Sharpen Your Business Networking Skill To Grow Your Small Business

Writen by Denise O'Berry

Most people become lax at maintaining their professional business network when they've worked with a company a while. With the constant rounds of mass layoffs, having a dead or outdated business network can mean business suicide to even the most skilled expert.

Whether you've been laid off and are looking for work or are a small business owner trying to grow a business, connections are crucial for business success. But it's not so much who you know as who knows you. And that means networking effectively should be one of your priorities. Here are a few tips to help you get the results you seek from business networking.

- Before you go to a networking meeting, be prepared with a goal. Who do you want to meet? Why are you there? Have a conversation icebreaker ready to get to know the right people.

- Don't reserve every seat and act like a grump if someone unfamiliar wants to sit there. Welcome the opportunity that a stranger presents. They may be your next prospect.

- Treat referrals like gold. Contact the referral within a day, if possible. Let the referrer know how things went.

- Online, your email creates the first impression just like your physical presence does at face-to-face meetings. Be the business professional that you are.

- Any email you send has the potential for being forwarded to an untold number of people. Before you press the "send" key, give your message the "front page" test. Ask, "How would I feel if this made the front page of the newspaper?"

Denise O'Berry is a small business expert who helps small business owners grow their business with less effort. Additional business networking tips may be found in her guide -- "101 Nuggets to Power Up Your Schmooze-Ability" at http://www.deniseoberry.com/101tips

How To Organize A Successful Bad Sweater Party

Writen by Scott Ginsberg

"Hey Scott, would you like to go to a Bad Sweater Party this weekend?"

"A what party?!" I said.

"A Bad Sweater Party. Wait a minute…you mean to tell me you've never been to a Bad Sweater Party before?" asked Amber.

"Guess not," I admitted.

A Bad Sweater Party is exactly what you think it is: A party at which the guests wear bad sweaters.

Nobody can be certain where this idea originated. It's possible that it came about during the 80's when ALL sweaters were bad sweaters. Nevertheless, my first Bad Sweater Party experience was, without a doubt, one of the most enjoyable nights I have ever had. (And I only knew one person there!)

One week before the party I began to plan out my wardrobe. Looking through my drawers, I couldn't find anything that could have been classified as a "bad sweater." At least, that's what I told myself. I figured that since the bulk of the bad sweaters in the world were worn between 1971 and 1994, a thrift store was my best bet for scoring some particularly heinous gear.

When I went to my local Goodwill I approached the counter and asked, "Hi, I'm looking for the ugliest, most out dated, eye sore of a sweater known to man – got anything like that?"

"You must be going to a bad sweater party, huh?"

"Yeah, how did you know that!?"

"I've been to a few myself – they're loads of a fun. Come on, let's see what piece of crap we can find for you today sir."

After a good 20 minutes of searching, I found my sweater. I was so bad, it was beautiful! It looked like something your colorblind grandfather wore at a holiday Christmas Party in 1972 that, if it were any tighter, might have also doubled as a leotard.

And I loved it.

"I'll take it!" I said.

Two dollars and forty nine cents later, Amber and I arrived at the Bad Sweater Party. She sported a purple, blue and turquoise gem that could have easily been stolen from the wardrobe room of the Cosby Show. And although I was slightly self conscious about the skin-tightness of my snowflake laden top – as well as not knowing anybody there - everything changed when we walked in the door…

"Hey!! What's up guys, come on in!" said the host, "Wow those are the ugliest sweaters I've ever seen! I love 'em!"

"Thanks man! Your sweater sucks too! My name is Scott - I'm a friend of Amber's."

"Well it's great to meet you, thanks for dressing up! I'm Joe, welcome to my house."

When I walked in, I saw sweaters of every decade, every color, every style and every brand. It almost became a game to see who could have the worst sweater of all. But the best part was - the sweaters were horrible, and nobody seemed to care! The crowd was booming with laughter and beaming with positive energy. Everyone talked to everyone. Everyone complimented everyone. And for the next four hours, I experienced the most unbelievable sense of ease, comfort and approachability with a group of complete strangers.

When I got home later that night, I realized that any time you use party themes – especially outrageous ones - they have an invaluable effect on the connectedness of the guests:

Invite Only
How many times have you been invited to a party that didn't sound that inviting?

"Robbie's having a party on Saturday – you should come."

Great, see ya there.

On the other hand, when you hear about a theme party, it entices you:

"Come over to Robbie's on Saturday for his annual Bad Sweater Party!"

Now that sounds like fun!

Preparation Solidifies Commitment
Themes also encourage people to go the extra mile. I remember asking other partiers where they had gotten their bad sweaters. Some told me they shopped at local vintage stores; others said they raided their parents' closets while some even bought them on Ebay! But because they RSVP'ed, and because they searched or even bought a bad sweater, everyone was sure to have fun and stay late.

What Should I Wear?
Think about the big question guests ask before attending any party:

"What's the dress code?"

This always creates ambiguity and often times, improper dress – over or under – can cause guests to feel uncomfortable and therefore unwilling to communicate. But with a theme, you know exactly what to wear, i.e., a bad sweater.

Apprehension
Themes enhance parties and events because they reduce uncertainty, which is one of the major barriers to communication. The reason people often feel so uncomfortable at parties is because they don't "fit in." But when everyone makes the effort to adhere to the theme, everybody fits in, no matter who they are, where they came from or how many people they know.

Breaking the Ice
Think of all the parties you attended where people just sat around and stared at the wall. Exciting, huh?

Obviously it's true what Adam Sandler said, "Initiating the conversation is half the battle." The most effective way to break the ice at a party is to discuss your connection to the host - this generates a CPI, or common point of interest.

But with a theme party, the CPI is already established before you walk in the door. It's impossible not to socialize with everyone. You can break the ice with anybody, anytime!

How do You Connect Your Guests?
Incorporating a theme into parties and meetings allows your guests to significantly increase their comfort level, approachability and friendliness. The Bad Sweater Party is merely one of many examples, so begin thinking of some theme ideas for your next event. Do this, and you'll never have to hear the phrase "that party sucked last night," again.

© 2005 All Rights Reserved.

Scott Ginsberg is a professional speaker, "The World's Foremost Expert on Nametags" and the author of HELLO my name is Scott and The Power of Approachability. He helps people MAXIMIZE their approachability and become UNFORGETTABLE communicators - one conversation at a time. For more information contact Front Porch Productions at http://www.hellomynameisscott.com.

How To Win The Heart Of People

Writen by Anandrahi JS

No person in the history has yet got success without the support of other people. These people may be your family members, your friends, good contacts in different walks of life or the masses. You have to go to others to help you succeed. Success is actually a team work. Great leaders become great because they know how to make others help them to become great. No businessman can be massively successful without active support of financial institutions, the customers, the men from bureaucracy. How you can expect a writer to succeed if he is unable to influence an agent or a publisher.

The first requirement of any success is that you should have some value to give it to others and second is the support of the people who can highlight and push you ahead. And there is age-old one point formula that can help you to get the support of others: appreciate with heart.

APPRECIATE AS YOU LIKE

Don't try to copy others or force yourself to appreciate. You must proceed in life according to your own unique talent or psychological make-up. If you can't appreciate the masses appreciate the persons who are capable enough to push you. If you can't do that just appreciate your family members. They will do their best to find ways for you. Or simply appreciate some friends. See how enthusiastic they become to help you hit the field of your choice successfully.

THIS LAW NEVER CHANGES

Nothing is permanent and everything changes in this world. But the basic human character like the laws of Physics remain the same. For thousands of years people have been using this magic formula of appreciation in every country to gain power or get success in business, politics, social or marital relations.

You must remember that only following this law of human relations can't guarantee you success in your ventures. You must fulfil the first condition of creating some value in your life to give to others. Only that value is exchanged with money or success.

RESPOND FAST

If people (friends, family members, colleagues, commoners) try to communicate with you never ignore them. There are phone calls, letters in the letter-box, e-mails in the inbox, but many persons rarely respond. Consequently they lose customers, friends, relationships, and support of many other persons. Although it is a good policy to ignore the junk mail or useless calls but responding fast to the good ones is very necessary. Only then you can build good relations and prepare support areas.

People of modern world may respond to telephone calls but they become extremely lazy when there is a need of answering a letter or an e-mail. And they lose business. Success drifts away farther. Those companies always have better chances of success who are careful to the problems of their customers, who appreciate their customers and give importance to them. Whoever responds better to customers, whoever cares for them will get more of them even if the customers are charged more.

TOO MUCH OF EVERYTHING IS BAD

You must appreciate others to get support but overdose of appreciation may prove useless. Like a medicine overdose of appreciation may make people habitual of it and in some cases it may even spoil them. You may even be called a flatter. So always appreciate in a few words and only now and then to make it very effective. Such appreciation improve your image, endear you to the persons and definitely enthuse them to push you to success.

Anandrahi
CEO: News of India Network
Director: LSE-India (for Communication
Skills and Personality Development)

Trained thousands of persons to get great jobs, improve personality and achieve goals in business.

Best-selling Books written by Anandrahi: 1. Think Your Way to Wealth and Power
2. Fire of Success in Your Mind
3. Speak English and Influence People (To get an ebook write an email).

emails:
anandrahi@newsofindia.net
anandrahi@yahoo.co.in

The 5 Most Deadly Networking Mistakes And How To Avoid Them

Writen by Beverly Tillman

As a business woman have you ever committed any of the 5 most deadly networking mistakes? Often business women commit deadly networking mistakes without even knowing it. These tips point them out and tell you how to correct them the next time you meet some one. Remember we are always networking at work, at church, in the neighborhood and of course at our networking events.

1. Mistake #1: Giving someone your business card before they even ask for it or when they really didn't want it. Note a person may never ask for your business card and you may never need to give it to them in order to effectively network. The process of networking is really about getting to know the other person not knowing what they do or even passing out a business card. A person is more likely to become interested in what you do or how they can help you if they get to know you as a real person first and not specifically as a business person.

2. Mistake #2: Not getting to know the person before you set up lunch or diner or coffee or tea with them. This is very close to #1. Knowing a person means not only that you know their name and what they do, but knowing what their hopes and dreams, and interest are. Family and children often make for a really good conversation should they mention it: like I have to go get me children from school, etc. What they talk about may or may not tie into what is on their business card or your business card. But remember that each person has the potential of knowing at least ten other people who need your service. If the person you are trying to connect with likes you and their outside interest may perhaps be yours and let's say you become friendly, they will for sure remember you when the right time comes to recommend you to their friends or business associates…yes, for business.

3. Mistake #3: Talking about yourself and not giving the other person a chance to talk. This happens a lot, because we are all eager to tell about what we do and how good we are at doing it. But the truth of the matter is no body cares how good you are unless they are interviewing you for their next brain surgery or you are having a formal interview! In reality people like to talk about themselves. Start with do you live in the vicinity and I bet they will start talking about themselves whether they live in the vicinity or not. If you listen closely you most likely will get to ask them more about themselves even leading to their hobbies. Then you can move on to what kind of work do they do. But if you do not get a chance to talk about work or profession on the first encounter, if you have built enough relationship with them, you will surely get to start talking about what they do the next time.

4. Mistake #4: Your time to show and tell ends up being too long and not very interesting to the other person. You have to know when to stop taking about yourself. If the other person is not interested in what you have to say, get use to that being alright, because it is alright. It is far better to have a friendly relationship that can go on to become even friendlier, if you keep them interested in you and what you do by just saying enough to wet their appetite about you.

5. Mistake #5: Calling and leaving message after message after message. Of course they could be busy, but if they haven't called you back by now they might have other plans or they just might not want to talk to you. (What a position to be in. You may have burnt a bridge.) This is a sign of neediness on your part. You are not needy. There are thousands of "other" people out there who really do need your services. All you have to do is find them. You may say this is easier said than done. But just consider, when your target is specific you will know who they are and where they are and you will go straight to them. They may even go straight to you, because you got to know one of their buddies through proper networking and the buddy talked so much about you that the target just can't wait to meet you so you can solve their problem.

Think about this. It is empowering to be able to network effectively. It is empowering because when you really do network effectively you put yourself in the position of the helper who can bring true abundance and whatever the other person needs either through your own personal efforts or by leading one of your friends or contacts to them. That has got to be powerful!

Dr. Beverly Tillman, founder of Leap of Faith Empowerment Institute, teaches Business and Professional women and women entrepreneurs how to become outrageously successful in life and business. Dr. Beverly's books, workshops, tele-seminars, and coaching programs provide proven strategies for increasing profits, generating greater wealth and freedom, and enjoying having a more spiritually balanced life. Website: http://www.leapoffaithforwomen.com Email: drbeverly@leapoffaithforwomen.com

On Eating Alone

Writen by Scott Ginsberg

Ever eat lunch alone?

I know, it sounds contrary to the entire concept of networking and approachability. Especially if you've read Keith Ferrazzi's best selling book, Never Eat Alone. But hear me out on this one. Because eating alone (every once in a while) gives you an opportunity to do something you often forget to do while dining out with a client or coworker: observe.

Now, don't think of it as eavesdropping, snooping or spying. It's research. And it's amazing what you can learn about approachability if you just immerse yourself in it, watch, and then listen.

So, I tried it yesterday. I ate at my favorite lunch spot, all by my lonesome. Just me, some gumbo and a book by John Maxwell. The smell of seafood filled the air, dozens of businesspeople talked about their plans for the week and servers frantically hustled around the floor to deliver their guests' meals.

And here's what I observed...

Two businesspeople seated to my left fumbled through folders and papers. The man in the red tie did most of the talking while the woman across the booth hung on his every word. He asked engaging questions. She gave creative answers. At one point, I sensed confusion in the women's voice, but then felt reassurance in the man's voice as he leaned closer and softened his tone. I also heard him say "Heather" three times. Nice. Then I heard laughter. Very nice. And of course, I saw smiles on both sides of the booth. Awesome!

At another table I saw two guys carefully examine a spreadsheet. They deeply immersed themselves in the numbers while completely ignoring the poor waitress who worked her butt off trying to deliver their dishes on time. And they barely acknowledged her existence, much less offered a simple "thank you" for their multiple ice-tea refills.

I also noticed five women seated around a booth laughing hysterically with their server. One of them wiped away tears of hilarity with her bev-nap, while two others high-fived each other at a joke I sort of wished I heard.

And on the way out the door I heard someone's cell phone go off. Oh no! I thought. Sure enough, I watched a woman gave her client the "Just A Minute While I Talk To Someone More Important That You Index Finger," while she took the call. Ten seconds later she returned to the conversation and said, "Sorry, what were you saying?"

I paid my check, took my mint and thanked my server for doing a great job. When I got back to the office I hopped online to see if I could dig up some statistics on lunch meetings. Interestingly enough, I came across a great survey about lunch meeting etiquette developed by The Creative Group. It was conducted by an independent research firm and includes 250 responses from advertising executives and marketing executives among the nation's 1,000 largest companies.

Respondents were asked, "Which one of the following actions do you think would most hurt a professional's chances of impressing a current or potential client during a lunch meeting?"

"Displaying poor manners when interacting with the wait staff -- or anyone -- during a business meeting will prompt prospective clients and business partners to question whether they and their staff members will be treated the same," said Tracey Turner, executive director of The Creative Group. "Showing up late is a similar sign of disrespect."

Added Turner, "The key to a successful lunch meeting is making people feel comfortable. Behaving graciously throughout the meal will go a long way toward forming a positive working relationship."

That was the word I was looking for: comfort. After all, comfort is the axis upon which approachability rotates. Comfort is the reason strangers become friends, friends become prospects, prospects become clients, and clients become fans. And fans are the people who "love your stuff," tell their friends about you and maintain confidence in your ability to give them unique value.

Still, it kind of made me wonder: "What table did I sit at during my last lunch meeting?"

Was I the engaging businessperson at an enjoyable, yet productive lunch? Did I sit across a table from an inconsiderate cell phone junkie? Was I the workaholic who shunned the outside world at the expense of my server's frustration? Or was I the group of friends who saw lunch as a much needed vacation from the stresses of a typical workday?

Either way, Yogi Berra was right. "You can observe a lot by just watching." So this week, I challenge you to go out to lunch at the most crowded, popular, loud, and packed-to-the-walls-with-businesspeople restaurant in your area.

And I want you to go all by yourself.

Now, I know that might sound a bit awkward to you. But trust me, it's great field research. So just give it a shot! You'll learn a lot about approachability. And if you want, you can even bring along a good book to read during your lunch. If so, I highly recommend Keith Ferrazzi's Never Eat Alone.

© 2005 All Rights Reserved.

Scott Ginsberg is a professional speaker, "The World's Foremost Expert on Nametags" and the author of HELLO my name is Scott and The Power of Approachability. He helps people MAXIMIZE their personal and professional approachability - one conversation at a time. For more information contact Front Porch Productions at http://www.hellomynameisscott.com