Archive for the ‘business networking’ Category

Business Networking Book Advice – Get an Introduction!

(excerpt from Cracking the Networking CODE  by Dean Lindsay)

“When the character of a man is not clear to you, look at his friends.”   – Japanese Proverb

An introduction is an implied endorsement.  Try to get introduced by the most respected person at the event with whom you have a relationship.  Solid CODE crackers are always happy to play a part in your success and you look like a winner by association.

Who are the people who have established a good reputation?

Who loves to network and knows a lot of people?

These people have a large circle of influence and understand the power of networking.  They are quick to bond and make the most of relationships.  (Be sure to ask them if there is someone you can introduce them to.) 

Who are the solid networkers inside your network? 

Find out what they do.  Study the techniques of a successful networker.  Try to tag along with a well-connected person in your network to some of their normal networking functions and ask them to introduce you to a few of their contacts.  Give them some insight and direction by letting them know the kind of person you want to meet – the more specific the better.

A slight modification on the same strategy — Look for someone you know who is chatting with a couple of people you do not know. Approach the group and stand to the side within view of the person you know.  This serves as a subtle cue for your contact to introduce you to the group and bring you into the conversation.  Try it.  It works.  If someone invites you to join the group but forgets to introduce you, take the initiative and introduce yourself. 

Be Progress.

Business Networking Book Advice – Get an Introduction! is excerpt from Cracking the Networking CODE  by Dean Lindsay)

Effective Business Networking Tips on Presence Power

(excerpt from Cracking the Networking CODE

How you hold your physical body communicates a tremendous amount of information about you.  Be aware of presence power.  Studies suggest that a person will unconsciously interpret approximately 55% of the meaning of your message from physiological cues from your attire, body position, stance, and facial expressions. 

Body language, demeanor, and dress are important elements in making a lasting impression .  First impressions are often lasting impressions. So take pride in your appearance. Be fun and sociable. You are the number -one element in your success strategy.

How you look and present yourself matters.  You want to look smart and with -it.  You should not look untidy.  No messed up hair, wrinkled shirts, or loose ties.  In fact, the ideal wardrobe for a networking event is slightly better dressed than the other attendees.

Effective Business Networking Tips #1  Check yourself before you go out.  Do a 360 in front of a full -length mirror.  Would you want to talk to you?  Would you want to be seen talking to you? 

Effective Business Networking Tips #2  Ask someone’s opinion .  Take the advice of others about your appearance.  I ask my wife.  She has saved me from more than a few bad shirt/tie combos.   

However, do not rely on your “ together” look to cover up for sad puppy behavior or poor conversational ability.  Stand, speak, and act as if you were self-confident, attractive, vital.  If you have flair, use it.  Make sure you will be remembered in a positive way.  Be enthusiastic.  An enthusiastic attitude distinguishes the really cracking networkers from the so-so networkers.

Effective Business Networking Tips #3   - Speak with a positive countenance, exhibit confidence, and display a natural enthusiasm about your life and your work.  Be a walking-talking representation of life, in all its excitement and possibility.  How you say something means as much or more than what you say.  You are your best public relations representative.  You are the person who knows best what you do and what you have to offer others.

Effective Business Networking Tips #4 - Sit or stand up straight.  Gesture with power and confidence.  Be fully engaged.  Nod in agreement.  Smile.  Do not fold your arms or let your eyes wander off into the distance; look like you are having a good time.  People trust people who look them in the eye.  Do not shift focus.  The more you change your focus, the more new information your brain is taking in.  If you change focus frequently, you can overload your brain to the point where you are “at sea” and unable to focus on the issue at hand. 

Effective Business Networking Tips # 5 Be careful about shifting your weight while chatting with someone.  It communicates a lack of interest and confidence, and it can result in your contact feeling a lack of TRUST. 

Also, do not keep your hands in your pockets the whole time and jingle-jangle-jingle your keys or change.  You are not there to provide musical backup or percussion for the event.

 Think about this: 

Each positive first impression has the potential to turn into a priceless business relationship.  People want to do business with professionals who are excited about life and who look like they have their act together.

Be Progress.

(excerpt from Cracking the Networking CODE  by Dean Lindsay)

 Business Networking Speaker – Funny Video on How to Remember Names

Dean Lindsay, author of Cracking the Networking CODE: 4 Steps to Priceless Business Relationships
An authority on harnessing human potential and creating authentic business growth, business networking speaker Dean Lindsay is an engaging and highly sought-after business consultant and speaker. He is an active member of the Viktor Frankl Institute of Logotherapy and the American Society of Training and Development.

Dean Lindsay sees an important connection between sales, motivation, solid customer care and leadership. All are achieved by effectively positioning ideas, recommendations, solutions, products, services – even ourselves – as PROGRESS in minds of those we wish to inspire to action. All must be positioned as Progress and NOT Change. It is natural to resist change but we embrace PROGRESS. All progress is change but not all change is PROGRESS.

Dean is a featured contributor to Executive Travel, Sales and Service Excellence and the American Management Association’s Moving Ahead magazine as well as the nationally distributed audio publication Selling Power Live. He has been spotlighted as an Outstanding Speaker by the International Association of Speakers Bureaus and recognized as a ‘Sales-and-Networking Guru’ by the Dallas Business Journal.

“Dean Lindsay is an outstanding thought leader on the subject of developing priceless business relationships.” — Willis Turner, President of Sales and Marketing Executives International

Dean has served as Guest Lecturer to International Customer Management Institute as well as both the UCLA and University of Dallas MBA programs. He is a Cum laude graduate of the University of North Texas and serves on the Executive Advisory Board for UNT’s Department of Marketing and Logistics and the Board of Directors of the UNT Alumni Association. Dean’s first book, Cracking the Networking CODE: 4 Steps to Priceless Business Relationships is Recommended Reading by United Professional Sales Association and Profit magazine.

Click for more info on Business Networking Speaker - Funny Video on How to Remember Names

Dean Lindsay, author of Cracking the Networking CODE: 4 Steps to Priceless Business Relationships

 A Thoughtful Person is a Remembered Person.

Look for something to acknowledge people for.  Genuinely complimenting someone costs you nothing, but to the recipient, a heartfelt compliment and the feelings it generates cannot be bought at any price. Recognition, encouraging words, and pats on the back are all excellent ways of making positive impressions, especially if done in front of others.

Mother Teresa

Avoid general compliments as they may just seem like flattery, “sucking up.” Much more powerful is a comment about something positive that person has done: compliment on behavior or achievements.

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” — Mother Teresa

A thoughtful person is a remembered person. Be generous of spirit. You will get back much more than what you put out. The end result of acknowledging and praising others is that you have given people reasons to speak well of you to others. Such word-of-mouth character endorsements are far more powerful than anything you could ever say about yourself.

It does not matter how successful a person is, or how good that person feels inside: it is always nice to know that others appreciate one’s personality, talent, uniqueness, attitude, or accomplishments. You can compliment someone about any one of hundreds of things. Just keep it real and don’t go overboard. Insincerity can be sensed.

14 Overlooked Holiday Networking Tips

By Dean Lindsay, Author of Cracking the Networking CODE

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” – JRR Tolkien

It might be tough out there, but Tis STILL the season for CONNECTING.

The holiday season can be a slow time for “business” but it can also be a busy time for “business relationship building.”

The holidays offer a great, easy and natural reason to re-connect with people we don’t regularly see or communicate with. So besides attending holiday gatherings, it is a wise investment of time to start phoning, mailing and emailing our Season’s Greetings and our Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukah Wishes.

Now, as we know, every event offers networking opportunities and that includes holiday gatherings. In fact, holiday gatherings offer ideal opportunities to network because of their relaxed settings and built in conversations starters – holiday shopping, food, family holiday travel, etc.

Holiday gatherings are all around, we can’t make them all. We must be selective and careful not to overextend ourselves. However we can’t connect if we don’t go.

Here are 14 Overlooked Holiday Networking Tips

Overlooked Holiday Networking Tip #1 

Arrive on Time and Ready to Help.

Be sure to offer the host/hostess your assistance. Volunteering at any event heightens the opportunities of connecting.

Overlooked Holiday Networking Tip #2

When Talking with Friends, Open Up.

Stand (somewhat) side-by-side and converse rather than standing face-to-face. This make us still approachable to others and does not close us off to others desiring to connect.

Overlooked Holiday Networking Tip #3

Carry Pen and Paper as well as Business Cards.

We need to be able to reconnect with folks and they might not to have thought about bringing cards.

Overlooked Holiday Networking Tip #4

Focus on Quality of the Conversation Not Quantity of Contacts.

Better to have a half dozen meaningful conversations that lead to progress than forty meaningless ones that don’t.

Overlooked Holiday Networking Tip #5

Branch Out (at some point)

Sure it is fun and comfortable to hang with your good old friends but there are new priceless business relationships to make out there also.

Overlooked Holiday Networking Tip #6

Get an Introduction to the Person You Want to Meet.

An introduction is an implied endorsement. Try to get introduced by the hostess/host or the most respected person at the event with whom you have a relationship.

Overlooked Holiday Networking Tip #7

Carry /Use Breath Mints or Those Dissolving Strip Things (not gum).

Sure you want to try the garlic artichoke dip but halitosis is bad for business. Good breath is a must. And as for gum, smacking anything at a networking function is discouraged.

Overlooked Holiday Networking Tip #8

Careful of the Eggnog (and Miller Lite and Merlot)

Many holiday gatherings serve alcohol. I encourage you to consider not drinking at these events, or at least know your alcohol limit and not get anywhere close to it. Sure you want to be remembered, but not as the loud jerk who couldn’t hold his liquor and spilt red wine on Judge Jacob’s Hanukkah sweater.

Overlooked Holiday Networking Tip #9

Look for People Standing Alone.

These folks may be nervous, and your initiative will often endear you to them. Plus, one-on-one networking is the best networking. It is hard to join a group unless invited.

A CODE Tip on Joining a Group –

Look for someone you know who is chatting with a couple of people you do not know. Approach the group and stand to the side within view of the person you know. This serves as a subtle cue for your contact to introduce you to the group and bring you into the conversation. Try it. It works. If someone invites you to join the group but forgets to introduce you, take the initiative and introduce yourself.

Overlooked Holiday Networking Tip #10

Hang a While at the Food Table.

I know it sounds like I’m joking, but people tend to be easily accessible around food. Stand near the food table, but not the bar. People tend to grab their drinks and move away from the bar, but are more likely to linger near the grub.

As people check out the buffet table, small talk comes more easily. “That fruitcake looks good…” is as good an opener as any. Once they have their hands full, people often look for a flat surface where they can place their plate and beverage. Take a spot next to them and get to chatting.

Check this out — Our endorphin levels are higher when we are close to food, which boosts our memory and the chance that we will remember and be remembered. We humans are a trip, aren’t we?

Food Additive:

Do not go to these Holiday parties too hungry. Consider eating something before you go so you can focus on the person, not the cranberry cheese spreed. If you are hungry at the event, grab a quick bite off to the side, and then mingle. Do not talk with your mouth full. (I hope I didn’t need to write that.)

Overlooked Holiday Networking Tip #11

Bond With the Spouses and Significant Others of the Influential.

The influence and power wielded by spouses and significant others is grossly underestimated. And because of this, they often go ignored. When offered the chance at a holiday function, invest the time to make a solid connection with them. Get to know them as people, and after the event they are likely to speak well of you to you know who.

Overlooked Holiday Networking Tip #12

Do NOT Try to do Major Business Deals (save that for later).

Keep business out of it. It’s the holidays, and people don’t want to be sold to. Make it about getting to know others and not about you or your business. Do not rush new relationships; think LONG TERM. Do not SELL! It is a mind-set. Be subtle. The worst thing you could do is try to start selling someone at a holiday party!

Overlooked Holiday Networking Tip #13

Catch That Name.

We say we forget names. But I don’t think that’s true. I don’t think we really hear the name of the person when we meet them. We are not listening. We are more focused on what we’re about to say.

The other person’s name is way important to them, probably about as important as yours is to you. To make a great first impression, make a point of catching and tossing around the person’s name in conversation. This is almost impossible when we are preoccupied with the red and green decorations or what we are going to do or say next to be impressive.

The Name Game

1. Right before you meet new people, PREPARE to CATCH their name.

2. Toss their name back in your first or second response.

3. Mention their name naturally throughout the conversation (but do not overdo it).

4. Repeat their name when parting.

If you do not catch it, ask them to repeat it rather than letting it go. Do not be embarrassed to ask (they probably did not catch your name either). Read others’ nametags. That’s what they’re there for.

Again, your new contact’s name is the ultimate word to use in order to make a solid first impression. Using the person’s name in a natural manner throughout the conversation is an easy and organic way to create a memorable link between yourself and your new contact.

Overlooked Holiday Networking Tip #14

Uncover the Next Step (Mucho Importanto).

Find a reason (that is good for them) to connect them again and then… connect them again (and soon). Focus on — How can you “Be Progress” for this person?

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

Be Progress.

Eight Holiday Organization Tips (Guest Blog Post)

Networking with Lions, Elks and Moose, Oh My! – Proven Places to Nework (Part III)

Part One of Proven Places to Network
Part Two of Proven Places to Network

Funny Video from Dean on Remembering Names!!

11. Kiwanis, Rotary, AMBUCS, Lions, Elks, Moose
(I know there is an animal joke in there somewhere.) Do good for the community while you build relationships. Rock-solid plan. Here it really pays to serve as a leader.

12.  Workshops, Classes, and Seminars
Take every chance to learn more and make yourself better. Other people committed to jogging the road to success will be there too. Contribute ideas. Ask questions. Look for a list of upcoming workshops in your local business journal’s calendar of events. Expect a higher grade of professionals at the workshops and seminars that are sponsored by area business journals.

13. College Associations
Having common backgrounds makes for easy conversations and many really get a kick out of helping an alum of their university.

14. Leads Groups
The great thing about leads groups is that they are focused on lead generation for their members. Expect events held by leads groups to be more intense than the rest of the networking options on this list.Make sure you check out the membership roster before you join. If there are some members who are in your line of work, you will probably want to join another leads group. They may not even let you join if there is already someone in your category. Also, find out what the member obligations are, and ask some of the members how much business they have generated from being a member.

15. Cultural Events
Meet some people with style and taste. Theater, symphony, art exhibits, rodeos, tractor pulls…

 16. Volunteer
A great way to gain visibility and develop relationships is through volunteering with any of the above-listed groups. Almost all these groups could use a hand. Step out and step up. Look for volunteer jobs that will provide you opportunities to show off your skills and personality, and meet and interact with new contacts. You increase your impact as well as the potential for new contacts when you actively participate.

Volunteer to:
- Serve on committees. You can help shape the association’s policy, as well as work closely with and learn from other experts.

- Chair a committee or run for office. Let people experience your leadership, communication, and organizational skills in action.

- Work the reception desk. You will meet people as they sign in.

- Help direct people to the right rooms at a large convention (often called being a people mover).

- Be a greeter. The greeter spot is ideal for the self-diagnosed shy, because the title alone forces you to connect. Plus, as a greeter there is an automatic assumption that you are “in the know” and others will naturally come to you for info and help.

- Join the board. You will connect with key industry leaders and gain a reputation as a leader yourself.

Crack the Neworking CODE.

Be Progress.

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PROVEN PLACES TO NETWORK (PART TWO)

from Cracking the Networking CODE by Dean Lindsay

CLICK HERE FOR PART ONE

8. Hobby/Passion
Join groups that offer possibilities for making contacts and achieving personal growth: art appreciation, dancing, chess, astronomy, wine and food clubs, etc. You will meet others with similar interests who are ready to network. Go to meetings that feature discussions on a topic you’re interested in.

9. Golf/ Sports
Golf has long been the sport for business networking. So if you’re a somewhat decent swinger, tee up. Jerry Lindsay (successful business owner, avid golfer, and a great dad) offers these words of caution: “The way a person relates to golf mirrors the way they relate to business. So putt everything out, play the ball where it lies, let faster players play through, do not throw clubs, and most of all, do not cheat.” Other sports work fine for networking, too. The key is to find a sport you are interested in, and get involved.

10. Spiritual Organizations
I am NOT suggesting that you join a church or synagogue only for the business opportunities. But let’s face it – many solid business relationships are forged in the pews and folding chairs of spiritual organizations. Go for the right reasons and let your light shine. Hide it under a bushel? No. You’ve got to let it shine.

More to Come.

Be Progress.

Proven Places to Network & Build Priceless Business Relationships (Part One)

Free Sales Tips

from  Business Keynote Speaker Dean Lindsay

Author of The Progress Challenge and

Cracking the Networking CODE

In these tough economic times, priceless business relationships are VITAL!  We should consider opening relationships everywhere we go.  On Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.  On Golden Pond and even on the Bridge on the River Kwai.  (Sorry, I got carried away and my movie references got a tad silly.)  Anyway, you get the point.  Relationships are important and start by connecting with others. 

To make connecting easier and more focused, look for groups and events where “networking” is encouraged.  People expect to exchange cards and meet new people at these types of gatherings, so go expecting to make some contacts. 

However watch out…too many people go to business networking events with the wrong focus and try to force their service down your throat.  If you are not on the top of your game, you will end up stoically listening to a bunch of pitches instead of getting the person to have a real conversation. 

It is best not to consider joining any business organizations unless you are committed to being an active member for at least one year, building priceless business relationsips takes time.

Also, it is possible to spend a bunch of dinero on joining networking groups, so consider your affiliations carefully.  Call and ask if you can attend as a visitor.  Most allow at least one free visit. 

Again, you SHOULD network everywhere and anywhere.  There are plenty of places that offer networking possibilities.  ALSO…consider START your own networking group. What follows is by no means a complete list, but these suggestions can lead to other opportunities.  Here are the first five of 16 proven places to network.  More to follow in upcoming posts.

5 Proven Places to Network:

1.  Organizations to Which You Already Belong 

The first place to start networking is in the organizations you already belong to.  Anywhere you are already connected: your homeowners’ association, office parties, Sunday school class, PTA, workout club, sports groups, political party meetings, Junior League.  Anywhere. 

2.  Professional Trade Associations  

Your professional trade association can put you in touch with colleagues in your field.  Cultivate relationships with other members, tap into their expertise, discuss industry concerns, and swap ideas.  These are the best organizations for learning about your industry, your customers, and your competition.

Check out your membership directory to find experts in the profession.  Contact them for advice or ideas.  The sooner you get involved in your trade association, the sooner your name will get out there.  Serve on committees, contribute articles to the group’s publication, speak at conferences, run for the board.  Learn and practice new skills at educational seminars.  You can learn how to use emerging technologies and catch up on the techniques.  Read the association’s newsletter for tips on how to succeed and use the full benefits of membership.  Contact supplier members.  They can tell you about new products and services in your industry.

3.  State and National Trade Shows, Conventions, and Conferences

Business and industry trade shows, conventions, and conferences have great potential as really solid places to network.  However, a bewildering number of people never take advantage of these solid opportunities even when they go, because they treat the trip as a much deserved paid vacation instead of one of the best spots in the cosmos to make new contacts.  This is not the place to let your hair down and get your groove on.     

Some of the big trade shows bring in buyers and sellers from around the globe.  So much potential!  At breakfast, lunch, dinner, and networking activities, meet as many people as possible, get their cards and stay in touch.  Study the schedule and ask the organizers for a list of attendees before you go.  Formulate a plan to make it a valuable investment of time and money.  (See pages 73-76 of Cracking the Networking CODE for tips on running a successful trade show booth.)

At conventions, try contacting keynoters and concurrent-session presenters ahead of time.  Most often we speakers are from out of town and do not know anyone, so invite us to sit with you during lunch, or schedule time for a cup of coffee.  At least introduce yourself to the presenters and those sitting around you. 

4.  Trade Organizations of Your Best Customers

If the fine people who already use your services belong to these organizations, would it not be safe to assume that other members might want to use your services as well?  See if you can present a breakout session or seminar on something related to your work.

5.  Chamber of Commerce

They don’t call them Chambers of Commerce for nothing.  More than likely, your Chamber of Commerce is your best local networking source, but only if you’re active and informed.  Most Chambers welcome guests at functions but are usually only interested in recommending their members.  The upside is that you can join as a business or as an individual. 

Chambers sponsor networking activities like after-hours mixers, business-networking breakfasts, luncheons, and even leads groups.  Chamber events are great forums for sharpening your skills and opening face-to-face relationships. 

More to come.

Be Progress.

Click for Info on Cracking the Networking CODE

My Business Networking Book Gets Thumbs Up from American Coal Council

Cracking the Networking CODE is “packed a lot of useful information.” — American Coal Council

Cool. I was vanity searching the WWW this morning and came across this review of my business networking book, Cracking the Networking CODE. I had not seen it before. Solid well rounded review — plus they liked it!   

To Jason and American Coal Council – Thanks for the great review.

My favorite line of the review — “First things first, Dean’s style of writing is quick, fluid, and to the point. No showy grandstanding, or unintelligible words (unless they’re defined right there, in the book) that make it a tough slog to get through. Dean offers up straightforward information and loads of personal anecdotes to help you become more effective at networking.” Right on!!

Of course I like this line too — “Cracking the Networking Code is one of those books that everyone who wants to be effective in business networking will want to read and have on their shelf.” — American Coal Council

What can I say, I told you it was a great review.  Check out: American Coal Council’s Review of Cracking the Networking CODE

Thanks again American Coal Council.

Be Progress.

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More on Cracking the Networking CODE

“Perhaps the most powerful way to leverage and multiply your talent and ability is by expanding your personal and business network. THIS BOOK SHOWS YOU HOW.”
– Brian Tracy, Author,
Getting Rich Your Own Way

Cracking the Networking CODE is Recommended Reading by the United Professional Sales Association and Profit magazine.

The Dallas Morning News says the book serves up “networking advice with wisdom, humor and concise guidance.”

“For over three years, our entire sales team has benefited from Dean sharing his topnotch business-building insights, insights now found in his smart, engaging, and powerful Cracking the Networking CODE. While utilizing Dean’s fresh insights, along with his personal coaching and mentoring, our sales professionals have taken their success to the next level! ”
– J. Lee Ripley
Field Vice President
Pacific Life & Annuity Company

Cracking the Networking CODE features:

• The Top Ten Benefits of Networking
• 37 Questions for Defining a Powerful Networking Plan
• The Way Around the “Do Not Call” List
• 16 Examples of Proven Places to Network
• 16 Tips for Running a Successful Trade Show Booth
• 9 Strategies for Opening Face-to-Face Relationships
• 6 Often Overlooked Networking Strategies
• 20 Quick Tips for Delivering Solid First Impressions
• 10 Ideas for Creating a Series of Positive Impressions
• Insight on Business Cards and Note-taking

As well as How to:

• Be a Success in Your Own Eyes
• Conquer the FEAR of Networking
• Harness the Power in Numbers
• Gain Confidence Talking to Strangers
• Ask Progress-Focused Questions
• Listen As If Your Lifestyle Depended on It.
• Design Your Rise & Shine (30-Second Commercial)
• And of Course How to …Crack the Networking CODE!!!

“This is a book that everyone will wish they read 20 years ago. Dean’s CODE reminds me of every successful person that I know. What a tremendous asset it would be if we could only memorize all of the quality pointers in this book.”
– Frank Bracken President and COO
Haggar Clothing Co.

“Dean Lindsay is a master of progress, and in this book will show you how to be the same. He’ll take you by the hand – a pleasurable experience, because the man is an awesome writer – and lead you into the land of networking nirvana.”
– Jay Conrad Levinson
The Father of Guerrilla Marketing ( Brief Excerpt taken from Jay’s Foreword for Cracking the Networking CODE)

“Dean Lindsay writes on the subject of networking and relationship building with conviction and authority. His writing, Cracking the Networking CODE, will be of immense and immediate value to anyone aiming for greater effectiveness in marketing and selling.”
– Jack Kinder, Jr. and Garry D.
Kinder Speakers, authors, consultants

“This book is a hip, fun, easy read that is filled with specific tips for connecting and staying connected with others. It is also filled with enough trivia and “significa” to give you even more to talk about. Read, laugh, learn and improve.”
– Jim Cathcart
Author of Relationship Selling

“Whether you are looking for a new job or thinking about changing careers, Cracking the Networking CODE is the book for you. It reveals what the human resource community has known and kept secret for years. Networking is the key to unlock the door to any position and this book gives you the combination to that lock.”
– Gayle Ciupak
Manager, Human Resources
General Motors

“Dean Lindsay has redefined networking from the mindless, self-serving distribution of business cards to a connecting, collaborative, communicative process. Reading this book is an absolute necessity in today’s changing environment.”
– Helen Harkness, Ph.D.
Founder, Career Design Associates, Inc.
Author of Capitalizing on Career Chaos

“What an important book! I have never seen anything like this in Sweden. Highly informative yet extremely entertaining, this is a book I would give to all my colleagues. It’s perfect for any professional wanting to make his or her way in today’s global business environment. An easy read – and a must read!”
– Jonas Milton (Stockholm, Sweden)
President (VD) of Almega

Six Overlooked Business Networking Opportunities

From Cracking the Networking CODE by Dean Lindsay

We all know social networking (web networking) is a BIG DEAL. Heck, you are reading my BLOG.  However face-to-face business networking is FAR from long gone. In fact, with our economy on the rebound (yes you read it here first), now is a great time to get your personal curb appeal in check and get out there.  Business networking events are everywhere, but they are NOT THE ONLY WAY to CONNECT.  Here are six often overlooked business networking tips (opportunities) for opening face-to-face relationships from my book, Cracking the Networking CODE : 4 Steps to Priceless Business Relationships.

CODE Overlooked Business Networking Tip # 1  Speak at Conferences.

TRUE, speaking in public strikes big fear in the hearts and minds of the unprepared, and TRUE is the #1 fear for a lot of people, one slot above death.  But speaking at conferences that match your industy or your prospects’ industries is a business networking opportunity that has the power to position you as an expert, a leader, a thinker in your community and your industry.  It might be worth joining Toastmasters ( www.toastmasters.org ) to get over the fear and polish the tools needed to become a confident speaker and a successful business networker. Toastmasters can help you become an interesting person and a valuable resource to others by sharpening your communications skills.  You’ll gain self-confidence and learn to present a great first impression. Get ready, because with Toastmasters there are live speaking opportunities from the get -go.

CODE Overlooked Business Networking Tip # 2  Follow Your Money.

Who are your suppliers?
Where do you spend money?
What places do you frequent?

Get to know your vendors better. If you are their customer, they probably serve other topnotch business professionals like you , right? Find out who else they know. Their contacts could be worth more than the service or products they provide.  Work to build the exchange of contacts into the relationships.  Ask them to recommend you.  A nifty by-product of relationship-building is you will likely improve the quality of your service.

CODE Overlooked Business Networking Tip # 3  Help Everyone That Thinks You ROCK Become a Great Business Networker

Offer others opportunities to grow their network as well proven strategies and techniques for effective self-marketing and relationship-building.   As your contacts’ networks grow and strengthen , so do yours. 

“The greatest good we can do for others is not to share our riches, but to assist in revealing their own.”
– Benjamin Disraeli

CODE Overlooked Business Networking Tip # 4  Hug a “gatekeeper.”

Make friends with the executive assistants of those you want to create a relationship with.  Often executive assistants either become solid allies or your worst nightmare.  Do not make the mistake of taking them for granted or seeing them as obstacles to be overcome.  Heck, they’re the ones who set up appointments for the decision maker. And in a lot of cases…THEY ARE THE DECISION MAKERS.

Get to know everyone in the office as individuals.  Talk with them.  Learn all the front-office folks’ names, special interests and hobbies, the names of their kids, and stuff like that. Check for clues from what they display on their desks.  Be dependable and genuine. If you can build a solid bond with these key individuals, you will differentiate yourself from run-of-the-mill sales punks who ignore gatekeepers and just try to barge in to see the big chief.

If gatekeepers know and respect us, they can recommend us when the need for our service arises. They can keep us in the loop.  They can be our greatest champion. Plus, executives respect us more if we have an authentic interest in their whole staff. Most executives like and respect their assistants and value their insight, so if the assistant likes we , so will the person in charge.

Added business networking tip   *******  To gain a possible inside track, ask assistants what groups their boss is active in.  Join those groups and get involved those events.  When decision makers see you engaged in activities outside of the office, they develop more confidence and respect for you. That’s good.

CODE Overlooked Business Networking Tip # 5  Include Friends and Neighbors.

Far too often, we already know people with the right contacts or expertise, but we do not know it. It is imperative to get to know everyone in your existing network on a more solid footing.

Find out who your closest friends and colleagues know. It is probably worthwhile for you to get to know more of your friends’ friends and your neighbors’ neighbors (of course, you are first going to have to actually meet your neighbors). You never know where your next opportunity, job, or client will come from, so do not rule out your friends and relatives as possible contacts. Your Uncle Abbott may have a neighbor who has a son who needs exactly what your company has to offer.

CODE Overlooked Business Networking Tip # 6  Bond with the spouses and significant others of the influential.

The influence and power wielded by spouses and significant others is grossly underestimated.  And because of this, they often go ignored.  When offered the chance at a function , invest the time to make a solid connection with them.  Get to know them as people, and after the event they are likely to speak well of you to the very person you targeted.

As I mentioned at the top of this post, things ARE GETTING BETTER.  I hope these business networking tips help you get out there and  Crack the Networking CODE.

Be Progress.

P.S. As I also mentioned at the top of this post, SOCIAL Networking (web networking) is a big deal.  Do you twitter? I do and am at: www.twitter.com/deanlindsay  All my new blog posts get a tweet.