Yesterday, I was having a conversation with a person who has been missing from his membership commitments in his networking group.
Typical responses came from him: 'I cannot wake up early in the morning'.
So, I asked him a few questions:
'What time do you need to report for work daily'?
To which he replied, '9am'.
Then I pursued to ask: 'So, what time do you actually get work, like about 15-minutes ahead'?
He agreed. To which I still continued to ask: 'So what time do you need to leave your home to get to your office to arrive to your desk by say, 8.45am'?
He replied, albeit gingerly, 'Just before 8am'.
Then I confirmed with him: 'So I suppose you will get out of bed by say, 7.15am to get ready'?
You will get the drift of the conversation by now.
Then I explained to him that attending a networking meeting is like going to work. So, I said to him, 'Once a week, your work starts at 6.45am, so this means you leave your home by 6.15am, and if it takes you 45-minutes to get ready, then I suppose you need to be up by 5.30am'.
'Why not you just tell yourself, I am going to work. Then your body and mind will not argue with you, and you will never be late or absent again'.
He giggled, to which I then hammered in the point that we have at least 3 other members in his networking group who are well beyond 55 years in age, and here is a 25-year old bloke who cannot make it? I said to him, 'Hey, be a man, and don't let us down, mate'!
Well, let's see if he turns up later today.
I will keep you posted on Twitter.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
Who would you like to meet this week?
In a networking environment, you have access to your colleagues in your networking groups or Chapters or teams to work with.
So, why not leverage on them?
Who would you like to meet this week to further grow your business?
What do you plan to propose to them?
And then, when you are with your networking group, have a conversation with them on this goal of yours.
Use on-line tools as well, such as Facebook, Twitter or your favourite on-line networking site to broadcast this. Of course, your favorite networking site is the one where almost all of your contacts are!
It's of no use if you use on-line site X when all your contacts prefer to use on-line site Y.
Good luck and let's have a great week ahead!
So, why not leverage on them?
Who would you like to meet this week to further grow your business?
What do you plan to propose to them?
And then, when you are with your networking group, have a conversation with them on this goal of yours.
Use on-line tools as well, such as Facebook, Twitter or your favourite on-line networking site to broadcast this. Of course, your favorite networking site is the one where almost all of your contacts are!
It's of no use if you use on-line site X when all your contacts prefer to use on-line site Y.
Good luck and let's have a great week ahead!
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Exchanging business cards at networking events
I thought, today, we could spend a moment to learn some finer distinctions in the subject of exchanging business cards at networking events.
First and foremost, in networking, it is always about the other person. And to be clear, let's cut out a tangible ratio: 99% about the other person and 1% about ourselves. This is from a book on networking I read years ago written by Bob Burg, Endless Referrals.
I have seen too many people who are members in a networking group too eager to pass out their own business cards.
Here's what I would say:
Taking into account that it's always about the other person, it is better that we focus on the other person, who is likely a guest at a networking event.
Greet the person, and get to know him.
When it comes to the bit of exchanging cards, always say invitingly, 'Could I have your business/name card please?'
And when they present it to you, thank them while now engaging in questions about their business, and totally focusing the conversation about them and their business. The ratio has been disclosed. Ask questions, gently, about their business and customers.
When is appropriate to pass our own cards?
You will always have a chance, don't worry.
One of the ways is to ask: 'Thank you for your name card! Could I give you one of mine?'
Ask for consent. Rather than just assuming that this person wants your card and you just shoving it to him.
Then when he gives you consent to receive your card, it is a leveraged moment, because he has asked for it and will now treasure receiving it.
And if this guest is a seasoned networker himself, he would now apply the 99/1% ratio himself and get to know you better.
In any case, it is person who is asking the questions who is the real networker. Ask questions, and listen to their answers and think of how you can possibly link them up as a contact.
Hope this helps.
First and foremost, in networking, it is always about the other person. And to be clear, let's cut out a tangible ratio: 99% about the other person and 1% about ourselves. This is from a book on networking I read years ago written by Bob Burg, Endless Referrals.
I have seen too many people who are members in a networking group too eager to pass out their own business cards.
Here's what I would say:
Taking into account that it's always about the other person, it is better that we focus on the other person, who is likely a guest at a networking event.
Greet the person, and get to know him.
When it comes to the bit of exchanging cards, always say invitingly, 'Could I have your business/name card please?'
And when they present it to you, thank them while now engaging in questions about their business, and totally focusing the conversation about them and their business. The ratio has been disclosed. Ask questions, gently, about their business and customers.
When is appropriate to pass our own cards?
You will always have a chance, don't worry.
One of the ways is to ask: 'Thank you for your name card! Could I give you one of mine?'
Ask for consent. Rather than just assuming that this person wants your card and you just shoving it to him.
Then when he gives you consent to receive your card, it is a leveraged moment, because he has asked for it and will now treasure receiving it.
And if this guest is a seasoned networker himself, he would now apply the 99/1% ratio himself and get to know you better.
In any case, it is person who is asking the questions who is the real networker. Ask questions, and listen to their answers and think of how you can possibly link them up as a contact.
Hope this helps.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
How to host a guest at a networking event
This morning I had the opportunity to share with some of my team members, as to how to host a guest who is visiting a networking event.
First of all, the guest must be treated well and with welcoming smiles from all the members who are the hosts.
Now to bring this to the next level, once the guest has signed in, registered, paid all meeting dues for drinks and meals, etc., it is now essential to engage this guest effectively.
You mean this is a calculated affair?
Answer is a Yes! It is played with precision.
A Guest Host (also known as a Visitor Host) must first and foremost, introduce himself to the guest, and take the opportunity to exchange business cards. Even have a small conversation about the guest's business.
Now, the Host must take a moment to brief the guest on the meeting proceedings and how the guest can maximize results from the event. Explain when it is appropriate to pass cards, and inform that he will be invited to introduce himself to the rest of members during the formal part of the meeting.
Further, explain briefly that when members pass referrals, this is when they should observe and envision what type of referrals they can expect to receive if they were a member of the group.
Even go as far as saying: 'If you like what you see today, and would like to participate, we will show you how you can lock out your competitors from this group!'
If appropriate, even add elements such as: 'We are looking for an optometrist to pass our referrals to in this group. Let's see if this person can be you.'
Now the guest is prepared for the meeting proceedings.
This is when the Host must now deliberately bring this guest to the group Chairperson, or the President for a formal introduction.
The conversation with the Chairperson may take a few minutes. Yes, time well invested. All others in the group must avoid, interrupting this meeting, unless invited by the President.
Once complete, the Host must next bring this guest to another officer in the Chapter, preferably the officer in charge of Membership Affairs.
This conversation will also last a few minutes.
Then, introduce this guest to a potential contact sphere member: whose business is not competing with the guest, however, sharing the same customer base.
Example, this morning, we received a guest who is in the skin-care products business. Therefore, this guest must at this point be introduced to say, the Life-insurance rep in the group, as they share the same customer base.
You will get the idea by now.
You see, a guest, pretty much like this skin-care products supplier, have never thought of tying up her services with anyone else, in a synergy fashion like how it is described here.
Finally, if time permits prior to the next part of the meeting, introduce this guest to a member in the group who is a performer, such as the person who consistently brings in plenty of referrals or invites guests to the meeting, so that they can have a conversation.
Therefore, the guest now is totally engaged in the meeting, and would be very attentive throughout, and even be anticipating to join the group to receive referrals.
More importantly, these are perception points of a group with a guest. After the meeting has adjourned and the guest have left, these five perception points can give their views on the guest, and the potential resources and energy they can represent into the group once admitted into the group. Not to mention, having close rapport with the guest, so that eventually, they can collectively mentor this new member into the group.
Hope this helps and I welcome you to share your experiences by providing your feedback via the comments facility below.
First of all, the guest must be treated well and with welcoming smiles from all the members who are the hosts.
Now to bring this to the next level, once the guest has signed in, registered, paid all meeting dues for drinks and meals, etc., it is now essential to engage this guest effectively.
You mean this is a calculated affair?
Answer is a Yes! It is played with precision.
A Guest Host (also known as a Visitor Host) must first and foremost, introduce himself to the guest, and take the opportunity to exchange business cards. Even have a small conversation about the guest's business.
Now, the Host must take a moment to brief the guest on the meeting proceedings and how the guest can maximize results from the event. Explain when it is appropriate to pass cards, and inform that he will be invited to introduce himself to the rest of members during the formal part of the meeting.
Further, explain briefly that when members pass referrals, this is when they should observe and envision what type of referrals they can expect to receive if they were a member of the group.
Even go as far as saying: 'If you like what you see today, and would like to participate, we will show you how you can lock out your competitors from this group!'
If appropriate, even add elements such as: 'We are looking for an optometrist to pass our referrals to in this group. Let's see if this person can be you.'
Now the guest is prepared for the meeting proceedings.
This is when the Host must now deliberately bring this guest to the group Chairperson, or the President for a formal introduction.
The conversation with the Chairperson may take a few minutes. Yes, time well invested. All others in the group must avoid, interrupting this meeting, unless invited by the President.
Once complete, the Host must next bring this guest to another officer in the Chapter, preferably the officer in charge of Membership Affairs.
This conversation will also last a few minutes.
Then, introduce this guest to a potential contact sphere member: whose business is not competing with the guest, however, sharing the same customer base.
Example, this morning, we received a guest who is in the skin-care products business. Therefore, this guest must at this point be introduced to say, the Life-insurance rep in the group, as they share the same customer base.
You will get the idea by now.
You see, a guest, pretty much like this skin-care products supplier, have never thought of tying up her services with anyone else, in a synergy fashion like how it is described here.
Finally, if time permits prior to the next part of the meeting, introduce this guest to a member in the group who is a performer, such as the person who consistently brings in plenty of referrals or invites guests to the meeting, so that they can have a conversation.
Therefore, the guest now is totally engaged in the meeting, and would be very attentive throughout, and even be anticipating to join the group to receive referrals.
More importantly, these are perception points of a group with a guest. After the meeting has adjourned and the guest have left, these five perception points can give their views on the guest, and the potential resources and energy they can represent into the group once admitted into the group. Not to mention, having close rapport with the guest, so that eventually, they can collectively mentor this new member into the group.
Hope this helps and I welcome you to share your experiences by providing your feedback via the comments facility below.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Be careful of subtle messages and signals
Today, I would like to discuss how in a networking environment, the smallest things can mean the biggest difference.
Every networking businessperson needs to be careful in the subtle messages and signals given out when interacting with our colleagues in networking environment.
Some considerations:
1. When giving a presentation, avoid saying 'I have just stayed up the night in preparing this presentation'.
Sure, you will get giggles from your colleagues but the real message is: I am a last minute person. I do everything last minute.
Do you think you can receive referrals from your colleagues after having communicating this? If it were me, I wouldn't trust you with any referrals as I fear that you will be ill-prepared to meet my contacts.
2. In preparation of your speaker profile (when you are invited as a key-note speaker), please prepare it powerfully.
Recently I attended a networking meeting where the key-note speaker was not aware of the subtle messages communicated.
She wrote in the profile, under the line of hobbies: Nothing. Just watching TV.
Worst still, under the line of describing your burning desire, she merely wrote: eating and sleeping.
It scared the heck out of me!
Is your glass half full or half empty?
Write powerfully, say for example, if you indeed like to do nothing, write it powerfully like: 'In her spare time, Alice loves to relax quietly at home, or catching up with her favourite TV programs to take her mind off from the hectic day.
Or write: Alice loves to try out new foods in new restaurants and would one day, become a successful food critic.
You see, we need to be careful of the subtle messages sent out.
Are you now going to take a moment to revisit your profile and ensure that it's filled out powerfully?
Remember, it is the smallest things that makes the biggest difference.
Every networking businessperson needs to be careful in the subtle messages and signals given out when interacting with our colleagues in networking environment.
Some considerations:
1. When giving a presentation, avoid saying 'I have just stayed up the night in preparing this presentation'.
Sure, you will get giggles from your colleagues but the real message is: I am a last minute person. I do everything last minute.
Do you think you can receive referrals from your colleagues after having communicating this? If it were me, I wouldn't trust you with any referrals as I fear that you will be ill-prepared to meet my contacts.
2. In preparation of your speaker profile (when you are invited as a key-note speaker), please prepare it powerfully.
Recently I attended a networking meeting where the key-note speaker was not aware of the subtle messages communicated.
She wrote in the profile, under the line of hobbies: Nothing. Just watching TV.
Worst still, under the line of describing your burning desire, she merely wrote: eating and sleeping.
It scared the heck out of me!
Is your glass half full or half empty?
Write powerfully, say for example, if you indeed like to do nothing, write it powerfully like: 'In her spare time, Alice loves to relax quietly at home, or catching up with her favourite TV programs to take her mind off from the hectic day.
Or write: Alice loves to try out new foods in new restaurants and would one day, become a successful food critic.
You see, we need to be careful of the subtle messages sent out.
Are you now going to take a moment to revisit your profile and ensure that it's filled out powerfully?
Remember, it is the smallest things that makes the biggest difference.
Monday, October 5, 2009
The Golden Goose and the Golden Egg
Today, I am referring to the perennial story of the Golden Goose and the Golden Egg, and will tie it into how to treat contacts, connections and referrals in a networking environment.
I was sitting in a Team meeting last Thursday where a member there described in reasonable frustration at how he felt he was treated by his partner in a referral generation team that he belonged to. He had engaged his partner to conduct some odd-jobs in his own home. And was then relating the experience.
According to him, there was no extra value given by the partner in the context of the relationship they had in a networking group.
I will describe this as follows:
Customers are very important. They are the ones who pay us for services/goods that we supply. In other words, no customers is as good as no money coming in.
Therefore in the networking context, I label a customer as a Golden Egg.
In that regard, going a notch up, a person who brings in a customer via referrals and word-of-mouth is even more important! He is your Golden Goose!
So, how would you treat your Golden Goose, who brings in the eggs for you each morning?
If this Golden Goose itself was buying your services, how would you treat the transaction?
I am not talking about giving discounts or throwing in freebies such as dinners and gifts (though that would be nice) but what I mean is that, what extra value will you offer?
For example, will a call from a Golden Goose be more important? Will you give the matter a higher priority? Will you go the extra mile to ensure that while you were serving the Golden Goose, you resolved as many problems she is having from your own initiatives?
Simple things like: if a Golden Goose was buying a new software from you, then when your team is installing the software, would you offer a complimentary system maintenance and tune-up?
Would you ensure that all peripherals are in optimum working order?
If say you are an electrician company servicing air-conditioning, would you, offer freebies such as changing all other fused light bulbs, or offering to conduct minor repairs?
It is along these lines, that we encourage our Golden Goose to lay more Golden Eggs for us.
So, is it time to access your service levels to your customers (golden eggs) and customer sources (golden goose)?
I was sitting in a Team meeting last Thursday where a member there described in reasonable frustration at how he felt he was treated by his partner in a referral generation team that he belonged to. He had engaged his partner to conduct some odd-jobs in his own home. And was then relating the experience.
According to him, there was no extra value given by the partner in the context of the relationship they had in a networking group.
I will describe this as follows:
Customers are very important. They are the ones who pay us for services/goods that we supply. In other words, no customers is as good as no money coming in.
Therefore in the networking context, I label a customer as a Golden Egg.
In that regard, going a notch up, a person who brings in a customer via referrals and word-of-mouth is even more important! He is your Golden Goose!
So, how would you treat your Golden Goose, who brings in the eggs for you each morning?
If this Golden Goose itself was buying your services, how would you treat the transaction?
I am not talking about giving discounts or throwing in freebies such as dinners and gifts (though that would be nice) but what I mean is that, what extra value will you offer?
For example, will a call from a Golden Goose be more important? Will you give the matter a higher priority? Will you go the extra mile to ensure that while you were serving the Golden Goose, you resolved as many problems she is having from your own initiatives?
Simple things like: if a Golden Goose was buying a new software from you, then when your team is installing the software, would you offer a complimentary system maintenance and tune-up?
Would you ensure that all peripherals are in optimum working order?
If say you are an electrician company servicing air-conditioning, would you, offer freebies such as changing all other fused light bulbs, or offering to conduct minor repairs?
It is along these lines, that we encourage our Golden Goose to lay more Golden Eggs for us.
So, is it time to access your service levels to your customers (golden eggs) and customer sources (golden goose)?
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Can you become a networking expert, too?
The answer is a solid 'Yes!'
A networking expert is made, not born. Therefore you can become one yourself.
The key is to keep on connecting people, which is what networking is all about. And keep at it for years when people start to know you as 'the' person to ring up whenever they need anything.
Which reminds me of an interesting development these few days: I received a phone call on Friday, September 18 from a person whom I must have rang 6-years ago. He rang me and introduced himself and tried to refresh my memory as to where we last met and under what circumstances.
I started to jog my mind and it started to come back to me.
Then he explained that he has just started a business supplying flowers and wanted more business, and asked if I could help him out with some connections, saying that 'oh, Riyaz, you are always the person to call if we need anything.'
I of course, invited him to a BNI Chapter meeting on Tuesday, September 29, and he came along with his brother who is his partner in his business, and his investor, who is an established gentlemen.
At the end, it was his investor, who was keen to register himself in the BNI Chapter as a member to market his products in landscape architectural services, supplying materials to construct games court such a badminton, squash, tennis courts.
I did explain that results will be felt not immediately however within a space of time. Though this is long space of time (6-years!) but am I complaining?
So, there you have it. Become a connector of people, and in the spirit of Givers Gain, it will all add up and come back to you many folds over.
A networking expert is made, not born. Therefore you can become one yourself.
The key is to keep on connecting people, which is what networking is all about. And keep at it for years when people start to know you as 'the' person to ring up whenever they need anything.
Which reminds me of an interesting development these few days: I received a phone call on Friday, September 18 from a person whom I must have rang 6-years ago. He rang me and introduced himself and tried to refresh my memory as to where we last met and under what circumstances.
I started to jog my mind and it started to come back to me.
Then he explained that he has just started a business supplying flowers and wanted more business, and asked if I could help him out with some connections, saying that 'oh, Riyaz, you are always the person to call if we need anything.'
I of course, invited him to a BNI Chapter meeting on Tuesday, September 29, and he came along with his brother who is his partner in his business, and his investor, who is an established gentlemen.
At the end, it was his investor, who was keen to register himself in the BNI Chapter as a member to market his products in landscape architectural services, supplying materials to construct games court such a badminton, squash, tennis courts.
I did explain that results will be felt not immediately however within a space of time. Though this is long space of time (6-years!) but am I complaining?
So, there you have it. Become a connector of people, and in the spirit of Givers Gain, it will all add up and come back to you many folds over.
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