you had that moment? Well, I know I will from now on: I will walk slowly through the crowd, and even stop at times to smell the roses.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Spread the word, powerfully.
I thought I spend a few minutes to describe the difference between: presenting to sell versus presenting to receive referrals.
They are two different subject matters altogether.
This morning I was at a networking meeting where a certain member was rostered for a presentation about his business. And bear in mind that this was a networking group to generate referrals.
I was not surprised that he spent time to educate those present on his company's products and services. However, he did so in the mode to sell his products and services as if the people in the room (his colleagues in a group to refer business) were potential clients. But they were not his potential clients. They were his colleagues to refer business to him, not buy from him.
So this person who was presenting fell into a hole.
Let me explain:
In a referral generation group, we do not sell our products or services.
What we do is that we educate our colleagues on our products and services.
But the key in a networking group is this:
Not only do we educate, but it is an opportunity to set ourselves apart from our competitors by highlighting certain specific case studies of past clients and what was done to assist them or solve a particular problem.
You see, there are thousands of insurance agents, and all representing established good companies. Ditto with computer sales vendors, caterers, investment agents, travel agents, contractors, real-estate agents, etc.
In a networking environment, we get a chance to describe our differentiation to a crowd who is ready to listen and more importantly spread the word.
When this chap went on and on about his products and services, this is where I asked him: 'what is it that represents your essence in your business. What have you done for a client that you are proud of?'
The answer to that question was what the people in the room needed to hear: so that they spread the word and hence can confidently refer him to their contacts.
So, know your crowd. Prepare. Think. Think a couple of steps ahead.
In a networking environment, spreading the seeds of your differentiation is more important than selling. Because once your colleagues can spread the word about what makes you special, then the sale will come, surely.
They are two different subject matters altogether.
This morning I was at a networking meeting where a certain member was rostered for a presentation about his business. And bear in mind that this was a networking group to generate referrals.
I was not surprised that he spent time to educate those present on his company's products and services. However, he did so in the mode to sell his products and services as if the people in the room (his colleagues in a group to refer business) were potential clients. But they were not his potential clients. They were his colleagues to refer business to him, not buy from him.
So this person who was presenting fell into a hole.
Let me explain:
In a referral generation group, we do not sell our products or services.
What we do is that we educate our colleagues on our products and services.
But the key in a networking group is this:
Not only do we educate, but it is an opportunity to set ourselves apart from our competitors by highlighting certain specific case studies of past clients and what was done to assist them or solve a particular problem.
You see, there are thousands of insurance agents, and all representing established good companies. Ditto with computer sales vendors, caterers, investment agents, travel agents, contractors, real-estate agents, etc.
In a networking environment, we get a chance to describe our differentiation to a crowd who is ready to listen and more importantly spread the word.
When this chap went on and on about his products and services, this is where I asked him: 'what is it that represents your essence in your business. What have you done for a client that you are proud of?'
The answer to that question was what the people in the room needed to hear: so that they spread the word and hence can confidently refer him to their contacts.
So, know your crowd. Prepare. Think. Think a couple of steps ahead.
In a networking environment, spreading the seeds of your differentiation is more important than selling. Because once your colleagues can spread the word about what makes you special, then the sale will come, surely.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Networking Conversations - Continued...
Today, as the week begins, I thought it would be ideal to pick up on the subject of networking conversations. You may want to re-read that article before proceeding to this one.
The following are questions to be engaged when meeting a person who is a colleague of yours in a strong contact network, such as BNI or your preferred networking groups for referrals. These questions can be engaged before or after a networking meeting.
The following are questions to be engaged when meeting a person who is a colleague of yours in a strong contact network, such as BNI or your preferred networking groups for referrals. These questions can be engaged before or after a networking meeting.
- Can I have more information about who you are looking for?
- Who was your last client yesterday? Why did they come to you?
- How will I know if someone needs your services? (something they say, do, look like?)
- When can we meet for a one-to-one meeting?
- How would I know if someone I am speaking to is an ideal customer for you?
Once again, these are all open-ended questions, which will compel the other person to give an answer beyond a 'yes' or 'no'.
Having a mastery in open ended questions is the first key to succeed in business networking. There are many books on this subject. I will list down some good titles in the next article.
In the meantime, be a natural in these lines for your networking success.
The point is this: the answers from the other person will prompt you to think of a referral for her business. And that's the essence of business networking: to powerfully connect the other person.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Chase the deal!
Does the line: 'I will follow-up on all referrals I receive' ring any bells?
It is a line in the BNI Member Code-of-Ethics which all members have taken an oath when admitted in your respective Chapters.
This reminded me, of a program I was instructing a few months ago.
When I was explaining the importance of following up on referrals received, there was a member who raised his hand to stand to share his experience. He said that he referred his friends to his Chapter member for some services. He asserted that his friends were in fact, ready to make purchases, which meant that his referrals were qualified and were highly convertible into a sale.
To his dismay, the members (3 members!!) did not follow-up on his referrals, and he was so disappointed. In fact, he admitted that he will never refer them again, as he was so embarrassed!
So, here’s a lesson for all:
Firstly, if you are receiving a referral, no matter how big or small, please follow up and establish contact with the person referred. Make commitments to take the next step and keep the commitment. Nothing is worse that a commitment not honoured, as it displays a severely compromised integrity.
Secondly: when you are giving a referral, do also from time to time make the effort to follow-through with your member, if they need further assistance.
Hope this helps?
So, let's chase the deal
It is a line in the BNI Member Code-of-Ethics which all members have taken an oath when admitted in your respective Chapters.
This reminded me, of a program I was instructing a few months ago.
When I was explaining the importance of following up on referrals received, there was a member who raised his hand to stand to share his experience. He said that he referred his friends to his Chapter member for some services. He asserted that his friends were in fact, ready to make purchases, which meant that his referrals were qualified and were highly convertible into a sale.
To his dismay, the members (3 members!!) did not follow-up on his referrals, and he was so disappointed. In fact, he admitted that he will never refer them again, as he was so embarrassed!
So, here’s a lesson for all:
Firstly, if you are receiving a referral, no matter how big or small, please follow up and establish contact with the person referred. Make commitments to take the next step and keep the commitment. Nothing is worse that a commitment not honoured, as it displays a severely compromised integrity.
Secondly: when you are giving a referral, do also from time to time make the effort to follow-through with your member, if they need further assistance.
Hope this helps?
So, let's chase the deal
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Mr. Korea, you've got it!
Yesterday morning, I conducted a workshop to a group of networkers on 'Presentation for Referral Generation' where I taught the specific techniques involved in asking for a referral they need to further grow their businesses.
I shared with all present, the importance to prepare the following:
I shared with all present, the importance to prepare the following:
- A list of all their business basic operation elements, known as Lowest Common Denominators (L.C.Ds) alongside with support materials such as brochures, pictures, samples, testimonial letters, certificates, etc.
- A list of last 10 customers, and a summary of what they bought from you, and why did they choose you as their supplier?
- A list of target clients in the intermediate future.
Then I showed to all, how all these information can be used to construct a referral generation presentation, where in 60-seconds, you can present with mastery and with conviction, to compel your colleagues to refer their best contacts to you.
A certain Korean chap, who has been following my program for more than 5-years now have started mastering the fundamentals I have been teaching.
So, after all the preparation, he asked in his presentation, if anyone can refer him to a certain transportation company where he can possibly supply fuel-additives (http://www.gp.com.my/ )so that the company's fleet of buses can optimize diesel usage while minimising black smoke from the exhaust.
And guess what, in the room, was seated another person who is the sibling to the director in that company.
Hey, you never know these kinda things but then it pays to ask and be specific as well. And our Korean chap knows better. He's been willing to learn, willing to ask.
Mr. Korea, you've got it. Spending a Saturday morning with 'the' networking expert in Malaysia has its benefit!
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