May, 2010 archive
5 Powerful Strategies For Successful Networking at Seminars, Workshops and Live Events 0
Learning effective strategies for successful networking at seminars, workshops and live events will relieve some enormous pressure on your first day of attendance at your training seminar or business function. Everyone feels a sense of discomfort at one time or another when they walk into a lobby full of people they’ve never met before. It seems everybody is talking to someone else and you feel like the lone person on the block who doesn’t have a soul to talk to. It can be really uncomfortable.
I know this discomfort from experience.
Moving from city to city and attending a different school every single year of my childhood taught me some simple tricks to breaking the ice by starting a conversation and getting out of my comfort zone. They are easy things to do, like making a deal with myself that I’m going to talk to the first person I meet no matter what. I also learned early on that people like to talk about themselves (don’t we all?).
I’ve discovered my simplistic childhood strategies to get to know my fellow students worked for me as strategies for successful networking too. For the past six months, I’ve been attending major events throughout the U.S., to not only learn, but to collaborate with other like-minded entrepreneurs. I’ll share some of my techniques with you to make your next event very comfortable.
Here are my 5 strategies for successful networking with other business entrepreneurs:
1. Make a deal with yourself that you will strike a conversation with the first person you see in the lobby. That means if they are walking from the elevator with you towards the lobby room of the event, you’ll talk to them. This is what I would say: “Are you attending the event this weekend hosted by so-and-so? Oh, great! What is it that you hoped to learn from this event to help you?” (If no one is by themselves, walk up to the first group of people you see and say, “Do you mind if I join your conversation?”
2. Then introduce yourself. “My name is (say your name!)” Reach out your hand to theirs and give a firm handshake. Be sure it’s not too tight and not a limp handshake either. Sometimes gals aren’t use to shaking hands and give that floppy fish handshake…be sure that’s not you! I had one muscle-man recently who just about broke my fingers. Not charming at all. So get the handshake right! Then be sure to look them in the eyes and SMILE! This will warm them up to you instantly. Nothing like another kind face in a sea of strangers.
3. Your next question should be about THEM. “What is your area of expertise?” or “Tell me about your business.” Then be a very good listener! Do not interrupt. Look at them while you listen! Don’t roam your eyes all over the room trying to size up the next deal you’re going to make. Give them your full undivided attention, as if they were telling the most incredible and amazing story you’ve ever had the pleasure to listen to (and they very well may be doing so!).
4. Your next question should be giving them something of value. I’d start with: “How could I help you to get your business message out?” Then wait for an answer. Don’t be afraid to take some notes – they’ll be impressed!
5. Consider their background and expertise and how it could be valuable to your audience. I ask this, “Do you mind if I call you when I return from this trip and set up an appointment to interview you? I believe that you have valuable information that I could share with my audience.” Then get their business card! And be sure to follow up. (I use audacity software and a $30 radio shack wireless phone recording gadget that allows me to record all my interviews).
When you give first, you’ll find that others will want to reciprocate. What’s most important is that you be yourself. The power of networking at events will explode your business. I’m experiencing it myself with business entrepreneurs in every field imaginable. You’ll go to an event to learn and enhance your skills, but you will also benefit greatly by getting out of your comfort zone and positioning yourself to make new friends, give value to them first and receive incredible perspective in your journey.
Alicia Bausley and Lisa Hanfileti are co-founders of the Empowered Business Matrix and conduct seminars teaching struggling business owners how to easily map out their sales and marketing funnels to maximize profit potential.
Real Business Requirements – What You Need For a Highly Successful Business 0
There is no question that the internet is saturated with an incredible amount of business opportunities. Thousands of people try to take advantage of this everyday. Unfortunately, very few of them have any success. This is because most people, while wanting a highly successful business, do not know what real business requirements are. They do not take the time to get educated. They buy into the “get rich quick” hype, and think they can make money simply by signing up for a business and talking to a few friends about it.
Real Business Requirements. If you were to open a restaurant, you would do so understanding that you will need to put a lot of work into it. You will need to invest both time and money. You will need to advertise. You will make sure that you learn what you need to in order to run a successful restaurant. All of this is the same if you open an internet based business. Thankfully, you can start, and run a highly successful business on the internet without the incredible overhead that a typical brick and mortar business costs.
Building an online business. For starters, it is important to find a profitable, proven opportunity. Once you know what opportunity you are going to invest in, it is time to get started. The first tool that you will need is a web host. This will allow you to set up you own website. They range greatly in price and features. Many companies will provide you with a company site, but it is really a good idea to set up something of your own.
Auto-responders. This is one of the most helpful tools for both online and brick and mortar businesses. There are many ways that they can be used. For starters, they are the biggest tool you can have for building your list of prospects. They allow you to create information boxes, in which people can enter their name and email to receive information from you. From there, you have the ability to send out mass emails to everyone who has opted in to receive your information. This allows you to keep them up to date on news, special offers, anything that you feel can be helpful.
Education. Trying to build a business using the trial and error method is simply not necessary. If you look at the people with highly successful businesses, know that they already made the mistakes, and have learned the hard lessons. I know, I have been there myself. Learn from those who have been through the struggles, and who have come out on top.If you really want the real business requirements, you can not leave out your education.
Click Here for just a few of the Real Business Requirements necessary to build a real, profitably, highly successful business. I have found these to be the tools that works best for me. They are affordable, reliable, and have moved me from listening to my upline and contacting people at the mall, to finding a real business, and having people who are interested contacting me. It is a great feeling when you know people want to be in your business. To take a look at the tools that I use, Click Here. If you are going to put the time and money into building a business, do it right.
Yours In Success