#7 on our list is all about The Introduction

Ok here is a great tip that is very important but many people will overlook, or haven’t even thought of.

Do some homework before the event! Find out whom you want to meet ahead of time, keep it simple, and focus on two ideal people to meet and your next networking event.

So many times at networking events people will try to meet everyone by saying quick hellos and dropping their business cards into as many hands as possible (that never works) you are forgotten immediately!

Why, if you’ve taken the time away from your family or business to attend a networking event, would you leave without one or two quality connections?

One more thing, if you have a mutual connection, have them introduce you. There’s nothing better than an introduction from a past customer, friend or colleague. This is as simple as saying “Hey Lisa, I noticed you talking to Joe over there and I’d really like to meet him. Can you introduce us?”

So remember this at your next networking event - You are there to build relationships and NOT make a sale. Choose your event wisely; focus on one or two people to make a meaningful
connection with. Start the conversation off on a positive note and listen carefully to what they have to say. Ask the right questions, repeat their name and make sure you are sincere so they remember you. After the event follow up with a referral if possible or a well written letter discussing a topic from your conversation. Think about how you can be of service to this person and what you can give.

This my friends is the first step to building a positive and long lasting, mutually beneficial business relationship – and that’s really why we network!

Please feel free to share your thoughts and feedback below. I would LOVE to hear what networking tips have worked for you!

#6 on our list is Asking the Right Questions

So what do you do? Why are you here?  What’s the name of your company?

These are all lousy opening lines that will surely lead to your networking demise. I have heard those same questions asked more times than I care to admit. The questions you ask when you meet someone will open the door to the communication that will follow after an introduction. Not knowing what to ask or how to open an interesting conversation might just create an uncomfortable silence or invite someone to walk away from you and move on to someone more interesting.

In a perfect world you should have someone personally introduce you. In the next tip I will discuss how that plays out in more detail, but for now let’s just say you are flying solo. Try something like “Hi my name is Jason Evers, nice to meet you.” Then stop and listen! This is so important because what comes out of their mouth next needs to be REMEMBERED – their name! I’m am so guilty of forgetting a name right after I hear it, so here are a few tips I use;  Ask them to repeat their name again and then repeat it back to them like; “Charly, so nice to meet you.” Another thing you can do is this – most people will introduce themselves along with their profession, PERFECT! Now you can say “Do you have a card?” Keep that handy because if you forget their name you just refer to the card. :-) It works like a charm every time!

“Nothing can stop a man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goals; and nothing on earth can help a man with the wrong mental attitude.” – Thomas Jefferson

#5 on our list is Positive Opening Statements

Be aware of your opening statements when meeting someone for the first time. At this particular point in time, you have the ability to steer the conversation in any direction.

For example; someone steps up to you at a networking event and introduces himself. You both exchange the normal hellos and the next thing out of your mouth is, “Man I can’t believe the turnout here, I was told this was a great group and there is barely anyone here.”

By doing this you are guaranteed two things; one you are forgettable, and two this conversation will go down a negative unproductive road – GUARANTEED!

Why not take this approach, “I heard this was a great group, that couldn’t be more true! I’ve met so many great people already! With this terrific weather were having, I wasn’t sure that anyone would be here.”

You notice with an opening like this you are sure two things are going to happen, One you put a positive spin on what some may feel as a let down, and two your conversation will start on a most positive subject the terrific weather.

“To listen well, is as powerful a means of influence as to talk well, and is as essential to all true conversation” – Chinese Proverb

#4 on our list is – Be sure to listen!

Just in case you weren’t paying attention, I said listen

After attending a LOT of networking events over the years the one thing I noticed when speaking with people, is that they rarely give you a chance to talk. They are too busy selling themselves… “I do this, and we do that, we are the best because blah! blah! blah!”

It is so important during the initial relationship building phase that you don’t be one of those people that only goes on about themselves. My advice to you is to sit back and really take time to LISTEN! When you make it all about them you are showing true interest in them personally and what you are saying is that what they do matters to you. Now THAT is powerful!

When they walk away from this meeting they will think WOW! I just made a great connection! And the reason why they will feel this way is because you listened…. most people don’t.

So remember, one of the easiest ways to really make a powerful connection while networking is to listen to what others have to say, pay attention to what they offer and you never know they might actually listen to who you are, what you do and how you can really help them!

Happy Networking!

I don’t care how good-looking you are, how well dressed you  are, how charismatic you are or how remarkable you think you are… You will be  forgotten! I know it’s a huge blow to the ego, right? I for one never thought  people would forget about me, but sadly enough they did.

That’s why I decided I wouldn’t let people forget about me!  I had to find a way to make myself a little more memorable than the average  Joe. If you truly want to create quality long-term  relationships that will produce long-term revenue you have to follow up!

I’m not talking about following up with the normal every day  “Hello I just wanted to follow up from the networking event the other night, it  was really great meeting you. And by the way, if you ever want to sell your  house or know someone looking to buy in this area please don’t hesitate to call.”
– Joe the Average Realtor.

WRONG! That guy is forgotten before the letter is even read, if  they even get to the end of the letter before hitting the delete button or  throwing it in the garbage!

How about this – “Hello Kimberly, It was great meeting you  the other night, WOW! I can’t believe how good that food was, and how about that entertainment, huh? Amazing!

I wanted to make sure I sent you this before I forgot, the  moment you mentioned to me you loved white water rafting I couldn’t wait to print out this article I read on the internet, listing the top ten places you can white water raft in the United States for less than a 100 bucks pretty sweet!

I hope to bump into you again soon, in the meantime keep an  eye out for my friend request on Facebook.

Have a wonderful day!”

Joe (the not so average networker!)

RIGHT! See how there is no selling or talking about yourself at all! This is a very important part – Remember we are building relationships not looking for sales!

To insure that you don’t miss out on any of these imporant tips, please take a moment to subscribe to this blog if you haven’t already done so.

So this is part two of a series of blogs on Networking! I have built the bulk of my business on networking and over the years I have discovered what works and what doesn’t.  In this series of blog posts I would like to share some of the valuable tips I have learned and hopefully they will help you in your networking experience. To insure that you don’t miss out on any of these imporant tips, please take a moment to subscribe to this blog if you haven’t already done so.

Tip # 2 – Pass Referrals and expect nothing in return!

“You can have everything in life that you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.” Zig

This is one of the hardest things for most people to openly embrace. But without embracing it, they can

forget about creating a huge referral network. Let me explain… If I asked you, whom do you remember from the last networking event you attended? You would probably say “No one really.” But what if someone from that last event called you afterwards to say “Hey John, after we spoke at the chamber event last week about how you would like to do more business with contractors, I sent out an introduction e-mail to the five companies I have been working with for years along with your contact information and a link to your beautiful website – I hope this works out well for you.”

Hmm?? My guess is that you’re remembering that guy! Even if you don’t land a job from it, the gesture was sincere and he made a positive impression on you.

This is a terrific way to create a new business relationship! I recommend you take one person from your next networking event and find a way to extend a sincere referral to them and then see what happens! The key here is to remember that giving is a wonderful gift in life because everything you give comes back to you – multiplied!

Happy Networking!

Networking really is a very important tool in today’s business world. Over the years I have just about done it all when it comes to growing my business through networking. I have come to find out what works, what doesn’t and what to stay away from. In this series of blog posts I would like to share some of the valuable tips I have learned and hopefully they will help you as well. To insure that you don’t miss out on any of these imporant tips, please take a moment to subscribe to this blog if you haven’t already done so.

Tip # 1 Know where to network!

This is probably the most singular important thing you need to know about networking. Now, I’m the type of person that gets passionate and excited about new things so those who know me, most likely know that I go all in and always give it my best.

Networking wasn’t any different. I started off by jumping in head first, shoes on, ready to take over the world of networking. This meant that I went to every local event, fundraiser, chamber event, function, etc… you name it, and I was there!

Don’t do that! Just like everything else in the business world, it’s a good idea to take a step back and plan what you’re going to do before you do it. It is very important to network with people who will most likely need your service. For example; If you are a Plumber should you be attending an afterhours for Web Designers? Some might say yes, because they all may need a plumber sometime and that is correct! But time is money and your time would be much better spent at a BIA (Building Industry Association) meeting or even better at a local Home Inspector Organization meeting.

Take time out to review local groups and focus in on the ones that you will be able to pass more referrals. Be selective of where you invest your networking time and money. Use the internet to research networking groups online, see who their members are and what they offer before showing up. Don’t be afraid to say no to networking groups that don’t really fit into your individual business industry, which leads me to my next tip… coming soon! Stay tuned and again – remember to subscribe to this blog now if you haven’t already done so!

I had noticed that only a few of my employees were taking advantage of suggestive sales out in the field and it always shocked me that everyone was not selling more. Coming from a background as a waiter I knew that the more suggestive sales I made the more money I would make in tips. And since I was paying my employees on commission I just assumed they would want to make more money based on more sales… well surprisingly, that wasn’t the case.

So back in October of 2007 I decided to create a fun sales game that would really turn up the suggestive sales in my team. We called it “Who wants to win an Xbox 360?” We picked the X-box 360 due to the fact that most of my employees were between the ages of 20 and 28 the Xbox is a gaming system that really appealed to them.

To launch the new sales game I brought in a brand new Xbox 360 and put a big red bow on the box and placed it right next to the time cards for everyone to admire every morning. The rules to winning the Xbox were based on a point system. For every employee that had a suggestive sale ranging from $3-$20 got one point. Suggestive sales ranging from $20-$50 were awarded two points and so on and so forth. If they were late they lost one point. If they had a bad attitude or showed up in the morning with no pep in their step, they lost a point.

We also rewarded extra points for taking the initiative on the job. If someone did something productive without being asked to; like wash the trucks, clean up the shop or the bathroom they got points. Now these extra credit points were awarded based on the management’s discretion, they weren’t predetermined.

The fun always came at the end of the month when we determined who had the most points because that was the winner! We kept a whiteboard in the shop where we have our morning meetings to keep track of the employees and their progress with the points.

I’m sharing this story with you because this game brought with it incredible results on more than one level. Not only did it generate the most revenue due to suggestive sales that my company had ever seen, but it also led to the best attendance record we’ve ever had! Nobody was showing up late, nobody had a bad attitude and everybody was gunning for the Xbox 360!

It became the topic at the water cooler, seeing each employee jockeying for his position on the whiteboard was amazing! Who would’ve thought that someone as simple as an Xbox could generate so much interest? I had tried cash bonuses, gift cards, and free dinners. You name it, I had already tried it and nothing had given me this kind of results.

I think the key to this game was the fact that we found something that everybody was interested in and we built a game around it. We made it fun, competitive and rewarding. Now suggestive selling wasn’t only fun, it became a challenge and it came with bragging rights!

Just to put this in perspective I bought an Xbox 360 gaming system for $390.00 and at the end of that month I had generated close to $12,000 in suggestive sales from this fun game at work. I’d say this wasn’t a bad return on my investment at all!

Do you think one of your employees would like the new iPad, iphone or the new Xbox Live? How about a weekend vacation get-a-way? The possibilities are endless! Think about what most appeals to your employees and give this game is shot. I would really love hearing how it works for you.

If you already have a great employee incentive program that works for your business please comment below. We always enjoy your feedback!

A good friend of mine Curt shares his perspective on fear and what he did to overcome it.

Do you remember when you were a little kid, riding your bike all over town? I sure do.

I remember when my bicycle was my key to freedom. I used it to escape the constant hostage of Saturday chores. In fact, sometimes I finished my homework before the sun went down I would sometimes just ride around until I couldn’t see the street anymore because of how dark it was.I’m not sure if it was a consequence or if it was in spite of it, but I was bitten by the bicycling bug. There was a time in my life just a mere 10 years ago, that I wondered if I could make a living just riding my bike.

The funny thing is, that it was only about that time when I was in my 20′s that I realized how to break the psychological trap that we’ve all experienced which is where the bike pull this off the curb even though were fighting with all of our might to stay up.

Perhaps I’m not explaining it very well, imagine writing down the sidewalk on your bicycle and inching closer and closer to the drop-off of the curb. You’re riding parallel to that 3 inch drop off and inching closer and closer to it. About the time your tire crosses the line that positions you within 4 inches or so to the edge, the curb becomes very magnetic––dare I say as if it was a black hole sucking you off and into the asphalt. You remember how funny you looked as you fought to keep your bike upright. But invariably, you end up either crashing, almost crashing, or just looking silly but no matter what you came off of the curb.

It wasn’t your fault.

In fact, even when I was beginning racing mountain bikes through the deserts of Arizona I was plagued with this terrible psychological pummeling when I tried to right along the curb.

Would you like to learn the secret?

I’ll share with you, but you have to promise that you won’t laugh when you hear how simple it is.
It’s sometimes simplicity that makes us shrug off some of the most valuable pieces of information we’re ever given.
So: with that understanding I now share with you how to ride a bike along the curb without falling off.
Look where you want to go. Do not become distracted by staring at where you do not want to go.

See, I told you it was simple.

Go try it, get on your bike fix your vision exactly on the path you want to ride along. And you will be astonished. It’s that simple.

So what’s the meaning of me telling you this? It’s the irony that this is exactly how we as business owners are. If we stare full of fear at all of the terrible things that could happen to us, and allow our minds to be filled in clouded with all those fears and worries we will find that our focus is exactly where we don’t want it to be. That misguided focus will act as a tractor beam pulling us into exactly what it is we are trying to stay away from.

Do you believe that?

Do you spend your time focusing on what you want your business to become, who you want to become, or moving towards the goals you’ve set for yourself? Or do you just have some abstract idea of what you’re trying to stay away from and spend your entire day trying to keep that from happening?

Kind of interesting isn’t it? I can’t say I’m perfect, but I’ve learned to ride along the curb with about 90% success

Did this resonate with you? Share your comments below, what are the things that you are avoiding and what are the things you’re focused on?

About the author Curt Kempton owner of Five Star Window Care and creator of the Responsibid a revolutionary way to bid window cleaning jobs over the internet.

Or how about: “There are no good people out there!” or “If I only had two of Jane or one more of John, things would be so much better!”

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that the most valuable asset in a company is its people. We are, after all, only as good as our employees. So, why is this issue such a great problem in today’s business world? In this economy, isn’t there a lot of people job hunting right about now? Shouldn’t there be an abundance of good ones instead of a shortage?

Well, the truth is that really good people do exist and they are out there. We just have to have a little more patience and be a little more selective in our employee hunting. What I have come to realize over the years is that the true problem lies within our own inability to hire as employers. What I mean by this, is that at times, I believe we settle out of convenience. I’m including myself in this statement. I’ve noticed that every time I need a new employee its right after I’ve had to let someone go or just after someone quit. I’m sure you’ve experienced this same situation yourself… the phones are ringing off the hook and the business is coming in but you just lost a key employee! And our biggest mistake, as employers, is to search for somebody to fill his or her shoes as quickly as possible just to maintain the operation going – Bad idea! In my personal experience, every time I rushed to hire someone it led to bad results.

In this type of predicament, what we really need to do is take a step back, slow down and take a deep breath.

Here are five great tips to consider when hiring a new employee:

• Don’t wait until you have to hire somebody, plan ahead. Even if it means being overstaffed with a part-time employee that can easily step up if a position opens.

• Make note of the qualities you like most about your key employees and search for those qualities in a new hire.

• Create a MUST HAVE list of the essential skills and abilities that you require in a new employee and do not stray from that list.

• Always go with your first instinct, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in the interview process and picked out one or two good qualities of that person and thought I could help them change the bad qualities – WRONG! It never works out the way you visualize it in your mind.

• Recruit from within. Talk to your main employees and find out if they have any friends that want a job. Great people usually surround themselves with other great people and having a referral from someone on the inside is always a good thing.

I hope these hiring tips are helpful to you search for good employees. I know that especially right now, with the economy the way it is, there are so many great people out there needing work. We just have to find the one that matches!

Just a few months ago I had to let go of one of my key employees that had been with me for five years. It took me a while to realize that I had been holding on to him out of convenience. The week after I let them go was a little bit hectic, but since that day I have never questioned my decision. I had to come to the realization that he was the cancer in our crew and once I got rid of him everybody else stepped up and did an even better job.

So take a long look at your employees is there a cancer in your crew? Remember, one bad apple ban easily spoil the bunch. If you have any suggestions on hiring or would like to share one of your stories please comment below.