How To Get Larry King To Invite You To Lunch And Other Networking Secrets

Writen by Tom Justin

In the interest of full disclosure, that actually happened to me. Larry King invited me to lunch!

How it happened is very funny. Could it happen to someone else? It's so far out, who knows? But, it's a great example of the power of networking, which is my subject today. More on that in a moment.

In seminars and writings, I talk a lot about networking. The most spectacular example, for me, had to do with Larry King, whom I've long admired. Here's the very short version and then some practical tips for personal and digital networking:

After finishing a speech, I had lunch with several attendees. One of them mentioned that he would be going to a dinner that would be hosted by Larry King. Whereupon I said, "Please tell Larry that Tom Justin said to say hello."

He asked if I knew Mr. King. I said no, but if I can get enough people to tell Larry King that Tom Justin said to say hello, he'll think it's his fault that he doesn't know who I am.

The man laughed, said he'd do it. Two weeks later he called and said that he told Larry that I'd said hello. I asked what Larry's response was, and he said that Larry said, "Oh, thanks."

It was just a silly statement, right? Within a couple of weeks after that someone else I'd just met happened to mention that they would be at a fundraiser where Larry King would be the MC. I told him the story and he agreed to say hello to him for me.

The odds of what continued are so far out, I might not believe this had it not happened to me. Three other such encounters took place in the space of months. each person agreeing to tell Larry that Tom Justin said to say hello.

On the fourth time, from a friend of his I'd just met, I asked what his response was when she told him Tom Justin said hello. She said that he replied, "How is Tommy?"

A few weeks later I was invited to a Friar's Roast in Beverly Hills where we met and he invited me to lunch. I just shook my head in amazement.

I don't mean to name drop, but since then, we've had many great lunches and meetings, and we've done a small bit of business and almost wrote a book together. The latter never moved forward due to contractual problems. In the meantime he's introduced me to others who've become friends and acquaintances.

I told the long version of this story in one of my seminars and received one the biggest laughs I've ever had.

Larry had a tough childhood and still has that air of Brooklyn about him, but with a soft heart and kind soul. I think you would like him.

Networking That Works

"Expand your network by one quality person a day, forever." Mark Victor Hansen

The purpose of networking is to know more people and to get more people to know you. This is true in business or in relationships of any kind. We'll stick with business today.

Let's take a look at two kinds of networking; personal and digital.

Personal: A minister friend of mine said once that there are billions of people in the world. If you're lonely, it's your fault!

If you have business and opportunities to present or to find and you're not filled with at least possibilities–well, that can change now.

The obvious is that we have to get out more. If we want to meet people we have to go where people are. I know, you already know that!

Go to a big city mall where there are hordes of people. You might get run over before you can start a conversation. Although we do train salespeople to go to places like that and create contacts (called The Magic Bean Technique), however, the best way is to find like minded people in comfortable surroundings.

Most papers have listings for special interest groups and meetings. From women's and service clubs to places of worship. The easiest places to build familiar relationships are where you find others like yourself.

Any meeting, group or function that is attractive and interesting to you will yield others who will relate to you. I don't suggest that these are the so called networking groups where everyone is blatantly trying to sell something. If you've read the book or seen the DVD, you know my feelings about those.

Here's what I've found to be helpful. If you aren't shy, introduce yourself to whoever is standing still. Ask a question, such as how long they've been a member or how they like this group, etc.

If you ask someone what kind of work they do, they will tell you and then ask what you do. Most people think they need to sell themselves when the most impressive thing they can do is show an interest and curiosity about others. they will like you better for it and not know why.

Never ask for a business card, offer to exchange cards. If this is someone whose information you want, the use of the word exchange creates a sense of fairness. You're handing over your card, if they don't have a card, you can offer them a small pad (which of course you have handy) for them to write their contact information, most importantly, their e-mail address.

When you receive a business card, do what the Japanese do, look at it. Make a comment, sincere compliment, or ask a question, such as the cross street or have you been in that location long? etc. there is a lot more to networking but I hope those simple ideas will give you more ideas.

Now, the most powerful and the most misused opportunity of the past two centuries:

Digital Networking

You could almost call this digital relationships. We already know the cautions of this world or should. However, doing business on the web is now, in just a few short years, not only acceptable it's expected.

I have friends who I've never met in person. Not because we went in a chat room, which I seldom do, but because we were brought together through a newsletter, theirs or mine, or a book promotion, etc.

Our company is involved in joint ventures with people I've never met, and in some cases, never even spoken with by phone. We've had teleconferences and online courses with people who've become friends, customers or acquaintances.

Now, I'm not talking dating but business. There are all kinds of books about how to do business online. In fact, I'm going to do a special report soon on the basics and how to get started and what books and courses that I've found to be most productive.

Here are some tips to begin creating digital relationships:

Digital Compliments – If you get an online newsletter or read something or see a web site that you like or that has helped you, write the author or the head of the company and pay a sincere compliment. This is not to get anything but to do just that show gratitude.

Do the same thing with books you've read and liked. I've written several reviews on Amazon and sometimes the author or people who liked what I said will e-mail me. Some get on my subscriber list or we might create a dialogue, etc.

For those with whom you identify with or have mutual interests, you can carry on as things come. You never know.

You might want to create another e-mail account at Yahoo, Google or Hotmail to avoid Spa-mmers.

Ask Questions – Go to an influential source that could be important to you and e-mail a question. It's amazing how some people that you thought might be unreachable, will come back with an answer.

People can be contacted through websites, e-zines, etc. You're only limited by what's on the web and what you can access, including Google and Yahoo searches.

Create Information – Even if you aren't marketing something on line, you can create your own newsletter for anything from hobbies to business. How to do this is best learned from the E- zine Queen. She's the best and most thorough I've seen yet. I'll be happy to send her site. Drop me an email at tj@tomjustin.com .

Create Your Own Products – There is more to this than I can tell you here. You have information and experience that is unique. You can begin to create electronic products or become affiliates for others who will take care of everything for you.

For example, affiliates send out information to others via digital signatures attached to links. If there is a purchase, they receive a commission that can go from very generous for E- products to stingy, depending on the vendor. The price to the customer is the same, whether they order direct or via your affiliate link.

The E-Zine Queen's link is an affiliate linked to us. She has so much information for free, you have to wonder what else there could be, but there's plenty. We'll be starting our own affiliate program soon. No charge to register or be involved. But don't join such a program unless you are willing to put your name and belief on someone else's work.

Watch for a coming report on this soon.

In the meantime, if you have any comments at all, please feel free to e-mail me anytime. info@tomjustin.com will get to me. I usually answer quickly, but it depends on my schedule and travels, etc.

Copyright 2006 All Rights Reserved

Tom is the author of the book that is also the title of his most requested seminar, How To Take 'No' For An Answer and Still Succeed (How To Turn Everyday Rejections Ito Profit and Abundance). "If rejection is like a disease creeping up, then overcoming us and stopping us cold, then Tom Justin is the 'Jonas Salk' of rejection. His How To Take NO For An Answer And Still Succeed program is the perfect vaccine for every kind of rejection life can throw at us," says Jack Canfield, co-author, Chicken Soup For The Soul Series.

He is a strategist and corporate consultant and coach. Tom presents his audiences with facts, techniques and motivation, laced with humor. His inspirational talks have brought thousands to laughter and then to tears with his heart-felt personal stories that have served his audiences throughout the world with guidelines for succeeding and surviving in our ever-changing world. Larry King Said of him, "Tom Justin is a terrific story teller. His message will inspire teach and entertain you!"

What Has Networking Got To Do With Joint Ventures

Writen by Habiba Abubakar

What has networking got to do with joint ventures? "PLENTY" is the short answer to this question.

Networking is a very important element of joint venture marketing because the more you network, the more you meet potential partners and build relationships that lead to profitable joint ventures.

Your network of business associates, vendors, family and friends, plays a big part when it comes to implementing your joint venture marketing strategy. This is because the most successful partnerships are with people you know, like and trust, and vice versa.

Of course, many profitable joint ventures have taken place between partners that have not known each other for long, but any "cold" contact you meet would need time to evaluate your character and your business, before committing to a partnership with you. Sometimes this could take a few weeks, and other times it may take up to a year.

Before joining organizations or associations in your markets, do your homework to identify which ones are most likely to produce results aligned with your business goals. Make sure you keep in close contact with those in your network. Send thank you cards, meet for lunch, make brief phone calls, remember birthdays, and ask them to subscribe to your newsletter.

Here are ten places to start with, on your networking journey to lucrative joint venture partnerships:

1. Live Seminars and Conferences

2. Breakfast Meeting Groups

3. Trade Shows and Exhibitions

4. Membership Associations

5. Introductions made through your business associates and vendors

6. Online discussion groups and forums within your industry

7. Live Training Courses

8. On Your Travels e.g. on the airplane or train

9. Interactive TeleSeminars and TeleBootcamps

10. Other Networking Events e.g. at business parties

The size and quality of your network determines your income. The more valuable contacts you have in your network, the more lucrative your joint venture projects would be. Build a profitable network, and increasing your net worth would be easier than you think.

Copyright © 2005 by Habiba Abubakar and Emprez. All rights reserved.

Note: You are welcome to republish this article as long as the resource box at the end is included unaltered.

Habiba Abubakar, a.k.a. The Profit Diva, specializes in helping small business owners who are struggling to increase their client base and are tired of earning mediocre profits. The tips in this article have been excerpted from her home-study program, "Joint Venture Profits For Small Business Owners."

To learn more about this step-by-step program, and to sign up for your FREE copy of her revealing Mini eCourse, "The Easiest Way To Skyrocket Your Profits In 90 Days Or Less," visit http://www.profitdiva.com

The Banking Of Effective Networking The Networking Factor

Writen by Janice Smallwood-McKenzie

Checking-in with your friends and business associates is a checking account when you use checking-in as making deposits in the lives of others and as a way of staying in touch with people long before you need a favor.

I am constantly amazed by the number of people that attempt to ask for favors such as referrals, invitations, recommendations or your time for breakfast, lunch or dinner… or a request of mentoring them out of the blue.

Recently, I got a telephone call from a young lady I had not heard from in many, many months even years. She called to ask for a telephone number of a mutual friend/business associate of someone I introduced her to three years prior. She needed someone to assist her in the area of office administration. She never acknowledged the official business introduction with a thank you note, or verbal thank you. She actually called and asked if she could make an appointment with me to pick my brain. I thought, "Yuk! You want to pick my brain for more resources and information and you've yet to acknowledge the gift of my resources from three years ago."

I'm sure you have experienced similar situations you could share as well. However, do not fret, if you've mastered your checking account you can certainly master some additional networking techniques and share with others how to make deposits into the lives of others before making withdrawals.

Rule No. 1

No deposits, will "always" equal no withdrawals. If you have not made any deposits into the lives of others, don't attempt to ask for favors upon first meeting someone, or from friends and business associates you've not been in touch with over a period of time. Pick up the phone just to check in or send a "thinking of your note or a not so popular holiday card." Let others know that you care. It's not wise to call people out of the clear blue sky with a request or favor.

Rule No. 2

Too many withdrawals can lead to a bad track record and more specifically "Bankrupt Relationships!" People may not make mention of not wanting to be in touch but they do have a way of avoiding you like a plague. It remains the apropos slogan of SuccessNet, "Giver's Gain!"

Rule No. 3

Many deposits with fewer withdrawals can improve your bank rating which makes you an asset to others and not a liability.

Ms. Smallwood-McKenzie is a Networking Coach is Los Angeles and the Author of "The 101 Commandments of Networking: Common Sense But Not Common Practice," enjoy a Free Preview compliments of 101NetworkingCommandments.com or visit Amazon.com to read Customer Reviews of this guide. Her email address is Janice@101NetworkingCommandments.com.

http://www.101NetworkingCommandments.com

3 Tips For Introducing Yourself And Your Business

Writen by Valerie Hayes

Are you ever in the situation where you are introducing yourself and your business and don't know quite what to say? Here are 3 important tips for establishing your expertise and impressing your potential client.

1. Develop a killer "elevator speech". You may have heard this phrase before; it's a standard response of one or two sentences that quickly summarizes the essence of your business or service, identifies your target audience, and the benefits customers might expect. Let's say for example you train real estate agents to successfully get new clients and property listings. You might say something like "I teach residential real estate agents to increase their new client base and property listings by 20% within 30 days." Or if you were a life-coach specializing in balancing work and home life you might say "I teach busy professionals how to balance work and home life to make them 10% more productive on the job and 100% happier at home." There are several important factors in your elevator speech.

First you need to be able to describe what you do in a few words, not an entire paragraph. Second you need to communicate exactly who your target market is. In the first example we targeted residential real estate agents, ruling out commercial agents. Third you need to deal with what I call the "so what" factor. The so what factor highlights the impact of your services. In the case of the real estate agent listings increased 20% within 30 days. Make sure that your elevator speech is quick, informative, and definitely has a "so what" factor.

2. Make sure you can describe what you do in the language of your listener. Recently I was on a call with a solo-entrepreneur who had a fascinating niche consulting service. Unfortunately when asked what services her business provided her answer was so full of politically correct words and generally vague statements that I actually have no idea what she said. When asked a second time she spouted another sentence full of fluff and puff and I was just as confused as before. I had no idea what her services actually were, who her target client was, and what the benefit of her services might be. She went on to develop a quick sentence that described "in laymen's terms" what her business was all about, who would want to hire her, and what benefit they could expect to their business. Once she got rid of the fluff and puff, stopped using jargon only used by those in her field, and started using words that her potential customers would use to describe their needs, she was off and running.

It's so tempting to use words that you think sound impressive, but your target client won't be impressed if they can't understand what you're saying. Make certain that you're using the language your customer would use in order to better communicate your business and services.

3.Remember to listen, listen, respond. An important aspect of interviewing communications is the ability to really listen to what's being said, to listen to what's being communicated without being said, and only then respond. All too often people do not really listen at all, or listen to just part of the message, and then rush to respond. Make sure you stop and take the time to actively listen. Consider the motivation or concerns behind what they've said. Then if you need to, ask a few questions before you fully respond. Don't have a fast-food conversation where you respond before their comments or questions have a chance to develop any real meaning. I know you are eager to get your information out there and impress the client. But take the time to listen, listen, and respond. The payoff will be worth the effort!

By following these easy interviewing communications techniques you'll be on the way to business success!

Valerie Hayes is one of the country's most sought after interviewing communications experts. She teaches small business owners, coaches, consultants, and solo-entrepreneurs to use interviewing communications skills and techniques to better market themselves and their businesses. She has been featured several times on national television as an interviewing communications expert. Please visit her website at http://www.HayesSuccess.com

Starting A Conversation Is An Art

Writen by Lillian D. Bjorseth

Almost all of us have been there. We meet a new person, we run into someone we have met once before, or we see someone we've spoken with numerous times. We want to start a meaningful conversation for myriad reasons; yet, we find ourselves asking those trite questions:

. Is this your first time here?

. Did you have trouble finding the building?

. How many people do you think will be coming tonight? And, just for good measure, we throw in a few "hmms" and "ahs" to make us appear even less confident.

Getting off on the right foot

Here are hints to help you feel at ease, make others comfortable, ensure you are memorable after the event and gain helpful information as well.

1. Establish your purpose for attending event.

a. To gather information? It can vary from learning more about the sponsoring organization to making an educated decision about joining to learning more about specific businesses or individuals who are likely to attend.

b. To get referrals? These can include business or job referrals or for support services necessary to run and grow your business.

c. To seek advice or support? This might range from encouragement in a job search or in your venture into entrepreneurship. Or it might be from people in other companies who are employed in the same field or the same industry.

In any case, prepare your "ask for" questions and your "listen for" answers so you sound ready and are prepared to hold stimulating conversations while simultaneously enhancing your knowledge base.

2. Prepare your verbal business card.

Be ready to share with others in one or two sentences what you do … not how you do it or who you are. These logically follow. You want to intrigue people to talk with you while informing them about what you do that will benefit them or people they know. Keep it simple because while people are listening to you, they are also assessing your appearance and behavior, trying to remember your name and planning what they will say.

Always include your first and last name (even your friends have memory lapses!), what you do, benefits to others and active verbs, the most powerful words in the English language. In general, omit your company name (unless it is really well known), your company location, titles, business labels and go easy on adjectives and adverbs. You'll want to tailor the above information when you are with people from your company or in the same industry. They will understand and even expect jargon.

3.Remember introduction basics.

Even though you learned this in elementary school, you might need a refresher:

a. A younger person is introduced to an older person

b. A man is introduced to a woman

c. A less important person is introduced to a VIP.

In other words, say the name of the person who is older, the woman and the VIP first. You deserve to be addressed as you want to be; however, you must let people know your preference so they can start the conversation correctly. If your printed nametag says "Robert," and you prefer, "Bob," it's fine to cross through the name and print "Bob" on it. Use a felt tip pen so people can easily read it.

4. Weave newcomers into the conversation.

When someone new joins you, immediately introduce him or her to everyone or allow the person an ample opportunity to do. Bring the person up-to-date by quickly reviewing what you were talking about (remember it's a new conversation for them) and then asking them for an opinion or comment.

5. Remember names.

The start of any conversation is a good place for you to start remembering someone's name. Hopefully, the person knows to wear the nametag on the right side (unobstructed by lapels or scarves) so that your eye will easily travel to it as you make the initial handshake. Hopefully, the person also knows to say his/her name along with the handshake.

a. Look at the nametag.

b. Listen as the person gives you his/her name.

c. Study the person's business card to help implant the name in your memory.

d. Repeat it several times during the first few minutes of the conversation.

e. Use it when you introduce the person to others.

f. On another note, it is vital that you use the person's name as you make your rounds to say "good-bye" to everyone you met.

6. Ask open-ended questions.

The best way to avoid those one-word answers that make you feel as if your attempts at conversation have been thwarted is to not ask "yes" and "no" questions. Or, if you start off with one, have two or three open-ended questions or statements in your pocket at all times. Those one-word answers are sure to get you perspiring if you are the kind who already doesn't like to start conversations.

7. Practice, practice, practice.

Now, find opportunities to practice what you have learned. Tweak the suggestions to make them work for you. No one pattern fits all.

© 2005. Lillian D. Bjorseth

Reprint rights must include © Lillian D. Bjorseth, business networking, business development, communication skills speaker, trainer, author. www.duoforce.com, lillian@duoforce.com

A client said Lillian D. Bjorseth could read the IRS tax code and make it interesting. Imagine what she does with business networking, business development and communication skills! She combines her natural enthusiasm, poise, confidence and Fortune 100 and entrepreneurial experience to educate, entertain and fire up your participants.

Called a networking expert by the Chicago Tribune and the business networking authority by the Association Forum of Chicagoland, Lillian is known for helping you work an event, not just a room.

Lillian is among the first in the world to earn a Certified DiSC® Trainer designation from Inscape Publishing and is also an authority at preparing customized applications for your boards of directors, employees, management and sales staffs to improve communication, productivity and profitability.

She's author of "Breakthrough Networking: Building Relationships That Last;" "52 Ways to Break the Ice & Target Your Market;" and "Nothing Happens Until We Communicate" CD/workbook series. She's a contributing author to "Masters of Networking."

What To Do If You Forget Someones Name

Writen by Josiah Mackenzie

What should you do if you run into someone, and just can't remember their name? Ideally, you'll just admit it. Say you remember them, but their name has just slipped your mind. They'll gladly refresh your memory. Admitting forgetfulness up front is perhaps the best option - if you have the courage to do it. If you don't, fortunately there are other options.

Option 1: Use a third party. If possible, try to get the name of the pseudo-stranger from a friend before you meet her.

Option 2: Make a guess. You're ___, right? If you're right, the problem is solved. If you're not, they'll solve it for you.

Option 3: Introduce to others. Saying "Have you two met?" often gets them to introduce themselves to each other. Alternatively, you could say "I'd like you to meet a friend of mine. Josh and I work together at Amcorp." When your friend with the unknown name introduces himself to your friend you'll get to pick up the name then.

Option 4: Ask for their business card. This is a very good non-intrusive way for obtaining a person's name and contact information. You need to keep your records up to date, so this serves two functions.

It doesn't matter which method you use to obtain their name - what matters is that you get it. Using someone's name in conversation makes them feel important, so make sure you have it before you start talking!

Writing down someone's name makes it easier to remember that person. PalPad lets you record information on people you meet so you'll never have to forget names again: http://www.mypalpad.com

Networking Meetings Refer Refer And Be Referred The Referral Matrix

Writen by Carol Bentley

Your network is growing. You know lots of different business people and you are getting to know what they can deliver. And, of course, they are getting to know you and what you offer.

But does everyone know EVERYTHING about you? And do you know ALL there is to know about your contacts?

You need to know all this if you are going to seize every opportunity to build even stronger business relationships…

Create Your Referral Matrix

The simplest way to keep an eye on what is developing is to create a Referral Matrix. The concept is very simple. The Referral Matrix gives you an 'At-a-Glance' picture of your business relationships progress.

You'll do this for your own contacts and services/products and another for your contacts products.

Let's start with your services and products.

1) Take a piece of paper.

2) Draw a grid shape. You need enough columns going across to list all your products and services in the top row; show one in each.

3) In the first column of the rows going down list your contacts.

4) Choose 3 different, strong, colors. One represents 'Told', another for 'Sold' and the third for 'Referred'

5) When you tell a contact about one of your products; have supplied information so you know he/she is fully aware of it, mark the color for 'Told' against that company in the column for your product/service. (I usually fill in a third of the box).

6) When a contact has bought a product/service from you add the 'Sold' color – you now have two thirds of the box completed.

7) When a contact recommends you to someone else, 'refers you', fill in the 'Referred' color.

Some of the boxes may have the Told and Referred, but not the Sold color.

Now you can see, at a glance, which of your contacts do not know about some of your products (in which case you can inform them) and, just as importantly, if they have been informed whether they have bought from you or referred you to someone else.

Create a similar chart for each of your 'Hot' networking contacts – those you have a close working relationship with.

By doing this you take a pro-active stance to recommending their services to other people you know AND you'll know if they do something that you may need in the future.

Do this and you are building strong relationships.

What's more you'll get a good reputation for being the 'person who knows' and your networking circle will grow.

(This works really well on a spreadsheet, such as Excel. If you would like to see what the grid looks like, send an email to excel-matrix[at]aweber.com, and request the Referral Matrix PDF).

©2005 Original Work by Carol Bentley

Learn more about Persuading People to Buy... Subscribe to your free reports, with no obligation, at http://www.CarolBentley.com

Carol is the author of 'I Want to Buy Your Product... Have You Sent Me a Letter Yet? (How to create powerful sales letters, advertisements, flyers, brochures, web pages and newsletters that persuade hundreds, or even thousands, of additional customers and clients to buy from you!) by Carol A E Bentley (Rated 5-star on Amazon.co.uk) This book is available at a special offer at http://www.CarolBentley.com/offer

Carol is one of the highest paid direct response copywriters available. If you would like to talk to Carol's office about having her work on your current or next sales project you can use the contact form on her website http://www.CarolBentley.com/contact.asp

The Great Debate Quality Or Quantity

Writen by Scott Allen

Experts have long debated just how big your professional network should be. Should you focus more on the quantity or quality of your relationships? The easy answer, of course, is "both." Unfortunately, though, there are only so many hours in the day. Building and maintaining relationships take time; building stronger relationships takes more time.

Given that your time is limited, the number of your relationships and the average strength of your relationships end up being inversely proportional. The more people you know, the less well you know them. If you want to build stronger relationships, you're going to have to do so with a smaller number of people. You can spend all of your time with your close friends and family (strong ties, low number), or spread yourself thin across a wide number of people (weak ties, high number). However, maintaining both high strength and high number is physically impossible. How can you find the proper balance between strength and number?

This debate has been exacerbated by the proliferation of social networking sites that make it feasible to have a personal "network" of several thousand people. The leaders of some of the networks have taken some strong stands on the issue:

• Thomas Power of Ecademy says, "Go for volume over 'quality,'" arguing that there's no such thing as a quality person vs. a non-quality person. He walks the talk -- he's personally met with several thousand Ecademy members one on one.
  
• At the other end of the spectrum, Mike Walsh, CEO of Leverage Software, says, "Look for quality," and encourages people to look for networking sites with features that help you evaluate whether a certain contact is worth pursuing or not.
  
• And Adrian Scott of Ryze, discussing some changes in Ryze's policies and functionality, said, "We'd like to create an environment that encourages quality, rather than quantity for its own sake."

Those absolutes are difficult to sustain in practice. For example, LinkedIn very strongly positions itself on the quality of its membership and encourages members to focus on people you've worked with before in some capacity. Their tips on who to invite say:

• Only invite those you know well
• Only invite those you trust
• Only invite those you want to forward things to you

But at the same time, the design of the site encourages people to maximize their number of connections. The more people you're directly connected to, the fewer number of degrees away you are from people, on average. With more direct connections, you can see more people, more people can see you, and you're more likely to come up at the top of searches, which by default order the results by "degrees away from you." The FAQ may encourage quality over quantity, but in practice, quantity is also rewarded. This is a fundamental tension in LinkedIn's design. What allows LinkedIn to still be a valuable application is that quantity also carries a cost: more link requests which you are likely to reject. Some of the most-connected people on LinkedIn have complained about the number of irrelevant requests they're getting. That's exactly the way the system should work; those people are paying the price for linking indiscriminately.

Another interesting example of the value that people place on quality relationships is the new Ecademy BlackStar program: a lifetime membership, plus some exclusive coaching, introductions, and other services, all for a $4,500 one-time fee. While that might seem prohibitively expensive, apparently many see the value -- over 2,000 of Ecademy's 47,000 members have already applied. The fact that people will pay that much money is proof that people value online network systems such as Ecademy. Membership is limited to 25 new members per month, "because Thomas Power and Roger Hamilton have limited time available to serve BlackStar Life Members and wish to provide exceptional service and intimacy levels," and "to ensure quality levels, service levels, and qualification levels." While Thomas may practice the volume approach for himself, he recognizes that it's not necessarily the approach everyone wants or needs, and that building stronger relationships requires doing so with a smaller number of people.

So, back to the original question: How do you find the right balance of strong ties with highly relevant people vs. maximizing the number of people in your network?

The answer is that each person's needs are different, and the way to optimize the value of your network is to determine the necessary level of strength required to accomplish your goals, and then maximize the number of people at that level.

For example, if you are selling investment banking or strategic consulting services, you need a high strength level for someone to buy your services. These are big-ticket items which require a high level of trust in their provider. Ideally, you have a small number of close relationships with senior executives who are in a position to buy these services. You may be tempted to try to meet everyone in your golf club, but that is both unrealistic and unproductive. Instead, develop a substantial relationship with the top thirty most relevant to you.

However, if you are a celebrity trying to sell movie tickets, your relationships can be much weaker but your number has to be much higher. Movie stars mainly make money by selling people the chance to watch a movie for $5-$10 per view. They try to have ties with as many fans as possible.

There is no one right solution overall; your needs will likely be different from one context to another. For example, the movie star will want to develop strong ties with producers and directors.

Because time is the constraining factor, seek out strategies that allow you to build stronger relationships or reach more people with the same amount of effort. The effective use of technology offers several such strategies:

Take private conversations public.
Rather than carrying on an email conversation with just one person about a topic of mutual interest, move it to a discussion forum or mailing list, where more people can participate and offer their input, as well as benefit from your knowledge and ideas. Or cc: a few other carefully selected people to include in the conversation.

Start a newsletter or blog, and make it personal.
Make it possible for hundreds, or even thousands, to keep up with what's going on in your life and business. Rather than making it an impersonal article or collection of articles, make it about your personal experience, even when talking about your business. This approach is what helped Chris Pirillo grow Lockergnome to nearly a million highly loyal readers.

Write more effective emails.
Once you learn how, it doesn't take much longer to write a good email than a bad one.

Master mail merge.
As we discussed last month, the effective use of mail merge, even in small quantities, can dramatically increase your ability to keep "high touch" with a large number of people.

Focus on quality venues.
For example, having an article published in a major periodical is going to serve you better than being in "Joe's E-zine." It may take a bit more time to pitch it, but no longer to write it.

Say less in more places.
If you have time to make, say, 10 good contributions a week to discussion forums, it's probably preferable to post one message each in 10 different networks than 10 in a single group. You're helping more people, instead of becoming a boor in one location.

Above all, respect that there is no one right approach, and that what works for you may not work well for someone else. Seek out venues where you will meet the kind of people who can support you -- and who you can support -- in achieving your professional goals, determine the strength of relationships you want with them, and gradually grow the number of people in your network at a pace that allows you to maintain the relationships you've already created.

David Teten and Scott Allen are coauthors of The Virtual Handshake: Opening Doors and Closing Deals Online, the first business guide to sales, recruiting, and business acceleration with online networks, and joint contributors to TheVirtualHandshake.com resource site. They write a monthly column about online networks for FastCompany.com, where this article originally appeared.

David Teten is CEO of Nitron Advisors, an investment research firm which provides institutional investors and law firms with direct access to frontline industry experts. To participate in paid consulting opportunities, join Nitron's Circle of Experts. Scott Allen is the About.com Entrepreneurs Guide, providing free resources and guidance to help entrepreneurs as they start and grow their business.

Networking Strategically How To Get The Ultimate Referral

Writen by Scott Ingram

Don't be shy about it. You're networking for a reason: You want more business.

By networking strategically you can get more business than you know what do with.

In order to network strategically you're going to need leverage. Before you can get leverage you've got to understand what you're trying to move, or in this case accomplish.

You must first very clearly understand who your target market is. Be specific as possible. Everyone or anyone is NOT a good answer. A service company within a 10 mile radius, with 5-10 employees, that's been in business for at least 3 years, uses xyz or abc Customer Relationship Management software and works with other small service businesses is a very good answer.

The ultimate referral is an introduction to someone who isn't interested in doing business with you. Instead they want to help their clients by referring you to them. Instead of getting a referral to one new customer they're going to refer you to one new customer several times a month for years to come. Which would you rather have? 1 new customer that does $1,000 worth of business with you, or 3 new customers every month that each do $1,000 worth of business with you. That's what you're looking for. Finding them and building relationships with them is your networking strategy.

Once you understand who your ideal customers are, think about who else works with that specific market. Do you know them already? Do you know someone else that already has a relationship with them? Where are they likely to be that you can have an opportunity to meet them? The easiest way might be to ask your existing clients to introduce you to their other vendors. This is a great way to demonstrate that you're competent and have satisfied clients who are willing to refer you.

This is not a process that's going to work overnight. First you're going to need to find these other vendors. Then you're going to need to build a very strong relationship with them, and earn their trust. Only then are you likely to get a stream of referrals from them.

The ultimate referral is a two way street. It's also the best way to build an incredibly strong relationship with someone. If rather than referring that one new client, you refer them to a complimentary service provider who can refer them to 2 new customers every week, you won't soon be forgotten.

Look for ways to leverage the time you spend networking. Search for opportunities to give others the ultimate referral. Network strategically and before you know it you'll be experiencing your most profitable year ever!

Scott Ingram is the founder of NetworkInAustin.com, a business networking resource for networkers in and around Austin, Texas. All of his success in business has been because of the relationships he's developed through networking. He was even referred to his wife, they were setup on a blind date, talk about the ultimate referral! You can learn more about strategic networking by reading Scott's Business Networking Blog or by referring to the Networking Resources section on NetworkInAustin.com.

How To Make The Most Of Those First 30 Seconds

Writen by JoAnn Hines

Did you just meet the most important person in your career/business? Tongue tied and not sure what to do about it? With advance planning and creative thinking you can be confident you will know how to handle this situation should the opportunity present itself.

We all have had the juncture when we run into someone that we have really wanted to meet. Those who are prepared for the occasion will find themselves a step ahead on the career ladder or at the front of the line for business opportunities. Consider this, we all are bombarded with information; we meet dozens of new people with regularity. Ask yourself who do you remember and why?

Even in 60 seconds you can make an impression. The key is to make that impression a lasting one or one that will trigger instant recognition. How do you do that? Practice, practice, practice.

The most important step is having a pitch and then practicing it over, and over, and over. You need to be comfortable with your words. You are conveying a powerful message and you need to sound sincere and convincing. Above all, you need to look the part (if you find that you smirk at your own words then others will too. If this is the case, no one is going to be sold on why they should remember you.)

Start by boiling down your core message.

Who are you? What do you do? Why do I need to know you? What will make me remember you? Now that you have answered these questions read the results back to yourself. Is your message compelling, memorable, or is it just plain uninteresting and dull?

It's easy to change your message so don't panic. What is it that you do best? What is your strength in your job? Do you make people money? Do you keep your company's X out of the fire? Has you best suggestion been implemented? Have you just invented a new product? The list goes on and on. Utilize words that make people want to ask a question, drive them to ask you to contact them, or compels them to ask for your business card.

Now let's prepare to tell someone what you do best.

Here are some examples:

My name is X. I'm a top-notch accountant. I save my client companies X dollars every year. When I meet your team, I can improve your bottom line. Let me share some examples of my work. When can we meet?

My name is X. My new product invention catapulted my company to #1 in the category. I'm so creative that I can come up with a new invention/product in record time. I would be happy to share some of my creative secrets with your team. When can we meet?

My name is X. My marketing skills are superlative. My nickname is the marketing maven. I can brainstorm with your team with examples on how we can transform your marketing efforts. Who should I speak with?

Notice the action verbs improve, catapulted, brainstorm, and transform. These are words that create an image and leave a lasting impression. Think about words that express a call to action. Words that leave the person you are meeting knowing they want to follow up.

Keep on working at your message toward distilling down the core elements. The simpler your message, the better it will be received.

Be sure and ask for a meeting or the appropriate contact name. Make an effort to get a commitment for follow up. Do not just hand them your business card and smile. Use these tips to solidify your first impression in the first 30 seconds of meeting someone. Your career might depend on it.

JoAnn Hines' specialty is PACKAGING PEOPLE. Whether you want to be paid more, you just lost your job, or you want to progress in the one you have, Ms. Hines advice and expertise can help you transform your personal brand. She can show you how to package yourself and make your brand a hot commodity. It's easy once you know the ropes and begin to utilize her insider's secrets. She shows you step by step how to increase your visibility, credibility and marketability with easy to use tutorials and templates.

It is time to get started "Packaging Yourself."

Email me the Chief People Packager @ pkgcoach@aol.com

Network Business Contact Data Bases Considered

Writen by Lance Winslow

Over the years I have run local businesses and multi-State operations as a franchise system. One thing I learned early on in my 20s was that networking works at the local level and later I realized that networking at the National Level works well too.

Why does networking work so well and why have social networks on the Internet surpassed all other websites now? Well it is simple because networking and such socialization is indeed an innate way that humans interact. Call it primate politics if you will?

One thing I learned over the years is to make huge databases of the people you meet and all you can about what they do, their hobbies, contacts, business interests and location. Why? Well you just never know when you might need them or you will run across something that they need.

About 10-years ago I established a larger network of my closest and smartest business allies. I called it my Founder's Round Table and actually sent out a newsletter to each person once per month as to what we were doing.

It turned out to be one of the smartest things I ever did; Too many examples of unanticipated synergies to even mention. Over the years my regular database filled up my Palm Pilots memory completely and that data base too became a Gods Send. Please consider all this in 2006 to help you with your networking.

Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Why Should I Go To A Networking Event Or Join A Networking Group

Writen by Darina Loakman

Have you been thinking about attending a networking event but keep putting it off because;

a) It's all just an excuse for those that love to hear themselves talk to get more and more "air" time !

b) I hate making small talk

c) I can't see how my particular business could benefit it's

1. Too small

2. Too big

3. Not relevant for any of those people

d) It's too nerve-racking !

e) I get all the networking I want online, I don't need an offline event like this.

If you have been using some or all of these excuses not to attend a networking event or join a networking group, then you probably have a misapprehension of what networking is all about and how it can help your business.

Think about some of the most successful people that you know either in your industry or in your town or city, how many of them are known and respected by many people? Quite a lot I'd guess? One of the characteristics of highly successful men and women, and most successful entrepreneurs, is that they tend to network perpetually, everywhere they go and with almost everyone they meet. If you can learn and develop the skill of networking. You can often move ahead faster, rise further, and accomplish more in a shorter period of time.

So what can networking do for you and your business? Here are just a couple of benefits for you.

1.Help you establish relationships. and ultimately gain customers.

It's a fact of life, people do business with people they know and like. Trust doesn't happen over night. By networking you gain the confidence and trust by building relationships that will have long-term gains.

2.Help you get referrals and ultimately gain customers

If you look at the hierarchy of how people choose their products and services, the top reason people purchase from a particular source is that they are already a satisfied customer. Next on the list is a referral by a trusted source. Networking helps you get these referrals. Regardless of what the industry or profession that the members of your networking group are part of, often you will see a steady growth of customers referred by the people that you network with.

But it's not all about gaining customers for your business. Turn both of those benefits above on their head, with you as the customer and you suddenly see more benefits! Who do you like to do business with? Who do you like to buy your products and services from, people you know and like? People you trust? Referrals you have been given? Get the picture!

Networking benefits all. Those are only a couple of the main benefits, there are many others including hidden benefits such as the fun and social side to it and particularly if you have an online business like me you need to meet "real" people other than your kids, more than occasionally ! So stop making excuses. Go right now and find the local networking group that suits you best and give it a try. You'll never know till you go.

Darina Loakman is the owner and editor of http://www.iamawahm.com the online resource for work from home mums in Ireland and the UK. If you would like no nonsense tips to help you grow your home-based business sign up for our newsletter http://www.iamawahm.com/newsletter.html

How To Build A Repeat Amp Referral Based Real Estate Business

Writen by Sarah Reiter

However good your skills are in negotiating and selling real estate, any marketing professional will tell you that they are not enough to retain your clients. Communication is vital to winning and keeping clients for your business – building rapport and earning respect are vital. Clients do not just buy your services; they buy your continuous support and that means maintaining that important element of human contact.

Without that human touch, your business will lose clients. With it, not only will you retain clients but you will gain referrals. Statistics show that it is less expensive to keep a client than gain a new one. Most of us know the 80/20 rule - that 80 % of business comes from current clients and 20 % from new ones. But were you aware that according to the Harvard Business Review it costs up to 8 times more to gain a new customer than retain an old one ("Zero Defections" by Frederick F. Reichheld & W. Earl Sasser, Jr.). If you do the math you will find that the 20% is only worth 4 % of your business in real terms. You do not want to lose your past clients!

As president of Creative Agent Solutions, an Arizona based virtual real estate marketing company; I can say one of the main features of our real estate marketing service is to utilize a Client Database Management system that allows us to maintain communications for our agents with little effort on their part. We formulate a desired contact strategy with agents and produce 100% customizable direct mail to their clients on an annual, quarterly or monthly basis. Designed pieces include postcards, letters, and folded card formats and can include calendars, recipes, sports schedules, magnetic dry erase boards and more. The contents are fun and full of helpful and informative tips for the agents' clients. Some subjects for example can include home improvement tips or knowing when to refinance. Each piece works to keep our agents name in front of their clients year round and also prompts their clients for onward referrals.

Agents can keep their client list up to date all year round by simply faxing a client update form to us, that way the mail count is always accurate. The service is competitively priced and pays dividends as agents get referrals from clients already in their book of business by the most powerful medium of all – word of mouth. In the competitive world of real estate, that's a solid gold guarantee not only of continued repeat business but of new business as well.

Sarah Reiter is president of Creative Agent Solutions, a virtual marketing company that specializes in real estate marketing and administrative services. Creative Agent Solutions is a member of the International Virtual Assistants Association (IVAA), the Southeast Valley Regional Association of Realtors (SEVRAR) and Scottsdale Association of Realtors in Arizona (SAR), as well as a Certified Virtual Assistant (CVA) with the Settlement Room™. We specialize in transaction coordination, client database management, drip email campaigns, lead follow-up & tracking, closing gifts, direct mail campaigns, desktop publishing design work, as well as special campaigns/projects. Our services are 100% customizeable and are tailered to fit any budget. Our main goal is to leverage real estate agents time so they can be out listing, selling, and negotiating.

Break The Networking Code 5 Simple Steps To Building A Stronger Network

Writen by Jan Verhoeff

Networking online seems simple enough, just find a spot and step right in… or not. I've taken advantage of the opportunity on several fronts, occasionally floundering along with the rest, or being inducted into the leadership (occasionally kicking and screaming all the way to the prized throne), and even on several occasions finding my very own niche and fitting in well.

Networks have various purposes. Often those purposes do not include networking, so if that is your goal, be sure networking is actually at least part of the purpose of the network.

1. Find a network that fits your style. Niche based networks need not be specifically your niche to fill the bill. I've found that I need input and access to people in a variety of niches to make my business work. My purpose is to find a network that uses my skills and includes folks who have skills I'm going to use.

Recently, I spoke with Heidi Caswell of http://www.heidiscards.com about creating an ad-card that would work for my tax business. While her business isn't particularly related to my 'tax business' her services may prove quite helpful to my business. When I need cards for other purposes, Heidi will definitely come to mind, because she cared enough to go the extra distance and contact me. Our network is working, because we have mutual interests, although our niches are quite different.

2. Actively participate in the network. When you join a network, it is important to let them know what you offer, and begin to communicate what you need to others. Online, we often refer to this as "posting". If you're going to take time to join a network, at least jump in there and tell them why you're there.

If you want to network with other writers, or meet people who offer marketing tools, open a thread asking for those services or information about them. Read other posts and respond, offering your services where appropriate.

3. Be an interactive part of the solutions. All networks based on interactive solutions and needs of the networkers find strength in their resources. When reading posts, look for ways to help, offer suggestions, or add information. Even if your information comes by way of additional questions, you've added something positive to a network group, by posting your thoughts.

4. Help with any ongoing network projects. Autumn Fling was the brainchild of Ginger Marks from http://www.documeant and while she's put in a lot of work for the creation of this chat event, it didn't stop with her. Advertising, promotions, articles, and content have been drawn from most of her interactive network. I'm sure she could have done the job without my help, but … would she really have wanted to? And more importantly, would I have wanted her to? Get involved and participate. Go visit the site at http://www.winningsistersofryze.com and see what you have to offer. Or just get involved in whatever network you are in.

5. Promote the network on your sites. Whenever possible, promote your networks on your blog or website – even just a tiny blip that sends your readers to that site for a referral. Online networking is primarily about building traffic to your site and growing your online business. By building traffic to your network, you are sending traffic to your site as well. It works. When you promote others, you get promoted.

Break the network code by following the steps here in this article. Get recognized by getting involved.

Webpreneur and Content Provider, Jan Verhoeff, has learned to focus her business on meeting the needs of others. By creating an atmosphere where many can achieve their desired goals, Jan moves steadily toward her own goals. What is your dream business? Are you there yet? Let Jan help you achieve your business goals with information, resources, and consulting that works. Visit her at http://www.janverhoeff.com

How To Improve Communication Skills And Your Personal Style

Writen by Peter Murphy

Here are six tips for improving your communication style:

1. Knowing how to improve communication skills will come easier once you become aware of your own communication style.

Each person has a unique way of communicating. Listen to your own speech. What sorts of words do you use? Which sort of body language and what tone of voice are you using?

Now, think of someone who, in your opinion, is a good communicator. Compare your style to theirs. You've just taken an important first step in how to improve communication skills.

2. Now that you are aware of your own style, study the style of those around you. How do the most important people in your life converse? How do they say things? Look for approaches you can model and make your own.

3. Adjust to the other styles of communication. Don't think it is too late to change your way of conversing because it's been years. You had to learn to communicate in the first place and you can unlearn certain behaviors or change them. Sometimes we get stuck in a communication rut.

A father once was having a hard time with his teenaged daughter. She was growing and he thought she didn't tell him what was going on in her life. They were in a heated discussion when he asked, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Her answer was that she had, but he was too busy lecturing her to hear her. He learned that adjusting his style to his daughter would involve listening first before jumping right into solving the problem.

4. To build rapport, during a conversation try and match the other person's movements, posture and verbal style. Don't do everything they do, but mirror one or two things. For example, if the person gives mostly short answers to questions, you follow suit.

Or, maybe they talk at a slower pace than you usually do-slow your speaking speed to match theirs. This may sound simplistic but it is a very potent way to make someone feel very relaxed and comfortable in your presence.

5. The way you communicate at home may not be the same as in a different environment. Make sure you change your style to suit the different setting. Some comments you might want to tell your best friend, in private.

Other things can be shared in a group setting. Learn how to improve communication skills by altering your style for the appropriate setting. Many of us know someone who offers far too much information in a group setting.

6. Don't criticize others for communicating differently. If we all communicated in the same way, we'd soon be bored with each other.

Getting a good grasp of your communication style and finding ways to accommodate other peoples' styles, is a good way to improve your communication skills.

Peter Murphy is a peak performance expert. He recently produced a very popular free report: 10 Simple Steps to Developing Communication Confidence. Apply now because it is available only at: how to communicate

A Good Networker Watches Their Mouth

Writen by Lance Winslow

Have you been to a networking Chamber of Commerce Mixer, Leads Club or other Business Social Event and watched how some people run off with the mouth with tall tales, stories and go on and on about nothing.

Eventually they start talking about something or someone you know a whole lot about and you find that they are the biggest Bull Slinger you have ever seen? In fact this happens a lot at such parties and business get togethers and you can indeed learn something from all this; don't do it.

You see the fact is a good networker watches their mouth and does not overly try to impress anyone. It is much more likely that they will impress someone by showing a genuine interest in what the other person has to say. It might also be relevant to avoid bull slingers because if they are busy BS'ing everyone how can you believe anything that they say is true?

Play it safe and listen a lot, know a lot and say little. It is best for all concerned and it is much easier to win friends and influence people the old fashion way by earning their respect instead of giving them a BS song and dance. I sincerely hope you understand this and practice these theories of social business networking at a time and place of your choosing ASAP. So, think on this in 2006.

Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

The 9 Step Networking Plan

Writen by Adam Urbanski

First step – Plan Ahead.

The biggest investment you make into networking is your time. And most people don't budget it adequately to maximize their results. They show up late and leave early. Reverse this – show up early and leave late – and give yourself enough time to connect with people before and after meetings officially start.

Here is a little secret I'm going to share with you that very few people do. Plan and block time to evaluate your results after the meeting.

Was that group a good match for you? Look through the business cards you collected - did you have an opportunity to really connect with those people? How will you follow up?

These are just a few questions you should be asking yourself after each meeting. This is just as important as showing up in the first place. Most people skip this step and end up frustrated and overwhelmed because they don't take the time to "get organized."

Step number two. Choose wisely where and who you network with.

Again and again people ask me, "There are so many different groups, what are the basic groups and where can I get the biggest bang for a buck?"

First, you have to know that there are no right and wrong groups in general –they are just right or wrong for you.

There are basically four main categories of groups out there: Professional associations. Most every larger city will have local chapters of organizations that bring together professionals involved in the same trade. Attorneys, Consultants, Contractors, Manufacturers, and so on – all like to hang out together. With a bit of research you can easily find such groups near you.

Non-profit organizations. Personally, I think everyone should be involved in some organization that allows them to give back to community. And there are a lot of good causes to get involved in. This gives you good visibility, and access to other local leaders you might find hard to meet otherwise. Plus – it's just a good habit to contribute time and money to help others.

While you shouldn't count on getting business from these groups right away, when you do – it will be worth your while many times over – trust me.

Professional networking meetings. Like those organized by your local Chamber of Commerce or other, privately owned groups. While probably the most popular, these can often be a "total mixed bag", and unless you have a solid plan to "penetrate" the group fast and position yourself as a highly visible COI (more on that later) you'll be terribly disappointed with results you get from such groups.

Lead Exchange Groups. These typically allow only one person in each profession and meet regularly only for the sole purpose of exchanging leads with each other. While groups composed of well established professionals can be really effective in cross promoting each other's businesses, in most lead-exchange groups there just two or three people that end up giving and getting most referrals – and everyone else just isn't getting it.

Frankly, I think that unless you find a group with really savvy, well-established professionals in it – these groups are totally ineffective for the amount of time and money that you are asked to invest in them. (OK, I can just see the flood of emails on this one from people determined to prove otherwise!)

Finally, remember that depending on your business and who your clients are, your best place to network could be a golf-club membership and weekly round of golf. Or a monthly first class flight from one major city to another. And don't overlook people who already have you as a client. Hey, I stumbled upon an entirely new niche, simply because my daughters needed braces!

Step number three is to prepare your ABC - and that stands for Audio Business Card™.

People judge you by their first impressions of you. And if what you say to them in the first few seconds isn't clear, compelling and memorable – well, you'll just slip into oblivion like dozens of others we run into every day and then quickly forget them.

I bet you took at least a few hours, if not a few days, to design your printed business card. But did you take at least 15 minutes to develop and practice your ABC?! I bet not!

Teaching you how to develop a good ABC is a subject for whole new lesson, but here is just the gist of what works and what doesn't.

Don't say: Your title, like "I'm the president of Blah, Blah, and Blah, Inc" - boring! Your label, like "I'm a consultant" – OK, good for you, now tell me "what do you do"? Where you live and work – I've never met anyone who's hired me because of my street address! How long you've been in business – people really don't care if I stepped off the boat yesterday, or if I've lived here my entire life. All they want to know is – if and how I can help them.

Do say:

Who your ideal clients are. What are their biggest problems you solve for your clients. How your clients are better off as a result of working with you. How to best start benefiting from your services right away (more on that in a moment)

This is really a critical skill. If you don't know how to create magnetic first impressions and don't have an effective Audio Business Card – don't bother leaving your office. Your getting any business from networking will be purely accidental, and your chances for landing a new client or referral are as good as those of being struck by a lightning – if you catch my drift.

Step number four is positioning. Simply put, most people in the networking environment are prospecting – looking for potential clients. Positioning is about reversing this process – allowing potential clients to FIND YOU. It's a big difference when you have people coming to you versus you chasing them.

There is an entire process I teach my clients around this concept. And it starts long before you even show up for any meeting. It's not hard to do. With a bit of cleverness, and some advanced planning, anyone can do it.

Step number five is about preparing bait. You must have Attraction Tools™ in place. Finding clients is a bit like going fishing. You may love strawberries, but you would never put a strawberry on a fishing hook and throw it in the water because fish don't like strawberries. So you have to think about what kind of bait your audience likes and prepare that bait.

When I first got started I quickly build a database of over two thousand subscribers to my newsletter, simply by offering an attractive bait, and promoting it effectively by turning my printed business card into an advertising billboard.

Step number six is about meeting COI and becoming a COI – or a Center of Influence!

Every group has a number of core members – a higher echelon reserved for top movers and shakers. These few savvy entrepreneurs likely exchange more business amongst each other than the rest of the group combined.

Your job is to become part of this group as quickly as possible. Effective networking is not only about who you know, but even more importantly about who knows you. So becoming one of the big fish in a small pond is like hitting a lottery jackpot – new business will just keep coming in!

Step number seven is about delivering immediate value. One of the easiest ways to build relationships and deliver value is by being interested in other people. We all love to talk about ourselves. But when you network, if you are able to temporarily suspend your own need to blabber on about yourself – you'll instantly be better off than 99% of other people in the room.

Next, keep in mind that people are naturally lazy communicators and lazy thinkers. They tend to say the same thing to everyone they meet. So even a slight variation from their typical pattern makes the moment of meeting you more memorable.

Actually it's not that hard to say memorable things in an environment where most everyone else is trying to sell something. Dimply DON'T ASK FOR THE BUSINESS! Be curious, ask engaging, challenging questions. Or you can develop a Polish accent (OK, so this one may not work for you as well as it works for me – but it's worth a try, right?)

Step number eight is about getting maximum visibility. Once you've invested your money and time into actually getting together with other people, you might as well get the biggest bang for your buck out of it, right?

Most people are simply invisible! Even if you meet them, they seem to work so hard on making any impression on you, that you likely forget them right as you turn around to "Hi" to the next person.

Getting visibility is easy – if you know how. Here are just a few simple tips: - Volunteer to run the registration table. - Appoint yourself an official greeter and meet everyone as they walk into the room. - Stand up and share a great resource with everyone in the room - Ask the speaker a question that will allow everyone else to see your expertise in certain subjects.

Step number nine is simple - Follow up. Follow up. Follow up…

In the last five years I can probably think of less than a dozen people who have actually followed up with me as they promised! Even fewer followed up with me more than once or twice. This is terrible. Some of those people I really wanted to do business with – but they frankly let me down by disappearing.

Aren't you concerned about how much business you lose by "disappearing" on people after you've invested so much of your efforts into connecting with them in the first place?

I learned my ultimate lesson about following up when I was courting my wife. I might have thought I was prince charming, but it took me two years, and multiple "irresistible offers" before she thought that too and bought into the deal. I've been now married for fourteen years and have two gorgeous daughters. It would've never happened if I didn't follow-up, and follow-up, and follow-up – for two long years!

Bottom line, you must have a system in place that will allow you to effortlessly and automatically keep in touch with potential clients – "till they buy or die!"

"© 2006 Marketing Mentors. All Rights Reserved.

The author, Adam Urbanski, teaches service professionals and business owners how to develop marketing strategies that increase sales and profits. His website offers more how-to articles and free tips to create a winning marketing action plan at http://www.themarketingmentors.com."

Networking For Newbies Im One Too

Writen by Jim White

Whether it has been online, at a networking function, or leads group, how many times have you been asked this question?

What do you do?

Quite a few, right?

This is the ultimate networking question and how you handle it can make a difference in your success as a professional networking person.

If you're a realtor, a car salesman, or if you're a barista, what should you say in response to this question? What will make them remember you and what it is that you do 5, 6, 7 days a week?

Here's a Clue: It's not "I'm a realtor", or "I'm a car salesman", or "I'm a barista". A what?

The answer should be something like this:

"I help you find the home of your dreams"
"I help you drive the hottest luxury cars for less"
"I help you get that buzzzz that you need every morning!"

When someone asks you what you do, it's not about you. It's about what you can do for them. By saying, "I help you...", you are tuning them in to how you can satisfy their needs.

Isn't that what we all want? To have our needs met.

If you can tell me how you can meet my needs then I will remember you. Plus, if you actually follow through and meet my needs, then I will tell everyone I know about you!

Isn't that what we all want? For everyone to know what we do professionally.

The simple question of "What do you do?" is so very important. It deals with supply and demand. If you're focusing on your demands when you answer this question then you will fail.

If, however, you focus on the supply side, and what you can supply to meet their needs, then you will pass.

Change your next social or business networking function into a memorable experience for you and your contacts.

Change your online networking profile to display what it is you can do for me and I will visit you, I will email you, I will call you, I will buy from you, I will tell my friends all about Y O U.

Jim White is an online networker and owner of the
http://nonstop-networking.com Blog.

He is an Executive Representative with Direct Matches,
http://DirectMatches.com/wlmi
and one of the Founders of New Net Friends
http://My-New-Net-Friends.com

You may use this article if you include this resource box in its entirety will all links valid and clickable.

Making Valuable Contacts Online

Writen by Angela Booth

Remember the old saying: "it's not what you know, it's who you know"? It's true. Your contacts determine whether your business succeeds or fails, and for reasons of credibility, that's doubly true online.

Many people bristle when someone suggests that they network. If the term networking puts you off, then think of it as making friends. People do business with people they know, and your prospective clients need to hear your name many times before they buy from you.

Networking should be a cornerstone of your business. As my marketer friend Sally says: "Networking makes all your business activities more effective."

Sally loves using the Internet to develop new contacts. She believes that you can establish business relationships more easily online than you can offline. "I'd rather have someone email me a proposal, than phone me. And if I'm the one creating the proposal, I'll do a Web search on their business before I email them. The more you know about them the more effective your initial contact will be. I'm flattered if I know that someone has taken the time to find out about our business before they contact me for the first time."

=> Making new contacts step by step

With several hundred million people online, no matter how tiny your niche market, you'll find it easy to make contacts online. Some of these contacts will be people who are in the same business you're in, others will be suppliers, or prospective clients.

Note: some people hesitate to make contact with competitors. When I suggested to a copywriting student of mine that she should contact local copywriters to see they were charging, she freaked out. She didn't want to have anything to do with her competition.

This is a short-sighted attitude, because:

• whatever your business, it's a small world. People know people, and people talk. If people know you because they've had some contact with you, then when they're asked about you, they're more apt to speak kindly of you;

• you'll learn what's happening in your industry: who's hiring, who's landed a big new contract, and who's slow-paying;

• you've got someone to whom you can refer clients, if the clients want something that you can't provide (and with luck, your contacts will refer people to you);

• it's educational: you can swap techniques, suppliers, and shortcuts;

• and most importantly, you can find out what other local businesses are charging, and why.

So how do you start making valuable contacts online?

==> Step One: Do a search for people in the same business you're in

You'll need to know who's doing what you're doing. Check out their Web sites, bookmark their URL, and enter the names and contact details into your contact management program.

(Go to Better Whois, at http://www.betterwhois.com/ to get the business owner's contact details.)

See whether they offer services or products which are complementary to yours. You might be able to form a loose partnership.

If it's appropriate, you could offer them a link on your Web site in return for a link on theirs. However, be careful with this. Don't go linking here, there and everywhere online for the heck of it. Ubiquitous linking makes it look as if you don't know what you're doing.

==> Step Two: In what fields do you want to expand your client base?

When looking for prospective clients, think in terms of industries or professions.

If many of your clients are doctors, perhaps you want to contact more doctors, or perhaps you want to contact dentists or lawyers.

If you're a writer, maybe you've been targeting health and fitness magazines. What other interests and knowledge do you have? Perhaps you once worked for a construction company. Trade magazines pay quite well, so investigate construction magazines. Enter the magazines into your database, and send the editors a letter or e-mail message introducing yourself.

==> Step Three: Budget time for networking

Networking won't pay off with instantly, and too much networking can eat up a lot of time. So make a networking schedule for yourself.

If you're working in your small business fulltime, budget half an hour or so every couple of days for networking, or put in an hour a week. If you're a part-timer, try to put in a couple of hours a month.

==> Step Four: Don't be put off by a lack of response

If you send an e-mail message, and don't get a response, don't take it badly. Like most other people, I've got a rapid-fire delete finger, and I'm sure that occasionally I delete a valuable message by mistake. Blame it on the spam circus that e-mail has become.

Don't badger people, but if you're not getting a response via email, send them a fax or a letter.

Start making online contacts today, and watch your business thrive!

Wouldn't you like to clone yourself as a writer, or have someone do your writing tasks for you? Contact Angela Booth at http://www.angelabooth.com now because Angela expertly ghost-writes articles, proposals, marketing communications, Web copy, and books. Yes, you're the author of the words Angela writes for you. Angela is fast, reliable and professional, and works with individuals and small businesses as well as large companies.

Business Relationships Build Them When You Dont Know Anyone

Writen by Joshua Feinberg

Business relationships are hard to build when you are in a position where you don't know anyone yet. Perhaps you are new to town, don't know the area, or haven't joined a business organization yet. Although it seems like a chicken and an egg scenario, the only way to develop business relationships is to get out there and do it.

As a new computer solution provider you might not have been thinking pro-actively about the importance of business relationships. Once you realize how critical business relationships are to your business though, you simply need to dive in and get started.

Accelerate Your Business Relationships If you want to accelerate the business relationship building process there really is no quick or fast cure. There is no magic pill you can swallow and overnight wake up with a strong network of business relationships.

Business relationships are a time game and a numbers game. You have to spend significant time to get reasonable numbers. Not surprisingly, the 90/10 rule applies to business relationship development. For every 10 hours of discretionary time, you should spend nine of those working on your business relationships and the remaining one hour, keeping up with IT technology.

If you really want to accelerate your relationship building, think about putting in a consistent 8 to 10 hours per week joining business organizations and getting active in them. Instead of going to 2 or 3 events a month with 20 or 30 people, go to 2 or 3 events a WEEK instead. If you do this you will meet 80-100 people and your odds of creating strong business relationships will increase greatly.

The Bottom Line on Business Relationships
Business relationships aren't born overnight. Not knowing anyone or being new to an area are not justifiable excuses for not developing business relationships. The people won't come to you so you need to commit to go to them. The more active you are in your community and in business organizations the higher your chances of making high potential business relationships.

Copyright MMI-MMVI, Computer Consulting 101 Blog. All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}

Joshua Feinberg, co-founder of Computer Consulting 101, helps computer consulting businesses get more steady, high-paying clients. Learn how you can too. Sign-up now for your free access to these field-tested, proven business strategies on the Computer Consulting 101 Blog.

Body Language What Are They Really Saying

Writen by Clare Evans

When we communicate with someone we will be doing so on a number of levels, not just the words that we use - tone of voice and body language are also important factors in non-verbal communication.

Eye contact - is one of the most powerful means of communication after words. It can be direct or indirect, long-lasting or short and more usually intermittent when talking to someone in normal conversation. Staring or holding eye contact for too long can make people feel uncomfortable and is unsettling. Appropriate eye contact is important for effective communication. People who like or feel comfortable with each other engage in eye contact more frequently. People who avoid eye contact are likely to be feeling uncomfortable, guilty or embarrassed.

Face - next on the list after the eyes. This is one of the first features we notice. By looking at someone's face we can read their emotion. Small gestures like the eyebrow flash happen almost subconsciously when we greet people we are pleased to see or who we know. A smile can also work wonders when greeting someone for the first time. It can also be used to calm and help people to feel at ease. A genuine smile lights up the whole face including the eyes, a forced or nervous smile tends to stay around the mouth. Where someone looks when you talk to them can tell you which side of the brain they're accessing and if they're a visual, auditory or kinetic person.

Posture - has a lot to say about how a person feels about themselves and the person they're with. Are they leaning in towards each other or away from each other? Mirroring someone's posture is a good way to create rapport and will happen naturally in some situations. Try it out but don't make it too obvious or it can be off-putting. What is the posture of someone who feels confident? How does someone sit/stand when they feel threatened or fearful? If you have to give a presentation and feel nervous - adopt a posture of confidence and think yourself into a positive mode. See what a difference it makes.

Hand gestures - particularly at the moment, we are exposed to the carefully managed gestures of politicians when giving their pre-election speeches. The use of hand gestures can be another interesting aspect of body language that show attitudes and emotions. An open palm signifies sincerity, openness. Steepling of the fingers is seen as authoritative, or used during negotiation when considering a proposal. Tapping or drumming the fingers shows impatience. Touching the face indicates thinking, the hair insecurity and the ears indecision.

Personal space - everyone has their own sense of personal space that we carry around with us. We should be aware of this personal space so that we don't invade someone's personal space uninvited. Invading someone's personal space can seem threatening and the person will move away to a more comfortable distance. In crowded situations personal space is greatly reduced and other factors will come into account such as avoidance of eye contact and the use of defensive postures.

Body contact - the handshake is the most recognised form of body contact and used in greetings and farewells. A firm handshake is preferred in both men and women. A weak handshake shows either ineffectiveness, insincerity or reluctance. Bone crusher handshakes on the other hand are seen as aggressive or overly dominant. People brought up where body contact is a normal part of family life tend to be more positive and open than those with less. Always be aware and observe what is acceptable with an individual or for different cultures.

When interpreting body language you need to take into account all parts of the body. Changes in a person's 'normal' body language indicate a change in emotion or attitude. Don't assume that because someone has their arms crossed they are being defensive, perhaps they really are just cold! Look at all the different signals before interpreting the final message - at least three to four and know what's normal for that person.

Fun Exercise: Watch people's body language when you're next in a position to observe. How close are they? How much eye contact is there? Can you tell if they know/like each other? Are they strangers or friends? See how much of the conversation you can guess from observing people's body language.

Clare enables busy individuals and small business owners to organise their lives more effectively.

You can read more articles on her site Work Life Balance Articles at http://www.clareevans.co.uk

Receive free weekly Time Tips to show you how to manage your time more effectively when you register for her monthly newsletter at http://www.clareevans.co.uk.

10 Top Tips For Successful Networking

Writen by Sandra Beale

1. Recognise the importance of networking

Ask any successful business person and they will tell you that above all else networking skills are absolutely vital to grow your business. Networking can increase your market share, help you gain new ideas, provide work and perspectives on life and business. Speaking to one person can potentially give you access to over 200 clients and suppliers.

2. Aim to become visible

You need to let others know you exist and what you do by becoming highly visible and being set apart from the crowd, which is what good networking skills can provide. Be seen and get known. Look for interesting events to go to; clubs, associations, meetings, seminars, conferences, presentations, breakfast briefings, lunches, or start your own networking club.

3. Take care of your image

To have success in networking you need to maintain your self-esteem and build your confidence. Consider how you dress, speak and maintain your body language; aim to present a professional, positive image.

4. Always be positive

By having an open "can do" attitude and having the belief in giving and sharing as well as offering assistance your reputation will soon grow.

5. Treat all events as networking

Going into a specific networking event you may experience fear and trepidation but there is also the thrill and challenge of who potentially you might meet. However we all have all sorts of events we attend which are in effect networking ie meeting people to build mutally beneficial relationships. The networks we belong to can include schools, colleges, work, social life, small businesses, corporate businesses, family, neighbours, advisors or the church.

6. Build your relationships

You need to project an excellent image of warmth, approachability, understanding, knowledge, empathy, and an ability to engage with anyone.. Don't forget your most powerful contact might not be the most useful to you. Above all be genuine. You should take an interest in everyone you meet, remember their name, listen acutely to them to understand their needs and how you could assist each other. Tact, reassurance and the building of trust are also the hallmarks and vital components of relationship building. Be relaxed and stay interesting.

7. Develop the ability to "small talk"

Being able to talk to anyone about anything is a valuable skill in its own right and essential in networking. Being able to initiate a conversation means you are more likely come into contact with people who may well turn out to be invaluable contacts. Small talk can be difficult but have a few stock phrases up your sleeve such as "How did you get started in…..?", "What do you particularly need to succeed?" "Where are you going with it next……?"

8. Develop active listening skills

Networking is not about selling it is about listening to the other person and showing them you are interested in them by active listening. Allow others to open up & talk freely. Give you're your undivided attention even if it is only for five minutes. Take an interest in what's said and acknowledge this by nodding or agreeing. Use positive body language such as facing them with lots of eye contact. Used subtle mirroring techniques (body language copying) to develop rapport.

9. Use your business card

With the many people you meet this is the only way to maintain the initial contact. 90% of businesses have no card and only 25% have a card that is up to date and informative. At the very least your own should have on it your name, address and phone number and ideally your email address if not your website. Try to include on the back your skills focus to help others identify what you have to offer. You should also create a tracking system to identify and remember all those who you meet.

10. Be organised

Keep a written list of everyone you know and everyone you meet and what they do or keep a database. Write memory joggers on the back of business cards. You may find it useful to keep a diary of who you meet and where and any mutual contacts for future reference.

For more details phone Sandra Beale on 07762 771290 or email info@lightningconnection.biz. Website: http://www.lightningconnection.biz

How Do I Demonstrate I Am Listening

Writen by Gary Cohen

I have spoken to many leaders and the consensus is that listening to the answer is more important than asking the perfect question. Listening intently builds trust between you and the speaker. With that in mind, here are some tips to improve your listening:

1. Don't let your mind wander. Zen masters can keep their minds completely focused on one thought or conversation, but most of us can not. We might, for instance, latch onto one piece of information that the speaker has said. We grip it tightly and plan our response, rather than simply bookmarking this information and continuing to listen. In doing so, the speaker will see in our eyes that we have tuned out. Trust, confidence, and motivation will spiral downward.

2. Don't interrupt after asking a question. Leaders often have Type-A personalities, so they want to complete others' sentences. In all likelihood, they could probably do a better job of relaying the information, but that is not the goal of listening. Out-thinking your subordinates or showing off is not leadership. Patience is. Allow the speaker all the time in the world to provide you with an answer and to ask follow-up questions. Doctors at the renowned Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota pride themselves on spending a lot of time listening to their patients. Many practitioners ask questions and filter out most of what the patient says (listening only for symptoms they believe to be present), paying little mind to the patients' questions. Those questions can be very revealing especially if the patient is suffering from a rare disorder. Good doctors and good leaders have patience and make better decisions as a result.

3. Don't ask a question then give an answer to see if you were right. I was in a coaching exercise with a CEO. He summoned his accountant and asked her, "What are our revenue and net profits going to be this year?" Before she could answer, he said, "$5 million and $1 million respectfully." He clearly wanted to demonstrate that he was aware of the numbers to me and to her. This was about ego and it did nothing to build his leadership within the organization. Each time we do one of our team members' jobs our leadership power is taken away. What's her incentive to try to answer his questions in the future? Wasn't he communicating that her time must not be valuable if she was going to be called into the office just so he could ask and answer his own question? Does she now think he has nothing better to do with his time? Actually, these are not assumptions. This is what I discovered when I spoke with her afterward.

4. Be attuned to body language-your own and the speaker's. Maintain eye contact. Sit up straight and lean forward. Don't communicate disinterest or impatience by tapping a pen against the desk. And try to pick up on nonverbal cues that the speaker is transmitting. John Urban, Former CEO, President and Chairman of Pioneer Hi-Bred International looks for "Dissonance." When there is a disagreement or a gap between the work that was performed and the work that was expected to be performed, he pays particular attention to body language-failure to make eye contact, lowered or trailing off voices, etc. He then tries to imagine the question the speaker least wants him to ask. Then he asks it.

Interestingly, John finds it easier to listen for dissonance and ask the right questions if the organization's vision, plan, and goals are clear. It makes sense. After all, if you know what key the symphony is in, it is much easier to detect a wrong note.

If you follow these four tips, you will be a good listener. And you will be pleasantly surprised to find out how prepared you subordinates are for their meeting with you.

Gary received his undergraduate degree from the University of Minnesota and attended Harvard Business School. He has participated in Covey Leadership, Disney University, & the Aspen Institute as a Crown fellow.