Shaking hands versus germs - Handshake wins!

I know several people today who are uncomfortable with shaking hands.  In Sandler Sales President’s club, we’re trained to observe and if a colleague extends a hand, we follow suit.  However, if the hand isn’t offered, we are not to force the shaking custom.   The article below explains if we’re one of the ones on the “uncomfortable” side, we may want to work to become more comfortable.  In a recent study, “Handshakes have been proven to increase the perception of trust and formality of the relationship…Rather than avoid the practice, it makes sense to follows these hygiene tips from the Centers for Disease Control instead.” 

Read the article:  The Handshake: Why It’s Important to Get a Grip

Networking Made Simple (but not necessarily easy)

Kim Kline from AccessProfiles, Inc in Glenshaw, PA commented on my post of my recent blog entries, Secret to Success at Networking Mixers - Do Unto Others! It's a two-fer! on LinkedInGreater Pittsburgh:  “I think a lot of networking is given a bad name. It is preconceived as being a 'hard sell' (like the stereotypical used car salesman). Sadly, networking can be that way, but it does not have to be!”  This brings to mind the huge lack in our university education system!  No “business networking” is taught.  Even in the work force, networking education is not there.  I worked for several Fortune 500 companies and had great opportunities for training – quality, problem solving, innovation, software, hardware, team work, you name it, but networking education was never offered.  In fact, I didn’t see any such training until I was out of work!  And I only had this opportunity because I had access to an outplacement firm – one of those groups that help executives remake themselves to find another job.  Very few of us in business have that opportunity so we’re left without any real networking skills. 

 

Many business owners tell me their new customers comes from “word of mouth” – referrals.  I remember my Sales Coach, Dan Hudock from Sandler Sales Institute once said that he runs across students all the time who tell him that their prospecting plan is to network.  When he asks them how their business is going, they tell me they don’t have enough.  Largely this is because networking is not repeatable or controllable for most business people. It’s like fishing when you can’t see the pond.  You throw your line out there and aren’t sure if you will hit water, let alone get a bite or better yet, land a fish.  You don't catch enough fish so you cast the line more often, but this still doesn't result in any more fish.

 

I work with business owners to understand that networking is about the process of forming a relationship that results in building a network partner with whom we exchange referrals.  The process can be repeatable and controllable if we know what to do.  The process I use, The Relationship Maturity Model, consists of steps to find a personal connection, build trust for each other, develop an understanding of each other’s business so you can recognize the right people to refer and then know how to start a conversation with them about your network partner, and create a steady stream of referral opportunities for each other.  Success with networking doesn't happen overnight - it takes time.  And there's hard work involved.  But it is controllable and repeatable.  This makes networking simple…but not necessarily easy. 

Secret to Success at Networking Mixers - Do Unto Others! It's a two-fer!

One of the best primers for networking mixers comes from the recognized master in networking, Dr. Ivan Misner, in his video blog, The Ten Commandments of Working a Networking Mixer. My favorite:  #2:  Set a Goal for the Number of People You’ll Meet.  Three additions to this commandment are:

a)  Decide for whom you want to meet people
b)  Decide what kind of people you want to meet
c)  Make your target public

In accordance with Do Unto Others, when I go to networking events, I'm there to find referrals for my network partners.  The premise of this strategy is that by working to find referrals for your network partners, then you are also helping the person at the networking mixer to whom you refer your network partner.  This is the two-fer:  Help your network partner and help a new acquaintance.  With one act, you now have two people who are grateful to you, you solidify an existing relationship, and you move a new relationship forward by showing you care.  By behaving in this manner consistently, relationships like these lead to reciprocity and therefore a steady stream of referrals to you. 

To do this, before the event, you need to pick for whom you want to find a referral.  Look at your list of network partners and decide for which ones you want to find referrals.  Part of this decision can be for whom you want to provide reciprocity for referrals they gave you. 

Next, once you know for whom to find referrals, you will know what kind of person you will be looking.  This step and the first might be a bit interactive.  You may want to take a look at the type of people who will attend the event! You can get a preview on this by requesting a list of the registered attendees prior to the event. Based on that, you can match prospective attendees to referral targets for your network partners and chose for whom to find referrals based on the people at the event and then target those prospective attendees. 

One side benefit from this:  You will look different than most others at the network mixer.  Instead promoting yourself at the mixer like most attendees do, you are trying to help others.  This behavior is looked upon favorably and attendees who jump on your band wagon and want to help you help others.  This is where the third tip comes in:  Make your target public.  Start out by announcing to the event organizers who you are looking to find so you can bring back a referral for your network partners.  The organizers may know a lot of the attendees and in many cases, will act to introduce you.  Further, as people arrive, they will remember for whom you are looking and direct you to them as they arrive.  Announce to everyone you meet for whom you are looking and they will become part of your team as well. 

A second side benefit of these strategies is that by not talking a lot about yourself and looking to help others, this makes you more likable and desirable to know.  Other attendees will want to hear about you and offerings.  At one of the last networking mixers I attended, this strategy resulted in two prospect meetings and a new client - one of my biggest! 

Bringing back a two-fer makes the networking mixer a success for you!   

Business Owners Have Lower Economic Expectations

I read this article written by Patty Tascarella, Senior Reporter- Pittsburgh Business Times. 
http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/blog/morning-edition/2012/10/sales-profits-concern-pa-businesses.html?surround=etf&ana=e_article

Here's what we business owners have to keep in mind:  Unless we have 80% market share in our industry, the economy has little to do with our performance!  We don't have to see a "slow-down" - economically, seasonally, or for any other reason.  All we have to do is be just a little bit better to reaching our customers and prospective customers.  If we put forth just a little more effort, we actually can GAIN market share and increase our business while our competitive gives up!