There has always been confusion around the term business development. How many times have you heard someone put the title of business development director on their sales manager? There really is a difference between business development and sales. Just as there is a difference between networking and selling. While speaking to my long-time colleague, Scott […]
Business Development Read More »
When it comes to establishing a relationship, there is a pattern we see over and over. This is not scientific by any means, but in my experience and that of networking colleagues, we see these steps in this order in many different situations. From business to social to dating interactions, the establishment of a relationship
The Five Steps: Establishing a Relationship Read More »
In one of the latest issues of D Magazine, there is a story about the widow of Fred Baron, a long-time attorney and adviser in the Dallas area. While it was an interesting interview and profile of Lisa Blue Baron, what her late husband left her with was the most striking part of the story.
Three Life Lessons Read More »
There are lots of ways to build a network and lots of reasons, too. I heard this list not that long ago in a session at –where else–a chamber of commerce: Exposure. You gain exposure for you and your business at chamber events and contacts. Access to decisionmakers. Mayors, city councilpeople and otehr civic officeholders
Why Join a Chamber of Commerce? Read More »
It is an age-old paradigm. New methods of connecting can surface, but why people do business with others doesn’t seem to change. People do business with others that they know, like and trust. Knowing someone takes time. Over time, you get know what they mean when they say certain things, how they act in certain
Why People Do Business with Other People Read More »
We all have reasons for why we do things. Some are public and some are private. In this day and age of everything being public, we seem to tell all as we go about our social-media driven lives. We get up and post. We post throughout the day. And end our days with a post.
Why I Quit High School Wrestling Read More »
Over the last few days I have been reminded of a few basic rules regarding responding to a customer. Answer the question clearly and directly. Listen carefully to the response. Continue the dialog if appropriate. Remember IT IS NOT ABOUT YOU (Sorry, don’t mean to shout). When the question is posed carefully consider, but not
Responding to the Customer Read More »
Yes, you can. Create success, that is. Your success. Recently my son was admitted to medical school. It was a long journey, but well worth the wait. While he has a great support group of family and friends, he owes his success to hard work, a super work and study ethic and patience and persistence.
While I was watching a CBS News feature recently on boomboxes from the 1980s, it became apparent that our networking styles and approaches have changed in much the same way that our public appreciation for music has. Are you a boombox networker or an iPod networker? Like the music “sharing” of that era, boombox networkers
Are You a Boombox or an iPod? Read More »
Having “associates” is a big part of doing business. It is a big part of life. For the professional within a firm or company, their associates are both a support group and a resource. To an independent businessman or consultant, associates are an extension of their network and valued partners, either formal or informal. And
