The Exchange of Good Energy

Every business relationship should be about connecting and the "exchange of good energy" How you feel around the people you are with should tell you if this connection is valuable and should continue, or if it drains you and needs to stop. Make sure you are being fed…not used or fed upon.  To build this kind of relationship you need to ensure that you likewise are feeding your network...not using them and feeding upon them solely to get ahead.

There's a lot of competition when starting a business.  Everyone
 seems to be out for themselves and it seems like you have to cheat and scam and "exaggerate" (okay - lie!) to get ahead.  But that is exactly the opposite of what you should be doing.  Building strong, mutually supportive and beneficial relationships is the key to business success.

Notice I said strong, mutually supportive and beneficial.  You cannot build relationships by going to every networking event in town and handing out your business card to 100 people whose name you won't remember 10 minutes from now. Nor is it joining every online networking site and blasting all of your friends with SPAM.
 

It’s no secret that there’s a lot of competition in the professional world. Sometimes, it seems as if everyone is out for themselves, and that you’ve got to be cutthroat in order to get anywhere in a career. The fact is, however, this is the exact opposite of what one should do when trying to take a career to the next level.
Read more at http://www.careerealism.com/building-strong-business-relationships-tips/#p6hyxe7ptfMX7fqQ.99

It’s no secret that there’s a lot of competition in the professional world. Sometimes, it seems as if everyone is out for themselves, and that you’ve got to be cutthroat in order to get anywhere in a career. The fact is, however, this is the exact opposite of what one should do when trying to take a career to the next level.
Read more at http://www.careerealism.com/building-strong-business-relationships-tips/#p6hyxe7ptfMX7fqQ.99

It’s no secret that there’s a lot of competition in the professional world. Sometimes, it seems as if everyone is out for themselves, and that you’ve got to be cutthroat in order to get anywhere in a career. The fact is, however, this is the exact opposite of what one should do when trying to take a career to the next level.
Read more at http://www.careerealism.com/building-strong-business-relationships-tips/#p6hyxe7ptfMX7fqQ.99

It’s no secret that there’s a lot of competition in the professional world. Sometimes, it seems as if everyone is out for themselves, and that you’ve got to be cutthroat in order to get anywhere in a career. The fact is, however, this is the exact opposite of what one should do when trying to take a career to the next level.
Read more at http://www.careerealism.com/building-strong-business-relationships-tips/#p6hyxe7ptfMX7fqQ.99

How do you build strong business relationships?  Follow these steps:

1.  Show interest in others.  Ask open-ended questions in networking conversations to get discussions started. This means questions that ask who, what, where, when, and how as opposed to those that can be answered with a simple yes or no.  Being genuinely interested in others will earn you respect and attention in return.

2.  Share what you know.  When you become known as an expert and one who is willing to share that knowledge, people will turn to you for information and they will tell others about you.  This keeps you visible to them.

3.  Follow through quickly and efficiently on referrals. When people give you referrals, your actions are a reflection on them. Respect and honor that.

4.  Don't join groups or social networking sites solely to get referrals/followers.  If you do not have an genuine interest in the group or it's members, you will find it difficult to establish relationships with others. 

5.  Keep in touch. Do favors for your contacts whenever possible. Be genuinely grateful for any assistance they provide and be sure to acknowledge it with a card, a call, or even a gift.

6.  Make sure you understand what your contacts do for a living - and yes, make sure they understand your business. Otherwise, how will you send each other referrals?

7.  Participate - whether in person or by posting on the online networks.  As I said when I started this post, it's all about building trust and good energy.  Do that and the rest will fall into place.

Build Your Network - Build Your Business

First, let me clarify one point. Networking is NOT going to every event in town and handing out your business card to 100 people whose name you won't remember 10 minutes from now. Nor is it joining every online networking site and blasting all of your friends with SPAM. Networking is all about building relationships. Anyone who can understand that concept can network their way to more business.

To get started, you have to create a network. Start by making a list of all the people you know. You'll be surprised at how many there are! This is your immediate circle of influence. If you maintain regular contact with some of the people on your list, great! Keep it up! For those you haven't had much contact with in a while, it's time to renew that connection. Send an email or give them a call. Invite them for coffee or lunch or just to chat. The idea here is to re-establish the connection between you, so do not spend your first get-together listing all that you have been doing and how they can help you. You want to find out what's been going on in their life. Let them do the talking. You'll make a much better impression that way.

Once you have rebuilt your initial network, be sure to check in with these people regularly. Whether it's a quick email or phone call, a note to say thanks for some small favor, - even a gift - make sure you keep in touch. If you find yourself in need - your network will already be in place.

Now that you have your initial network established you want to continue to expand it. There are many ways to do that. Get involved - in your church, your children's school, with community groups. Join any professional associations related to your field. When you go to parties, mingle and chat.

You can also network online. The internet has spawned a wide variety of social networking sites, each one offering access to literally millions of people. My personal favorites are Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. Each is a little different but all three offer easy and fun ways to connect and share with others.  There are tons of other sites as well - Facebook, MySpace, GooglePlus+, and CafeMom are just a few. Each one is a little different but all give you the chance to expose yourself and your business to more people.

How do you build relationships through networking?  Follow these steps:

1.  Show interest in others.  Ask open-ended questions in networking conversations to get discussions started. This means questions that ask who, what, where, when, and how as opposed to those that can be answered with a simple yes or no.

2.  Share what you know.  When you become known as an expert and one who is willing to share that knowledge, people will turn to you for information and they will tell others about you.  This keeps you visible to them.

3.  Follow through quickly and efficiently on referrals. When people give you referrals, your actions are a reflection on them. Respect and honor that and your referrals will grow.

4.  Don't join groups or social networking sites solely to get referrals/followers.  If you do not have an genuine interest in the group or it's members, you will find it difficult to establish relationships with others. 

5.  Keep in touch. Do favors for your contacts whenever possible. Be genuinely grateful for any assistance they provide and be sure to acknowledge it with a card, a call, or even a gift.

6.  Make sure your contacts know what you do for a living - and make sure you understand their businesses. Otherwise, how will you send each other referrals?

7.  Participate - whether in person or by posting on the online networks. As I said when I started this post, it's all about building trust and relationships. Do that and the rest will fall into place.

What's Your Most Prized Possession?

When I was in the Navy, two things accompanied me on every move. In fact, we have been known to pay excess shipping costs just so I could move them from duty station to duty station. We never went anywhere without my books and my music.

These things are still extremely important to me, but two things have replaced them as my most prized possessions. My Rolodex and my laptop.

I don't care what business you are in, you can't succeed without people. Whether it's your clients, associates, competitors, employees - people are the lifeblood of your business.

You've heard me talk about the value of building your network in previous posts. It should be your prized possession - one that is cultivated and nurtured carefully. Your network will provide you with an ongoing supply of people to do business with, ask advice from, collaborate with, mastermind with, and seek assistance from to help your business grow and prosper. My Rolodex contains all the business cards I've collected and haven't yet entered into my contact management program. And with my laptop I can connect with almost anyone I know, anytime, anywhere.

Networking does not mean attending every event and passing out your business card to every warm body in the room. It does not mean joining every social networking site you can find, posting your information, and waiting for clients and business partners to come calling.

If you really want to be an effective networker, you must participate. When attending networking events, when you give someone your business card use this tip I learned from one of my mentors. Write on the back of it these 4 letters - HCIH. HCIH - How Can I Help. Instead of introducing yourself and launching into a lengthy explanation of what you do, give a brief explanation. Then ask them about their business. And then ask how you can help. For example, when I'm prospecting for new site selection clients, I introduce myself and mention that I work for HelmsBriscoe, the largest site selection company in the world. Then I ask what they do. After listening I ask, if they haven't already mentioned it, whether they do any sort of group travel or offsite meetings that require blocks of hotel rooms. If they say yes, instead of immediately telling them why they should use my services, I ask them what the hardest thing is about planning those events or what types of problems they have encountered in the past. When they tell me, I let them know that I may be able to help them with that and promise to send them some information that may be helpful. I keep several things such as meeting planner checklists, and ways to save money on meetings always updated so I have the information ready. Then as soon as I get home, I email or mail them the pertinent information. I have now established two things with them - my value and my commitment to helping them succeed.

When using the various social networking sites, do be a "lurker." Share your knowledge by posting articles and advice for others to share. The best way to show people how much you can help is by demonstrating your willingness and ability to do so.

You also can't ignore your contact list until you need something from them. Check in with everyone on the list periodically. Ask how they are doing. Ask how you can help. Treat them to lunch or coffee. Send them a card or a short note or an article you read that might interest them. Show them you care. People like working with people they know and trust. What better way to build that trust than to show them that you care about their success.

If, unlike me, you are not technology challenged, there are lots of contact management programs available to help you keep up with your networking. I use ACT! not because I know it's the best. I use it simply because I learned to use it years ago and I'm comfortable with it. There may be better ones available and I'll bet someone in my network knows the answer to that. If you want a recommendation, let me know and I'll ask around!

Network, Network, Network

Today is the day I check in with all of the online networks I belong to. As it took the better part of my afternoon, I had to give some thought as to whether this was a valuable use of my time. And the answer was - definitely! I have gained quite a bit of business simply from social networking and you can too.

First, let me clarify one point. Networking is NOT going to every event in town and handing out your business card to 100 people whose name you won't remember 10 minutes from now. Nor is it joining every online networking site and blasting all of your friends with SPAM. Networking is all about building relationships. Anyone who can understand that concept can network their way to more business.

To get started, you have to create a network. Start by making a list of all the people you know. You'll be surprised at how many there are! This is your immediate circle of influence. If you maintain regular contact with some of the people on your list, great! Keep it up! For those you haven't had much contact with in a while, it's time to renew that connection. Send an email or give them a call. Invite them for coffee or lunch or just to chat. The idea here is to re-establish the connection between you, so do not spend your first get-together listing all that you have been doing and how they can help you. You want to find out what's been going on in their life. Let them do the talking. You'll make a much better impression that way.

Once you have rebuilt your initial network, be sure to check in with these people regularly. Whether it's a quick email or phone call, a note to say thanks for some small favor, - even a gift - make sure you keep in touch. If you find yourself in need - your network will already be in place.

Now that you have your initial network established you want to continue to expand it. There are many ways to do that. Get involved - in your church, your children's school, with community groups. Join any professional associations related to your field. When you go to parties, mingle and chat.

You can also network online. The internet has spawned a wide variety of social networking sites, each one offering access to literally millions of people. My personal favorites are Ryze, LinkedIn, and Xing. Each of these is a little different. Ryze is a site focused on business to consumer networking and provides a venue to create a community around your business and personal interests. You can check out my Ryze page at http://www.ryze.com/go/marguarite. LinkedIn is easy to use and has many features including providing a testimonial for someone you know, passing along requests for connections, job listings, and easy networking with those with similar interests. My LinkedIn profile is at
http://www.linkedin.com/in/melodieannwhiteley. Xing is sort of a cross between Ryze and LinkedIn. My Xing profile is can be found at
https://www.xing.com/profile/Melodieann_Whiteley. There are tons of other sites as well - MySpace, Facebook, Squidoo, Friendster. Each one is a little different but all give you the chance to expose yourself and your business to more people.

Now how do you use your network once you have it established? Simple. Keep in touch. Do favors for your contacts whenever possible. (Now they owe you one). Be genuinely grateful for any assistance they provide and be sure to acknowledge it with a card, a call, or even a gift. Make sure they all know what you do for a living - and make sure you understand their businesses. Otherwise, how will you send each other referrals? Participate - whether in person or by posting on the online networks. As I said when I started this post, it's all about building trust and relationships. Do that and the rest will fall into place. So I hope to see you on some of the networks. And for those of you living in NWA, contact me. I'll give you a list of local networking events. Hope to see you there!