Author Archives: frankagin

You May Be Outstanding But Are You Standing Out?

Posted on by
Reply
You May Be Outstanding But Are You Standing Out?

Everyone has competition within their chosen field, including you. And you may be outstanding at what you do but are you standing out? What is it that makes you unique amongst your competition?

When it comes to getting referrals, your network needs to know WHY you and not someone else in your field? So, your 30-second commercial needs to convey credibility and confidence that serves to answer that question before it is asked. Consider these examples for a Franchise Broker. Which one answers the question, “Why should I refer you and not another franchise broker?”

A) I really like selling franchises and my customers tell me that I’m really good at it.

Or…

B) Not only have I helped more than 100 people get into the right franchise, I also spent 10 years as a CPA … so I can help my clients really understand what they’re getting.

Who would a prospective franchisee prefer to work with – A or B? The answer should be obvious (at least the question was intended to be rhetorical). The point is that inspiring confidence (answering the “WHY you” question) is vital. So, as you think about your 30-second commercial, remember that you may be outstanding but are you standing out?

How You Share Your Message with Others

Posted on by
Reply
How You Share Your Message with Others

In your 30-second commercial, the Basic Introduction (name, business, what you do) is an essential element. However, there are relatively few options for you to present this information. It is largely void of creativity, right? That’s okay because the time for creativity is in how you share your message with others.

You see, your message is essentially the heart and soul of your 30-second commercial, and you can approach it from many different angles. To get your point across, you can INFORM, EDUCATE, AMUSE, or STARTLE the listener.

You might be thinking, “But there’s nothing remarkable about what I do.” Certainly, what you do may seem like basic vanilla…to you. But it might not be to others who aren’t in your field. So, try to convey in your message all the different WHERE’S and HOW’s you do what you do. With that, you can add some creativity to your message body.

Consider a real estate agent. “My name is Bob. I’m a real estate agent with ABC Realty. I help people buy and sell houses.” Sounds rather “vanilla”, right? But there are lots of reasons, situations, and stories around when and why people buy or sell a house. What if instead, Bob said:

  • “My name is Bob. I’m an expert at helping growing families get out of an apartment and into their first home.”
  • “My name is Bob with ABC Realty. Yesterday I helped a family find the perfect second home outside the city for quick getaway weekends.”
  • “I’m Bob with ABC Realty. Quick question. How do you fit a family of six with two dogs in a 1200 square foot home? Answer. You don’t! You call me to help find a larger home within your budget.”
  • “Have you ever thought about flipping houses for profit? Did you know [insert an obscure or fun fact about flipping houses]? My name is Bob with ABC Realty and I specialize in helping people find their first flip.”
  • “Last week I closed on a condo for a couple whose youngest child just got married and moved out. Their dream had always been to downsize to a condo once the kids were gone. Last week that dream became a reality. I’m Bob with ABC Realty.”
  • “My name is Bob. I’m a realtor with ABC Realty. I had coffee the other day with a guy who just inherited some money and is looking at investment possibilities. Being a realtor, I suggested investing in a rental property. He seemed intrigued and we have an appointment next week to explore some possibilities.”

A Basic Introduction

Posted on by
Reply
A Basic Introduction

Your 30-second commercial is your first connection with a potential new client or member of your network. As such, it is an essential part of your networking efforts. At just 30 short seconds, it’s an efficient way to convey important information. In order to also be effective, your message must be concise and include only your basic information. One of the most basic elements of your 30-second commercial is who you are. This is your Basic Introduction.

There is no magic to stating who you are in your Basic Introduction. After all, it is, well, basic. Nevertheless, this part of the 30-second commercial is important.

In your Basic Introduction you need to clearly articulate your name (is it Mike or Michael? … Kim or Kimberly?). Then state your title and the work you are associated with. Each of these is important.

Now, nothing says it has to be in this precise order. You could achieve the same objective by phrasing your Basic Introduction as:

  • “I am a franchise broker with National Franchising Group. My name is John Doe.” Or…
  • “I am with National Franchising Group. My name is John Doe, and I am a franchise broker.” Or…
  • “I’m John Doe, a franchise broker with National Franchising Group.”

Whatever the case, your 30-second commercial must address who you are.

Framework for an Effective 30-Second Commercial

Posted on by
Reply
Framework for an Effective 30-Second Commercial

Regardless of your objective (to inform or to grow your network), it’s helpful to have a framework for an effective 30-second commercial. First, let’s look at two types of 30-second commercials:

  • The kind you use to inform, like when someone you meet at a social event or other gathering asks, “What do you do?”
  • The kind you use to help grow your professional network, like when you’re at a networking event.

To build a strong network that gives you referrals, contacts, and information, you need to have a concise, yet very compelling, 30-second commercial. The 30-second commercial framework below is helpful when meeting other professionals that you might want to include in your network. The problem is that you have SO MUCH to say, and 30 seconds is not a lot of time. To conquer the challenge of conveying lots of information in a short period of time, give this framework a try.

  • Start with a basic Introduction for yourself (this addresses WHO you are)
  • Add to that a Message (which addresses WHAT you do)
  • From there, you need to Inspire Confidence or create credibility (which establishes WHY you over all the other choices)
  • Then wrap this up with a Strong Definite Request of what you need (this is the HOW they can help you).

Now, if you carefully draft each of these sub-parts and then piece them together with your own personal flair, you end up with a very effective 30-second commercial. Give it a try and see if this framework for an effective 30-second commercial works for you.

The Communication Challenge

Posted on by
Reply
The Communication Challenge

To build a network that will help you reach your goals, your network needs to KNOW you, LIKE you, and TRUST you. If you’ve known a person for many years, they probably already tick the boxes for all three areas. But what about when you’re meeting someone for the first time? How much information about yourself and your business should you share? And how can you do so in a relatively short amount of time? This is the communication challenge in networking.

As you begin to establish KNOW, LIKE & TRUST, those you hope to add to your network NEED (not just WANT, but NEED) to have a firm sense as to…

  • WHO you are – What’s your name? What’s your business name?
  • WHAT you do – Not a laundry list; just a general sense of the work you do.
  • WHY they should do business with you or WHY they should refer you to others as opposed to referring someone else.
  • And HOW they can help you – Who are people you want to be referred to? Who do you want to meet? What information do you need? 

In a networking environment, the primary limitation to communicating all this is simply ATTENTION SPAN. You only have somewhere around 30 seconds to effectively communicate all these things or risk losing their attention to something or someone else.

So, to tackle the communication challenge, plan out what you’re going to say, then practice saying it in 30 seconds or less.

David Braughler – Bringing Your Story To The World (EPS 288)

Posted on by
Reply

David Braughler shares about his journey to helping authors, executives and organizations tell their story through books, via his hybrid publishing company – Braughler Books. Reach him at david@braughlerbooks.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.

Check out this episode!

Michael Levitt – Rising From The Burnout (EPS 287)

Posted on by
Reply

Michael Levitt shares how he rose like a phoenix from a heart attack, job loss, car repossession, and home foreclosure in 369 days to a thriving business helping others avoid burnout. Learn more at https://www.breakfastleadership.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.

Check out this episode!

Diane Caine – Build Better Connections (EPS 286)

Posted on by
Reply

DISC Consultant and leadership development professional, Diane Caine shares how she conquered being an introvert and became a champion of leadership. Learn more at https://www.poweryourspark.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.

Check out this episode!

Expedition Networking: Dina Calakovic – Croatian Copywriter (EPS 285)

Posted on by
Reply

Supporting clients from all over the world, Croatia-based copywriter Dina Calakovic shares about helping organizations and businesses via her love of the English language. Learn more at https://tinyurl.com/y7w38plo

For more great insight on professional relationships and business networking visit https://www.amspirit.com/blog/ or contact Frank Agin at frankagin@amspirit.com.

Check out this episode!

Tips For Improving Small Talk

Posted on by
Reply
Tips for Improving Small Talk

Small Talk is an art. Like any art, you can improve how you do it through practice. But it can be helpful to have some ideas for how to make small talk feel more comfortable and be more effective. Here are some tips for improving small talk.

  • THINK … On the way to an event (a party, meeting, or another social gathering) or when you have some idle time, work through in your mind how you envision your small talk going. Review in your mind the questions you will ask. Visualize yourself listening to the speaker, summarizing what they say, and sharing your own wisdom or experience.
  • LISTEN … Small talk is all around you, every day. Listen to it, especially when you notice someone who’s good at it. See how they flow from one question to the next and how they transition from small talk to business then back to small talk again before exiting the conversation.
  • ENGAGE … Take every opportunity to engage in small talk. When you are in line at the store check out. With a server in a restaurant. With the receptionist at your next appointment. You will find the more you engage in small talk, the more comfortable you get at it.

The most important thing you need to do to be good at small talk is developing an attitude of belief. Periodically, you need to tell yourself, “I can carry a conversation and I’m good at it. I enjoy how it lifts the spirits of others. And I love what it is doing for my networking. I can carry a conversation.” So at your next event try to use one or more of these tips for improving small talk.