The most valuable thing you can do in a networking situation is pay attention. Not just to the people you are engaging, but to your surroundings. The short list of things that comprise this concept: Listening and hearing. Speaking carefully and sparingly. Focusing. Being aware of your time without being distracted. Listening and hearing are […]
Networking can be sliced and diced any number of ways. There is no one way to network or reach out to your prospects, clients and colleagues. However, you can categorize the types or levels of outreach. For example, there are different types of people you want to reach: Direct connections. Influencers. Referral sources. Sources of
Levels of Networking Read More »
“Mad Men” has become a part of our American Sunday night TV culture. With it came the Roger Sterling character (played to the hilt by John Slattery), the jaded agency veteran living through the 1960s with his wit intact. Roger always has the right line at the right time, so it came as no surprise
Roger Sterling on Networking Read More »
Relationships: that connection, association or involvement with another person, business or group. You gotta have ’em in both your personal and business life, so how to you find and then build relationships? At a recent Networking Skills Workshop at the North Dallas Chamber, we covered this topic and gave some simple advice. First, there are
Developing and Maintaining Relationships Read More »
On my way out the door this morning, I paused at the mirror in the hallway and asked by significant other “Do I look okay?” “If you are going to a client meeting, no.” She was right: the shirt and pants didn’t reflect how I should present myself to my client and to the audience
Do you look the part? Read More »
The other day I was in a meeting with a client who related a story about a conversation he had had with a prospect. My client works in a industry that includes brokers fronting for others doing the actual work. His prospect wanted to see the actual plant and meet the people who would be
Glass Boxes versus Black Boxes Read More »
Whether you are inside of a company or supporting a business from the outside as a contractor or even if you are building your network, there are three things everybody wants from you: Subject matter expertise Objectivity Bandwidth At our monthly lunch together, I traded ideas around these concepts with my mentor-consultant, J Francisco Escobar,
Three things your clients and contacts want from you Read More »
Every morning I awake to a clean sheet of paper in my notebook. While I should do my humble to-do list on my iPad or as an electronic notes list in Outlook, I choose to still use a pen and plain paper to organize the day. So far it has worked. Beginning on a righthand
Starting the day with a clean sheet of paper Read More »
Every industry and profession have their own language and terms that are unique to them. Try these examples: Restauranteur talk about eight-toppers. Insurance guys speak of risk, exposure and not-admitted carriers. IT people speak about plug-and-play and cookies (and IT itself is an industry term–information technology). Estimators are asked to “SWAG” a price. Marketing people
When I was a sophomore in high school we were required to run every day at the end of physical education class. After most of an hour of some physical activity (basketball, weights, soccer) we were then told by the toughest instructor at PVHS, Mr Harcus, to take a lap outside the fence line of
Why Walk When You Can Run? Read More »
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