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Your Holiday Business Challenge

Many of us are going away or have plans to see a parade or visit family and friends this weekend. I, for  one, am doing all of the above, and I am going to party hard. But nothing says I can't mix fun with a little stranger sharing.

Holidays are times when people gather in groups. What a great time to make a new contact or to do some market research. My challenge to you this weekend is to introduce yourself to as many new people as possible. Say hi! Learn something about them. Invite them to read your blog. Ask them what business they are in. Share a business card. Buy them a drink or a soda. Make a new friend, a new business acquaintance.

If you sell shoes (or pants, shirts, hats, eye glasses, cell phones, and so on), complement the ones someone else is wearing and ask them where they were purchased. Do they like them? How do they fit? Was the service good? Would they recommend the store?

Don't interrogate. Share, listen, laugh. Strike up a conversation. I'm calling this the Holiday Sharing Network. Be friendly. And be sensitive to your reception. Move on if you pick up negative vibes. Not everyone wants to play. But if you make just one new acquaintance, it will be good for you and for your business and, if you are sincere, authentic, and really interested in the other person, you will make them feel good.

I share every time I am in public. (It embarrasses the heck out of my wife.) I say hi and smile to strangers all the time. And when they say hi or smile back and are in a pause mode, I start a conversation. In 50 years of doing this I have made tens of acquaintances with whom I still communicate, some who have become clients, many who have become friends and some who refer others to me or introduce me to their acquaintances.

And the end of the day it's not about business. It's about sharing a little love. And it's about making a stranger feel special and surprised. Funny how often it helps our business to share our humanity.

It's Not Just Blah, Blah, Blah and More Blah (I Hope)

I talk a lot. You don't need to remind me. I know it. That gift is what makes me a prolific writer and  blogger. I have more to say than I could ever write. I'm curious, love to provoke others, enjoy sharing, can't learn enough, and love people.

Yesterday, while attending a chamber Annual Meeting, you could find me hopping from one conversation to another. Asking questions, listening and commenting on the answers, and recruiting members to join our Education Committee. I am my mother's son. She talked a lot, too. But I also am my father's son, who listened to every word he could hear, who was an avaricious reader and who knew more about a variety of things than one can imagine possible. Both of my parents were popular: my mom because she was the life of a party and often said very funny things (not always meaning to be funny); my dad because he was a nice guy who people wanted to be around.

During yesterday's meeting, most of the people I talked with also know my life. We are  like my parents in many ways; she is more like my father. Anyway, one woman told me that I was very different from Kay (my wife). "You talk a lot," she said. Yep. I do. But was she simply commenting about our differences or was she telling me to talk less and listen more?

Hmm! There is a fine line, isn't there? Lessons to be learned? Personally and Professionally.

Networking: The Angel Sitting on WOM's Shoulder

Word of Mouth (WOM) doesn't just happen. It is a marketing tool that needs to be launched, executed  upon and managed. Furthermore, it is a tool that every member of your business should be trained to use, especially those employees who are touchpoints for customers.

Because so many of my readers provide B2B products and services, you may struggle employing WOM marketing effectively. One of the best ways is for you to invest in WOM is through Networking. If you currently do not network at least once a week, I am confident in declaring that you are not maximizing your business growth opportunities.

Networking is a marketing tool, and like all marketing tools it requires careful planning. Unfortunately, too many networkers do not get it. Networking is not about selling something; it is about building relationships based on respect, trust and credibility. When such a relationship occurs, a referral or a sale is more likely to occur

Here are some recommendations for including Networking in your marketing mix.

To increase your chances of networking success, here are a few tips:

1. Check out a variety of networking groups and associations before joining any.
2. Join those that best fit your personality and your relationship-building style.
3. Get involved in some official capacity to increase your visibility.
4. Attend every meeting that you can. Be present to the opportunity
5. Be open to helping others in whatever ways you can. When we give, we also get.
6. Listen much more than you speak.
7. Be prepared with a concise and clear unique selling position that you can share in a sentence or two.
8. Don't sell, don't sell, and don’t sell.

And here are reasons why you should (must) invest in Networking:

• People like to do business with people they know and like.
• People like to do business with people they get along with.
• And people like to do business with people they know can and will do the job right.

Networking results in leads, referrals and sales. Why? Because Networking produces:

• Increased visibility
• Increased familiarity
• Increased credibility
• Increased trust

Do you network regularly? If not, why not? If you do, what are your experiences? Has networking delivered business or partnerships?

Ignore Silly Rules

As happens two or three times a month, I attended a Chamber After Hours event last night. For those non-chamber members, these are events held monthly for members to chat over wine and cheese. Essentially, we attend to continue relationship building with potential friends and customers. Last night's event was a bit strange, however.

Everything was as it should be: a crowded room, conversation overload, and lots of wine and cheese. What made it weird has to do with a current change in my life. Recently, I agreed to serve on the Board of Directors of the Nutmeg Symphony Orchestra. My primary responsibility is marketing.

The Orchestra is preparing for its Maestro's Gala, a major fundraiser that includes an auction, dinner and fine music. The event's Chair also attended the After Hours event. I said hi and noticed a pile of yellow fliers sitting atop a shelf, advertising the Gala. I asked why we weren't personally sharing them, and she replied that someone informed her that sharing fliers wasn't allowed. That's silly. Attendees share business cards and brochures all the time, and four Members of the Orchestra Board belong to this Chamber.

So I grabbed a handful, as I would rather beg forgiveness than lose an opportunity to share a great event with my fellow Chamber Members. I only approached those members I knew well, and asked each one if they enjoyed classical music. If they answered yes, I shared a flier with them and answered their questions regarding the Gala. Every single person I talked with thanked me and indicated interest. To them, I was being a friend who shared information of interest.

But did I do the right thing? Often rules such as the one dictating fliers are meant to avoid placing people in corners they cannot escape from. However, most people wouldn't think of treating fellow members in such a manner. I never would intentionally make others uncomfortable. It seems obvious that this rule hurts 99 percent of Members to protect us from the 1 percent who might take advantage of a marketing opportunity.

Should I have followed the rule? What would you have done? Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation?

Note: For a view of "It's what you say, most of the time, not how you say it", check out Seth's Blog.

Don't Let Your Emotions Scare You

I recently made a presentation in Greater Boston advertised as The Fear of Networking. This is a presentation I do quite often, yet am always surprised by the participants eagerness to overcome their fears and their willingness to explore the concepts.

Because networking is a primary tool in our Marketing tool belts, I thought that you might find some of this information helpful. Here, in brief, are a few ideas and thoughts for your consideration.

What Could be the Cause of Our Fear of Networking?

The answer has to do with human emotions. The better we understand our emotions, the more equipped we are to handle various circumstances that may arise.

There are four basic causes of fear. These are:

• the possibility of harm,
• the possibility of frustration (the failure to achieve),
• the possibility of not surviving, and I add a fourth to the usual list,
• the fear of success

Before we look at these, let’s first say why we must make every effort to overcome a fear of networking. Here are a few excellent business reasons:

• Build relationships with potential clients. We prefer to do business with those we know.
• Build relationships with potential givers of referrals and leads. We only gives referrals and leads to those we know and trust.
• Build relationship with resources (e.g., Other consultants who can help us or who to whom we can refer our customers.

All of these things lead to:

• word of mouth marketing,
• business growth
• and brand recognition

Finally, before taking a brief look at overcoming our fear of networking, lets quickly look at networking dos and don’ts.

• Networking is one of the best ways to build a business and a personal reputation, so we should include it within our marketing mix.
• Networking is not about selling something; it is about building relationships based on respect, trust and credibility.
• When such a relationship occurs, a referral or a sale is more likely to occur.

To increase your chances of networking success, here are a few tips:

1. Check out a variety of networking groups and associations before joining any.
2. Join those that best fit your personality and your relationship-building style.
3. Get involved in some official capacity to increase your visibility.
4. Attend every meeting that you can. Be present to the opportunity.
5. Be open to helping others in whatever ways you can. When we give, we also get.
6. Listen much more than you speak.
7. Be prepared with a concise and clear unique selling position that you can share in a sentence or two.
8. Don't sell, don't sell, and don’t sell.

Now, let’s look at each fear:

• the possibility of harm (e.g., If we say or do the wrong thing we will be embarrassed and our business will be harmed)
• the possibility of frustration (e.g., What if nothing good comes of this. All I have done is waste time and money
• the possibility of not surviving (unlikely)
• And the fear of success (e.g., Is it possible that we are afraid that we don’t deserve success or that we will fail if we are successful getting clients but nor serving them, and then everyone will know that we are not very good at what we do?)

We likely will never overcome our emotions through the intellect. However, if we understand our emotions, we then can learn to manage them. If we permit ourselves to be scared of things that are in our best interests and are proven tools that can help our business, we lose opportunities that can drive success.