Frank Agin, founder and president of AmSpirit Business Connections and host of Networking Rx, has a conservation with Bill O’Herron where they talk about the parallels between our personal and professional relationships. HINT: There are no differences.
http://networkingrx.libsyn.com/bill-oherron-eps-129
For more information on AmSpirit Business Connections and its franchise opportunity program, contact Frank Agin at frankagin@amspirit.com or visit http://www.amspirit.com/franchise.php.
Remember, small talk is the warm-up that leads to the work out. The workout is talking business. To make this happen, eventually you need to transition from small talk to real business.
When this moment comes, you will know. At some point in your exchange there will be a lull. Use this moment to get at a more meaty discussion on business (whatever that might be).
Be forewarned, however, this is not to suggest that you start to pitch them or set them up for a close. It merely suggests that once you have them comfortably engaged in conversation, you should ease into a more professional discussion of their business or your business.
For example, a nice segue might be, “Water skiing isn’t cheap! What do you do professionally to pay for it?”
Do not try to steer them. For example, a business coach, should not ask, “Do you use business coaches in your business?” A financial advisor, should not open with, “How is your 401K doing these days?” A promotional products person should not jump to “How do you use ad specialty items in your business?”
Do NOT push it. Keep the tone light and the sales probing to a minimum. If you do this right, you will have lots of opportunities to gather future business intelligence, pitch them, and close them. Remember, people do business with those they Know, Like & Trust.
Return To Small Talk
After the professional conversation has run its course but before the conversation ends, touch back on something related to your small talk conversation.
For example: “Great talking with you. Assuming, you don’t get laid up in the hospital skiing between now and then, I would enjoy continuing our conversation over a cup of coffee sometime.”
Why is this important? By returning to “small talk”, you have demonstrated that you were listening and that you remembered. More subtly, however, you are reflecting back to a part of the conversation when they likely delighted in your interest in them.
Frank Agin, founder and president of AmSpirit Business Connections and host of Networking Rx, shares some thoughts on how to not allow your less-than-perfect self to rear its ugly head to your network.
http://networkingrx.libsyn.com/good-advice-for-bad-moods-eps-xxx
For more information on AmSpirit Business Connections and its franchise opportunity program, contact Frank Agin at frankagin@amspirit.com or visit http://www.amspirit.com/franchise.php.
Frank Agin, founder and president of AmSpirit Business Connections and host of Networking Rx, discusses with Internet Multi-millionaire Tom Antion (@TomAntion) the various shapes and sizes of networking. For great information and freebies, go to screwthecommute.com/networkingrx.
http://networkingrx.libsyn.com/tom-antione-internet-marketing-maven-eps-127
For more information on AmSpirit Business Connections and its franchise opportunity program, contact Frank Agin at frankagin@amspirit.com or visit http://www.amspirit.com/franchise.php.
Great Questions To Ignite “Small Talk”
Small talk kick-starts the networking process. Small talk, however, is about getting the other person talking. This begs the question: What are good questions to ask in this process?
While there is no magic, planning is paramount. Be like an attorney – prepare your questions before you ask them. In other words, have a small handful of questions ready to go. Each of these relates to the person’s life professionally or personally … Or something about their past.
From there, allow the conversation to take itself wherever. A few of these questions could include…
These will give you a start. From here you might want to formulate your own series of questions. Again, there is no magic. It is simply a matter of planning for how you will get and keep them talking.
Life is not an endless succession of forward progress. While you may enjoy success, at some point or another you will also encounter frustrating challenges and disappointing setbacks. It is during these moments of hardship that you have the greatest opportunity to establish your personal brand and build your network.
You see, when you stare down frustrating challenges and disappointing setbacks with an attitude of determination, you establish yourself as courageous. This draws others toward you.
There is little question that people love an underdog. And, they can’t help but rally around one who is battling to overcome some sort of setback or hardship. So, by demonstrating an attitude of courageous determination, others want to draw from this strength, and they hope to take inspiration from it. In any event, they cannot help but want to get to know you better and cannot help but want to get to like you more.
Like what you’ve read? Prefer to hear it as a podcast or daily flash briefing? Subscribe to the Networking Rx Minute podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts.
It is said that to conceal a single lie, it takes at least 15 other lies. And then to conceal each of those 15 lies, you’ll need a whopping 225 more lies just to conceal one single incident of deceit. And from there … well, you get the picture.
It takes far more time and energy to conceal a falsehood than it does to simply own up to and deal with the truth.
Be honest in all matters, even as it relates to your personal brand. You know in your heart of hearts when effective marketing or spin crosses the line into outright misrepresentation. So, you’re best to stay well on the right side and away from the gray area.
This is the reality: eventually an exaggeration “gone-too-far” will come back to haunt you. This moment could then quickly destroy any and all credibility you you’ve worked so hard to build.
So be honest. Don’t misrepresent yourself.
Like what you’ve read? Prefer to hear it as a podcast or daily flash briefing? Subscribe to the Networking Rx Minute podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts.
On the July 5th 2019 episode of the How To Be Mesmerizing podcast, host Tim Shurr reminded his audience that the path they’re on (even though it might be fraught with difficulty) is the path they’re supposed to be on.
As for dealing with life’s trials and tribulations, Shurr offered this advice:
When facing a challenging situation, whatever it might be, take a step back and do what you can to ignore the challenge itself. Instead, in that moment, ask yourself what outcome you really want.
In this same spirit, he encouraged his audience not to commiserate about where they are in life. Rather, he advocated that they think about and get a clear picture as to who they wanted to be.
Keep your eye on the positive. Zero in on a vision of hope and promise. Shurr’s point is simple. Where your focus goes, your energy follows.
Like what you’ve read? Prefer to hear it as a podcast or daily flash briefing? Subscribe to the Networking Rx Minute podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts.
Do you want more from your network? Of course, you do. You’re not alone. Everyone does.
Everyone wants more referrals. Everyone wants to be connected to more opportunities. Everyone seeks inroads to great, game-changing information. And everyone wants all the other benefits that a network can provide. So, like everyone else, you want more from your network.
What most people fails to realize, however, is that if you want to get more from your network you need to focus on giving more to it. Though this might seem completely counterintuitive, it’s true.
This is often referred to as the Golden Rule of Networking and is simply stated as “Give First; Get Second.” This law is universal and is rooted in human nature, spanning time and remaining consistent from one culture to another.
So, if you want more from your network, begin today infusing it with referrals, opportunities, contacts, energy and whatever else could help others. In time, this will come back to you in plenty.
Like what you’ve read? Prefer to hear it as a podcast or daily flash briefing? Subscribe to the Networking Rx Minute podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts.
It is great to be connected to people who want what you sell here and now. It can, however, be more lucrative long-term to build your network with contacts who can connect you to these clients on a consistent basis.
These are rainmaker contacts and they are vital to ongoing success. Who are they? These are entrepreneurs or professionals who don’t do what you do, but their clientele is virtually identical to yours. For example, a business banker would benefit from meeting a CPA type, as these accountant types can refer their clients.
With this understanding, do three things. One, identify who are the potential rainmaker contacts in your world. Next, find opportunities to interact with these entrepreneurs and professionals. Then, finally, from time to time ask your network to introduce you to them.
These are three important steps as rainmaker contacts represent a treasure trove of new business.
Like what you’ve read? Prefer to hear it as a podcast or daily flash briefing? Subscribe to the Networking Rx Minute podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts.