The Savvy Networker

Biznik 2 Minute Networking Strategy

Here's a quick strategy to increase your networking connections if you are a member of Biznik.  (And if you aren't a member yet, check it out at www.Biznik.com )

While you are logged into Biznik, go to your Profile.  Underneath your Profile is a section called "Your Network."  Hopefully, there are people listed there already and if there are not please read on for a strategy that will help you to build your network.  For this example, let's say that you have 6 people who are listed under Your Network.  Here is an easy 2 minute task that you can do that will increase your networking social capital and help you gain top of mind awareness with the folks that are already in your network.

• Click on the photo of the first person in Your Network - Their full profile will come up and right under their larger photo, is a little heart that says "Send Compliment"
• Click on the "Send Compliment" and a little type box pops up.  Think of something that this person has done for you, or how they have positively impacted your business, and then type in a testimonial for that person.  Once they read it and approve it, your compliment will show up on their page at Biznik. 

This short 2 minute exercise serves you both in several ways.  The person you did this for will be pleasantly surprised that you made the time to leave them an unsolicited testimonial and they will remember you for your kindness.  You will benefit from the goodwill, the top of mind awareness that you just created for your friend and also for yourself.  AND, you have added to your own Social Capital because others who know your friend will also see your comment and they will think highly of you as well.

There, in just 2 minutes, you've spread plenty of goodwill in your corner of the internet and the universe!

Now, for those of you who have not yet added anyone to your network.  Let's tackle that, but please know that there is not a 2 minute strategy for this.  You can start by going through your most recent week's worth of email correspondence.  Who have you been talking with via email?  Would they be a good person to recommend Biznik to?  Biznik is an easy place to grow your relationships with people you already know - so why not invite them?  When you do invite them, please do not use the canned script that pops up in the invite window.  I would encourage you to invite them to join you on Biznik so that you can help each other to grow your connections.  Then invite at least a dozen people.  Once they sign on and show up on Biznik, go back up to the top of this post and put into practice today's 2 minute networking strategy for Biznik.

Try this strategy every day for a week.  Just go do it and let me know how it's working for you. 

Keep coming back here or subscribe via email to receive more 2 Minute Networking Strategies!

Networking the Walmart Way

The first time you meet me, please don't act like you are a buyer for Walmart.  Don't ask me to discount my product or my services just to get you as a customer.  It will not endear you to me and it teaches me way more about you than you may want to be revealing.

Walmart is well known for its strong arm practices in getting its suppliers to reduce prices so that they can offer "lower daily pricing" to Walmart customers.  Once you are caught in the vortex of doing business with Walmart, it is very hard to escape the ever increasing assault on decreasing your profit margin.  In essence, your profit margin becomes Walmart's profit margin.  Yes, you might be selling more widgets because Walmart has the distribution channel to move product ... but at what price? 

When you are networking with people, requesting a discount should be the farthest thing from your mind and from your discussion.  You should be focused on building relationships that are mutually beneficial and uplifting to both parties.

There is no mutual benefit in requesting a discount.  Please keep that in mind.

While networking, you want to learn the valuable ways in which people serve their clients.  You want to learn the "Who, What, How, Where, and Why" about a person's product or service so that you can help to spread the word about this person ... or become a connector for them.

The last thing that I want if I value my time, my service, my products, and my current customer base, is someone who does not value these things operating in orbit near me or for me.

I want to surround myself with people who will listen, learn, and value me ... just as they also value themselves and offer good and viable products, vision, and service to their clients.

People who are focused on "what things cost" and are always looking for "discounts" or getting what they want in the cheapest way possible ... well, in my experience, these folks are often operating from low self esteem and do not value themselves or what they have to offer.

Additionally, if you are a discount seeker, you will get a reputation as a "10 foot pole" person.  That means someone who most people will work hard to avoid.

And why do we avoid "10 foot pole" people?  Most usually, it is because they are the least desirable clients to have in your client base.  They will, often, suck the very life right out of you and out of your business.  AND if we rely on referrals to build our business (and who doesn't?) "10 foot pole" people tend to have friends who are just like them.  If you have one ... trust me, you don't want more.

Is this how you want to be seen?  Didn't think so.  So, please take that big yellow smiley face pin off your jacket, hang up your Walmart smock, quit asking people for discounts ... and you may find more people will be interested in learning about you and your business. 

What's the Weather Got to do with Networking?

Many consider discussing the weather to be appropriate small talk.  Perhaps great stuff to spend 5 or 10 minutes talking about.  Well, think again.  When you spend a great deal of time talking about the weather, especially around here in Seattle, you are going to be doing a fair amount of complaining.  And complaining is not a good thing to be doing when you are networking with other people.

Remember, networking is about building relationships with folks.  It is about teaching people about what you do, who you serve, how you serve them, and why anyone should care about that.  It is about creating the knowing, liking, and trusting that is so important to the growth of your business.  It is quite more powerful and good for you and your business if you spend that same 5 or 10 minutes engaged in meaningful conversation.  And what is meaningful conversation?

Meaningful conversation includes dialogue aimed at either learning more about another person and their business or sharing helpful information about yours.  Meaningful conversation helps both parties to better understand the who, what, where, when, and why as it relates to your and their respective businesses.

Here are 5 "Feel Good Questions" from Endless Referrals by Bob Burg to help you get started on meaningful conversations:

• "How did you get started in the Widget Business?"
  Let them share their story with you while you actively listen
• "What do you enjoy most about your profession?"
  This is a question that elicits a good, positive feeling.
• "What separates you and your company from the competition?"
  Bob Burg says that this is a "permission to brag" question and one that most people really enjoy answering
• "What advice would you give to someone just starting in the widget business?"
  Give your new networking friend a chance to feel like a mentor by asking this question
• "What one thing would you do with your business if you knew you could not fail?"
  We all have dreams, don't we?  What are their dreams?  This one gives them permission to fantasize about the future.

Focus on asking questions and truly listening to the answers and you'll find that folks tend to think that you are a great conversationalist ... and great conversationalists don't waste precious time talking about the weather!

Bob Burg is coming to the Greater Seattle area on June 10th to present a half day workshop called Endless Referrals Live Seattle.  To learn more about the event go to www.endlessreferralsliveseattle.com

Things Not To Do When You Want Something from Someone

Let's see if this approach makes sense to you.

Earlier today, I had a phone call from a woman who let me know that she would like to be considered to make a presentation to our eWomenNetwork chapter here in Bellevue.  She is currently representing a local radio talk show and they want to tap into our network to get more people to attend their September event and she felt that speaking at one of our events would be the best way to spread the word about their program.  She is hoping to get attendees and sponsors out of the deal. 

And then she shared with me that while she has been aware of eWomenNetwork here locally for some time now, she hasn't felt a need to participate or join in our events because our members are not her target market for her main business.

Oooops.  Mental end of the discussion on my side of the conversation.

Would you like to know what went wrong here? 

First, this person let me know that she operates from a taker mentality.  She wants to come to speak at an eWN event so that she can get eWN members to sponsor her client's event.  Not one word was mentioned about what value she would be bringing to our members with her presentation.

Second, whether she knew it or not ... she let me know that our members aren't people that she would ordinarily spend time networking with.   

Third, since she hasn't been to one of our events, she doesn't know how our events work and she wanted me to explain that to her. 

How could this have been handled better?

Well, first, she could have done some research.  If there is something you want, you need to do your own research.  If you decide that someone is your target market and it is a networking group - heck you might want to actually attend an event and see how things work. 

Had she ever been to one of our events, she would know that she would have to come from a place of giving.  Networking is about building relationships first.  The giving comes first and the getting comes later.  With a giving mentality, she could have called with an idea of a presentation that would have offered value for our members. 

And lastly, if you want someone to help you ... don't insult them.  Telling me why she hasn't taken time to learn about our network in the terms that she did reminds me of a story that my friend, Nancy Juetten, always tells. 

Nancy says, "If you are trying to get a story about your business in the local newspaper, don't call up the editor and tell him/her that you never read their newspaper but you want to have a story about your business featured in an upcoming edition."  That's not a smart PR strategy!

So, the lesson is ... if you want to speak at an event to get exposure for your business, do the following:

• Research the organization where you want to speak
• Go to an event as a guest to see if the culture is right for what you want to achieve
• Craft your presentation so that you show value for the audience - what's in it for them?
• Be careful of what you say about the organization that you want to speak at
• Craft your pitch to the decision maker in such a way that you show total respect for that person's time and for the organization as well 

The 2 minute Networker - Online

With all the interest lately in Social Networking, I'm finding that a lot of people are confused and overwhelmed with how to make time for this new fangled activity.

To help folks out, I'm recommending some easy 2 minute drills that you can do online to improve your connections with your network.

These ideas assume that you already have a profile on LinkedIn, Facebook, My Space, Biznik, Zoodango, or any of the multitude of other Social Media sites out there on the internet.  If you are on more than one of these (and you should be) just pick one to focus on for now.  Put 2 minutes on your calendar for each day for a week and then get busy with some of these 2 minute drills.

• Pick one of your "friends" and visit their blog.  Read a recent post and then leave them a thoughtful & supportive comment.  (No grandstanding and please avoid leaving the lame-ass quote like, "Great Post!  Keep writing more like this.")  This helps your friend to know that someone (beside their mother) is actually reading their blog and your friend will appreciate your support of their efforts in the blogosphere.  You'll be on their radar because you put them on yours.
• Seek out business people that you know in your face to face network who are also in your online network.  If you have had a great experience with them in a business transaction or through an interaction, leave them a glowing recommendation (LinkedIn) or a compliment (Biznik).  Third party testimonials are always a great way to help your friends and to help them build their reputation.
• Go to Google and create a Google alert to track information that one of your friends would find interesting or helpful.  Daily, when your alerts arrive in your inbox, check through them and then forward any pertinent info or articles to your networking buddy to let them know that you are thinking of them and have their back, so to speak.
• Think of 2 people that you have met recently and how they might be able to connect up.  Then send them both an email of introduction and let them know why you think that they need to know each other.  It's very easy to do.  And they will both appreciate that you are thinking about how to help them grow their connections.

If you can make the time each day to devote 2 minutes to Social Networking in this way, you'll find that pretty soon you can easily do 5 minutes a day.  When you get the hang of one Social Network, it will be time to add one more.  Start the process all over again.  Just pick one thing that you enjoy doing for yourself and your network and you'll find that people will notice your efforts at making them feel important.  And that's what building relationships is all about.  You make yourself memorable by making other people feel noticed and appreciated.