Gary Wilbers, author, trainer, and speaker shares how he used relationships to build a positive culture in his company and his client companies. Learn more about his work at www.garywilbers.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.
Small talk kick-starts the networking process. Small talk, however, is about getting the other person talking. This begs the question: What are great questions to ignite small talk?
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 which relates to the person’s life, either professionally or personally.
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. Note that these questions cannot be answered with a simple YES or NO. To generate conversation, questions must be open-ended.
And again, there is no magic. It is simply a matter of planning for how you will get and keep them talking.
Joel Goldberg – Relationships in Professional Sports (EPS 268) Frank Agin has a conversation with Joel Goldberg, a long-time broadcaster with the Kansas City Royals, shares about the role relationships play in working with MLB players, coaches and managers.
For more great insight on professional relationships and business networking visit https://www.amspirit.com/blog/ or contact Frank Agin at frankagin@amspirit.com.
Electronic payments professional Rusty Allens shares how a single landline phone opened his eyes to the power of relationships. Contact him via (608) 215-1378 or ruallen@clearent.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.
Learn how the Follow-Up Boss, Bethany George, practiced what she preached to build a business helping entrepreneurs woo contacts into clients. Learn more at https://www.bethanyannconsulting.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.
Media production and branding expert shares about building a business that suited him, in terms of work, the place he calls home, and the people in his life. Reach him at eric@toesinthesandproductions.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.
Here is an important thing to understand: Small talk is NOT about filling idle time with interesting things to say. Small talk is about getting the OTHER person to fill idle time with things to say and you genuinely finding interest in it. But what if you don’t like making small talk or don’t feel like you’re very good at it? Fear not! Below are three tips for making small talk.
The key to success in small talk is having a simple, reliable game plan. Try this one:
Step One: Ask A Question
Now, remember, the key is to get them talking, so you need to be ready with questions that are open-ended. “Isn’t this weather crazy?” will not cut it. “How does this crazy weather affect you?” just might.
Step Two: Listen … Really Listen
Take an interest in what they have to say, even if the subject is not particularly interesting to you. Why? First, you just might learn something, something that could help you or something that you can use to help them (which ultimately helps you).
Second, (and this is counter-intuitive) if you take an interest in them and whatever they have to say, they will find you to be a very interesting person. It may sound backward but it’s just human nature. People tend to like those who show a genuine interest in them.
Step Three: Summarize & Share
As a follow-up (to show you were really listening), summarize what you have heard and then share a little about the subject as it relates to you. “So, as an avid water skier, all this hot weather must be great for you. But I find that it kills my golf game.”
Finally, just like the instructions on the shampoo bottle – lather, rinse, repeat – ask another question. Perhaps one that’s related to the first question or maybe some other tangent you would like to explore based on what they said in their answer. For example, “So, if you ski when the weather is hot, how do you occupy yourself when it is too cold to take to the lake?” Whatever, the case, keep them talking.
Certified BANK Code coach, Michelle Myrter, to share about the program, it’s origin, and how it can help you build relationships with prospects. Contact Michelle at mmyrter@gmail.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.
Expedition Networking: Nick Capozzi & Sales Pitching (EPS 263) Come explore how Nick Capozzi (@NickCapozzi) used relationships to journey from Canada to cruise ships and now helps small business America craft and deliver the perfect sales pitch. Contact him and learn tons at https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-capozzi/detail/recent-activity/shares/
For more great insight on professional relationships and business networking visit https://www.amspirit.com/blog/ or contact Frank Agin at frankagin@amspirit.com.
Becoming a broadcaster in professional sports takes relationships, and Kansas City Royals broadcaster Joel Goldberg shares how he navigated that journey. Learn more at https://joelgoldbergmedia.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.