Awesome day yesterday riding 66.8 miles for Tour de Cure!

Focus on Others

Being in a leadership role in AmSpirit Business Connections, I've said many times that in order to be successful in networking requires that you focus on others more than yourself.  I've said this, Frank Agin (Owner & Founder of AmSpirit Business Connections) has said this, and other Area Directors have shared this as well.

Why are there still significant numbers of AmSpirit members who ignore this advice?  It's not that they're bad people or that they do not believe in giving to others.  I really think it boils down to how we are trained as salespeople in Corporate America.

Ever attend an internal sales meeting where you're asked, "How many other people did you help with referrals this past month?"  Probably never.  But you're called on the carpet if you didn't hit your own quotas.  We're trained to be selfish and only worry about ourselves.

What's unfortunate is that the more we are perceived as self-interested by others, the less willing anyone is to want to work with us or buy from us.

If you are working as a salesperson for a company, I'm not suggesting you not focus on your quotas.  Because if you don't, you'll be shown the door in short order.  But, network your butt off while at the same time hitting your numbers to satisfy your bosses.

How do I do that, you ask?  You're going to have to continually shift back and forth from prospecting to networking.  You may 'cold call' in your office in the traditional sense, making calls and setting appointments.  But when you attend networking events like chamber mixers work for the room to help connect others.  Stop talking about yourself so much and ask others what you can do for them to connect them to others.  It will pay off for you if you give it a chance.

Just updated my networking blog at http://ping.fm/4etPV
If my post makes you think I'm calling you out, maybe I am...

Importance of Board Member Duties

If you have an opportunity to serve on a Board of Officers in a networking group like AmSpirit Business Connections (or any other group for that matter), take advantage of it.  Not only does it present you as more of a leader but you can showcase your abilities as well.

However, if you 'drop the ball' in being a board member, you can do a lot of harm to your personal and professional brand.  So take it seriously!  It's one more way for others to judge whether they would trust you in giving referrals to their best clients.  If you don't follow through or do not even carry out the tasks associated with your board position, others may still know and like you, but they will not trust you.  And that is never a good thing!

"A great man is always willing to be little."--Ralph Waldo Emerson

What's the quickest way to build your sales numbers through networking?  First off, the notion of 'quick' should be modified.  That's like asking 'what's the fastest way to prepare for a marathon?'

The expectations of someone new to networking is that results should be instantaneous, in many cases.  To get the most out of networking it is a process of building rapport with others and having a giving attitude.  The more time you spend focusing on your needs the less results you will get with networking.

The next time you go to a chamber event or some other type of networking event (Not structured like AmSpirit or BNI) see if you can focus only on connecting others without regard to what you're looking for.  How many connections can you make without trying to sell someone on 'you' instead?

For tips on networking to build your business and relationships, you can follow my networking blog at http://ping.fm/fhJz1