You’ve Joined A Leads Group. Now What?

Despite the explosion of Social Media, make no mistake about it, there is still a place in the business world for the traditional “Leads Group”. While Social Media is a great tool for reaching out and finding new connections, networking remains very much a contact sport. Nothing can replace getting “nose-to-nose and toes-to-toes”, doing it on a regular schedule, and doing it with the people you have built a relationship with!

Therefore, if you have taken the first step and joined a local group, you might as well take those critical steps that will be necessary in order for you to ensure your success. I recommend a two-stage process which will involve a minimum commitment from you, to the group, of six months. If you are unable or unwilling to follow these suggestions, save yourself both the time and the money and don’t even get started. On the other hand, if you are ready to substantially increase your earnings, please read on ….. Continue reading “You’ve Joined A Leads Group. Now What?”

Upset Customer? Opportunity Knocks!

If you were to ask most companies what their goal might be in regard to customer relations, many would probably say that they want their customers to be “satisfied” with their product or service. They want them to be “happy”. Well, especially today, “happy” and “satisfied” just ain’t gonna’ cut it. If you want to create a memorable experience for your client, the goal of “meeting their expectations” has to be replaced by “far exceeding their expectations”. Think about the following ….. Continue reading “Upset Customer? Opportunity Knocks!”

Behold …. The Power Of Networking!

Last week was a fairly important one for me. I had the privilege of conducting a workshop at Meridian Business Day and next Wednesday we will have a table at the Ultra Clean Smoke Out. While preparations for all of these were going on, another opportunity presented itself and then rapidly became a reality. I had looked at Meridian Business Day as a chance to perhaps re-wet my feet in an arena that I was successful in some 20 years ago …. workshops and seminars. Instead, it became a vehicle for the soft announcement of those services as well as my recent designation as Idaho’s first authorized “Nimble SCRM Solutions Partner” which is a venture that I will team with SEN Technologies. Somehow, somewhere, the memo I wrote myself about slowing down got lost. Continue reading “Behold …. The Power Of Networking!”

I See Dumb People

I was going to title this something else and then I found this cartoon which says it all (smile). I have written a bit on this topic before and I am warning you ahead of time that this may come off as a “rant”. Fact is, this post is born out of both frustration and a sincere desire on my part to see folks achieve maximum success at whatever endeavor they choose to pursue. They say that “you get no second chance at a first impression.” To a large degree that is true but, I can guarantee you that repeated boorish behavior will firmly solidify that sad condition and leave for little, if any, hope of recovery.

I own and operate business to business networking groups so I perhaps tend to have a slightly more heightened awareness of these things. I have also been in B2B sales virtually all my adult life and I am pushing 57 right now. I’ve been around the block. As a sales person, I lived on referrals and made a very nice income doing so. While I no longer actively sell a product or service per se (other than membership in our groups), I never made a single cold call during the last 5 years of my direct selling career. I earned referrals by: Continue reading “I See Dumb People”

Leverage What You Have & Get What You Need

The inspiration for this post actually came from one of our NetWorks! Boise Valley members who was struggling with his decision whether or not to remain with his group. I’ve heard the arguments (excuses) many times before …. “I’m just not getting enough out of the group” or “The people in the group are not really the people that I need to be networking with. I need people (industries) more like …..” As it turns out, this individual consulted others and made the right decision to stay. I have no idea what pearls of wisdom he received but, here is what I have would have told him and others … Continue reading “Leverage What You Have & Get What You Need”

Diversify Your Networking For Maximum Results

Last Thursday really brought to my forefront the necessity of having a diversified networking plan. NetWorks! Boise Valley fills what I like to call the “Business-Social” networking slot that many folks are accustomed to. Our groups meet weekly and our focus is business. Still, I am always encouraging our members to get out and network outside of our group settings. These activities should include: Continue reading “Diversify Your Networking For Maximum Results”

Musings On The “Six Degrees Of Separation”

Earlier this week I was contacted by a gentleman from another city who had been referred to me by a software company in still another city. He is going to be in Boise in a couple of weeks to facilitate an event that runs over that weekend. Not knowing anybody here in town, he was hoping to get connected to some folks where both he and they might benefit from such a relationship. I was more than happy to assist. Connecting others is what I do. Continue reading “Musings On The “Six Degrees Of Separation””