HEADLINE: Insani-FREE: The Hidden Relationship Killer

by Adam J. Kovitz

CEO, Founder & Publisher

“At my lemonade stand I used to give the first glass away free and charge five dollars for the second glass. The refill contained the antidote.”

- Emo Phillips

WARNING! This column contains FREE information. Since it is FREE, it’s probably of little value and therefore, you have the following options:

1.) Stop reading now – while it might be FREE, it’s probably a waste of time – we all know that anything of value must COST A LOT OF MONEY

2.) Discover what the “catch” is – is there really something of value here that’s being offered? – what’s Adam getting at? (besides ending sentences with prepositions)

3.) Pay me a large sum of money out of spite and continue reading, or

4.) Pay me a large sum of money to shut me up (good luck with that).

I have important and grim news for all who have the courage to read on…

…this planet is suffering from a “hidden killer”…

…it often comes disguised as something useful and welcome, but always (and eventually) gets us in the end…

I’m talking about “FREE”.

OK…it’s not that the term itself is to blame, but rather our common misinterpretation and lack of understanding of its implications that leads us into very dark water. My article this month is about understanding such implications.

What does this have to do with networking?

EVERYTHING.

Bait and Switch?

How often have you downloaded FREE virus/spyware/adware/registry error scanning software, and receiving the scan for FREE, to find that the viruses/spyware/adware/registry errors detected can only be removed if you agree to purchase of a one-year license of the actual software?

How about getting FREE alarm system (an $X value!) if you agree to purchase of a one year contract for home monitoring?

How about a FREE entrée at your favorite restaurant if you agree to purchase of another at equal or greater value?

Last but not least…a FREE 3-day, 2-night getaway to a fabulous resort if you agree to a “short” sale presentation?

Just what exactly is going on here…has the world gone mad?

What’s wrong with these companies? Why can’t they just give us something ABSOLUTELY FREE WITHOUT ANY OTHER STRINGS ATTACHED? WHY MUST I AGREE TO ANYTHING ELSE?

The immediately proceeding dialog is more a caricature of an attitude you have most likely experienced in your life at some point – whether you’ve noticed it within others or yourself. It is indicative of what I call “Insani-FREE”; an “insanity” around or at best, a misunderstanding of the term “FREE”.

Understanding “FREE”

To understand “FREE”, we must first ask the question, “Why do we do anything for FREE?”

This is much like saying, “Why do we do anything nice for someone else?”

The answer comes down simply to “increase Relationship Capital”, or as it is more commonly-known, “to build a better relationship”.

The reasons for increasing Relationship Capital (RC) can mean anything from making a friend, deriving a future revenue source, gaining sponsorship or backing to fund one’s dream, finding a new career opportunity, being seen more favorably and much, much more.

In this way, “FREE”, is one way of initiating a relationship – it’s an invitation (or offer) to enter a relationship, if you will. But for there to be a relationship (last time I checked, it was a “two-way street”), every invite must elicit a response (or agreement). Therefore, a response to an invite is an agreement to participate. Does this sound familiar to you? Can you think of a fundamental Law of the Universe to which this is a direct application?

Some people call it the Law of Reciprocity. Others call it the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as they would do unto you”. Being a “recovering engineer and rocket scientist”, I usually look to Newtonian Physics to explain such phenomena.

In previous writings about the Laws of Relationship Capital, I have shown that RC behaves in a way that is Newtonian (see the Fourth Law of Relationship Capital for more). In this case, Newton’s Third Law comes to mind:

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

When we fall victim to Insani-FREE, we fail to make this crucial connection. But wait…there’s more…

“FREE” Body Diagrams

One common engineering principal used to identify the components of any working system (mechanical, thermodynamic, electrical, hydraulic, etc.) is to model said system by using a free body diagram (FBD). Without getting too overly-technical (this is a business and social networking publication for heaven’s sake), here’s what a typical FBD looks like for a block of wood at rest on a table would look like:

By the term “at rest”, this block is considered to be static, and therefore all forces (signified by a capital “F”) acting upon it are equally balanced, both horizontal and vertical. If any one force acting upon the block of wood were to be greater than its opposing counterpart, then the block would begin to accelerate in the same direction as the greater force.

If we applied this to a human relation-based system, here’s what it might look like:

What this shows is a brand new relationship (or the rekindling of a long lost one – see the Fifth Law of Relationship Capital for more) with two equal and opposite forces acting upon it. The first (on the bottom) is an invitation or offer (let’s just say it’s a FREE one) and the second (on the top) is and equal and opposite response to it. What we have here has the potential to be the “start of a beautiful friendship”.

A few months ago, I wrote an article about Relationship Capital in the Workplace, in which I described the Relationship Capital Value (RCV) of individuals, products, organizations, relationships, etc. as having a value from -10 to 10, with -10 being highly unfavorable and 10 being highly favorable. Please note that these values are based solely upon the perceptions of all parties involved with the relation-based system.

In the above illustration we show a new relationship (with a neutral RCV status of zero) being acted upon by two equal and opposite reputational forces. This is great as far as illustrating a static relationship. In the case of a FREE offer (with the underlying motivation to make a sale), the object is to move the RCV from zero into the positive range through the timeless human principles of motivation, rhetoric, debate, manipulation, reasoning, banter, active listening, etc.

Therefore, the relationship must be made dynamic to increase RCV. How does one do this? By applying more force than that which is opposing it in such a way that is agreeable to the opposing force.

Real World Dynamic Relationships

Have you ever felt that you have put everything into a relationship (bent over backwards, was gracious, more than accommodating to others, given high-quality referrals) to improve it only to have it deteriorate because the other person or people involved didn’t reciprocate?

Have you ever felt that despite having considerably high amounts of Relationship and/or Intellectual Capital (who and what you know) you have not been able to leverage that into sufficient Financial Capital?

Where was Newton’s Third Law here?

How about the Ninth Law of Relationship Capital: Financial Capital is merely a reflection of and cannot exist without some combination of Relationship and Intellectual Capital?

Let’s take a look at what that might look like:

In this case, we have a “give and take” situation in which the “taking” is reducing RCV. There are several reasons for why this might happen – some of which are:

1. The invitation/offer does not meet the needs of the other party, which might spark a strong adverse reaction, such as an insult
2. The invitation/offer is overly aggressive to the point where the other party must counter with a stronger opposing response
3. The invitation/offer is not appreciated by the other party and is met with lack of interest or apathy (yes…lack of interest or apathy can be a powerful reputational force)
4. A misunderstanding in the perceived reputational force of the invitation/offer may cause a stronger opposing response due to mistrust or fear, a.k.a. Insani-FREE!!!
   
5. The party behind the opposing responsive force wishes ill will upon the opposing party – perhaps seeking to “make an example” of them.

There are probably other reasons for why this phenomenon occurs and I will either leave this for the psychologists and other armchair philosophers out there or I may decide to tackle such issues myself in subsequent articles. Regardless, the real question to ask is, “how to we overcome such a loss in RCV?”

For the answer, we turn to Newton’s Second Law: Objects at rest tend to stay at rest unless acted upon by an outside force and objects in motion tend to stay in motion unless acted upon by an outside force.

In mathematical terms, this is written as:

F = m * a

Where:

F is force

m is mass, and

a is acceleration.

In my discussion of the Fourth Law of Relationship Capital I apply this principle to networking (human-based relationship systems) as such:

F = Rm * Im

Where:

F is reputational force

Rm is reputational mass, and

Im is impact (the acceleration of RC, or for those mathematically-inclined, the second derivative of RC).

Therefore, if we wish to oppose, counter and reverse any negatively-declining RCV in any relationship we wish to preserve, we must apply a much stronger reputational force. This means:

1.) Increasing reputational mass, i.e. getting friends, family, contacts, followers, team members, co-workers into agreement to aid us, and/or

2.) Increasing impact through a stronger message, an ultimatum, physical means, etc.

The implications of this are considerable. Imagine being able to estimate and model the reputational force of social, political, marketing and managerial initiatives. What impact might this type of analysis have upon our lives?

My thinking is that this would increase awareness of identifying a stimulus or improved result, analyzing various scenarios and choosing the best response in order to increase RCV. I believe that all too often, we fail to take into consideration the intangible, yet most-important “human element” in our equations, calculations and plans.

One thing’s for sure…

…you will never look at a FREE offer the same way again!

Adam J. Kovitz is the CEO, Founder & Publisher of The National Networker (TNNW).

Follow Adam on Twitter!

The Emergence of the Relationship Economy

Relationship Capital is the cornerstone of the Relationship Economy, which RNIA defines as “a measurement assigned to individual and organizational entities based on the relationship interactions between them, and the interactions they have internally.” I am proud to have contributed discussion of the Ten Laws of Relationships Capital to the upcoming book The Emergence of the Relationship Economy, now out as an eBook and in hardcopy. With a forward written by Doc Searls (of Cluetrain Manifesto fame), it is being considered a “must read” for anyone responsible for the strategic direction of their business. If you would like to purchase your own copy of The Emergence of the Relationship Economy, please click here.

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Posted to THE NATIONAL NETWORKER (TNNW). All rights reserved.

To subscribe for your free TNNW Newsletter, go to http://www.thenationalnetworker.com/ For the complete National Networker (TNNW) Relationship Capital Toolkit and a free continuous RSS feed (available either by traditional RSS or by direct email), go to: http://thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com/

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TNNW Bulletin and Updates, June, 2009, Week 1

Major Developments, Forward Motion, Events and Actionable Items: TNNW - We ARE Networking

June 6, 2009

Bulletin # 18

*PUTTING THE TIN BACK INTO BULLETIN*

*We are a unique organization that offers our Subscribers and Members: 1) fabulous information, insight and intelligence in our Newsletter and through our continuous RSS and Email Feeds, 2) an unparalleled suite of services and products for making you personally and professionally successful, and 3) an actual interpersonal community where Human Beings work together in cooperation and synergy to achieve exponential returns.

When you become a Member of TNNW you haven't merely joined a list, or gotten access to products and services...you've joined a Strategic Alliance. We are an organization dedicated to making our Members successful.

THE NATIONAL NETWORKER is more than talk about networking and media -- we are about connections, team-bulding, personal introductions, constructive interactivity and RELATIONSHIPS.

• Our free Newsletter: The highest quality standard in the industry -


• Our Suite of Services For Members: Unparalleled quality, utility and value -


• Our Community: We are an international organization, comprised of Subscribers and Members who truly interact, communicate, build strong relationships and promote and support each other for every individual's financial and social benefit. Relationship Capital.

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1. A NEW BUTTON (YEP)

If you look at the bottom of any of our articles, you will notice a whole set of new applications to save, bookmark re-publish, broadcast, email, comment about, rate, follow, subscribe to or promote any of our authors, any of their articles, or the whole Newsletter. Look for the buttons and use them. Promote TNNW, our authors, and yourself.

*The newest button is a lavender one which says "Submit This Article To Yahoo! Buzz". The great news is that you can use this button to promote your own articles, websites, blogs, baby photo albums, and anything else that you'd like! Promote TNNW. Promote our authors. Promote yourself, your brand and your products and services. The Trick: Click on the button, submit an url address, and then click on the "back" button to make another submission. Make as many consecutive successive submissions as you'd like. You can spend an hour. Watch out for carpal tunnel syndrome. Please don't tell the folks at Yahoo! about this.

2. [THIS SECTION INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

Doesn't this annoy the heck out of you. When you see this in a prospectus or other legal document, they always leave some page or section blank. What are they hoping to fill it with? Worse: What were they compelled to delete? Hmmmm.

3. SITES TO SEE AND FAVORITIZE

For a complete sitemap and index of all of our sites, simply click on http://tnnwindex.blogspot.com/, and FAVORITIZE. {yes, yes...the page name sounds like a window cleaner} Keep this handy - when you're on any page, look for the INDEX TO TNNW SITES button to return to the Index at any time.

Visit http://tnnw10.blogspot.com/, and FAVORITIZE. We have UPDATED our listing of advertisers, affiliates and services. There are some deep promotional discounts and other advantages exclusively for TNNW subscribers. Look for ChapterTracker, Andy Lopata's 2 CD set, and, of course for Douglas Castle's exciting, self-serving and extremely bothersome new ad for THE CASTLE CONSULTANCY. If you are curious as to what Douglas does (outside of TNNW) -- He works very closely with young, growing enterprises on strategic planning and development. He is relentless, determined and demanding; on the bright side, he has good table manners. Visit DOUGLAS CASTLE PUSHES PEOPLE TOO HARD, for more details. Visit - but don't visit alone.

FAVORITIZE this one: http://tnnwservices.blogspot.com/ . See why it pays to become a full-fledged Member.

CUSTOM TEXT-MESSAGING PROGRAMS: TNNW offers its Members the best state-of-the-art text messaging services for announcing/broadcasting, sending alerts and for advertising to a captive audience...we might walk away from our computers, but we are always carrying our cellphones or PDAs! Visit http://tnnw4.blogspot.com/. This is the most efficient means of getting any message out to a targeted group with immediacy and impact. R U TXTING? U S/B.


4. FACT: HOW YOU DEAL WITH FEAR WILL MAKE YOU EITHER A LOSER OR A WINNER - Christine West's Critically-Acclaimed Webinar Series.
The primary motivating force in most people's lives is FEAR. People respond more readily to fear than to opportunity. Fear holds us back, inhibits us, makes us indecisive, attracts negative energies (misery loves company), and keeps us from reaching our potential, both personally and in business.

Question: Are you going to saddle up and ride the shark... or be eaten by it?

Question: Are you going to surf on the tidal wave or be crushed by the tsunami?

Question: Can you possibly think of any more ridiculous metaphors than these? If so, you might consider becoming an Newsletter editor for The National Networker.

TNNW Featured Columnist, noted consultant and speaker, Christine West is hosting a fabulous five-part webinar series called How To Master The Fear In Challenging Economic Times. The series begins in July -- it was originally scheduled to begin on June 9, but we thought that if we deferred it, your anxiety level would be increased.

Subscribe today for this 5-part webinar series at MASTER THE FEAR. Don't let the self-imposed limitations of fear stand between you and complete business and financial success. Invest in your future today! Christine West is a brilliant social scientist -- give yourself the gift of conquering your fears forever.

Seminar-related materials will be widely-circulated during the next several days -- you will need to register early. How you deal with fear can transform every aspect of your life.

Whether or not you are aware of it, fear has kept you from achieving many of your goals...it has kept you from maximizing your life's potential and realizing the victory and success that you deserve. Christine will teach you how to 1) identify those times when you may be making a dangerous fear-based decision; 2) set the fear aside and proceed confidently; and 3) how to see the fear in others and to change the way in which you communicate in order to gain their confidence.

***To hear a sample voice clip of Christine West, simply click on: http://www.thebusinessmd.net/downloads/TheBusinessMD-Interview-Business-Corner-09.mp3.

Note: If you do not believe that you are being motivated by fear, and you are not convinced that your responses to fear have allowed you to be manipulated and have limited your success, then you are in a state of denial! Real fear can be very subtle, and very elusive. We are conditioned from birth to be fearful, and we must absolutely be professionally trained to 1) recognize when we are being influenced by fear, and 2) to react constructively and positively despite it. You, you friends, your colleagues, your employees...every individual needs this special training. SIGN UP FOR THE WEBINAR. It will change your life. What are you afraid of? --DC

5. REMINDER: DAILY EMAIL AND RSS FEEDS

Oh, how many times we've told you... You're missing out. To get the full benefit of THE NATIONAL NETWORKER and all that we have to offer, you MUST subscribe to either the RSS FEED or the EMAIL feed. Please do it now in order to keep your free subscription! Click on:

or on

It's really quite simple. If you actually do it, you'll find out that this is indeed true. By the way, the email feed, which contains all of the content of the RSS Feed as well, is the more popular of the two by a significant margin. I personally prefer the Daily Email Feed. Plus, I can forward copies of articles which I like to my colleagues.

If you do this now, I may be able to spare you a personal telephone call (collect) from Adam J. Kovitz (who loves to see his name in print), a very persuasive fellow. He is every bit as convincing as he is annoying. I say this from experience. Do as Kovitz asks, or he will wear you down! How do you think it got me to work for him? It wasn't his charm, or his collection of bibs from seafood restaurants of the world. Please -- do this.

6. GET A FREE TWITTER ACCOUNT AND FOLLOW TNNW ON TWITTER. TWITTER US. BUZZ TNNW UP. BUZZ YOURSELF UP. LET TNNW BUZZ YOU!

You can get your free Twitter account by going to http://twitter.com/. As soon as you do, start following us and following other Twitterers of interest.

You are cordially invited to follow TNNW (and we will follow you back) on Twitter at http://twitter.com/TNNW_BUZZWORKS. Also, remember to take a look at the TNNW BUZZWORKS page (http://tnnwbuzzworks.blogspot.com/).

If you talk us up, we'll give you and your organization more cross-media exposure and SEO exposure than all of your best friends combined. If you would like to follow Kovitz or Castle on Twitter, go to http://twitter.com/ajkovitz or http://twitter.com/douglascastle ...we'll even follow you, too. Twitter us. Re-Tweet us. Buzz us.

Note: If you write anything nice about TNNW, our Newsletter, our blog, our services, or our authors, go to http://tnnwbuzzworks.blogspot.com/ and tell us about it. There is a pop-up form where you can give us the url address of your kind words, and we'll give you a buzz back that will knock you out of your shoes. In fact, on the form, we even give you space to write what you would like us to say about you, your service, product or organization. Create your own buzz ad.

When we buzz you back, our buzz all about you will fly repeatedly through an ever-expanding circle of social and business media, opt-in subscribers and other internet venues. In fact, before even figuring in the reverberations, our buzzed message about you will literally be seen by millions of viewers. The bad news is this: 99% of these viewers won't really care. The good news is this: if you only capture the attention of 1%...we'll leave it to you to do the math. Take advantage.

Your buzz will be brief, catchy and very widely and repeatedly seen. Our BUZZWORKS program is designed to get your buzz out to an audience of millions within one day. Each day after that, the buzz will continue to ricochet (did we spell that right?). Your single buzz will be in flight for days. Our programming is fabulous -- and, by saying something nice about us, you can leverage our programming to your incredible advantage.

*Remember: Print something nice, and then please tell us about it at http://tnnwbuzzworks.blogspot.com/ . We will reciprocate exponentially.

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Enjoy the articles, and enjoy all of our TNNW sites. We have so much to offer each other. Let's get to know each other. Let's actually build solid relationships. Let's become friends. Let's help one another to prosper. Nobody does it completely alone. Get proactive. Build your Relationship Capital with THE NATIONAL NETWORKER. Write to us or comment on an article to get the ball rolling. We are a community, and our numbers and influence are growing.

Yours,

Adam J. Kovitz* (mostly) and Douglas Castle (to a lesser extent).

*Adam J. Kovitz seeks gratification constantly (the result of some unresolved childhood issues -- we all have them), and he loves to see his name in print, unless it is on utility bills, subpoenas to testify before Congress, and so forth. Please help assuage him. Pander to him -- it wouldn't hurt. Mention his name on your websites, blogs, newsletters, communion invitations, Bingo cards, restroom stall grafitti and such. As for me, I'll shall endeavor to carve Adam's name into a tree! I hope that Adam's next-door neighbor won't be too upset.

THE NATIONAL NETWORKER (TNNW):
PRESS OUR BUTTONS & CLICK OUR LINKS...

ASIA PACIFIC: Assumptions

by Victor Cattermole

Asia Pacific Bureau Chief

Over the last month I’ve been giving some serious thought to the power and persuasion that a simple assumption has over people. We have all done it, assumed something that turns out to be wrong, chosen not too look closer perhaps because “we know already” or even more likely because we are too busy too care. Three separate incidents have spurred me to question my assumptions though, one small, one big, and one personal.

The small, well perhaps not so small (with over 50 million web views) is the british singer Susan Boyle on Britains got Talent. And in fact many of the performers on shows like that. Ms Boyle is a great example, an amazing voice looked over for so many years because of what, I have no doubt, is a great many assumptions. Because surely no-one with a voice like that simply hides away, and so no-one went to look (until now).

The second is the global crisis we find ourselves in now. Not so much the crisis itself, but the news coming through that we should have seen it coming, that the writing was on the wall and that so many people simple assumed that the world would continue rising. Technically it could be considered ‘business confidence’, which is just a nice way of saying we are willing to assume things are still going to be going well in the future. I have the blessing of living in Hong Kong, where so many markets are assumption based that there were still apartment complex launches, even as the global market turned in on itself.

The third great example is a friend and fellow New Zealander Denyse Saunders. I chose her as an example of what assumptions can do for one simple reason, she blonde, beautiful and was a cat walk and fashion model. So easy to put her in to a category that by many business people would be dismissed. Denyse has built a following and credibility in the business of fashion and beauty based on simple moral principals she holds that is the envy of many.

Her achievements are too many to list, they can be found on her website http://www.denysesaunders.com/index.html Some of the great ones for me include:

· Being a 50 year old grandmother and looking 30 something with no surgery

· Over a decade of successful involvement in Miss World contestants

· Numerous celebrity involvement including people like Elle McPherson and Julio Iglesias, the list goes on.

· Her own weekly TV show on SKY TV

When it comes to event design, marketing and production Denyse has an extensive network of contacts at all levels and is unquestionably the Australasian provider of quality. A real gem in the Pacific.

Through her life she has built herself up to be a great businesswomen, a great networker and a great person. I can only wonder as I talk with her and listen to some of her wisdom, how many people may have written this woman off in her life as “just some blonde” or “just that model”. How many of the business men that ogled her on the cat walk assumed so much about her that they failed to see the amazing and gifted person behind the glitz and glamour.

It is a lesson all business people should take, especially in these tougher economic times, that sometimes taking a second look, giving just a moment of your time and pushing aside any preconceived ideas can uncover things you may have never thought possible.

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Posted to THE NATIONAL NETWORKER (TNNW). All rights reserved.

To subscribe for your free TNNW Newsletter, go to http://www.thenationalnetworker.com/ For the complete National Networker (TNNW) Relationship Capital Toolkit and a free continuous RSS feed (available either by traditional RSS or by direct email), go to: http://thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com/

You are also invited to click our buttons:




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THE BOOM IN BOOMER NETWORKING: Being Approachable

The Boom in Boomer Networking with Elaine

Engaging goes hand- in- hand with being Approachable.

As a Baby Boomer jumping into the networking “lifestyle” with both feet planted firmly in mid-air, I am amazed that there is so much to learn, and so little time in which to learn it!

I have learned so much about networking in these few short months since the birth of my Boomer Community, SrMeetUp! that I am virtually bursting with information to share. But since I tend to gather my words faster than my mouth works, I will type very sloooooowly –I promise.

I’ve engaged well before “engaging” became trendy. To engage was like putting on a new black dress – it was basic – every one of my species should have one (and I’ll use any occasion to buy one – retail therapy – I’m a fan). Men – figure out what makes you happy (keep it cleanJ). Some of the best people I’ve met have been through random encounters enjoyed way before SrMeetUp! became a reality. I have no idea why, but I banked these new acquaintances and now I am withdrawing from that bank with an amazingly high growth of principal. (I know, I know, another platitude - but tell me, can’t you visualize exactly what I mean!).

I always realized how overburdened and over extended most people felt – me too. So I never asked for anything except to talk and mostly to listen – me listening to them. Listening is the best part of networking – gathering information you can incorporate into your projects and sharing with others. Realizing how many interests you have in common and people you both know is the next best thing. When you meet new people, for a while at least, you have this great feeling of anonymity – you can be whomever you want – that is at least until you share contact information.

Engaging is just one part of the equation – You have to be approachable as well. That little proverbial “chip on your shoulder” can be more like a boulder if you are not approachable. Being approachable is what happens when you know from what you speak, you are confident in whom you are and what you want to convey – simply said, you are comfortable in your own skin, knowledgeable about what you know and genuinely interested to learn what you do not know.

So networkers of America, and the rest of this great world – get out there, engage and smile – You are making bank deposits! It is only a matter of time before your deposits will begin to pay handsome dividends.

-- Elaine Ingis

http://srmeetup.blogspot.com/

http://www.srmeetup.com/

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Posted to THE NATIONAL NETWORKER (TNNW). All rights reserved.

To subscribe for your free TNNW Newsletter, go to http://www.thenationalnetworker.com/ For the complete National Networker (TNNW) Relationship Capital Toolkit and a free continuous RSS feed (available either by traditional RSS or by direct email), go to: http://thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com/

You are also invited to click our buttons:




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BREAKTHROUGH NETWORKING: The Ole Boy Network Still Has Teeth

Breakthrough Networking with Lillian D. Bjorseth

I’m not a sexist, and I’m not a bra-burning feminist. I am a realist. That’s why I can say that the ole boy network still unequivocally affects relationship building in the corporate hallowed halls … not so much in the entrepreneurial ranks.

Building beneficial relationships knows no gender boundaries. It is equally beneficial for men and women, and the process can be equally daunting or equally easy for members of either sex.

Male chauvinists and radical feminists agree on one thing: Women, probably by nature or because they are the bearers of children, are more nurturing and tend to be more cooperative, empathic and understanding in a non-biased manner. After all, they share their love unselfishly as they give birth to and rear boys and girls.

Most women are natural networkers and intuitively better at it than men. They, their mothers and their grandmothers have been recommending recipes, hairdressers and skincare products across kitchen tables for generations. Where the challenge for many women arises is in the business arena. The increased emphasis on teaching relationship building is helping women become more confident and competent about transferring their skills to the workplace.

Some “older” women were taught by their mothers (who thought them to be positive qualities) to be seen and not heard, not to exploit their personal relationships or to “brag” about themselves. Hopefully, parents today are teaching their daughters that it is acceptable for women to be just as assertive as men, socially and in business, and that as their daughters become mothers this issue will be largely non-existent.

There is another major challenge, however, that needs to be overcome. I left the Fortune 100 environment almost 20 years ago; yet some of the tales I hear women share today take me back in a flash.

In business likes tend to want to work with likes, i.e. women with women and men with men. Because there are only a handful of women CEOs in the Fortune 500 companies, it’s easy to understand why women may not have the same opportunities to build high-value business relationships. This will only change as more women rise to top jobs at major corporations and become more than token members of corporate and organizational boards of directors.

That’s exactly what the ole boys’ network was and in some cases still is: men at the top helping other men rise to the same levels. Women are not yet as privy to networking in these elite places so while their skills are top-notch, their results may be less powerful and have less impact.

Women, however, are gaining in numbers what they lack in force. Because of the corporate glass ceilings (they still exist!), so many of them are starting businesses and becoming owners and presidents that they are beginning to gain clout through sheer numbers. This, in turn, adds clout to the relationships they are building. While they may not be managing the same number of people individually, in aggregate they are managing as many or more people than their corporate counterparts. They are learning important leadership skills as they grow their businesses and become involved in civic, professional and community organizations.

Another encouraging sign is the number of company-sponsored women’s networks that are being formed within major corporations. Some of them, though, are still perfunctory.

A representative of a newly formed women’s group at a Chicago accounting firm

contacted me to present a program on relationship building. We agreed it would provide valuable skills for the women’s professional development. When we started talking fees, she said there was no budget. Ironically, she continued to

state how top management (all men) was so supportive of their initiative … yet they wanted to get a speaker - a woman - to donate her time. It was even more pathetic that management wouldn’t even agree to pay my travel expenses (from a Chicago suburb)!

Perhaps, I am optimistic in stating how far women have come!

Time will tell. You, as men and women reading this article, can greatly help the process move forward positively.

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Posted to THE NATIONAL NETWORKER (TNNW). All rights reserved.

To subscribe for your free TNNW Newsletter, go to http://www.thenationalnetworker.com/ For the complete National Networker (TNNW) Relationship Capital Toolkit and a free continuous RSS feed (available either by traditional RSS or by direct email), go to: http://thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com/

You are also invited to click our buttons:




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JETNETTING: The First Impression Factor: XIII Gestures Part 1

JetNetting with Heshie Segal

First impressions are crucial. When the words you utter are not congruent with your gestures (or for that fact, your body language in general), the latter will negate what you are saying and you will appear untrustworthy. Once you understand the importance of trust, and how business can be created or lost in the first impression, you will want to possess every tool available to make sure you are on target. Your awareness of how you appear to others, what you have to do to gain trust, and having the ability to interpret the language of gestures, gives you a decided advantage.

Every thought is manifested by a physical reaction in the body, generally expressed in some form of gesture. We define a gesture as an act or movement of the body that reflects, expresses or emphasizes an idea, sentiment or attitude. Gestures help capture a listener’s attention, make conversation more interesting and facilitate comprehension when used for emphasis and/or for the clarification of points.

When gestures are congruent with the words that accompany them, they are recognized as sincere and are hence convincing. Ideally, every movement you make is deliberate, thoughtful and reinforces the message you are conveying.

I am frequently addressed by a statement and a question: I get the importance about congruence. What are the do’s and don’ts related to gestures?

… Gestures should not be overdone; not too extreme, and not so small that they are unnoticeable. They must be suited to the audience. For example, slower paced or methodical people and/or seniors often feel threatened by exaggerated gestures; on the other hand, emotionally responsive people and especially children, get excited by exaggeration.

… Gestures should be seen as part of the spoken word, not as a separate entity; in other words,

there should be congruence in word, content and action. When gesturing is an integral

part of the spoken word, it will indeed not be noticed as a separate entity; in fact, it might not even be noticed in a conscious sense and, definitely not missed and responded to by the sub-conscious. There is freedom in this congruency and together they provide the solid credibility most of us seek.

… When evaluating the meaning of a gesture, avoid attaching significance to a single movement, because it could simply reflect one specific habit or compulsive behaviour pattern.

… Like words, gestures do not stand alone. While you may learn that specific gestures are "supposed" to mean “this or that”, when interpreting them, they need to be assessed in the context of a situation since the same gestures take on many meanings. Enter the gesture cluster.

… Gesture clusters are combinations of non-verbal communication that provide a more meaningful interpretation when observed in a continuum of actions. They are modified by differing temperaments, personalities and/or attitudes. Consider this: Someone says he is open to listening, yet sits with folded arms, crossed legs, and uses a pointed finger; this is both incongruent and suspicious. Interestingly, I’m sure some of you have already recognized that gesture-clusters can communicate on their own, without even a single word being uttered.

… Understanding the true meaning of gestures is subject to time, place, context of the conversation and circumstance. To complicate the issue even more, they are further affected by cultures and countries.

1. Nodding can mean interest or approval, and even disapproval in some cultures.

2. A kiss is a gesture of affection in the West. In much of Eastern Asia a kiss is not appropriate outside the bedroom. In Kuwait, you will be in trouble if you kiss someone of the opposite sex in public
3. How you behave at someone else’s dinner party may be very different from how you

behave at home.

While gestures might be understood to have some meanings in common, it is important to know they are also prone to numerous exceptions, misconceptions, confusion and variations in emphasis. Jumping to conclusions and reacting to them can go from simple embarrassment to a disastrous predicament. For example, when someone who wears glasses lowers their head and peers over the rim, it may indicate scepticism or, if they are not wearing bifocals, they may just want to see you better. Not jumping to quick conclusions is generally a prudent action.

… As you react to the gestures of others, realize those same people, are simultaneously reacting to your gestures. You and the person with whom you are interacting might have similar views on a subject and, because of style differences, the gestures you and they use, will be different; even if only slightly.

When you understand what your gestures are ’“saying”, you have a better chance of creating alignment with your words. Remember there are always exceptions to what seem to be the rules. The main learning points are:

… Make sure your intention (your thoughts) and your words are in harmony. This will lead to synchronicity of actions and, since you are no longer focusing on manipulative tactics, it allows you to hone in on accurately interpreting the gesture-language of the other(s).

… Relational power, self-assuredness and heightened levels of influence are at stake.

There are hundreds of gestures, each with numerous meanings. a very lengthy list with extensive descriptions will be found in my upcoming book. Some basic examples follow.

what gestures (GENERALLY) mean:

… Chin stroking (with thumb and index finger)

Evaluating the situation

Trying to make a decision

… Ear rubbing is a sign of impatience or "I've heard enough".

… Ear tugging

Nervousness

Anxious

Urge to interrupt (not a repetitious motion)

… Fidgeting

Boredom

Discomfort

Nervousness

… Hair twirling or curling around fingers

Sexual connotation

Insecurity

Lack of confidence

… Head tilted

Shows interest

… Kicking something

Irritation

Anger

Contemplation (when someone aimlessly kicks something around)

… Nail biting

Insecurity

Nervousness

… Neck (Rubbing the back of your neck)

Frustration

… Nose rubbing (slow, light touch)

Doubt

Rubbing your nose during a lengthy conversation often indicates lying or deceitfulness.

… Nose (Pinching the bridge of the nose)

Doubting the truth of what someone is saying.

… Rubbing or scratching head

Disbelief

Inability to get a point across

… Stroking Chin

Evaluation

Stroking ends when a decision has been reached

… Touching

Affection

Need for reassurance

… Unbuttoning a coat or jacket, taking off a jacket

Friendliness

Aaah, and this is just the beginning. In Gestures, Part II, Hand Movements will be covered. Understanding and managing every aspect of communication is not only the path to creating great first impressions, it’s also the path to close, long term and very lucrative relationships. Stay tuned.

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MASTERING THE MEMBERSHIP MAZE: Use Summer to Build Your Network at the Chamber

Mastering the Membership Maze with Glen Gould

Summer time is here! School is out and everyone is looking forward to back yard barbecues and summer libations! It's the perfect time to enjoy the fruits of your labor, your well-deserved reward.

Which is why right now is the perfect time to redouble your networking efforts. Chambers across the country are beginning to go into "summer mode". Fewer programs, lower attendance, and a general more relaxed attitude may lead you to believe that summer is lost time. Don't fall into that trap.

Summer is the best time to focus on chamber networking. Now is the time to follow up on all the connections you've made over the winter and spring. You have the time to connect and develop relationships with other chamber members and they have time to take your call and meet with you. Summer provides a built-in period where everyone is more relaxed and you can more easily reach people.

Begin by examining the contacts you've made over the past three months. Divide the contacts into prospective buyers of your products and services and prospective networking partners. Then set aside one day a week to focus on really connecting with these two groups.

Really connecting means that you will schedule face time with each person. Call them and ask to meet for a cup of coffee, lunch, or just at their office to better get to know them and how you can help each other. Be certain to focus on the potential benefits for the person with whom you wish to meet and honor that promise by being fully prepared when you meet.

Being prepared includes knowing the purpose of the meeting. If you're connecting with a potential client, identify key objectives for the meeting and benefits the prospect will gain by meeting with you. If it's a potential networking partner, outline how connecting with you can drive more connections and business for them. In both cases, create an agenda for the meeting.

Develop a plan and a goal or outcome for you and your meeting partner. Have it in writing and advise your meeting partner of your intentions before you meet. Then when you arrive at the meeting, share in writing the agenda you have discussed. And be certain to leave time to get off track and still finish on time. Begin and end on time. If your meeting reaches the end of the allotted time and you are both still engaged, ask for an extension of time. "We've reached the end of our allotted time but it seems we still have things to discuss. Would you like to continue or would you like to schedule another appointment?"

After the meeting send a card thanking them for their time and recapping the meeting. Email is fine, but only when sent in conjunction with a written note or card. And follow up as you promised.

When you develop relationships by having personal one-on-one meetings during the summer, you'll be way ahead when members start to flock back to chamber meetings in the fall. Everyone will know you, and that's the first step in being known, liked and trusted. This will make all the newcomers want to know you as well. Become known by having one-on-one meetings. You'll build more relationships and win more business.

Glen Gould

glen@inspirationagents.com

770-435-0781

www.InspirationAgents.com
Inspiring Positive Change

www.IsYourNetworkingWorking.com
Powerful Networking Tools

www.AtlantaCommunityBreakfast.com

Bringing business people together to discuss faith and values in the workplace

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REAL ESTATE... AND OTHER THINGS OF VALUE: Find Common Ground

Real Estate...and Other Things of Value with Yossi Feigenson

When the lights go out whom are you going to call? This phrase was quite popular back in the day. When we are in the need of a product or a professional service, who are we going to call? My guess is for the most part, we will call someone we trust. Obviously the person needs to provide a good service or product. What is less obvious are the underlying, subconscious reason why we choose who we choose. In many instances it will be a company or individual with whom we have a prior relationship. Or, you may ask a friend for a recommendation.

We naturally gravitate to things that make us comfortable. This certainly applies when it relates to people. The person who can put us at ease is getting our business. Think of your doctor, your lawyer, your accountant; would he be entrusted with to your deeply personal and private matters or your well being if you didn’t trust him or he didn’t make you feel comfortable?

Every system in our universe has its opposite. If this rule applies when we are looking for service then it should apply when we are looking for clients. It is inherent in the DNA of any good salesperson to go after each and every possible lead. What we often don’t do is take into account if this person is right for us and the probability of success. In an environment when clients and costumers can be hard to come by this seems a bit counter intuitive, but I feel that to properly build any business with loyal clients this is an important message.

The holy grail of any business is its loyal customers. We want people to be loyal to us; who will refer to us their friends and family. That can’t happen without a strong human bond.

I believe that to experience any measure of success; in business, or any other interpersonal relationship, there must exist, on various levels, a commonality on which the foundation of the alliance will be built.

What does finding common ground mean? Is it a mythical mysterious link or an extra sensory signal we should be looking for? How do we know when a person is the right fit?

The answer is not all that complicated. It manifests itself in the very way we transmit who we are to the world around us; via our interests, ideas, associations and beliefs. Let’s explore this a bit further.

Sharing a common interest is the most simple and basic path of connecting with another person. If you like what I like then there is a better chance of me liking you. How else can you explain 55,000 people screaming with the shared passion and fervor at a sporting event? These people all care deeply about the same thing. We all have the weather in common (at least most of us do, I love rain.) Golf, running, reading, popular cultures are among the many common interests and activities that operate as a natural link between people. I enjoy jogging in the park. Whenever I come in contact with another runner, we instantly bond over running stories and goals of running marathons.

Another connecting element is shared associations. Mutual associations are powerful ways of creating a comfort zone, more than most of us realize. Recently I walked into a prospective client’s office and noticed that her last name had a familiar ring to it. It turns out I was familiar with her son’s activities. I mentioned that I had heard of his work. The woman was honored and flattered. Needless to say, she became a client, and we continue to be friends.

Then there are the more delicate and sensitive subjects that are usually off limits early in any business relationship, and should only be broached when the relationship has advanced. These are issues of faith, ideology, political affiliations and personal religious belief systems. Unless the information is blatantly offered it is not one's place to ask. However, if the opportunity presents itself and you find yourself discussing these topics, they can go a long way to creating powerful connection.

Another concept that I would like to bring up is at the core of interpersonal relationships, yet, is often overlooked: The ability to carry a conversation, share thoughts and build a rapport. It is almost impossible to get anything constructive done between two people if they cannot carry a conversation. I believe that in prospecting for clients it’s a good habit is to engage people in conversation. I guarantee you that if you are interesting and you show the ability listen, people will not only give you a few minutes of their time, but will thank you for adding some light, levity and a breath of fresh air to their day. And it may very well be the beginning of a long and meaningful relationship. It’s important to step outside of the business at hand and talk about other topics. Often the off topic discussion can lead to far greater opportunities.

The final idea I want to mention encompasses all or most of what we discussed; that is mutual respect. It is of utmost importance to have a degree of respect for people with whom we interact and do business, and to be respected in return. If you get the feeling that you are being disrespected and your time and effort is not being valued and appreciated, then most likely this is not a good candidate for you. Don’t worry about the lost business opportunity. The habitual disregard for you will rear its ugly head at some point in any transaction. Have the courage to cut it off.

There is no one universal method of seeking creating connection. How you go about it will depend on your personality, background, interests and conversational skill. But it’s crucial to find the link. As for what is a good fit for me, I value the human experience in every encounter (at times to a fault). I’m open to share ideas, and, more importantly, to listen and learn from others.

Every interaction amongst people is an interview of sorts. Be conscious of it the next time you meet someone new and be open to the possibilities.

Yossi Feigenson is the managing partner of ORB Real Estate Professionals, a firm that specializes in office and retail leasing. They primarily represent tenants looking to either relocate into larger space, or new companies opening their first office. Yossi’s specialty is working with professional firms and small business owners across the entire spectrum of industries. He was formerly a partner in a risk arbitrage fund, specializing in Mergers and Acquisitions. Yossi is an avid reader and runner, and an aspiring writer. Yossi can be reached at yossif@orbny.com

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U.S. ALASKA: Overcoming Obstacles on the Trail

By Stefanie Gorder, CTP, DS

Alaska Bureau Chief

Martin Buser, an Alaskan legend

Say the name Martin Buser in Switzerland or Alaska and immediately one knows we are discussing the incredible man who is a four-time champion of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race. I first met Martin four years ago when a friend recommended his Happy Trails Kennels as a stopping point to include in tour programs for Premier Alaska Tours. As an Alaskan who prefers the warmth of a fire and a soft sofa to chilly temperatures and blowing snow, I am fascinated by his lifestyle and commitment to showing his passion through his business. Not only does he live life to the fullest, but he is so engaging that once he starts speaking, even this Alaskan captivated!

Martin Buser. An Alaskan Legend.

Martin and his wife Kathy Chapoton are two extraordinary Alaskans. Kathy is a retired teacher and Martin spends time discussing the humanitarian care of animals and the spirit of the Last Great Race with youth. Considered a favorite celebrity by both children and adults of Alaska, Martin surprises many with visits from his dogs and puppies. They share the responsibilities of running an active sled dog kennel. Martin and Kathy have two incredibly polite and knowledgeable sons who are both attending college. Nikolai and Rohn are named after checkpoints along the Iditarod trail. The most remarkable trait all four possess is showing northern hospitality to visitors to their kennels. No matter the condition … minus 20 and winds blowing hard enough to knock a hat from the head or in the Alaska summer heat of 70 plus degrees, all four smile brightly and are welcoming at all times. Their lifestyle is based on passion and this mushing family built a successful business out of sharing their love for the sport.


Martin’s attraction to sled dogs started in his homeland of Switzerland when he was a teen. He moved to Alaska in 1979 to enhance his knowledge of care and training sled dogs. Dog mushing is Alaska’s state sport so it makes sense that Alaska would capture the hearts of many people who are fascinated with sled dogs. The Iditarod Sled Dog Race (www.iditarod.com) is unlike any event in the world. According to their official web site, this rough race covers over 1150 miles of the most beautiful terrain Mother Nature has to offer. Jagged mountain ranges, frozen river, dense forest, desolate tundra and miles of windswept coast. Mushers can train for years to raise their endurance to withstand temperatures far below zero, winds that can cause complete loss of visibility and long hours of darkness and treacherous climbs. The actual race preparation begins the day after the previous year’s race ends; the other 50 weeks are dedicated in some way or another to getting the team ready for the equivalent of a Miami to New York trek by dog team.

Martin first ran the Iditarod, now a National Historic Trail in 1980. He runs the race each year with his dogs to test the success of their breeding, training and physical endurance. He regards his racers as true competitive athletes and prides his team on their longevity and spirit of competition. Says Martin, “I run the Iditarod to prove that my dogs, which are bred, trained and raced by Happy Trails Kennels, are the best amongst the world’s long distance athletes.” Martin's 2002 team currently holds the record for the fastest Iditarod by completing the race in 8 days, 22 hours, 46 minutes and 2 seconds. He has the most consecutive Iditarod finishes than any other musher: 26 from 1986 through 2009. His finishes have impressed many and placed him in the Alaska legend circle.

Today, the Iditarod is a chance for worldwide spectators to come together to watch the best four-footed athletes compete and celebrate Alaska’s history. With the ceremonial start in Anchorage set for the first Saturday each March, musher’s take off into the wilderness. From south-central Alaska to the western Bering Sea Coast, each team of 12 to 16 dogs and their musher cover over 1150 miles in 10 to 17 days. The trail itself had its beginnings as a mail and supply route from the coastal towns of Seward and Knik to the interior mining camps at Flat, Ophir, Ruby and further west. Mail and supplies went in and gold came out all via dog sled. Heroes were made, and legends were born. In 1925, part of this historic trail became a life saving highway for epidemic stricken Nome. Diphtheria threatened the residents and serum had to be brought in; again by intrepid dog mushers and their faithful hard-driving dogs. As tribute to his treatment of his racers, Martin was awarded the coveted Leonhard Seppala Award in 1988, 1993, 1995 and again in 1997 for the most humanitarian care of his dogs. The award was named for the most famous Alaskan musher who ran the longest and most dangerous stretch of the 674-mile diphtheria serum run from Nenana to Nome, which saved hundreds of lives. The Iditarod commemorates this piece of Alaska history, a not-so-distant past that Alaskans honor.

Immediately following Martin’s 2002 Iditarod victory, which still stands as the fastest Iditarod ever, he completed the process to become a naturalized citizen of the United States under the burled monument in Nome which marks the finish line of the Iditarod. After the grueling 8 days of being on the trail with few hours of sleep and battling the extreme elements of interior Alaska, Martin rested. For 5 days. He then turned around and made the trip from Nome to Big Lake with his family by snow mobile (in Alaska, they are called snow machines). That’s the incredible Alaska spirit that captivates so many residents who love living an adventurous lifestyle in the north.

The Ultimate Kennel Experience

Each summer Martin and his family give tours of their working kennel. Their tour begins with a video presentation of the trip from Anchorage to Nome and includes his unique anecdotal stories gathered over his 26 runs of the Iditarod. Visitors are offered a glimpse of a mock up of the Cripple checkpoint complete with campfire and wall tent. Veterinary and dog care topics are discussed and of course, there's the cuddling of puppies. The tour ends with a riotous symphony of dogs barking as a team is hooked up and taken on a demo run to show the dogs in action. Locals and visitors alike love the inside look at the Last Great Race and the lifestyle that keeps Happy Trails Kennels a welcomed stop. The Kennels are open for drive up traffic and groups and appeals to all ages.

When traveling to Alaska, the kennels must go on your “bucket list” since mushing is a huge part of Alaska history. If you are not planning to visit Happy Trails Kennels in the near future, you can surf their site and purchase their new video, For the Love of Dogs featuring the unique lifestyle made possible by training and racing sled dogs. The video captures a sled dog’s life from puppyhood to racing and Martin’s interaction with his athletic friends.

The mushing life is unique and not for everyone. Here are Martin’s words, printed with permission:

My commute is 20 yards, from my front door to my sled. My office is unlimited vistas and extreme temperatures. And my daily challenges are building a cohesive team out of 40 individuals working towards a common goal – to win the world’s toughest sled dog race. To be a good team leader I focus on individual personalities, moods and attitudes. My team members just happen to be four legged furry friends.

The Iditarod sled dog race throws daily if not hourly challenges at us and only the most finely tuned teams prevail. Together as a unit, we will overcome mountain ranges, open water, wind swept tundra and literally frozen ocean. Dogs used to cover 25 miles and day and now they travel 150 miles per day in any given 24 hour period allowing mushers time for only an occasional nap.

The modern Iditarod is a NASCAR like tradition that honors drivers and the dogs of an era long gone and highlights dog care, science, and technology applied to the sport in modern days. These well-bred dogs will burn up to 11,000 calories per day. The carbon fiber sleds glide on specialized plastics and sometimes the musher’s position is revealed through satellite tracking devices only accessible through the Iditarod Trail Committee using the internet.

Coming from the old country, Switzerland, I was lured to Alaska in 1979 for a mere adventure with no intention of staying more than a year. The dogs, the beauty of the land and the challenges captivated me to the point where racing the Iditarod has become a year round commitment and lifestyle. 2009 was my 26th Iditarod, my first two races being run with Siberian huskies belonging to a premier Alaskan legend, Earl Norris.

This year, I started the race with primarily dogs that have been born and raised in our kennel. Our thoroughbred Alaskan racing huskies have evolved from the straightforward working dogs of the gold rush days. Now rather than pulling heavy loads and breaking trail, these dogs cover long distances in relatively short periods of time. The initial Iditarod was won in twenty nine days and the record now stands at less than nine days.

People expect to see the large furry Siberian husky-looking canines featured in Jack London stories and often are surprised to see the sleek, diverse, slender racing Alaskan huskies. Very much like summo wrestlers not making marathon runners, the Alaskan husky has become highly specialized. When looking at the dogs we concentrate more on performance than looks. Rather than focusing on exterior appearance we gravitate toward dogs with unprecedented drive, superior appetites to replenish energy spent, long legs to help cover ground efficiently and deep narrow chests to accommodate the incredible lungs that help power these exceptional athletes.

Every year in March the very best of the world’s long distance dogs and mushers are pitted not only against each other but also the various challenges Mother Nature can throw in their path. The race has experienced from 60 degrees above zero to 60 below zero, has seen competitors from most continents and is considered the ultimate equal opportunity sport not discriminating among men and women, old and young, experienced and non-experienced.

As if the Iditarod wasn’t extreme enough, Martin recently participated in a trial run of the Alaskan Wet Dog Race . This will be world’s longest personal watercraft (PWC) endurance race with the goal to have the largest prize payout in water crafting history. This race will begin in the ocean at Whittier, Alaska and end over 2,000 miles and 23 checkpoints later in a lake called Iliamna at the village of Iliamna. Over two thousand miles of rough and brutal watercraft riding, across Alaska's open oceans, rivers and lakes will not only test the stamina of man, but it will define which brand of watercraft is the best. This race will separate those who think they can ride from those who can. Last month, a team of good will ambassadors which included Martin, left the Port of Anchorage on their personal watercrafts to begin the trek. We can all admire those that are outside of the box thinkers and those amazing partners like Kathy who stands next to Martin as each new adventure begins.

Martin and Kathy’s desire to promote and educate the wonders of raising and racing champion sled dogs is impressive. Several years ago, they named a litter of puppies in honor of Premier Alaska Tours. Young “Premier” was the face on t-shirts and marketing materials featured world wide. We’ve watched Premier grow and hope to one day see him as a champion on Martin’s team. In the meantime, we’ll keep visiting this remarkable family at their Happy Trails Kennels and cheer Martin on during each race. While we are proud of their commitment to Alaska and Sled Dogs, we are prouder to call them friends.


For more information on Happy Trails Kennels, Martin Buser, Alaska Winter Tours or the Iditarod, contact any of the quality listings in this article. Next month: go inside the wilds of Alaska with Stefanie Gorder, Alaska resident providing an insider’s look into the Last Frontier. To request Alaska topics for consideration, send to Ideas@marketing-Cents.com.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Submission: May 25, 2009

Stefanie Gorder, ctp, ds

marketingCents
Email: Sefanie@marketing-Cents.com
Twitter: @StefanieGorder

Premier Alaska Tours, Inc.
Email: Stefanie@tourAlaska.net
Twitter: @PremierAlaska
Web: www.PremierAlaskaTours.com

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OPTIMIZING YOUR IMPACT: Newton’s Third Law of Motion Applied to Marketing

Optimizing Your Impact with Jeff Schomay

“Interaction makes all the ____________.”

Did you fill in the blank? Did you say difference? If so, we’ve created an action/ reaction event, the theory being you now have a “vested interest” to read more to see what you got yourself into, right? Or does it really make any difference?

Action <-> Reaction. You can’t argue with Newton’s third law. Anything you do (including doing nothing) is an action. Anyone who comes in contact with that action (or lack thereof) will have a reaction (again, possible to do nothing). It’s just physics, and it happens constantly. The key is to use this universal law to achieve the reactions you desire. And the only way to do that is to create the proper initiating actions. But how?

As with everything in the “Consumer Persuasion Industry,” it all comes down human psychology. In the example above, we almost can’t help completing the sentence. The human mind craves completion, balance, and closure, and is wired to attempt to provide those qualities anywhere they are missing. While a simple fill-in-the-blank trick may not seem to have much sway over your potential customers, consider the same principle with a most sophisticated approach. I’ll explain with an example:

A friend of mine recently fell victim to a well-planned burglary. The robbers had observed his daily schedule, picked a time when he was out, cracked the code to the front security doors of the apartment complex, broken into the control room and stolen the security tapes and turned off the power to his unit, and then entered his apartment. He returned to find his door splintered and kicked in, and his belongings fully trashed.

Ok, I’ll stop there. The point is, due to our natural sense of empathy and our desire for closure, you may be asking “What happened next?” which is exactly the reaction I was hoping to achieve. Imagine creating a similar story all about the troubles your product or service solves that your potential customers could empathize with. You don’t have to get them to buy from you right away, you just need to get them to ask “What happens next?” That’s when you know they’ve got a “vested interest,” aka they are a qualified lead. Action reaction.

Another instance of getting the most out of Newton’s law is our human sense of burning curiosity. If there’s something I can push, pull, slide, etc, I’ll probably do it. That’s why museums need to put up so many “Please Do Not Touch” signs. That’s why people “kick the tires” of a new car they are considering buying – seriously, how much useful information does kicking the tires give you? It’s just an expression of our need to interact with something as a part of our decision making process.

So, now that you know that, create the opportunities for your potential customers to react to, and you’ll pull them closer to your intended results by using the laws of nature to your benefit. You don’t even have to try to convince anyone anything, they’ll complete the reaction side of the equation all on their ____.


Good luck and Good Marketing.

Jeff Schomay

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Written by Jeff Schomay
Inspire Your Buyer - Branding and Marketing
Maximize Your Impact. Get Better Results.
www.Inspire-Your-Buyer.com
jeff@inspire-your-buyer.com
(c) 2009
Jeff Schomay is an expert brander/ marketer, and a professional film writer/ director.

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SALES AND MARKETING: Playing To Win -- Baseball CEO Shares Secrets of Success

Sales and Marketing with Bill Doerr


Bill's section is brought to you by qAlias

Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of being present when Bill Dowling, President and CEO of The New Britain Rock Cats, the Double A affiliate of The Minnesota Twins shared his perspective on what's made his operation the most successful franchise in the Eastern League.

Bill Dowling, is no stranger to baseball. Prior to becoming the head of The New Britain Rock Cats, he was the Executive Vice President of The New York Yankees and reported directly to George Steinbrenner, III. Bill's career is extensive and as varied as it gets. A graduate of Columbia University and Boston College Law School, he was an Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan and later served as Chief of The New York State Attorney General's Criminal Division for several years. Then he joined the Yankees organization and still practices law in New York City.

Bill spoke to a small group of business people who are members of Our Breakfast Club, a business organization I belong to, as well.

Because Peaches Quinn, Co-Founder of Our Breakfast Club is an old friend of Bill Dowling's, he agreed to share his perspective on what it takes to 'do well in not-so-good times'.

Here's what I took away from the pearls of wisdom that Bill shared with us . . .

"We're not in the baseball business"

The previous owner of the franchise was in the baseball business. He ran a baseball team that fed the major league teams with up-and-coming talent. That model worked once. But it wasn't working in a small town (New Britain, CT) that's seen the economic boom of the 90's go bust and the previous franchise owner was floundering.

But Dowling understood that every business needs to be what it's customer wants. So if it wasn't baseball . . . what was it?

POINT:

What you think you're selling isn't necessarily what your customer wants to buy!

"We Have To Know Who Our Customer (Really) Is"

"We had an epiphany . . . we had to be in the family entertainment business . . . or we'd be following the path the old owner had already taken!".

Dowling knew that if he could create a business 'experience' that appealed to women and kids, then good old dad would drive them all to the ballpark -- literally! It was that insight that helped Bill and his team of people make decisions and take actions appropriate to that understanding. And boy, was that a good thing for the Rock Cats!

The strategy's worked. After buying the franchise in early 2000, Eastern League President Bill Troubh chose Bill Dowling as the 2000 Eastern League Executive of The Year. Dowling's continued to drive attendance, revenues and profits to new levels . . . year after year after year.

Bill and his investor group estimate that, if they were to sell their franchise today, they'd be able to sell it for about 10 times what they paid for it in 2000. And they've money each year, too. Not bad!

POINT:

Knowing who you want to appeal to makes your decisions easier and your results better!

"You Can't Manage From The Back Office"

Bill Dowling attends to many aspects of The Rock Cats -- along with a group of young, talented and highly committed staff whose compensation reflects more bonus and less base -- a practice the early years demanded due to the need to build revenues not expenses and Dowling's philosophy supported . . . "You make things happen, you'll be paid well". It's worked for him.

"Performance matters . . . and if you perform well, you get paid accordingly".

Dowling is also highly visible. He attends every home game and not from a skybox. He's easily found standing around in Section 108 behind the home plate. He talks with the customers, greets the regulars (and there are growing ranks of those!) and generally makes people feel like they're welcome guests. ". . . because they are!".

Bill told us about how some people began to complain about the parking adjacent to the stadium. It's not operated by the Rock Cats. It's a separate vendor. But Bill carries a wad of $1 bills on him. "If I hear someone complain about the parking, I give them $3 and say, "I'm sorry you had a problem . . . here, let me get your parking today". Dowling knows they'll go to the concession stands and buy some popcorn, hot dogs or beer. "It's going out of one pocket and right back into another . . . but they'll go out and tell their friends about us and that goodwill is priceless".

POINT:

If you're going to be successful, you have to be accessible and in touch with your customer!

"You Have To Invest In Your Customer's Experience"

After taking over the Rock Cats, Dowling and his partners made the deliberate decision to go into the 'family entertainment' business as I'd cited earlier. That strategic commitment required both aligned decisions and appropriate actions. "We had to clean up our facilities . . . you don't want Mom coming to a place that isn't appealing or you'll never see her come back". As a result, concession sales have been substantial for the Rock Cats and previous attendance records have been shattered again and again. "We know we're selling fun . . . so every game is full of fun . . . for the kids" That makes the moms happy and happy moms keep the families coming back for more. "We have "Family Nights" where a family of four can come to a game, enjoy food and beverage and get it all for around $30. We understand our market and finding ways to be affordable reflects that understanding". With 'something special (and free!) for the kids' at every game, entertainment between key innings and the ever-present 'Rocky' the Rock Cat's mascot working the crowd until the last pitch is thrown, Dowling's created an irresistable experience. And the proof is in the steady growth of attendance, revenues and profits.

Point:

Give people what they want and they'll give you what you want, too!

I left the time I had with Bill Dowling a little more humble and whole lot wiser about what it takes to be successful in business . . . regardless of the economy. Thank you, Bill Dowling!

Bill Doerr, CCO of SellMore Marketing, LLC is the creator of The Preferral Prospecting System™, The Expert Directory™ and The Ultimate Client Development System™. He is an Authorized Duct Tape Marketing Coach and a licensed facilitator of Get Clients NOW! Bill uses these resources to help service providers generate AIR -- awareness in their marketing area, interest in their services and revenues in their bank. Reach Bill at: 860-798-6964, online at: www.sellmoremarketing.com or via the TNNW Blog: http://www.thenationalnetworker.blogspot.com

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