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Member You - When Business Cards Aren't Enough: Unusual, Unexpected, and Uncommon Networking Tips
Have you ever heard the term INTRA-preneur?It's a play on the word entrepreneur that basically means "being an entrepreneur inside a big company". In other words, it's someone with a regular job who has a boss just like everyone else - except they have the MINDSET of an entrepreneur.But what does that mean exactly?An intra-preneur could be someone who leads a new project within the company, like the launch of a new product. This would have similarities to a launching a new company based around a single product because they'd still have to manage a team, look at a new market, and generally wear may hats.An intra-preneur could also mean an engineer who thinks about the business in a broader sense. Most engineers are 100% focused on the technical work that consumes their time, but if an engineer was also involved in, say....bringing in new clients for the company, and making sales....he or she would be thinking like an entrepreneur.H
What did I have to lose, right?
To my surprise about a half hour later, he wrote me back. “Thanks for the kind words, Scott! I blogged your site. Good luck.”
Little did I realize that Seth Godin publishes one of the top ten most frequently read blogs in the world. As a result, I received over 70,000 hits on my website in one day! This resulted in some great new contacts, several exciting business opportunities and the birth of my own blog, which is now a critical part of my business! Which brings me to my last networking tip.
Blog For Bucks
If you don’t already have a blog for your business – get one. A blog is an online journal on which you can post comments, links, stories and articles. This popular new medium through which to share your feelings, experiences and emotions is a free and fun way to network with other online professionals. After I talked with Seth last year, I started the blog for my business, and it’s become a valuable tool to stimulate personal dialogue with potential customers. It’s also a great way to let your customers know what’s going on in your life.
For more information go to www.blogger.com; or do a search for any of the various blog providers.
The commonality of these unusual, uncommon and unexpected networking techniques is this: you must do what nobody else is willing to do. Sure,
Poor managerial performance is viewed more as structural rather than market factors. The mantra of the managements for increasing efficiencies and profitability is more often than not structural adjustments within the organization.Structural adjustments at best produce short term results. Many of the change initiatives fizzle out after the initial spurt in productivity while management grapple with sagging morale and bottom-line. Managements initiate more change for the sake of keeping the trend going resulting in further worsening of the situation and attritions.The major Change initiative needs to focus on the market forces and any internal change has to be specific to orienting the organization and its people towards the markets.Some key factors that need to be addressed for market oriented change initiatives:GlobalizationGlobalization has created a new scenario where capacity is no longer the constraining factor for any business. Huge capacitie
But how many times have you gained new business, created a great relationship or watched your website hits skyrocket because you did something unusual? Or uncommon? Perhaps even unexpected? Maybe you were on the right track.
The following is a list of atypical networking techniques that will help boost business. WARNING: They will stretch your courage. They will test your expertise. And they will challenge your creativity. But when business cards aren’t enough, alternative ways to develop and maintain mutually valuable relationships are your ticket to networking success.
What’s Your Story?
How did you get your start in business? Did you “fall” into your line of work? Perhaps there was an interesting anecdote, epiphany or event that caused the birth of your business. If so, this is called “Your Story.” Now, it’s not your Elevator Speech or your 30 Second Commercial. It’s your story. And it’s a fundamental tool for helping people and potential customers get to know you.
Here’s the key: write it out. Practice saying it aloud. Make it funny. And tell it to everybody. Not only does this create a memorable presence, but the more you share it with people, the more they will share Your Story with other people. Why? Because people don’t remember things, they remember stories. And after a while, the word about Your Story will spread.
Mix the Medium and Wow People
When I receive an email from an organization or business who has a question, wants to work together or just wants to chat, I do something called Mix the Medium. Here's how it works:
1) The exact moment I finish reading the email, I obtain the person’s phone number (if I don’t already have it.) If there's no email signature, I look at their email address or go to their website. If all I know is their company, I call Directory Assistance or look them up on City Search. Basically, I do anything I can to get their phone number within the next two minutes.
2) Then I call them right back.
3) I then say, "Hi, this is Scott Ginsberg. I was in the office when your email came through and I thought I’d call you back!" I say with a big smile on my face.
PEOPLE LOVE THIS. I have never done this without completely blowing the caller away. They respond with such excited phrases as "Wow, that was fast!" or "I'm impressed you called back already!" In fact, I recently received an email from a friend of mine who just changed jobs. He was writing to say hello and wish me a Happy New Year. And since I hadn’t heard from Jake in quite a while, I Mixed the Medium and called him right back. Five minutes later he booked me to do one of my speaking programs for his new organization!
Network en Masse
Speaking of speaking, here’s another untapped networking resource: local groups, organizations and associations. But I’m not talking about joining; I’m talking about giving a speech. It’s what I call “Networking en Masse.”
Small businesspeople are successful because they’re experts on something. So whether you’re in sales, printing, tech consulting or retail, find a way to transform your expertise into an informative, concise and entertaining speech that will help other people like yourself boost business.
Contact the meeting coordinator of your local Chamber, Rotary Club, Networking Group or Trade Association. They always need speakers. Offer the group a free 15-20 minute program. Include valuable tips, stories, illustrations and examples from your own business experiences that are of interest to the members. By speaking, you position yourself as an expert, validate your credibility and increase your company’s visibility.
Write as an Expert
Another underused networking tactic is writing articles or tip sheets about hot topics in your industry. You don’t even have to be a freelance writer or a journalist – just a business professional who can effectively convey his or her expertise in the form of a short article. Similar to speaking, writing articles in a publication read by your target market is the perfect way to position you and your company.
Here’s how to get started with this tip: Go to Google, type in your topic of expertise and the word “article.” For example, if you work in phone book advertising, type in “phone book advertising article.” (Be sure to use the quotation marks.) Hundreds of hits will come up. Read through a few dozen of them. This will give you an idea of what hot topics other people in your industry are writing articles about. Then, find out which online databases, ezines, newsletters or websites syndicated the articles you just read. By localizing these sources, you can contact the editors and inquire about article submission guidelines. (And if you get the opportunity to publish articles online, you can easily email the article link to other people who would benefit from reading your work.)
Don’t Fear the Big Shots
You’d be surprised how approachable some of the so-called “Big Shots” are. Great example: At a National Speakers Association Convention in July of 2004, I had the pleasure of attending a session with Seth Godin, best selling author of Unleash the Ideavirus and Purple Cow. Now, in addition hearing him speak, I’ve also been a frequent reader of his books and articles for years. And a few months after seeing him live I thought, “What the heck…maybe I’ll just drop him an email.”
So it came to pass on October 8th, 2004, that I emailed Seth Godin. I told him how much I enjoyed his speech at the convention and that his work was a big influence on my own books and speeches. I also told him to check out my website, www.hellomynameisscott.com, for it was an example of the kind of idea he so passionately supported.
What did I have to lose, right?
To my surprise about a half hour later, he wrote me back. “Thanks for the kind words, Scott! I blogged your site. Good luck.”
Little did I realize that Seth Godin publishes one of the top ten most frequently read blogs in the world. As a result, I received over 70,000 hits on my website in one day! This resulted in some great new contacts, several exciting business opportunities and the birth of my own blog, which is now a critical part of my business! Which brings me to my last networking tip.
Blog For Bucks
If you don’t already have a blog for your business – get one. A blog is an online journal on which you can post comments, links, stories and articles. This popular new medium through which to share your feelings, experiences and emotions is a free and fun way to network with other online professionals. After I talked with Seth last year, I started the blog for my business, and it’s become a valuable tool to stimulate personal dialogue with potential customers. It’s also a great way to let your customers know what’s going on in your life.
For more information go to www.blogger.com; or do a search for any of the various blog providers.
The commonality of these unusual, uncommon and unexpected networking techniques is this: you must do what nobody else is willing to do. Sure,
Sometimes statistics don’t tell the whole story. Sometimes over reliance on historical data can lead us in the wrong direction. When marketing to people in the new middle aged group (NMA), those in their fifties and sixties, sometimes we have to stop and listen to our hearts.NMA people rely heavily on their instincts, emotions and their faith. That’s what we marketers of products and services have to do when we are dealing with them. That’s what we should do when we are trying to sell them something. We have to try and anticipate what they want and how they feel and respond in an emotional appeal that they will relate to.Many of the NMA people rely on their faith to help them find their way. They have a keen sense of spirituality. It is wiser to appeal to them on an emotional basis than it is to rely solely on a logical argument or on boring reasoned judgment. Try and tell a story that will interest them so that they can start to relate to you and your marketing message.<
Mix the Medium and Wow People
When I receive an email from an organization or business who has a question, wants to work together or just wants to chat, I do something called Mix the Medium. Here's how it works:
1) The exact moment I finish reading the email, I obtain the person’s phone number (if I don’t already have it.) If there's no email signature, I look at their email address or go to their website. If all I know is their company, I call Directory Assistance or look them up on City Search. Basically, I do anything I can to get their phone number within the next two minutes.
2) Then I call them right back.
3) I then say, "Hi, this is Scott Ginsberg. I was in the office when your email came through and I thought I’d call you back!" I say with a big smile on my face.
PEOPLE LOVE THIS. I have never done this without completely blowing the caller away. They respond with such excited phrases as "Wow, that was fast!" or "I'm impressed you called back already!" In fact, I recently received an email from a friend of mine who just changed jobs. He was writing to say hello and wish me a Happy New Year. And since I hadn’t heard from Jake in quite a while, I Mixed the Medium and called him right back. Five minutes later he booked me to do one of my speaking programs for his new organization!
Network en Masse
Speaking of speaking, here’s another untapped networking resource: local groups, organizations and associations. But I’m not talking about joining; I’m talking about giving a speech. It’s what I call “Networking en Masse.”
Small businesspeople are successful because they’re experts on something. So whether you’re in sales, printing, tech consulting or retail, find a way to transform your expertise into an informative, concise and entertaining speech that will help other people like yourself boost business.
Contact the meeting coordinator of your local Chamber, Rotary Club, Networking Group or Trade Association. They always need speakers. Offer the group a free 15-20 minute program. Include valuable tips, stories, illustrations and examples from your own business experiences that are of interest to the members. By speaking, you position yourself as an expert, validate your credibility and increase your company’s visibility.
Write as an Expert
Another underused networking tactic is writing articles or tip sheets about hot topics in your industry. You don’t even have to be a freelance writer or a journalist – just a business professional who can effectively convey his or her expertise in the form of a short article. Similar to speaking, writing articles in a publication read by your target market is the perfect way to position you and your company.
Here’s how to get started with this tip: Go to Google, type in your topic of expertise and the word “article.” For example, if you work in phone book advertising, type in “phone book advertising article.” (Be sure to use the quotation marks.) Hundreds of hits will come up. Read through a few dozen of them. This will give you an idea of what hot topics other people in your industry are writing articles about. Then, find out which online databases, ezines, newsletters or websites syndicated the articles you just read. By localizing these sources, you can contact the editors and inquire about article submission guidelines. (And if you get the opportunity to publish articles online, you can easily email the article link to other people who would benefit from reading your work.)
Don’t Fear the Big Shots
You’d be surprised how approachable some of the so-called “Big Shots” are. Great example: At a National Speakers Association Convention in July of 2004, I had the pleasure of attending a session with Seth Godin, best selling author of Unleash the Ideavirus and Purple Cow. Now, in addition hearing him speak, I’ve also been a frequent reader of his books and articles for years. And a few months after seeing him live I thought, “What the heck…maybe I’ll just drop him an email.”
So it came to pass on October 8th, 2004, that I emailed Seth Godin. I told him how much I enjoyed his speech at the convention and that his work was a big influence on my own books and speeches. I also told him to check out my website, www.hellomynameisscott.com, for it was an example of the kind of idea he so passionately supported.
What did I have to lose, right?
To my surprise about a half hour later, he wrote me back. “Thanks for the kind words, Scott! I blogged your site. Good luck.”
Little did I realize that Seth Godin publishes one of the top ten most frequently read blogs in the world. As a result, I received over 70,000 hits on my website in one day! This resulted in some great new contacts, several exciting business opportunities and the birth of my own blog, which is now a critical part of my business! Which brings me to my last networking tip.
Blog For Bucks
If you don’t already have a blog for your business – get one. A blog is an online journal on which you can post comments, links, stories and articles. This popular new medium through which to share your feelings, experiences and emotions is a free and fun way to network with other online professionals. After I talked with Seth last year, I started the blog for my business, and it’s become a valuable tool to stimulate personal dialogue with potential customers. It’s also a great way to let your customers know what’s going on in your life.
For more information go to www.blogger.com; or do a search for any of the various blog providers.
The commonality of these unusual, uncommon and unexpected networking techniques is this: you must do what nobody else is willing to do. Sure,
Did you know 83% of successful Entrepreneurs say that their #1 key to their success, has been participating a Mastermind group?Tired or don’t know where or what to do? What I have found that works for me as well as many other solo-preneurs is get into a Mastermind group.Now you may be thinking who’s got time to form your own Mastermind group? You don’t have to. Just ask around. There is someone you can go to that is facilitating Mastermind groups. If you go to info(at)heartatworkonline.org and ask for an application form.Not only does a Mastermind group support you with encouragement – you will receive different ideas that have worked with other business people, you’ll develop strategic partners and even get sales faster.The biggest challenge for any entrepreneur is that it’s hard to see the trees through the forest. You as the biz owner is usually so busy doing the day to day things that when you look at the big picture all you see is the forest. Oh my…When yo
Network en Masse
Speaking of speaking, here’s another untapped networking resource: local groups, organizations and associations. But I’m not talking about joining; I’m talking about giving a speech. It’s what I call “Networking en Masse.”
Small businesspeople are successful because they’re experts on something. So whether you’re in sales, printing, tech consulting or retail, find a way to transform your expertise into an informative, concise and entertaining speech that will help other people like yourself boost business.
Contact the meeting coordinator of your local Chamber, Rotary Club, Networking Group or Trade Association. They always need speakers. Offer the group a free 15-20 minute program. Include valuable tips, stories, illustrations and examples from your own business experiences that are of interest to the members. By speaking, you position yourself as an expert, validate your credibility and increase your company’s visibility.
Write as an Expert
Another underused networking tactic is writing articles or tip sheets about hot topics in your industry. You don’t even have to be a freelance writer or a journalist – just a business professional who can effectively convey his or her expertise in the form of a short article. Similar to speaking, writing articles in a publication read by your target market is the perfect way to position you and your company.
Here’s how to get started with this tip: Go to Google, type in your topic of expertise and the word “article.” For example, if you work in phone book advertising, type in “phone book advertising article.” (Be sure to use the quotation marks.) Hundreds of hits will come up. Read through a few dozen of them. This will give you an idea of what hot topics other people in your industry are writing articles about. Then, find out which online databases, ezines, newsletters or websites syndicated the articles you just read. By localizing these sources, you can contact the editors and inquire about article submission guidelines. (And if you get the opportunity to publish articles online, you can easily email the article link to other people who would benefit from reading your work.)
Don’t Fear the Big Shots
You’d be surprised how approachable some of the so-called “Big Shots” are. Great example: At a National Speakers Association Convention in July of 2004, I had the pleasure of attending a session with Seth Godin, best selling author of Unleash the Ideavirus and Purple Cow. Now, in addition hearing him speak, I’ve also been a frequent reader of his books and articles for years. And a few months after seeing him live I thought, “What the heck…maybe I’ll just drop him an email.”
So it came to pass on October 8th, 2004, that I emailed Seth Godin. I told him how much I enjoyed his speech at the convention and that his work was a big influence on my own books and speeches. I also told him to check out my website, www.hellomynameisscott.com, for it was an example of the kind of idea he so passionately supported.
What did I have to lose, right?
To my surprise about a half hour later, he wrote me back. “Thanks for the kind words, Scott! I blogged your site. Good luck.”
Little did I realize that Seth Godin publishes one of the top ten most frequently read blogs in the world. As a result, I received over 70,000 hits on my website in one day! This resulted in some great new contacts, several exciting business opportunities and the birth of my own blog, which is now a critical part of my business! Which brings me to my last networking tip.
Blog For Bucks
If you don’t already have a blog for your business – get one. A blog is an online journal on which you can post comments, links, stories and articles. This popular new medium through which to share your feelings, experiences and emotions is a free and fun way to network with other online professionals. After I talked with Seth last year, I started the blog for my business, and it’s become a valuable tool to stimulate personal dialogue with potential customers. It’s also a great way to let your customers know what’s going on in your life.
For more information go to www.blogger.com; or do a search for any of the various blog providers.
The commonality of these unusual, uncommon and unexpected networking techniques is this: you must do what nobody else is willing to do. Sure,
Outsourcing is a business process through which one can handle their excess workload without too much of a hassle. Each business has specific requirements and that is why specific work must be done in the direction of achieving those results and goals. Setting deadlines is not only a necessity, but priority for all business undertakings and business owners must take special care of this aspect. Accounting outsourcing is a simple method through which business owners can take care of all their business needs. Mostly business owners are not people who can take care of the accounting and financial aspect of their business. So in such a scenario the best thing which one can do is opt for accounting outsourcing, a business process which will benefit them.Undertaking any method that is new will not be a difficult task, if you gather all the knowledge regarding the process. So this means that you must do proper homework and research on accounting outsourcing as a business process. The web i
Don’t Fear the Big Shots
You’d be surprised how approachable some of the so-called “Big Shots” are. Great example: At a National Speakers Association Convention in July of 2004, I had the pleasure of attending a session with Seth Godin, best selling author of Unleash the Ideavirus and Purple Cow. Now, in addition hearing him speak, I’ve also been a frequent reader of his books and articles for years. And a few months after seeing him live I thought, “What the heck…maybe I’ll just drop him an email.”
So it came to pass on October 8th, 2004, that I emailed Seth Godin. I told him how much I enjoyed his speech at the convention and that his work was a big influence on my own books and speeches. I also told him to check out my website, www.hellomynameisscott.com, for it was an example of the kind of idea he so passionately supported.
What did I have to lose, right?
To my surprise about a half hour later, he wrote me back. “Thanks for the kind words, Scott! I blogged your site. Good luck.”
Little did I realize that Seth Godin publishes one of the top ten most frequently read blogs in the world. As a result, I received over 70,000 hits on my website in one day! This resulted in some great new contacts, several exciting business opportunities and the birth of my own blog, which is now a critical part of my business! Which brings me to my last networking tip.
Blog For Bucks
If you don’t already have a blog for your business – get one. A blog is an online journal on which you can post comments, links, stories and articles. This popular new medium through which to share your feelings, experiences and emotions is a free and fun way to network with other online professionals. After I talked with Seth last year, I started the blog for my business, and it’s become a valuable tool to stimulate personal dialogue with potential customers. It’s also a great way to let your customers know what’s going on in your life.
For more information go to www.blogger.com; or do a search for any of the various blog providers.
The commonality of these unusual, uncommon and unexpected networking techniques is this: you must do what nobody else is willing to do. Sure,
Enter Your Leads – Your ROI Depends on It! If your company is asking what your trade show ROI is (and if they haven't been already – they will be!), you need to have a system in place for lead tracking. Most companies have some type of sales database in place – ACT, Goldmine and Sales Voodoo are a few of the more widely used programs that provide many great ways to track leads. If you don't have a system like this in place, get one! Manual tracking can be inaccurate to say the least, and is only as good as its keeper. Keepers may come and go, but a computer-based sales lead database program should be around for a long time to come.For all of your show leads, try to get these into your system as soon as possible, and tag them with the show name and date. This will make it easier to run a report later showing how many sales came as a result of the show. If your sales team doesn't do this data entry, assign an administrative assistant to help get it done – your ROI simply c
What did I have to lose, right?
To my surprise about a half hour later, he wrote me back. “Thanks for the kind words, Scott! I blogged your site. Good luck.”
Little did I realize that Seth Godin publishes one of the top ten most frequently read blogs in the world. As a result, I received over 70,000 hits on my website in one day! This resulted in some great new contacts, several exciting business opportunities and the birth of my own blog, which is now a critical part of my business! Which brings me to my last networking tip.
Blog For Bucks
If you don’t already have a blog for your business – get one. A blog is an online journal on which you can post comments, links, stories and articles. This popular new medium through which to share your feelings, experiences and emotions is a free and fun way to network with other online professionals. After I talked with Seth last year, I started the blog for my business, and it’s become a valuable tool to stimulate personal dialogue with potential customers. It’s also a great way to let your customers know what’s going on in your life.
For more information go to www.blogger.com; or do a search for any of the various blog providers.
The commonality of these unusual, uncommon and unexpected networking techniques is this: you must do what nobody else is willing to do. Sure, handing out business cards and attending meetings are all good techniques. But everyone does that. So are you willing to practice telling Your Story? Would you call people right back when they’re expecting you to email them tomorrow? Do you have the courage to give a great speech, write a helpful article or start a blog that shares your expertise? And are you willing to get in contact with a Big Shot?
I hope so – because eventually, business cards just aren’t enough!
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