Friends, contacts and trust | A NOTE FROM THE FOUNDER

Friends, contacts and trust

by Adam J. Kovitz

The backbone of any successful entrepreneurial venture is based more upon who you know, rather than what you know.  I call the "what you know" Relationship Capital, or "RC".

A well-connected individual has access to more capital (RC, and otherwise), talent and resources than most.  As the saying goes, "no man is an island unto himself" and therefore, we are forced to rely and trust in others while managing multiple relationships as well as expectations if we truly want to be successful.

Often times, however, things go astray,  expectations are not met and feelings are hurt, and that hurt can come from those who you thought were friends.

Recently one of my closest contacts confided in me a harsh realization about one of his long-time friends.  I've actually spoken with the individual in question before, and their name came up in countless discussions.  My contact, wanting to help this person (because they were financially desperate) introduced them to a business venture where this individual would stand to make a considerable sum of money.  Talks broke down - my contact's friend was deemed by the other party to be inflexible, one-sided and rude.

It occurred to my friend, upon hearing the news, that:

a.)  They may have damaged their credibility with their business acquaintances to whom they introduced their friend

b.)  Even though we was a friend, they should have never introduced them to their business contacts, and

c.)  Their friend was never really a friend as their manner has always been inflexible, one-sided and rude, even when it came to my contact.

There was a sadness in my contact's voice, and I empathetically felt for him, as I have experienced similar phenomena.  In fact, those of us who have been disappointed and hardened by such circumstances might justify these experiences by stratifying their connections into friends, supporters, colleagues, acquaintances, contacts, rivals, competition, enemies and arch-nemeses.  

Other more scientifically-minded (like myself) use an RC scale from -10 to 10 for certain key contacts, reassess those values periodically (weekly or monthly) and examine how they might change over time.

Yet other, more cynical, entrepreneurs simply leave friends and family out of any business dealings and take a much more sterile corporate approach to business as a defensive measure from dealing with such hurt.  Over time, blocking or suppressing emotions can have their own detrimental effects upon one's mental and physical health.

I believe, however, that most entrepreneurs desire a more balanced approach to business.  They don't deny their own emotional state and those of their team, but they do establish strong boundaries and enforce them to stay on target.

There are those who say that there are varying levels of trust and that the highest levels indicate a greater tolerance to being disappointed by their friends, colleagues, etc., but in the end it comes down to how we react to such changes or shifts in our relationships that truly define each and every one of us.

How about you?  How do you manage your relationships?  Feel free to comment on this article below or email me directly.  I would love to hear from you.

All my best,

Adam

www.TNNWC.com

www.TheNationalNetworker.com

http://adamjkovitz.blogspot.com

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Friends, contacts and trust | A NOTE FROM THE FOUNDER

NETWORKING SUCCESS: Word of Mouth Marketing is Only as Good as the Referrals You Give

Networking Success with Dr. Ivan Misner

Ivan's section is sponsored by qAlias.com

Word of mouth is the most effective form of advertising—but it’s not the safest. Some people approach referral marketing with the attitude that all they have to do is get to know people and referral business will simply bubble up like water in a spring. What they don’t realize is that, once trust evaporates, so does the water.

In word-of-mouth (or referral) marketing, your integrity and your reputation are on the line all the time. You can’t hide behind an ad. In the referral process, you are continually transparent. You’ve got to do what you say you’re going to do. You’ve got to be professional. Any flaw in your integrity becomes instantly visible to everyone you’re dealing with.

When you give a referral, you give away a little bit of your reputation. While giving a good referral will enhance your relationship, a bad referral will hurt it. If the person you referred does a poor job or is dishonest, your reputation is what takes the biggest hit. Your relationship with the prospect will probably suffer, at least temporarily, and you may even lose that person as a customer.

For example, even top-flight master networkers can inadvertently pass a bad referral once in a while. I started a new company, the Referral Institute, with two partners – Mike A and Mike B. Knowing that we would be doing a lot of business printing, Mike A referred one of his clients, who owned a business-printing company, to Mike B. A deal was made, but before long it became apparent that the vendor was charging for services that had not been included in the quote. Mike B called Mike A and complained. Mike A called the business printer and complained. The vendor called Mike B and apologized for neglecting to reveal hidden charges in the contract. Mike B told him, “I’ll accept your apology, but I think the bigger apology needs to go to my partner, because he’s the one who referred you. You’ve done him a lot more damage than you’ve done me.”

Since that time, we’ve done no business with that business printer and would never consider referring him to anyone we know. It was later learned that the vendor had cheated other people that Mike A had referred him to and that, like termites, the damage to Mike A’s reputation stayed hidden until it came to light in his own business referral. In the end, Mike A greatly mitigated the damage by contacting and apologizing to each of the people whose business had been harmed by the unscrupulous vendor he had referred them to. In this way, he was able to minimize the damage to his own networking relationships.

As you can see, the biggest risk in this referral was to the referral giver’s reputation and business relationships. Many people had hired this printing shyster without a bid process because of Mike A’s reputation and clout. This is why referral marketing is dangerous, and it is why the referral provider owes it to himself and others to know as much as possible about the vendor he’s referring to others. Take the time to get to know the person you’re referring. Make sure that person has integrity, because if he doesn’t, your own reputation is at risk. And here’s an important point: never give good referrals to people who don’t want them or can’t handle them with integrity and professionalism.

Similarly, if the person being referred assumes he’s got carte blanche because he’s a referral, a friend of a friend, he can do himself permanent damage by performing poorly or dishonestly. When your business depends on word of mouth, you can’t hide behind a mass advertising campaign and bank on plenty of new customers replacing used-up, disgruntled ones. Word of mouth is always working—if not for you, then against you.

The same thing goes for the prospect. If you’re expecting to get a break—say a special price or a freebie—or if you try to take advantage because a friend referred you to a vendor she knows, there’s a strong chance you’re damaging the vendor’s relationship with the referral giver by making the referral giver look bad. Rather than refer other vendors to you and risk damaging those relationships, chances are the referral giver is going to avoid you in the future.

As you can see, everybody in this three-way referral relationship is in a fishbowl. Everything you’re doing or communicating, everything you’re displaying is part of your word-of-mouth message. Dishonesty, incompetence, and carelessness quickly become apparent to all. In traditional advertising, a graphic designer can create your image, your brand. In word-of-mouth marketing, your image is not only things that have been created for you but also the way you come to the table—even the way you behave in roles outside of business. If your child’s Little League coach is timely, well behaved, professional, and a good leader, you’ll be favorably disposed toward giving him your business when you learn he’s also a respected attorney.

Even for someone who is honest, skilled, and dedicated, word-of-mouth marketing may not be the best choice. If your business can ring up plenty of sales based on your customer-service reputation alone, if you are uncomfortable spending the face time needed to maintain good networking relationships, if you don’t want to market personally, then traditional advertising should probably be your choice of marketing strategy.

Remember, word of mouth is always working; it’s just not always working for you. Especially if you’re a jerk.

Called the “Father of Modern Networking” by CNN, Dr. Ivan Misner is a New York Times bestselling author. He is the Founder and Chairman of BNI (www.bni.com), the world’s largest business networking organization. His latest book The 29% Solution can be viewed at www.29PercentSolution.com. Dr. Misner is also the Senior Partner for the Referral Institute, an international referral training company (www.referralinstitute.com). He can be reached at misner@bni.com.

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NETWORKING SUCCESS: Word of Mouth Marketing is Only as Good as the Referrals You Give

ASIA PACIFIC: Relationship CV

by Victor Cattermole

Asia Pacific Bureau Chief

This past week I had to venture up to Japan for some business and pleasure.

While there I met with some friends who it turns out were feeling challenged in their personal relationship, after more than 20 years of marriage things were really a battle.

The interesting thing about this is that in the Japanese society everything relationship wise appears to be so structured and disciplined. These wonderful little Japanese wives shuffle around the house as quiet as a mouse serving in such a humble way, society seems so passive and respectful and yet behind closed doors you can’t help feeling things are different.

All of this and lots of discussion with my friends got me really thinking about our relationship compatibility and what it would be like if we had a Relationship CV.

I really felt challenged by the concept of a Relationship CV and so it’s something I plan to introduce in to my business in the Endeavor Plan Life Planner later this year. My dyslexic thinking and sense of humor could spend days on this, the challenge goes out to readers to consider what does your Relationship CV look like (compared with your career CV) and what are you looking for in others.

Some things to consider:

· Is experience important?

· What are my long term goals?

· Am I looking to continue part time experience whilst maintaining a full time relationship?

· What are my references like, are their many?

It’s easy to have a laugh about it, and good to as well, then there is a serious side …. Time to draft your Relationship CV, how does it look? Would you enter in to a relationship with yourself?

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ASIA PACIFIC: Relationship CV

BEYOND NETWORKING: BEING: Strategy Ten

Beyond Networking: Being with Ron Sukenick

Ron's section is sponsored by SmallBizAmerica.com

Strategy Ten
Shorten Learning Curves: Move Into Dream Fulfillment

As you might guess, from reading my column over the years, my book project with Jane surges has provided numerous opportunities for Jane and me to apply each of these strategies to our partnership. This strategy, shortening learning curves, has proven to be a particular catalyst to fuel us forward.

We realized over lunch after a racquetball game that we both were passionate about relationships and relationship success. My writings about networking and my passion about another level beyond what is happening in the mainstream complemented well with Jane’s writings and passion around helping people hold a relationship vision that opens the possibility of co-creation and partnership. Within 30 minutes, we identified an overlapping purpose and this book partnership was launched. Within a short eight months, it was finished. How do two people who do not know each other very well come together and join forces toward this kind of project or any other? We would like to say, from our experience—not just this one but many others, it is through shortening the learning curve. Following are two graphics. One illustrates a long learning curve where side roads are taken as individuals lose track of the project vision.

This is contrasted to a shortened learning curve that focuses on finding common ground. When we focus on common ground and what is most important in a given moment, we keep the bigger picture of our purpose and intentions before us. We work straight ahead—using direct communication and staying mindful of the context. Trusting that the other has our best interest in mind, we move ahead at a pace fueled with positive energy. See if you can picture this for yourself.

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Long Learning Curve:

Short Learning Curve:

To help shorten the learning curve, there may be issues you are facing. Following are questions for your consideration. Think about one of your personal or business partners. Respond to the following questions:

What project emerged between the two of you?
What problems, issues, needs or opportunities can the two of you respond to and address together?
What resources, information, time frame will support your project?
Who will be impacted by this project, and how will they be affected? How might they be involved in the project?
How will you know if you are individually and jointly successful?
What adjustments need to be made as you move forward toward project completion (dream fulfillment)?
How do your channels of communication support your project and shorten the learning curve? (i.e. email, voice mail, direct communication, talking about prior experiences or learning curves.)
Are you looking out for each other as well as your joint interests throughout this process? If not, what improvements need to be made?
What challenges are you currently facing (financial, communication, resources, etc.?)


What steps taken together would move you more expediently and more closely to project completion?

Scenario Planning

There are times for extensive market studies and long term plans. During those times, by all means incorporate a longer approach to moving toward a joint collaborative effort.

Scenario planning will help you move much more quickly and may be just what you need for the joint project at hand. Write a brief case study with the objective and with as many variables that you can think of. Balance your optimistic thoughts with opposite possibilities to make sure that you are encompassing all possible contingencies. Include as much of the “unpredictable” as possible—again include what can go right, and what can go wrong. Then discuss the scenario and how you might deal with challenges that might arise.


What action steps will you take? Add these steps to your calendar right now.

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BEYOND NETWORKING: BEING: Strategy Ten

NET-TECH REPORT: What Inspires You?

Net-Tech Report with Chris Kauza

For the last few months we have been profiling various tools and technologies you can use to communicate and create relationships with others. This month we are going to take a more “humanistic” look at how one entrepreneur is applying these tools in her business to reach out and create relationships; and in turn, help her customers connect with themselves and others in meaningful ways.

Gail Lynn Goodwin is the CEO of InspireMeToday.com, an online library of inspirational content that you can use yourself or share with others.

In 2004 , while working out in gym, Gail discovered that she got better results from her workouts when she listened to motivational and inspirational content. She began sharing her favorites with her friends and colleagues, and discovered that they had similar success. But it wasn't until she helped her daughter write and publish a song about a soldier's wife longing for her husband, that she really connected with people on a massive scale. The song had hundreds of thousands of downloads from places all over the world. They received so many invitations from military personnel to come and see them, that they toured from 2004 – 2006, reaching out to soldiers and their families, and helping them connect with each other.

The reason why I think Gail's story is one to pay attention to, is because of what happened during their first visit to a military base in Iraq.

A young boy approached her and asked her for a “Mom” hug, telling her that his patrols consist of him living in a ditch by himself, thirty to forty days at a time, guarding his area, before coming in for a forty-eight hour rest, and then turning around to go back out for another mission. When she asked him how he is able to do that, the soldier pulled out his audio player and said that he was always looking for good inspiration. This was the catalyst that launched InspireMeToday.com.

There are many reasons for you to choose to NOT be inspired, to NOT do something extra for your customers, or to NOT think of some way you can use the available technology to connect with someone else. The reason I chose to interview Gail for this month's column is because of the very simple way she is using technology (i.e. - website, audio and video content downloaded to portable audio players, etc.) to not only directly connect with others, but also to help other people make those meaningful connections as well.

One of the things to pay attention to with Gail's website and business is the simplicity of the model and how she uses technology to support and grow the business. I encourage you to visit her website. Look at how the information is arranged and accessible. See how she builds channels for visitors to not just consume content, but also to share it with others, thus promoting a "viral" growth aspect to her business.

Listen to something on her website that inspires you. After all, it requires no more effort than listening to the news. Why not make a different choice and choose some content that sustains you, and that you can pass along to others?

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NET-TECH REPORT: What Inspires You?

SALES AND MARKETING: Marketing is About The Relationship

Sales and Marketing with Bill Doerr

Bill's section is brought to you by qAlias

Marketing is, fundamentally, a discipline about a relationship. A symbiotic relationship between you and your customer. A relationship between two people. One who creates a profit and one who creates an expense for your business. Each person is essential to what the other needs from the relationship. So why do we do things that compromise rather than realize the potential of our business relationships? I'll share some thoughts -- and useful questions -- on that very issue in this article.

My inspiration for this month's article is Bruce Temkin. I just read an outstanding special report he wrote on this topic. It's called: The 6 Laws of Customer Experience. My advice . . . download it, devour it, embrace it. It's good stuff!

His message is inanely simple, full of common sense and difficult to challenge. But his message appears to be forgotten or ignored by a growing number of business owners lately. That saddens me because no business exists unless its customers want it to exist.

In challenging times, we should each be doing everything we can to attract and retain customers. Nothing less. So here's my thinking on what Bruce shared in his report.

I'm using Bruce's article as a starting point, adding in some comments and questions of my own which I hope you find useful for building better relationships with your customers.

1. Every Interaction Creates a Personal Reaction

Years ago I recall Jan Carlson, President of SAS calling these 'Moments-of-Truth'. Whether it's the way you answer your phone or acknowledge a customer's contribution to your bottom line . . . every contact . . . matters. Every contact draws your customer closer to you or it pushes your customer further away from you. In the end, the quality of your relationship with your customer reflects the cumulative 'score' of all the interactions you have together.

Q:

Are you making your marketing truly personal for each customer and every touchpoint or moment-of-truth?

Q:

Are you segmenting your customers so you can tailor their experience with you and cement their loyalty to you, as well?

Q:

Financial metrics are good for your financial advisor but are you also measuring the experience that attracts and keeps relationships with customers alive and well?

Q:

Are your employees empowered and encouraged to manage the interactions with customers so they'll be happy to spend their money with your business?

2. People are Instinctively Self-Centered

Maybe 'centered' isn't an accurate connotation. Aware. Self-AWARE is better. But the more we focus on ourselves, the less we see others perspective. It works both ways!

Q:

Are you taking the time and trouble to see your customer's point-of-view as it reflects their experience with your business?

Q:

Have you identified each 'moment-of-truth' your customer has with your business and taken steps to ensure they will be positive rather than something less desirable?

Q:

If asked, would your customers say your business was organized primarily for your convenience or theirs? Is that what you want?

3. Customer Familiarity Breeds Alignment

It's a fact that Fred Reicheld (The Loyalty Effect) noted years ago -- the better you know your customer, the easier it is to respond to their needs and create experiences that attract new ones and retain old ones. Writers know that to write well they must write to a (single!) reader. Hopefully, one they truly understand. Ideally, your staff performs well with customers for the same reason.

Q:

Does your business adapt to produce the experience your customer wants or, are you asking your customer to adapt to you for your convenience?

Q:

Do you have a mechanism for routinely sharing with your employees what anyone is learning 'works' for your customers . . . i.e. the 'winning' experiences . . . so everyone can leverage the lessons and successes of anyone else in your company?

Q:

If your customer is ever unhappy, do you honestly understand your customer's position well enough to know if the conflict reflects a misalignment on your part or the customer's?

4. Unengaged Employees Don't Create Engaged Customers

My friend, JoAnna Brandi, President of JoAnna Brandi & Company teaches her clients that happy employees create happy customers. When your employees feel you respect and regard them, they feel good about themselves. When they feel good about themselves, they become your best ambassadors of goodwill. So the key to having happy customers is to make sure your employees are too . . . first!

Q:

Do you have a plan to train your employees to turn their moments-of-truth with a customer into a moment-of-majesty . . . consistently and conscientiously?

Q:

Are you making it easy for your employees to create a WOW experience at every touchpoint they have with a customer?

Q:

Are you keeping your employees aware of how your business and your customers are doing by one another? Are these lessons being shared so all can profit by them?

Q:

Do you have -- and use -- a system for measuring and rewarding customer experiences that make them happy to spend their time and money . . . with your business?

5. Employees Do What Is Measured, Incented and Celebrated

Performance . . . comes from two things: 'Can Do' and 'Want To'. Skill and motivation. If you want your performers to perform so your customer is thrilled it's YOUR responsibility to see that a 'great' performance is documented, communicated, trained, supervised and rewarded. If not, it won't happen as often as you like or as well as you want.

Q:

Does your employee training address what it takes to create an engaged customer?

Q:

Have you clearly communicated what your employee must do (and, how well!) to create an engaged customer for your business?

Q:

Are you creating, by your management, an environment that consistently recognizes, measures and rewards the kind of customer experience you want or, not?

6. You Can't Fake It

I love to say, "What you DO speaks so loudly I can't hear what you SAY". Both your customers and employees learn more from your behavior than anything else you do with them. Whatever you recognize and reward or ignore and tolerate is the message they're getting from you . . . every time. Good or bad, that is the way it goes!

Q:

When it comes to making your customer happy, what is your #1 priority or focus? If your front-line employees were surveyed, would they know it, too? Would they agree?

Q:

If poorly conceived and executed initiatives communicate you're not serious about something, do your employees have evidence that you're serious about success?

A Final Thought

There's a saying, "The same wind blows some ships east and others west. It's not the wind but the set of the sail that makes all the difference". Today's economy is like the wind. We can't control it. But we can choose to use it. The current economy is like a strong storm. It makes boats go farther and faster than normal. It also makes them get into trouble faster and easier! In this economy, some businesses will succeed and others fail. It's my hope that addressing the questions I've posed here will help you be one of the winners when this storm blows over.

Bill Doerr, CCO of SellMore Marketing, LLC is the creator of The Preferral Prospecting System™ and The Ultimate Client Development System™. He is an Authorized Duct Tape Marketing Coach and a licensed facilitator of Get Clients NOW!. Bill works with service providers to generate awareness, interest and response for their expertise. You can reach Bill by phone at: 860-798-6964, online at: www.sellmoremarketing.com, by email at: billd@sellmoremarketing.com or through the TNNW Blog: thenationalnetworker.blogspot.com

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Posted to THE NATIONAL NETWORKER. To subscribe for your free newsletter, go to www.TheNationalNetworker.com. For the complete National Networker 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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SALES AND MARKETING: Marketing is About The Relationship

A TOASTER'S NO SLOT MACHINE

From the desk of Ron Sukenick

You've heard me talk about my toaster. I use toasters as a metaphor for business systems that savvy networkers put into place. I explain how, once I've set my toaster dial to "Dark" or "Medium", inserted my bagel or my slice of bread and pushed down the lever, I can let the toaster do its job. Meanwhile, I can go get my juice out of the refrigerator or put the finishing touches on my blog. I don't need to watch the toaster, or keep track of it, or "follow up" with it. The toaster will do what toasters do, and, soon enough, I'll hear the little "ping" that tells me my toast is ready.

"Sure, sure, Ron ", some complain. "You make it sound so simple. How come my phone's not ringing off the hook with referrals? How come I'm not getting dozens of good leads out of every networking meeting I attend? How come I try so hard but don't see immediate results?" Remarks like these are a clue. I've been talking about toasters, but the problem is, these people have toasters confused with slot machines.

See, when you're in the mood for a little bag of Cheez-its or some pretzels, you walk over to the vending machine, put your coins in the slot, and press the B-19 or the A-24 button. You certainly have every right to expect that little bag of Cheez-its or pretzels to come falling down to the opening. It's a simple tit-for-tat proposition. So my theory is, that's why some business people imagine that every time they show up for a networking meeting, they'll be rewarded with, at minimum, a couple of leads. And every time they do a favor for someone, they expect to receive, in short order, a favor in return. (After all, "What goes around comes around." - doesn't it?).

But slot machines aren't good metaphors for effective networking systems, because business is about people, and people don't do well with tit-for-tat propositions. When we use the Ultimate Discovery System to understand the four basic personality styles, when we practice focused, productive listening, when we follow the six steps that start relationships (see my earlier blog "Steps That Start Relationship"), we're setting up our toaster. We've shopped for just the right kind of bread. We've made a decision about whether our toast should be well done or just brown around the edges. We've set out a plate and utensils, and perhaps the cream cheese, peanut butter, or margarine. We've put up the coffee. In other words, for each piece of ready-to-eat toast that pops out of our toaster, we've devoted a lot of preparation and thought.

Remember those old song lyrics, "I beg your pardon - I Never Promised You A Rose Garden"? What I'm attempting to convey to people who want to take their networking to the next level is this: I never promised you a slot machine! Sharpen up your seeing. Deepen your understanding. Shape up your productive listening. Give the right referrals in the right way. Help everywhere you can. Learn all you can from everyone you can.

Once you've done those things, you can go get your juice from the refrigerator or finish up your blog, because your toaster's gonna do what a toaster's gotta do - as sure as my name's Ron Sukenick!

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A TOASTER'S NO SLOT MACHINE

It's Over

by Jason Alba
Career Transition Editor

That's It. It's Over.

2008 is over. We are getting a new president in the United States, and the recession is no longer a secret.

Yesterday I read on cnn.com there were over 20,000 jobs lost... in one day. No big surprise, but it if you multiple that out by 4.5, assuming each job lost represents a spouse and 2.5 kids, that is 90,000 people intimately affected by the recession. Or, maybe it's just called "business as usual." Oh yeah, don't forget there are probably 20,000 moms and mother-in-laws who are also going to be affected by those job losses.

What did you do for your career in 2008? Can you share one significant thing you've done?

Did you further your education, in a big way? Not that that is a silver bullet, but for many it would help.

Did you grow your network, online and offline? When I first got laid off I sat down with someone who was helping me list names of my network contacts. It was hard to come up with 30 names (because I was prequalifying most).

Did you significantly nurture professional relationships? Amassing lists of names is not good enough, you need to really work on relationships.

Did you update your career credentials, including a proper resume, current reference letters, etc.? I wasted the first week... a full 40 hours, when I got laid off as I searched for and then rewrote my resume. I wish I had had something more current. And, there's no reason why you can't start collecting letters of recommendation now, and putting them into a "brag folder."

Did you do a personal inventory of your career abilities, and consider how your current credentials fit your career goals? Know someone who want to be a CEO but have no chance of making it? What do you want to achieve, and what do you need to do to get there?

Did you do anything to develop your professional brand? Starting a blog, developing a LinkedIn strategy... these are all things you should be doing to have a strong personal professional brand.

Did you start following more information sources (this newsletter, blogs, etc.) to keep your skills sharp? There are plenty out there... find a few and start to get some good paradigm shifts concerning your own career.

Did you resolve to be CEO of Me, Inc, and take your own career management seriously? I didn't care one bit about CEO of Me, Inc before I got let go. Then, I got booted out, voted off the island, and in a blog post I called it "kicked in the teeth." I recommend you be in charge of your own career, not HR.

I'm wondering how you did last year, but more important, go back to each of the questions above and ask yourself, what are you going to do in 2009? How will you answer these questions at the end of 2009? I know it can seem overwhelming, but approach it one step at a time, and over the year you'll make considerable progress!

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Jason Alba is the CEO and creator of JibberJobber.com, and author of “I’m on LinkedIn – Now What???” After a corporate downsizing impacted Jason in 2006, he experienced firsthand the difficulties of conducting a job search. Drawing on his extensive computer software and IT experience, Jason analyzed the job search process and developed JibberJobber.com, the gold standard in career management technology.

Widely acknowledged as a leading career management evangelist, Jason continues to spread the word to job seekers through his blog, JibberJobber.com/blog. He is co-author of “I’m on Facebook – Now What???”and offers tutorials on how to fulfill the role of being CEO of You, Inc.

Jason Alba is: CEO of JibberJobber.com Author of I’m on LinkedIn – Now What??? Co-author of I’m on Facebook – Now What??? Founder of CEO Training for Me Inc.

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Posted to THE NATIONAL NETWORKER. To subscribe for your free newletter, go to www.TheNationalNetworker.com. For the complete National Networker Relationship Capital Toolkit and a free RSS feed, go to: http://thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com.
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It's Over

Don’t Shotgun Your Sales Message…Sharpshoot It Instead!

Networking Success with Dr. Ivan Misner
Ivan's section is sponsored by qAlias.com

You may perform a wide variety of services or offer a broad range of products to your customers, but for a referral, your description of what you do should be narrow and detailed, focused on a single aspect of your business. Yes, you may offer the most elaborate assortment of office furnishings available in your part of the state, but that doesn’t mean much to the prospect who is looking for a truckload of one specific type of high-tech desk for a new technology company.

Your referral sources will find it much easier to get you an appointment with a prospect if you have provided information that will help them address the prospect’s specific needs. You’re an office-furniture wholesaler? No help. One of your specialties is custom-designed, made-to-order desks, shelves, and file cabinets in large lots? Bingo. You’ve snagged an appointment.

It seems counterintuitive, but in reality, the more laser-specific you are, the more likely you are to get referrals. People tend to say they “do everything,” because they want to catch everyone. They want to throw as broad a net as possible. The problem with a really broad net is that there are big holes in it. When you say, “I’m a full-service printer; I do everything,” that doesn’t mean anything to your prospects, or to those who refer you to them. What they’re thinking is, I don’t need a full-service job. All I need is a particular kind of print job. If I’ve come down with a serious illness, it doesn’t help me much to know that there are three hospitals in town. What I really want to know is, in which hospital will I find the specialist who can cure me?

When you tell a referral partner you’re a full-service provider, you’re asking her to mentally sort out all the people she knows and cross tabulate what they do against all the things you do. That does not work; people aren’t computers. Yes, a referral partner needs to know the full range of products or services that you deal in—eventually. But more immediately, she needs to know with some precision the specific needs you can fulfill, because that is what the customer is focused on in any given instance.

If you say, “Who do you know who is a sports enthusiast? Here’s how he can use my product,” then you’re letting your referral source do a simple, easier kind of mental sorting. The more you can educate people about different things that you do—one at a time—the more likely you are to get referrals in the long run. And getting referrals in a specific area doesn’t mean you can’t continue to offer other products or services.

When operating in a referral network of some type, your immediate goal is not to close a sale…but to train a sales force. You’re training people to refer you, and saying that you’re a full-service provider and that you do everything doesn’t train anybody at all. You wouldn’t tell a salesperson for your company, “Just tell them we do it all.” You need to be as specific as possible. As a specialist, you can more easily articulate to your referral sources what you do and how you do it, and they can in turn articulate it more readily to other people. Saying that you “do everything” sounds desperate—as though you have to do it all because you’re not successful in any one area.

Someone who professes to be a generalist, who “does everything,” is not only less likely to get good referrals—she’s also likely to be considered a “relationship assassin” within her referral group. Suppose an insurance agent who’s just joined your group comes up to you and says, “I can cover all of your insurance needs. I have life insurance, medical insurance, auto, home, business, and every other kind of insurance you’ll ever need. I’d like to be your one-stop insurance shop.” But you already have coverage from five or six different agents, most of whom you have solid business and personal relationships with. What she’s asking you to do is dump all your relationships and replace them with one relative unknown—herself.

A better approach for her would be to say to you, “I’m a life-insurance agent who specializes in executive benefits, specifically for tradespeople. My passion, in my insurance practice, is to deliver executive-benefits packages to owners and managers of contracting firms so that they’re able to retire effectively with tax-protected investments and be able to sell that business.” In this way, she’s addressing a specific need you may have, but she’s not trying to assassinate all of your long-standing relationships. She’s presenting herself as an expert in an area where you need expert advice, rather than a generalist with broad but superficial knowledge.

You may still not be convinced that narrowing your focus is a good idea. You may be thinking that, if you present yourself as a specialist, you are limiting your potential referrals and your future business; that is, you can’t do business outside your niche. The truth is, whether you’re a true specialist or a generalist presenting yourself as a specialist in order to facilitate easy referral, you’re not limiting yourself by doing so. People are actually more likely to refer a specialist than a generalist.

If you’re like most specialists, although you generally do only one or a few kinds of business, you can still offer many other products or services that are closely related. Yes, you’ve narrowed down your business to the things you like to do or are able to do best, or that bring you the most profit, but you can do other things as well. And one good way to attract long-term business is by stepping outside your niche and taking on the occasional odd job that can win you a loyal customer for future business.

One last point: If you sell everything, you’re not selling on value; you’re selling on price. That makes you a provider of commodities. And that strategy can work for you—but only if you’re Wal-Mart.

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Called the “Father of Modern Networking” by CNN, Dr. Ivan Misner is a New York Times bestselling author. He is the Founder and Chairman of BNI (www.bni.com), the world’s largest business networking organization. His latest book, the 29% Solution can be viewed at www.29PercentSolution.com. Dr. Misner is also the Senior Partner for the Referral Institute, an international referral training company (www.referralinstitute.com). He can be reached at misner@bni.com.

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Posted to THE NATIONAL NETWORKER. To subscribe for your free newletter, go to www.TheNationalNetworker.com. For the complete National Networker Relationship Capital Toolkit and a free RSS feed, go to: http://thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com.
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Don’t Shotgun Your Sales Message…Sharpshoot It Instead!