When I was doing my sit-ups yesterday, I started thinking about how networking is a lot like exercise. We have have certain skills that we use―think of them as “muscles”―and when we don’t use them, they can atrophy. Muscle atrophy is when the muscles of the body deteriorate or waste away. Last year, I was very hit and miss (lazy) …
Tis The Season To Say THANK YOU… In Person
Christmas is not far away. This is the perfect time to reflect back on the year that’s almost gone and thank everyone who helped make 2018 successful for you and your business. Here’s what I recommend you do so that the people who are important to you feel appreciated: 1. Call as many clients/customers as you can personally. No email, …
How Many Lunches Does It Take To Grow Your Business?
You want to grow your business with referrals, but what does it really take to see real returns? How many lunches should you spend connecting with people who can refer business your way? I hear a lot of numbers from business owners and professionals (lawyers, accountants, engineers, consultants, and so on) who try this kind of networking and most of …
Better Questions, Better Networking Conversations
A question I get asked a lot at my business development courses is this: “When I go to networking events, how do I approach and talk to someone I don’t know?” MAJOR CLUE: “Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers.” — Voltaire said that. Good questions are tremendously important. They are far more than just a means …
Getting Back In Touch With Old Contacts
It happens to all of us. There’s a former client, former customer, ex-colleague, ex networking associate you’ve lost touch with and you’d like to re-kindle the relationship, but you’re having trouble trying to figure out what to say after all this time. Don’t email. Call them up and say something like this: “Hi (whatever their name is). It’s (your name) …
Using LinkedIn to Create Strategic Introductions
It’s all about growing your business. If you’re growing a business, you definitely want more introductions to people that would potentially be a good client or possible referral source for you. Here’s a 2-step strategy that works to get you those introductions. It works for me and it works for my clients that I teach it to. And, it will …