Networking Is Not Selling

I’m buzzing. No, I’m not on some kind of drug, but I did manage to take a whole week off from business, from the daily routines of meeting, greeting, and networking with others, as well daily routines of answering the perpetual email stream that flows in at a rate of 200 per day.

Vacationing to me is having new adventures, doing a little sight seeing, and always, but always, reading! For several years I’ve been a huge proponent of Law of Attraction. Long before The Secret, long before it was the ‘trendy’ thing to do. One day I realized that one of the key components to the success we’ve endured in our business http://www.itakethelead.com is a law of nature; like-minded professionals attract other like-minded professionals.  

If you ever have the opportunity to pick up “Excuse me, Your Life is Waiting” I’d grab it! Lynn Grabhorn is witty, fun, and really keeps me engaged with her stories. This is a yearly read for me.  While I was reading through, I realized that Lynn offers some sage advice for anyone who networks. Have you ever felt in a slump…had one of those off days…and attended some kind of networking function anyway? How’d it go? Kind of what I thought…..you’d have been better off curled up with the cat and blanket watching the tube!

Advice from Lynn:” Since we’re sort of dead batteries until we get charged, I found the best way to get a buzz started was by doing something physical that would jump-start me into a nice feeling. So lacking cables, I use a smile!”

“That’s right, a meaningful little smile, the kind that feels like butter melting on a hot roll; the kind of smile you couldn’t help but break into at the sight of newborn kittens tumbling all over each other, or a baby giggling just for the sake of giggling. Not a phony grin, but a loving, tender smile as if a youngster had just brought you their most cherished treasure. As you take that felling and pull it up from the inside, you’ll feel yourself smiling the deepest point of your being. Now you’re at what I call the Gentle Inner Smile, a warm lovely sensation that feels like a soft buzz or a delicate whirling.”

I arrived back home to a chilly temperature of 30 degrees, snow on the ground, and ice layered on the windows of the neighbors’ vehicles. As a matter of fact, today was supposed to be my first day back at networking, but going out in the cold was not looking very appealing. So I prepped for the meeting by getting a soft buzz going.  It worked, and the meeting was a total success….maybe because I was on top of my game!

Are you likable ? You may have great knowledge and be fully capable in your industry, but if others do not like you, they will not refer to you.  Some simple tips on becoming more likable may help you put the pieces of the puzzle together:

• First impressions are lasting impressions. Always put your best foot forward. Yes, dressing appropriately, wearing deodorant, bathing, and using mouth wash are suggested acts for leaving a positive lasting impression.
• Be interested in others.
• Listen. Are you busy thinking about what you’re going to say next, or are you actually listening?
• Ronnie Noize, Google’s #1 Marketing Coach http://www.VeronikaNoize.com  says that Networking is about connecting and serving. Connecting others is a great way to be of service. Those can be some of the most powerful referrals.
• Never, ever, ever confuse networking with selling. No one likes to be sold.

If you are networking, chances are you own a business.  You will want to read the following article by Abigail Dougherty.  Becky

As I’ve admitted before, my definition of a “business” book is broader than most publishers’. Because I read over 200 nonfiction books a year, it means I’ve read several on leadership, sales, marketing, management, etc. The more I read, the clearer it becomes that there is no single precise formula for success in business. Most of the books agree on six key attributes needed to be successful. They might name them differently, but the fundamentals are the same.

Skill

This is usually the easiest one. Sane people do not start a business unless they have a certain level of qualification in that field, either by experience, education or certification. If you are a carpenter, travel agent, coach, lawyer or dog groomer, somewhere along the way you’ve picked up the necessary abilities to do that work.

Vision

Going into business for yourself requires a vision of what you want from life that is greater than the relative security of working for a paycheck. The vision could be about freedom, about creativity, about flexibility of where and when you work, and who you work with. It could be as simple as the change you want to bring to the world. Without vision we cannot run our business; it will always run us. 

Personality

Of all the attributes for business success, this, to me, is the most controversial. Sometimes charisma is mistaken for the ability to lead. Sadly, leadership isn’t always combined with integrity and competence. When it is, it’s a fabulous combination for success. Too often, key qualities are missing and we see the business fail in a headline-blazing fashion.

Creativity

This is the ability to find, engage, and listen to our customers so we can understand what they WANT to solve problems or save themselves pain. Creativity includes being able to keep that dialogue going as tastes or the problems they face change. Being a buggy whip maker in the age of automobiles could limit your business success, unless you are Jedediah’s Buggy Whip Maker, who has carved out a unique niche in what most believe is a dead industry. Creativity helps you get through any barrier to your success. That might mean going over, under, around or through the obstacles that pop up. This is where Master Mind groups are invaluable. Often we are too close to the problem to see the solution that is obvious to someone in a different industry.

Determination

I was listening to an interview of a well-known speaker who, early in his career, was asked to work with an inner-city youth group to help them develop self-esteem. He was wise enough to help them acknowledge that they faced challenges, that people have faced similar challenges in the past, and that similar challenges will continue in the future. This speaker’s message to these youths was, “Now you know the challenges, succeed anyway!” We can all produce a litany of excuses for not being successful. We’re human: as long as we are alive we will have challenges. We can use them as our excuse to not succeed or we can use determination and creativity to succeed anyway.

Action

It’s probably not surprising that action is often the hardest step for business owners. Purposeful action to attract clients, to book business, to earn revenue, and to ensure the clients become your fan club is significantly different from activities. Business owners too often believe that it’s their job to do everything in the business. Successful business owners figure out where they add the most value to the business and find ways to delegate the rest to a third party, an employee or a virtual assistant. Remember, delegation retains your control. Abdication means you’ve abandoned part of your business to someone else’s priorities.

What’s Your Formula?

Skill, vision, personality, creativity, determination, and action are all essential building blocks of business success. How much of each that is required for your success is completely individual to your business and your market. No matter how your formula reads, ACTION is the essential ingredient to ALL success.

 “I have been impressed with the urgency of doing.  Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do.”

Leonardo DaVinci

 © 2010  Straight Edge News

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WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEBSITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Abigail Dougherty, PCC, is the founder of Straight Edge Solutions, a Professional Certified Coach, Business Process Expert and Motivational Speaker. To read more articles by Abigail and learn more about her work, please visit her website, StraightEdgeSolutions.com or contact Abigail at Abigail@StraightEdgeSolutions.com.