Do You Only Watch One Channel?

Anyone who watches TV every night probably 'surfs' hundreds of channels a week. Me too. Jerry Seinfeld even put the topic in his act before. He stated that while women want to find something to watch, men always search for 'something else to watch'.

What does this have to do with networking, you ask? I've said more than once that when you join a networking organization like AmSpirit Business Connections, why would you only go to your chapter meetings and never go anywhere else? There are monthly luncheons, Business to Business Meetings, Chapter socials, other chapter meetings throughout the week, The CONES tradeshow, the AmSpirit Golf Outing, etc. All of these events are other opportunities to build relationships with other business professionals.

If you only invest 1 hour and 15 minutes each week to your chapter, it's just like buying cable TV (or a satellite dish) and only watching one channel! Why limit yourself when you can either help others by referring to them or helping your own business by promoting yourself?

Obviously, I'm not advocating going to chapters where your business category is already represented. But if you look hard enough, I'm sure you will find chapters that might not have your category represented. Or go to area wide events and market yourself all you want! Who cares if you're a realtor and there are 5 other realtors there? Convince people that you're the best of the bunch! It's also possible that your perceived competitors may be referral sources if you find that you each specialize in different areas/products/services.

So stop watching one channel and SURF AmSpirit Business Connections to get the most out of it!

Do You Have a Networking Mindset?

First, a 'networking mindset' could be defined differently depending on who you ask. Let me tell you how I define it.

A successful networker cares more about others than themselves. They go to networking events in the hopes that they can potentially be a resource to help connect other people to each other, or offer advice/tips that can help others in their businesses.

They DO NOT meet new people and immediately start telling them why they need their products/services. Their values and actions are not dictated by "what am I gonna get out of this?"

Ok, now that I've written this you're probably thinking, "Wow, what a Pollyanna!" I'm not at all. Think about it. How much would you be able to gain if every time you went to an AmSpirit Chapter meeting and every person in the room was focused entirely on helping others and not themselves? If twenty people are in the room, 19 of them are focused on trying to help you.

Think about going to area wide AmSpirit events with the same attitude. I've heard from some AmSpirit Business Connections members that they do not go to area events because they think that their 'target audience' customer will not be there. Or perhaps they will not go because too many people in their same business category attends.

If you think that AmSpirit Business Connections is just comprised of 'potential customers' you are selling yourself short. Think of it as hundreds of potential advocates for your business!! By not going to events because you think your ideal customer will not be in attendance isn't accurate. What if your 'ideal customer' happens to be the best friend or next door neighbor of someone who IS in attendance. Wouldn't you like the referral?

I've never thought of my chapter as my potential customers. If I did, I would have finished 'farming' for business from them and quit by now. Which is why some AmSpirit members join and give up in a few months, never realizing the true value of the organization.

In summary, take some time to evaluate your 'networking' mindset over the next few weeks. By thinking of others first, you will realize a return on your investment. More people will want to reach out to you if they know that you will do the same.

Yes, there will be a few self-centered people in your life that will always think of themselves first, not matter what you do. The more successful we can become by giving can maybe convince the selfish of the 'error of their ways'.