I have spoken to so many of you who have been to my Art of Networking™ sessions who have had great success in today's marketplace. Each week I will share a conversation with you. Today I am sharing thought starters on goal setting.
Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will. George Bernard Shaw
After talking with hundreds of business professionals from all walks of life - I asked - do you know where you will be in 5 years? The answers I received are alarming. Many have a vague answers. Some are slightly more specific but mostly vague. This is nothing new many of us hear this but take no action - now is the time to TAKE ACTION.
Have you ever planned to meet a client at their office for the first time, and not get an address or directions? Did you ever take a vacation road trip without knowing where you were headed and without consulting with a road map to plan it? I ask - how will you get to where you want to be in 5 years if you do not set a road map for your future.
If you are in business for yourself or work for someone else each of us has the responsibility of planning your roadmap to success. What is success you ask. Success is measured in many forms by each of us. For some it is completing a degree, landing the "perfect" job, planning retirement, paying off a mortgage, buying the first house and for some it is simply not owing a penny to anyone. Success is measured many different ways by each individual need. What is your goal to success?
Today take 15 minutes out of your schedule and go with a pen and paper in hand to a quiet place. Ask yourself silently where do you want to be in 5 years? Shut your eyes and visualize a picture of your life at that point. Visualize details - sites, smell, environment, accounts, job or your life. Create a mental picture of details.
Is it financial freedom? A job? A big account? A new house? A new car? What do you see in your mind's eye. Once you have discovered where you want to be in 5 years start writing. Write in detail of how it feels to be there. What you have accomplished in those five years. Take a moment to feel, see and sense the accomplishment of your imagination and goals. WRITE IT DOWN!
In great detail write it all down as if you have accomplished your goals. Write each and every detail as if you are there.
Over the next few weeks we will be breaking down goal setting and mapping your success. Success is having a very clear and concise picture in your mind of what you will have accomplished. Once you have that picture and you are very clear we will begin to map out how you will get there.
By doing this exercise you become very factual where you will be. You will talk, walk and think differently. With purpose you accomplish each and every task because you know the purpose is to get you to your next step. Think of this exercise as if you and your family are going to Disney World. You talk about it. You plan where the monies will come from. You set a date and you begin to map your trip. Your career, a new account, your plans for the next five years is no different. It is the way you think about it that make the huge difference. Each step is with purpose and cause.
Most people never accomplish their goals because they do not map them. You will begin to map them weekly. The time commitment is minimal - but the pay of is large.
Why do some networking groups flourish and others fail? It is because of goal setting, planning, setting expectations and creating a common focus. If that is missing your group will flounder and become without purpose. It becomes a social hour. It is very important that goals and focus are set.
If you are in a group and want to begin setting goals please take a moment and review tools to assist your group. Group Exercises
Next week - we will begin the building blocks of getting to your goal.
I have spoken to so many of you who have been to my Art of Networking™ sessions who have had great success in today's marketplace. Each week I will share a conversation with you.
There are several levels of trust and credibility. There are several ways of building credibility with potential clients and peers.
One is time driven. If you work at a constant place, doing similar tasks day after day one builds credibility of just being. Your peers learn that you will be there and perform your assigned tasks. Credibility build on consistency and proven tasks completed along with competency. Building the relationship of time and consistency. Example would be you always purchase certain items from an individual or company because of the time proven relationship.
Time driven relationships may also be built on meetings of commonality and built though scheduled monthly meetings of exchange.
Time driven credibility may be also built in networking groups where you meet weekly or bi-weekly and learn about each others business and how one does business with others.
Credibility is also created through perception. In this world of instant news, instant gratification, instant information this is accomplished and much easier than it has been in past years. One can create credibility through creating a "buzz" about what you do, your business or a product. How does one accomplish this you ask. It starts with your passion about your business or product. Others will not belive, follow or tell others if you do not believe and are not passionate about your product or business. You passion will create a buzz factor among your peers creating a need to meet with you and find out what it is all about. Think of a product you really didn't need but the buzz that was created about it you went out and purchased one because you believed you needed one.
Many years ago I worked for a company that gave small gifts to everyone at a meeting. It took a bit for me to understand why one would do this. In a meeting one day with one of the executive team I asked why do you insist everyone get a "widget" at each and every meeting. He replied. When you put a room of acquaintances or parties of mutual focus and you give them a small gift it creates a unspoken trust and expectation. When you give someone something they feel they need to reciprocate in like. Since the company started giving gifts at the beginning of each meeting participants clammer for the "Free Gift" and sales have increased 30 percent! It is still true today.
When you meet a potential client, referral or strategic business partner you begin to build credibility. If you make a connection you typically refer them to someone or give them a name and phone number of someone they need to contact that would benefit their business. In essence a free gift. They usually reciprocate with a referral to a potential client or someone that will help you get into the a place you have been attempting to secure business. Be cognoscente of the gifts you make into the relationship before you start asking for referrals for and from those you already have relationships with.
Credibility can also be built on experience and connections you have. You can walk into a room of strangers and make several connections through conversation. It is through those conversations that connections are made. You may know someone in common, worked in the same place or have the same customer. Once you have established a connection you then build your creditability. The connection is made you then decide where do you go from there. Is this relationship going to benefit each of you and how? You may choose to continue with a outside meeting and explore.
The more you give the more you receive.
In closing, credibility comes in many shapes and forms. I do believe in order to get referrals we need to ask. The key, however, is to know how to ask and when it is appropriate to ask. When is the right time, you ask? The right time to ask for a referral is when both individuals are in the credibility phase of the referral relationship. Keep in mind business networking should not be a process that alienates your existing relationships.
I have spoken to so many of you who have been to my Art of Networking™ sessions who have had great success in today's marketplace. Each week I will share a conversation with you.
Before I begin this week's lesson in business networking a follow up with Pam. Pam was recently interviewed on Nightline. You may see her clip here - http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/ - select from the menu "Father of Invention". Definitely worth watching.
This weeks article is a bit different. Business networking is about building relationships with other business professionals whether you need a personal service or expanding your business it is all about building the connection that counts. With that being said there are relationships and connections that can be toxic to you and your business. I would like to address when do you cut a relationship and why?
I want to talk to you about Phil (not his real name - my connection did not want his real name used) Phil has been in a slump for nearly two years and could not understand why. The old saying -- if you always do what you always done then the results will be always the same.
After my two-hour conversation with Phil and the connections in his business world we discovered his peers that he allowed them to hold him back. How one might ask? Business networking needs to be a reciprocal exchange of mutual benefit. If there is not mutuality of exchange then the relationship of the business partner becomes a drain to your focus. Let me explain. We all fall into a slump or a motivational slump where we have someone or a multiple group of relationships that help us through a slump. If one does not recognize that you are being zapped by a relationship whether it is jealousy, greed or just someone who is extremely needy and takes but never gives this relationship can become toxic to your goals and career.
In Phil's case he had a bad experience and his colleague would not let him forget the experience. Instead of pushing him past the bad experience he continued to relive the bad experience and not creating the business relationships he needed to and/or business he needed to bring in. Thus, Phil lost his confidence in himself that perpetuated the series of more failures. The cycle may continue as Phil discussed these failures with his colleagues and instead of pushing him beyond and assisting him with seeing the changes he needed to make the continued to feed the failure. We all get caught in this trap from time to time. When and how do you clean house of toxic relationships in business? We all say to ourselves they are a friend, they will talk, I am related to, I could go on and on with the excuses we all make to hang onto a relationship that is sabotaging our own success.
Ask yourself a few questions when you are spending time with business relationship.
When you ask for feedback do they give you honest feedback or is it biased based on their gain?
When was the last time they helped you with a lead or referral or are you giving and they just take?
When was the last time they asked you for advice with a client and asked how you could work together and solve an issue for the client?
Has this contact only contacted you with a need and not to keep in touch to keep you informed of what they are doing?
After our conversation -- Phil has decided to set goals for himself again. Create a structured plan of work to attain his goals. Put the past in the past and move forward by making a list of strategic alliances and make contact with them and plan a structured way of working together. Phil has also planned to have less contact with his friend who brings him down and assists with setting up for failures.
Remember: Business networking is a reciprocal process based on the exchange of ideas, advice, contacts and referrals. It is a social activity that most of us do everyday as we exchange information with others. The networking process is a valuable resource, however, it is necessary to "systematize" this process.
Genie Network offers a simple and effective system that enhances the positive aspects of networking. By generating meetings with various professionals Genie Network broadens your networking base while maintaining a high quality of contacts. The end result is more quality contacts that ultimately lead to more business and a strong return on your investment that equates success.
Time spent with contacts equates to dollars you earn. Ask yourself what is the ROI (Return on Investment) of this meeting or contact?
The morale of Phil's story is -creating trust and belief in yourself and understanding the power of the Art of Networking to open the doors to success. Become aware of toxic relationships that can sabotage your success.
Each week I speak with hundreds of business professionals who are "Great Business Networkers". This week I had the great pleasure of talking with Pam who is a inventor and sales person. I met Pam several years ago we have kept in contact over the years and one day three years ago she said "I quit my job" I created a invention and I am going to work my own business. As a single mom, homeowner this is a big step. It is a big step for anyone however, being a sole provider for your family an even bigger step.
This week I would like to share a story about Pam. Many of you have heard me speak of her - she is an inventor and two years ago decided to produce and take her product to the marketplace. Yes, in the midst of this challenging marketplace Pam has had much success. Pam is an awesome networker.
When Pam first conceived the idea she used her network to find the information she needed to launch and secure her product. There were laws, patents to obtain, web site to build, ecommerce, manufacturing, brochures and marketing. As with any new start-up the overhead can be overwhelming through Pam’s networking she found Angel money and all the pieces she needed. Now selling thousands of her product a month she has met a connection that enabled her to expand internationally and into the medical field and more.
Through business networking Pam was able to get into shows, fairs and events where waiting lists are long to enter. With Pam’s business network experience she was able to get to the top of the list. She has won several awards. Pam has truly learned the Art of Networking and how to use it. At each and every show she makes new contacts. She has been able to get press, TV spots and more. Pam will be featured tonight on Nightline (just a small show) because she met a person in northern Minnesota that introduced her to a gentlemen in Florida who flew her to Chicago where she was interviewed for Nightline. She will be entering two new markets before the end of the year all because she understands the power of the Art of Networking.
The morale of Pam's story is - passion, belief in yourself and understanding the power of the Art of Networking to open the doors to success.
