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.
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.
In 2009, Rochelle High School won the Texas Class 1A high school girls track and field championship for the second year in a row. No big deal, right? Someone wins the championship every year. And, from time to time a high school will do it back to back.
What made this title unique, however, was that while state track championships are generally a team effort, these championships were the result of one girl’s effort – Bonnie Richardson.
Yes, this one young woman, competing against teams with multiple athletes, did enough to single-handedly win a state track and field championship. She won the high jump. Placed second in the long jump. Finished third in the discus. Won the 200 meter. And took second in the 100 meter.
Life can be like this. Sometimes you don’t have a team to rely upon. Sometimes, if you really want to succeed, it’s just up to you.
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.
Frank Agin, founder and president of AmSpirit Business Connections and host of Networking Rx, shares some insight and advice that Sheryl Sandberg shared in her book, Option B, on how NOT to offer to help others.
http://networkingrx.libsyn.com/helping-others-the-option-b-way-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.
Twentieth-century author Hal Borland once said, “Knowing trees, I understand the meaning of patience. Knowing grass, I can appreciate persistence.”
Be like a tree. You can’t expect to be at your peak potential overnight. Rather, like a tree, you break through as merely a seedling in your chosen field of expertise. Then year after year, you reach and grow … expanding bit by bit. And all along, capitalizing on opportunities to take in the enlightenment of knowledge and experience.
But also, be like grass. You will endure setbacks, figuratively being stepped on and cut down. Whatever the case, just keep going. Be undeterred by challenges. Overcome and continue on. Let no one stop you from achieving what you’re hardwired to achieve.
When things don’t move at the pace you’d like, look up and remember the trees. Adopt their patience. When you encounter that setback, look down at the grass. Take a lesson from it and relentlessly persist.
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.