Inside Small Business | Small Business & Home Business Marketing

Savvy Networking: Who You Gonna Call?

By: Susan RoAne, expert and author of The Secrets of Savvy Networking

People have relied on whom they know for information or referrals since the beginning of time. We have depended on this exchange of shared resources to help ourselves and others. Networking is defined by Webster’s Unabridged Encyclopedia Dictionary as “the act or process of informally sharing information or support, especially among members of a professional group.” “Networking is a reciprocal process, and exchange of ideas, leads, and suggestions that support both our professional and our personal lives.”

There is also a spirit of sharing that transcends the information shared. The best networkers reflect that spirit with a genuine joy in their “giving.” We all have networks we were born into, went to school with, live in neighborhoods and work with. Savvy networkers understand that networking is a process of communication, which works for those who appreciate the path and process as well as the destination. One cannot stress enough just how important it is to develop and finely hone follow-up skills. There is no process of networking, no sharing of information, resource, or referral that occurs without it.

HERE ARE 10 SECRETS TO SAVVY NETWORKING:

1. Follow-up is a basic tenet of life

Behaviors and actions support words; the lack of either subverts them. We must T.A.P. into our networks, being Timely and Appropriately Persistent in our follow-up or we will fail to establish and increase our base of contacts. That is networking in a nutshell!

People who have resources are resourceful. People who are willing to open their Rolodex or contact management program, pick up a phone, call on their contacts, and ask for help and solutions, and who offer leads, information, and ideas, are perceived as powerful and smart. The closest thing to knowing something is to know where and how to find it.

2. Acknowledge “gifts” given to you as well as leads, ideas, advice and time

Powerful people have connections that are plentiful, diverse, and expansive - and are able to get things done because of those connections. President Clinton’s superb and savvy networking skills cannot be denied. He was elected because of his network! Here are the special networking skills he mastered:

• When you meet people for the first time, look them right in the eye—it makes them feel comfortable.

• Ask a question and listen intently.

• Stay in contact. Then if something crosses their desks that might be of interest, they will pass it on.

• Use laughter and be equally at ease with both men and women.

• Embrace people, not just the ‘right’ people.

• Exude confidence yet appeal to the most average person.

3. Networking is an enrichment program, not an entitlement program

Too many people feel that under the “guise of networking” they are to be given leads, referrals and information that they have not earned. Understand that we earn these leads by establishing communication and rapport.

4. We must reciprocate

5. Treat people with respect, courtesy, integrity, truth and honor

People will do business with people they know, like and trust. People enjoy giving leads to others who have a track record and with whom there is a connection! We establish these connections by meeting and mingling and communicating.

6. Make it is easy to work you

Patricia Fripp has shared with us that one of the ways to “get ahead of the crowd” is to do that.

7. Just say “NO” to no-win networking

Our networks are too precious to include people who aren’t appropriate, courteous nor competent.

8. Stay in touch with people when we need nothing from them.

9. Have fun and be of good humor, but NEVER at the expense of others.

10. Pay attention and incorporate the rules - written and unwritten.

If we understand that savvy networkers are soft-sell, and if we establish relationships in networks, we will be shining stars of the business community, as well as in our personal endeavors. Savvy networkers share a skill with successful leaders: they are aware of their impact on others, and behave accordingly. And, they are aware of the “Favorbank”: its deposits, withdrawals and accrued interest.

Rather than view “networking” as a time waster, savvy networkers see it as an investment, which may pay off for a “designated receiver. Someone who had been of immense help to me in the early stages of my business asked me if I could help her daughter who had graduated from law school. It was my great pleasure to return my friend’s assistance and support by helping her daughter. And, it relieved her of having to appear as a nagging parent.

By the same token, we get to call in favors to help our friends, colleagues, relatives and cronies. Networking has been the way of the world. We just gave it a new term. It used to be called helping!

About the Author
Susan RoAne is the nation’s undisputed and original networking expert who teaches people how to connect and communicate. She has been featured in such diverse tomes as The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Times and has appeared on radio and television throughout the world including NPR, CNN, CNBC, The BBC and many more. Susan RoAne is the author of the classic bestseller, The Secrets of Savvy Networking (Warner). For more information, visit http://www.susanroane.com/index.cfm.

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How to Cultivate a Network of Endless Referrals

By: By: Bob Burg, author of Endless Referrals: Network Your Everyday Contacts Into Sales

No question about it; you provide one of the most valuable services imaginable. However, without an ongoing and ever-increasing number of new, quality prospects, you’ll eventually run out of people with whom to share the benefits. You might even end up asking yourself that most dreaded of questions in the world of sales, which is, “Who do I talk to next, now that my original list of names has run out?” That thought can be downright discouraging, can’t it? Then again, it need not happen.

Develop profitable, win/win relationships with practically every new person you meet - whether one on one or in a social setting.

How? Ask questions; specifically “feel-good” questions. These are questions designed to put your conversation partner at ease, and begin the rapport-building process.

These are not intrusive, invasive, or in anyway resembling those of the stereotypical salesperson. Feel-good questions are simply questions that make your new prospect/potential referral-source feel good—about themselves, about the conversation, and about you. Vital, because “all things being equal, people will do business with, and refer business to, those people they know, like and trust.” Asking feel-good questions is the first step to accomplishing that goal.

So what are some of these “Feel-good” type questions?

1. “How did you get started in the ‘widget’ business?” I call this the “Movie-of-the-Week” question because most people love the opportunity to “tell their story” to someone. This in a world where most people don’t care enough to want to know their story.

2. “What do you enjoy most about what you do?” Again, you are giving them something very positive to associate with you and your conversation. You are making them feel special, important.

You’ve begun to establish a nice rapport with your new prospect. You are focusing on him or her, as opposed to you and your awesome product, as most salespeople do. He or she is starting to feel good about you and has enjoyed answering your first two “Feel-good” questions. Now it’s time for the “One key question,” and here it is:

“Pat, how can I know if someone I speaking with would be a good prospect for you?”

Here, you’ve continued to establish yourself as being different from all others they meet who are in business, who only seem to want to know, “How can you help me?” Also, since you are asking for help in identifying their prospects, they will gladly supply you with an answer. And the fact is, nothing builds trust and credibility with a prospect than actually referring business to them whenever possible.

Your conversation has ended and you never even mentioned your products or services. Good, since your relationship with this new prospect may not be far enough along for him or her to be receptive to this. That’s fine (At other times it’s very advisable to bring up). Hopefully, you’ve gotten your prospect’s business card. Now you are in the position to follow up correctly and systematically in order to nurture this new relationship.

Whenever meeting new people, the above questions will help you to very quickly build your prospect list with high-quality people. And do so in a manner that is fun and without stress. You’ll never again feel the “discomfort” in the pit of your stomach, knowing that you have to nervously and clumsily approach someone you don’t want to approach, and whom you can just sense, does not want to be approached.

Know this: the typical person knows about 250 people. Thus, every time you meet one new person, and develop a relationship based on the fact that he or she now feels as though they “know you, like you and trust you” you’ve actually just increased your personal prospect list a potential 250 people, every single time. Do this often enough and before long, you’ll cultivate a network of endless referrals.

About the Author
Bob Burg www.burg.com a popular speaker at company sales conventions, is author of the newly revised and expanded, Endless Referrals: Network Your Everyday Contacts into Sales” which has sold over 150,000 copies. To receive his free weekly “Endless Referrals Video Briefs” go to www.burg.com.

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The Seven C’s of Collaborative Business Relationships

By: Daniel Robin, Business Consultant, founder of ABetterWorkplace.com

To some folks, the phrase “business relationships” is effectively an oxymoron. The more pressure to perform, the more likely there’ll be a bump in the road to collaboration that sends things flying out of control. Hopefully the “bump” isn’t the tip of an iceberg, but just a bit of rough water that will soon pass. Collaboration at work isn’t required, it’s just a lot more satisfying and fun when it works out that way.

These Seven C’s provide a platform for building a culture where teamwork thrives, people are happy and productive doing their best work ever, and can remain resilient in the face of these constantly-churning whitewaters.

The first three C’s are about you – how skillful you are in handling your business relationships; the remaining four factors are key to having successful agreements – where agreements provide the safety net that makes workplaces work. These seven C’s work together as a system of cooperation, continuous growth and performance improvement.

1. Courage – You have the nerve to say what must be said, and you temper it with consideration for the listener (the next principle), so the communication remains two-way. You show integrity when you assert what you know, and by daring to admit what you don’t know. “Integrity” implies knowing if your communication is based in objective fact, your opinion (an interpretation of those facts), or a blending of both. Sometimes it takes courage to let silence speak on your behalf. Inquiry: Where might you want to step up and be more courageous in your business dealings?

2. Consideration – As a sign of respect, you take into account the other person’s needs and wants, their present situation, and you “step into their shoes” (better yet, dance in them) – without losing focus on the goals at hand. Paradoxically, the more considerate you are, the more tough-minded and courageous you can be without breaking rapport. Considerate also means listening so carefully that you can make requests and offers in ways that fit for the other person. How often do you let in the other person’s agenda before pursuing your own?

3. Consistency – Do you treat everyone the same? (”Sure, I treat everyone like dirt.”) No, I mean are you consistent, not arbitrary or biased, in your business relations? Do you operate out of a set of core values and principles (perhaps including these 7 C’s?) or are you subject to whims? Consistency is the basis for being seen as reliable, dependable and trustworthy. When you can predict what someone will do, it engenders “trust” (even if you don’t like their behavior). As a professional, do you put the company’s interests ahead of personalities and egos? When mistakes are made, do you focus on learning, on closing the gap between principles and practice?

The last four C’s are Pillars of Agreements. Business is about forwarding the action and getting results. In order to uphold and apply the first three principles, the following four conditions must be met. If any of these four factors miss the mark, chances are good that the agreement will go nowhere.

4. Clarity – You and colleagues are clear about what needs to be done – the goal is explicit and you have acknowledged the complete set of “conditions of satisfaction” (”Oh, you want it this Friday?”). There are five elements to a complete request … make sure the other person knows and can verify what they are agreeing to.

5. Commitment – A solid “yes” that represents unwavering alignment to give one’s best effort. Your self-talk might be: “My word is my bond.” Skillfully check for any unacknowledged resistance or concerns. Surface the downsides to enjoy the upsides.

6. Capacity – This is about one’s “bandwidth,” real-world ability to see it through to completion, to stay focused over time, to clear the path. If one’s plate is so full that the new agreement won’t fit, the capacity to get the job done is low. Self-talk: “This fits for me.”

7. Competence - Having the skills and experience to carry out the request properly, and managing your resources so that you can honor all your agreements. This includes renegotiating the minute you notice an agreement that’s likely to run aground. Competence also means making request of others to get help, and only making agreements with those who are competent to carry out the request.

Apply What You Know and Go!

And if you were to rate yourself on each of these Seven C’s, which are most solid –established strengths – and which ones need work? Pick one to ponder during the coming weeks, and you’ll find that heightened attention to navigating those difficult waters makes for smoother sailing on the seas of business relationships.

About the Author
Daniel N. Robin, principal, is a business consultant, facilitator, workshop leader, and coach with more than twenty years consulting experience. The international consulting firm he founded, www.ABetterWorkplace.com, specializes in workplace tools for collaboration, organizational and leadership performance improvement. He assists corporations, schools, and government agencies with human relations and organizational issues throughout the United States, Europe, Middle East and Brazil. Daniel is the author of more than one hundred articles and extensive curriculum on workplace communication, negotiation, conflict resolution, teamwork and culture change.

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