Berta Medina, adventure and accountability coach, shares how she built a thriving network and business simply by introducing people. Learn more at https://bertamedina.com/
For more great insight on professional relationships and business networking visit https://www.amspirit.com/blog/ or contact Frank Agin at frankagin@amspirit.com.
Bob Graham (@bgwriter) shares about his new book Breakthrough Communication Skills and how simple tweaks can have big impact on your relationships. Learn more at www.breakthroughsolutions.co.
For more great insight on professional relationships and business networking visit https://www.amspirit.com/blog/ or contact Frank Agin at frankagin@amspirit.com
Frank Agin shares thoughts on parasocial relationships (a term coined in 1956), and makes the point that while PSRs are a real thing, these are just not real relationships.
For more great insight on professional relationships and business networking visit https://www.amspirit.com/blog/ or contact Frank Agin at frankagin@amspirit.com.
Social media … like LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter … has created a whole new experience for networking. Now, if you’re looking to find success networking on social media, there is no magic. There are no secret formulas or short cuts. The key is to follow these three important steps.
One – get your account set up or, if you’re already set up, expand your usage to be more effective. Two – schedule time to take a little action each day. And three – commit to keeping after it.
Yep, it’s that simple. Sure, there is a lot there and much to master and learn. Nothing, however, says you need to climb the learning curve in one day, one month or even one year. Even the most proficient users of social media find that they are continually learning new things.
Besides, no one is judging you on your proficiency using social media. They are only judging you on the value you bring. So, get started.
Some people are master networkers. They seem to effortlessly establish, develop and maintain a framework of individuals comprised of family, friends, co-workers, business colleagues and even competitors.
How do they do this? The reality is that master networkers are not necessarily harder working than others. They are not necessarily any more educated. And it has nothing to do with their social status, appearance or luck. The difference is the manner and approach in which master networkers interact with their networks.
Masters know that they need to be more than simply acquainted with their network. Masters look for a deeper relationship with those they associate with. In summary, master networkers strive to develop a mutual sense of knowing, liking and trusting amongst their contacts.
Masters are aware – at least on some level of consciousness – that the notion of ‘know, like and trust’ is the key to forging a powerful and productive relationship. And that is a simple lesson you can take from the master networker.
On the NetworkWise blog, social architect Adam Connors shares that the formula for building trust in any professional network is as simple as providing value over an extended period of time. In short, time plus value equals trust.
To offer value, Connors states that “You could comment on and share recent blog post. Or give advice on a project they’re working on.” But Connors then goes on to acknowledge that there are so many other ways you can bring value, like being a good listener, being a mentor, or just being there for them in general.
As for time, Connors encourages you to make time to spend with your network, whether over a meal, just talking on the phone, or maybe volunteering together, as contact alone serves to build trust.
But more importantly, Connors chides you to ensure that you follow through on your commitments or promises. Consistently doing this demonstrates that you’re reliable, which is just another word for trustworthy.
If you’re in business, you want referrals. After all, this is the best place to be: where others are directing clients to you. Just because you want this, however, doesn’t mean that you get it. To create this referral machine, you must build it.
To do so, the onus is on you to establish relationships. After all people do business with and refer business to those that they know, like and trust.
As you build those relationships, you must also empower your network to not just understand what you do. In addition, you need to help these people to be able to both recognize opportunities for you as well as talk about you to others.
Finally, to maintain this referral machine, you must remain in continual contact with your network to cultivate these relationships. This is the grease that ensures the referrals flow.
Yes, this all takes work, but the rewards far outpace the effort.
No doubt, you want more. More money. A nicer car. Improved opportunities. Greater understanding and insight. Additional wonderful contacts upon which to build your business and career. You want more.
And that’s okay. You’re no different from everyone else on the planet. Wanting more is a fundamental principle of the human condition. Everyone wants more. The only people who consistently get it, however, are those with the courage to go after it.
Courage! The courage to confidently walk into a new networking event for the first time. Courage! The courage to engage a complete stranger in conversation. Courage! The courage to quietly listen, even though you have much to say. Courage! The courage to, in time, ask for what you need in terms of contacts, information and opportunities.
If you want more, it takes courage. You’d be completely amazed as to what awaits you on the other side of 90 seconds of courage.
Frank Agin, founder and president of AmSpirit Business Connections and host of Networking Rx, offers a handful of ideas and insights to help you improve on already great business commercials. This is third in a three-part series on your business pitch.
For more great insight on professional relationships and business networking visit https://www.amspirit.com/blog/ or contact Frank Agin at frankagin@amspirit.com
Frank Agin, founder and president of AmSpirit Business Connections and host of Networking Rx, shares opportunities to help you improve on the 30-Second Commercial you’ve crafted. This is second in a three-part series on your business pitch.
For more great insight on professional relationships and business networking visit https://www.amspirit.com/blog/ or contact Frank Agin at frankagin@amspirit.com