Frank Agin, founder and president of AmSpirit Business Connections and host of Networking Rx, interviews Marcie Littlejohn who is a professional speaker, author of Why Buy The Cow and a partner in United Credit Education Services.
Networking Rx: Jill Valdez – Engaging The Disengaged (EPS 098)
Frank Agin, founder and president of AmSpirit Business Connections and host of Networking Rx, interviews Jill Valdez, founder of LINK, who uses her years of experience in non-profits to help small and medium-sized business improve engagement and performance amongst their team. To contact her, text LINK to 31996.
Networking Rx: Matt Ward, Word Of Mouth Referral Expert (EPS 097)
Frank Agin, founder and president of AmSpirit Business Connections and host of Networking Rx, interviews Matt Ward, speaker, networking expert and author of MORE … Word of Mouth Referrals, Lifelong Customers & Raving Fans. Learn more at http://www.breakthrough-champion.com/
At networking events, appropriately position yourself. In fishing, you go to where the fish are or will be. In networking, the same logic holds. Stand where you will most likely be amongst people. Near the entrance. At the buffet or bar. Close to other high traffic areas.
If you stand outside the main stream of human flow (or worse, sit off to the side), you virtually eliminate your opportunity for having anything come from the networking event – immediately or ever.
Assuming you have positioned yourself appropriately you will encounter people. Like a parade, from your position people will go meandering by.
Frank Agin, founder and president of AmSpirit Business Connections and host of Networking Rx, offers insights as to how you can (and should) find gratitude with everything.
Networking Rx: Mark Bowser – Guest Interview (EPS 095)
Frank Agin, founder and president of AmSpirit Business Connections and host of Networking Rx, interviews Mark Bowser, an author, trainer and speaker who built his career on one simple mantra: Return Favors Before Favors Are Due. Learn more at https://markbowser.com/
Frank Agin, founder and president of AmSpirit Business Connections and host of Networking Rx, interviews Felicia Slattery who is an author, communication expert and award-winning professional speaker. https://feliciaslattery.com/
Overcoming Aversion to Attending Networking Events
According to research, among people’s greatest fears are:
• Death By Fire;
• Public Speaking; &
• Vacationing With In-Laws
Not far behind is finding oneself in a room of total strangers. Even if you don’t fear that situation, you might NOT be totally comfortable with it. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
One surefire method to overcome the anxiety of being at events is to Have The Right Frame of Mind. While this may sound obvious, there are plenty of people who trip themselves up at networking events before they actually show up.
Remember that networking works, although not always exactly as you had hoped. Before you embark on the networking event, you need to truly believe that the process works and that your mere presence has set that process in motion.
While your mere presence is important, you will totally undermine your efforts if you bring with you anything but a positive disposition. Now, not every day, month or year, for that matter, can be a good one, but there is something good about each. Reflect on the positive aspects of your personal and professional life. Do what you can to be of uplifting spirits. Remember, while support groups can be a networking opportunity, most networking events are not designed to be support groups. Leave your worries at the door, to the extent possible.
Finally, embark on any networking event with a sincere expectation of the outcome. It may not be all that you hoped for, since there is no guarantee that you will get a new client out of it. But know this – something will come from you being there. You might meet someone that can refer you or put you one step closer to a new client. You might reconnect with a former client or center of influence or gain a piece of information that holds untold value. There is a plethora of potential benefit that can come from any networking event. You will never get it all, but you will always likely get something.
Networking Rx: The Cloak Of Invincibility (EPS 092)
Frank Agin, founder and president of AmSpirit Business Connections and host of Networking Rx, offers up a mindset you can use to become confident in almost any setting.
