NET-TECH REPORT: How To Plan Your Blog

Net-Tech Report with Chris Kauza

Blogging is a great way to not only establish your credibility in a particular market, but also to connect and interact with your audience as well. But, as with most things, to be successful with it, you should have a planned approach to what and how you will blog. Generally speaking, there are three types of blog categories:

• organizational
• business-oriented
• personal blogs

The first category, organizational, uses the power of blogs to communicate either externally with the public or internally within their organizations. These blogs generally facilitate internal communications among various stakeholders (i.e. - employees, colleagues, etc.) Organizational blogs will typically also publish information that is of interest to the public, such as seminar schedules, meetings, announcements, etc.


Business-oriented blogs will typically promote a company's services or products, as a way of generating market interest to help increase sales and profits. Business blogs generally try to increase a company's reputation and authority within a market, by publishing content that shares expertise and knowledge of interest to a specific market portion, niche or industry.


Personal blogs are probably what most people are familiar with. In fact, almost all of the original blogs started out as personal blogs. People didn't quite understand how to leverage this tool to promote products and services. (It was a quaint, innocent time back then!) Typically, on a personal blog, the blogger will share his or her thoughts and opinions. One of the things that really distinguishes personal blogs from the other two types is that the blogger typically really enjoys sharing and documenting their everyday life, their stream of consciousness thoughts and even their hate for "...that @^%$#^ music those hooligan college kids are playing, while they are on my lawn!"


(I'm not kidding about that - Yikes!)



The Target Audience


To really be successful with your blog, however, you should understand who your target audience is. Knowing this will help you structure your content and craft your style. You should know what they want, need and desire to read about. The blog you create and the content you publish must provide quality and value to the readers in order to be effective in establishing communication and expanding your readership.


The type of blog you want to create essentially creates its own target audience. For instance, an organizational blog is meant for those who are members or clients of a certain organization. Although the target audience may be limited, as long as you keep developing good, quality content for your target audience, then in all likelihood, you will attract more readers. But be careful what you wish for! You still have to interact with your readers, or else they may go somewhere else. Over time, if you stick with your plan, you should see your readership grow.


If you identify your target audience successfully, you will be more successful in targeting the message you want to share, and with a readership of people who are really interested in your topic. Some of the greatest rewards of blogging come from interacting and gaining new insights with your blog's readers.


I hope this article gave you some good insight into how you should think about planning your blog. If you'd like more information, feel free to contact me directly at ckauza 'at' FettMarketing.com. Next month we'll talk about small business blogging.


For more information, please visit Chris' TNNW Bio.

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NET-TECH REPORT: How To Plan Your Blog

BEYOND NETWORKING: BEING: Networking is not like what used to be

Beyond Networking: Being: with Ron Sukenick

Networking is not like what it used to be

(An Observation in action) December-2009

As we move into the year 2010 and beyond, there is allot to think about and understand as it relates to world of networking and business relationship development.

In fact, let me begin with a shocking statement that should take many of you including my colleagues by surprise.

Networking is DEAD.

And in my opinion, networking as we know it today has been dying a slow death since about 1995.

And, if you think that you’re going to continue doing what you have been doing as it relates to business networking, your making a big mistake.

Now don’t get offended by my statement. I really don’t mean any harm.

It’s just true.

In another soon to be released observation, I’ll be discussing what I call the “The Joy of Interaction” and what networking has in common.

But for now, let’s get back to this observation.

Here are the facts.

a. Networking is awkward for most people

b. Networking is hit and miss for most people

c. Networking is always situational

d. Networking in most instances is about individual success

e. Most networkers are not following up with people they meet

f. And last and most relevant is that networking is never about you. It’s always about the other person.

So with that said, I’ve chosen to make some suggestions on what you should consider doing to make the most form the business networking relationships you have developed and are in the process of developing.

And by doing so, you’ll get closer to making the most from your business networking relationships as you move through 2010.

Here are my 15 top suggestions

for greater networking success in 2010

1. Invest more time with people – The biggest investment you will make in building relationships and proving out a productive working relationship is TIME. Simply stated, the more you know and understand others, the more likely that relationship will flourish.

2. Become purpose driven – If building relationships are going to be at the fore-front of you networking activities, then you first have to strengthen your relationship with self. Self reflection, reason for being, purpose driven and vision is an important part of that process. If you don’t take the time to sit back and work on yourself, who will?

3. Create unparallel visibility – The bottom line for more business in 2010 is simply becoming more visible. That means getting targeted with face to face and on-line social networks. While Face book is a cool place to hang out, consider strengthening your profile and connection base on such sites as LinkedIn, and other industry specific portals to make more of a professional impact worldwide. Also, take a closer look at the micro sites that are more geographic to the area where you are marketing your services and creating impact. Some examples are –

www.SmallerIndiana.com (central Indiana) www.biznik.com (Pacific Northwest) etc.

4. Develop relationship strategies – Everyone talks about relationships. Now you can do something about it. A relationship strategy is anything that you can do that adds value to others. Strategies put you in command and control of your relationship mindset. Don’t just talk about it. Do something about it. Develop your strategies today. (if you would like a list of 15 top relationships strategies to begin working with), visit www.ronsukenick.com and under resources, feel free to download for FREE the Relationship Strategies Blueprint.

If you need help in getting them implemented, don’t hesitate to give me a call.

5. Relentlessly follow-up – -Think about some of the recent networking events you attended and ask yourself the following questions:

a/ From the 10-15 people you might of met, how many actually followed up with you by sending a note in the mail, an e-mail, or a phone call and said – “What a pleasure it was meeting you at the recent any-town Chamber of Commerce event”?

b/ In fact, ask yourself the same question – How many did you actually follow up with a note, an e-mail, or even a phone call?

See what I mean? I told you so. Nobody is following up with anybody.

If you need a simple follow-up system that works every-time, send an e-mail to rs@ronsukenick.com and I’ll send you what I call the “Magic of 6”.

What’s great about it is that it works every-time.

6. Be in a hurry – The biggest driving force in most countries continues to be speed. People want what they want, and they want it NOW! Take the moment and dance with it. Don’t wait to get better connected. And don’t wait to provide the support that’s needed now by the many people your meeting.

When you act on the environment, you being proactive and by being proactive, you’re generating excitement, energy, focus, and enthusiasm. Thus leading to greater success.

If most of your efforts are in the reactive mode, it’s simply a slower process and your generating fatigue, crisis management, thus often leading to failure.

7. Find ways to become more useful and resourceful to others – Simply stated, whatever you have done to satisfy anyone yesterday, it won’t be enough to satisfy them tomorrow. Make sense? I want to suggest that you immediately look for no less then 6 ways that you can become more useful and resourceful to others. Let me give you a hint. Keep meeting people. The more people you know that know what to do next, and know how to get things done, the more useful and resource you will be.

8. Increase you frequency of interaction – Increased interaction brings increased cooperation with others. To many times people fail to follow up with people their meeting. If you can get up to 6 interactions with anyone, it’s likely you’ll have a good beginning for a relationship that will never end. See my suggestion # 5 for more comments to support this suggestion.

9. Join a referral club – There is a distinction in the kinds of networks that exist. Go for the strong contact, referral giving groups. The BNI’s, LeTips and the newest and closely watched Gold Star Referral Club are for sure your best bet for the greatest return on your time and money invested. In fact, I’m a director with Gold Star and would be interested in you helping me build referral networks all over the country. Call me at 317-216-8210 TODAY!

10. Connect the Dots as often as you can (making the most from the Small World Phenomena) – When was the last time you heard that infamous expression – It’s such a Small World Isn’t It? – Keep in mind that the power in your networking efforts is always in the connection. And that the connection between you and the people your meeting, is never between you and the people your meeting. It’s between you, them, and something else that you have in common. If you want to learn more about this process, e-mail me for my article – “It’s such a small world isn’t it?”

11. Increase the rewardingness – If you want people to act the way you want them to act, you have to increase the rewards of being and doing business with you. Weather it’s knowing more people, becoming a better listener, or even just putting in a toll free number to reach you, people will always respond to something they like and appreciate. Keep the rewards coming.

12. Take the Joy of Interaction to higher levels – Let’s face it. The reason why you love this thing called networking is clearly because of what I call – The “Joy of Interaction”. Isn’t it fun? I didn’t say it was productive. I just said its fun. So when you’re out interacting with others, consider bringing the following characteristics to the table – fun, excitement, passion, creativity, dependability, responsibility and support. Make it a joyful experience for the people your meeting.

13. Go after the relationship, not just the sale – This is the very reason why most people find networking so in-effective. There going after the sale. When looking to build your business, think relationship first.

14. Don’t manage people (manage the system) – Systems build business and are more predictable and reliable. In a networking environment, it’s very difficult to get people to do what you want them to do, and if you could, it would have to be with their own willingness to get it done. My suggestion is that you stick to a predictable system that works every time.

If interested, go to YouTube and search for the Ron Sukenick Toaster story. It’s a metaphor for how you can build relationship with the use of a system. You will love it.

15. Listen three times as much – When you speak, you learn what you know. When you listen, you learn what others know. The power has always been in the listening. Here’s a good question you should ask yourself – When was the last time anyone said – Thanks for taking the time to listen? If it’s been while, go back to work and become a great listener.

In fact, great listeners, have great connections.

So when all is said and done

Stay focused, challenge your thinking and underlying beliefs, be more strategic, go after the relationship, connect the dots, make the connection, and always take the moment and dance with it.

For more information, please visit Ron's TNNW Bio.





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BEYOND NETWORKING: BEING: Networking is not like what used to be

BEYOND NETWORKING: BEING: What Could Be Better Than Leads?

Beyond Networking: Being with Ron Sukenick

You're on your way home from a networking event, and, well, you're rather pleased with yourself. Not only were you able to collect several dozen business cards while handing out a similar number of your own, but two individuals you met actually gave you "leads". Now you have in your proud possession the names and contact information for companies your networking friends think might be able to use your products and services. What could possibly be better than that?

And the answer is…(TV quiz show drum roll here) Referrals!

Let's backtrack a moment. In this Beyond Networking blog, remember, the goal is to reach further - and deeper - beyond traditional networking, getting to the point where networking really starts to work for us. The fact is, study after study demonstrates that your best clients meet you through an introduction from someone they already trust. In other words, the way to meet really good clients is through referrals.

Every sales training course (I've taken many and led many!) talks about referrals, and about how lack of commitment to getting referrals can limit a business person's success. Bill Cates, author of Get More Referrals, has something truly worthwhile to say about the big R's, something very much in tune with my Beyond Networking principles. A common error, Cates says, is making referrals be about you, where you, in the old sales-school style, explain to clients that your business is built on referrals. What the clients hear is that, in order for you to keep providing them with good client service, they need to help you grow your business by supplying names of their friends and associates.

"Clients give referrals only when they see the value in the work you do," Cates explains, suggesting that if a business is not getting referrals without asking, it's a signal something's wrong.

In coaching hundreds of people over the years, I've arrived at a very simple conclusion about all of this: R's (referrals) depend on R (relationship). As we continue to create deeper relationships with our clients, coworkers, and network contacts, referrals will follow. My book, The Power Is In The Connection, is all about relationships.

What's better - much, much better - than a lead? A relationship, and its inevitable result - a referral!

Ron Sukenick
Business Advisor / Relationship Strategist / Author / Connector
rs@ronsukenick.com
www.ronsukenick.com
317-216-8210
Check out my Radio Podcast’s
http://www.smallbizamerica.com/beyond

Let's get connected on LinkedIn
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/ron-sukenick/0/226/20a

“Certified Human Behavior Consultant”
Nominated 2009 "America's Most Influential Business Connector"

For more information, please visit Ron's TNNW Bio.

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BEYOND NETWORKING: BEING: What Could Be Better Than Leads?

BEYOND NETWORKING: NETBEING: Is NOT Position Dancing!

Beyond Networking: NetBeing with Ron Sukenick

Have you ever been to a square dance? I remember being at a square dancing event awhile back. One particular thing the instructor said then stuck in my mind.

Each "square", you'll recall, is made up of four couples. The couple with their backs to the caller (the instructor who calls out the moves) and the couple facing the caller are called "The Heads", while the other two couples are "The Sides". So, when the instruction is given, "Heads, pass through!", only those four people of the Head Couples are supposed to move, while the "Sides" wait their turn. Two measures of music later, you might have changed from being a "Head" to a "Side". Everything went according to your position in the square at the moment of the "call". I remember Max, the caller, stressing that idea, explaining that square dancing is position dancing. That description is what stuck in my mind all these years.

Here's why I'm recalling Max's words now: I realize that traditional networking is almost exactly like square dancing! At networking events, each of us was trying his best to connect with certain other individuals because of their positions! Say I sold a product or service that was appropriate for hospital rooms. I would've been particularly interested in meeting you because of your position - either you worked for a hospital or sold a different kind of product or service to hospitals and had an "in" with different hospitals. I really wasn't interested in you as a person, nor did I expect you to want to know me as an individual. Our purpose lay in our respective positions! .

NetBeing goes several steps beyond networking. NetBeing has a person-to-person focus, and links creativity, ideas, and resources, not just "leads". In a way, NetBeing is more like improvisational modern dancing, where the synergy of each dancer's vision comes together with the other dancers' visions to make beautiful movement together.

So, what about success? What about getting the leads we need to get ahead in our careers? And, if no one knows who's a "Head" and who's a "Side" at any point in time, won't we just collide so that nothing gets accomplished? The a-ma-a-a-zing answer to that questions is - that's not at all what happens with connecting and NetBeing!

Once we broaden our focus and begin to build connections that transcend position, wonderful rewards start to happen for everyone. But, before we can enjoy those rewards, we need to break out of those set positions - so we can really DANCE!

Ron Sukenick
Business Advisor / Relationship Strategist / Author / Connector
rs@ronsukenick.com
www.ronsukenick.com
317-216-8210
Check out my Radio Podcast’s
http://www.smallbizamerica.com/beyond

Let's get connected on LinkedIn
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/ron-sukenick/0/226/20a

“Certified Human Behavior Consultant”

For more information, please visit Ron's TNNW Bio.


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BEYOND NETWORKING: NETBEING: Is NOT Position Dancing!

POWER THOUGHT OF THE WEEK: Building Powerful Relationships, Part 4

Power Thought of the Week with Patricia Parham, Ph.D.

Showing Appreciation for Favors Received

Find unique ways to express appreciation for a favor received. Occasionally, it means responding in kind. Rarely is an email, twitter or E-card compelling – they’re fast, cheap and easy and take little thought. More often a written note or a singing telegram or a box of golf tees has the potential to surprise and delight one who has gifted you. Personal artistic creations, such as poems or pictures, can be tailored to strike the right chord of gratitude. Be creative!

Patricia A. Parham
Parham Enterprises
www.parhamenterprises.com

For more information, please visit Patricia's TNNW Bio.

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POWER THOUGHT OF THE WEEK: Building Powerful Relationships, Part 4

WORKING WITHIN: Networking From A Different Perspective

Working Within with Leanne Hoagland-Smith

What is networking? Where does networking take place? Business professionals have their own definition and favorite geographic locations.

Yet, the power of networking to build loyal customers, centers of influence and strategic partnerships is being greatly diminished because the definition has been somewhat corrupted in the haste to increase sales.

Lillian Bjorseth, author of Breakthrough Networking, provides one of the best definitions that I have read. Networking is “mutually beneficial relationships.” For many business professionals to small business owners to C Level Executives, the focus of networking is very much about external beneficial relationships. Yet, if we believe Lillian’s definition is accurate, then why is business networking restricted to external relationships for so many? This focus, on external relationships, is the source of corruption.

In attempt to bring the focus on networking back to its primary origins, this column, “Working Within” will be on the internal relationships within any business and how by using the same or similar external networking behaviors can dramatically improve business results. As Marcel Proust once wrote, “the true voyage of discovery is not seeking new landscapes, but seeing the same landscape with new eyes.”

Just imagine for a moment if you could establish mutually beneficial relationships between your internal customers (your employees). How would these “working within” relationships:

Reduce costs?

Improve productivity?

Increase team building?

Create a culture of high performance?

Build a following of loyal external customers?

Unfortunately due to the human condition as well as current business practices, many organizations are a series of unconnected silos (think the word “departments”) where employees operate in isolation and start to believe that everyone else in the organization is uncooperative. There are existing individual beliefs combined with the cultural conditioning from the organization that reinforce chasms between those department procedures and protocols. These communication chasms only further contribute to the multitude of reasons not to build internal relationships. The old expression “people leave managers and not companies” is a reflection of how internal networking is not valued.

With human capital talent being the most expensive asset in all organizations and the most under valued, building mutually beneficial internal relationships makes just good business sense. Now is the time to reconsider networking from an internal perspective. You just may be surprised as to the improvement in your bottom line.

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WORKING WITHIN: Networking From A Different Perspective

BEYOND NETWORKING: NETBEING: Look Back to Move Forward: Taking the Moment & Dancing With It

Beyond Networking: NetBeing with Ron Sukenick

Taking the moment and dancing with it is truly an art. By going back in time and rediscovering connections from the past, you’re doing just that. Look up someone from your past, and “notice” if there is a shift possible for a new relationship to emerge.

Here's how to go about finding some of those wonderful relationships you had in the past.

Listed below are a few websites to aid you in your search:

• www.WhoWhere.com

The leading communications guide enabling people and businesses worldwide to find, connect and collaborate with each other by providing directories of email.

• www.AnyWho.com

Use AnyWho to find: phone numbers, addresses, maps & directions for Business and People in the US.

• www.whitepages.com

Find a person with either first name, last name, city or zip code.

• www.zabasearch.com

Free People Search and Public Information Search Engine

• www.reunitetonight.com

This website advertises the largest database of phone and address records.

Keep in mind that some of the companies above may charge you to provide the information you are requesting. There is no cost for you to just type in the name of the person you are looking for. Don't be surprised if the person just happens to pop up in any of the popular search engines on the Internet. This typically works really well when the person you are looking for has gained some kind of visibility in their current profession, i.e. a historical person, a singer, or a published author.

Results are available instantly.

With that said, go for it. Search out as many individuals from your past with whom you want to reconnect. Begin the process of rebuilding those incredible relationships you loved from the past; the process of taking yesteryear's relationships and bringing them into the present. In essence, you're continuing on the path of NetBeing!

Good Luck, and keep me informed about how this works for you.

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

For more, please visit Ron's TNNW Bio.

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BEYOND NETWORKING: NETBEING: Look Back to Move Forward: Taking the Moment & Dancing With It

POWERTHOUGHT OF THE WEEK: Building Stronger Relationships, Part 4

Power Thought of the Week with Patricia Parham, Ph.D.

Showing Appreciation for Favors Received
Find unique ways to express appreciation for a favor received. Occasionally, it means responding in kind. Rarely is an email, twitter or E-card compelling – they’re fast, cheap and easy and take little thought. More often a written note or a singing telegram or a box of golf tees has the potential to surprise and delight one who has gifted you. Personal artistic creations, such as poems or pictures, can be tailored to strike the right chord of gratitude. Be creative!

Patricia A. Parham
Parham Enterprises
www.parhamenterprises.com

For more information, please see Patricia's TNNW Bio.



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POWERTHOUGHT OF THE WEEK: Building Stronger Relationships, Part 4

POWERTHOUGHT OF THE WEEK: Building Powerful Relationships, Part 3

Power Thought of the Week

with Patricia Parham, Ph.D.

Keeping in Touch
Keeping in touch is more than forwarding the latest jokes or pictures; it’s about making a meaningful connection -- share a thought, a resource, or the name of an outstanding restaurant – something of import to the recipient. It’s also appropriate to express sincere interest. There are no hard and fast rules about frequency – that’s totally dependent on the relationship and your shared expectations. Once you set up these boundaries, it’s important to keep them.

Patricia A. Parham
Parham Enterprises
www.parhamenterprises.com

For more information, please see Patricia's TNNW Bio.


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POWERTHOUGHT OF THE WEEK: Building Powerful Relationships, Part 3

POWERTHOUGHT OF THE WEEK: Building Powerful Relationships, Part 2

Power Thought of the Week

with Patricia Parham, Ph.D.

Offering Unconditional Favors

Sharing information or offering to help solve a problem provides an opportunity to explore and potentially deepen a relationship. Never give with the expectation of return. Pay it forward and watch your gift return to you multiplied ten-fold. Because of this law of energy, always think positive thoughts, say positive things, and give more than is required or expected. Being labeled, “Generous” creates its own momentum.

Patricia A. Parham
Parham Enterprises
www.parhamenterprises.com

For more information, please see Patricia's TNNW Bio.



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POWERTHOUGHT OF THE WEEK: Building Powerful Relationships, Part 2

POWER THOUGHT OF THE WEEK: Building Powerful Relationships, Part 1

Power Thought of the Week with Patricia Parham, Ph.D.

Showing Respect and Positive Regard

Politeness and pleasantries are just the beginning of showing respect and positive regard. These must be authentic, for people are more perceptive than animals, which definitely know when we don’t like them. Flattery, too, can be easily misconstrued. Positive feedback on a specific action or result and its impact shows that you have been paying attention and taking note of another’s accomplishments. Try it!

Patricia A. Parham
Parham Enterprises
www.parhamenterprises.com

For more information, please see Patricia's TNNW Bio.



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POWER THOUGHT OF THE WEEK: Building Powerful Relationships, Part 1

BEYOND NETWORKING: BEING: “Great Listeners Have Great Connection”

Beyond Networking: Being with Ron Sukenick

As many of you know, listening is one of the most sought after marketing tools of all time.

In fact, why is it so hard to find a good listener?

Here’s another question - When was the last time anyone said to you - Thanks for taking the time to listen?

Has it been awhile?

So without further ado, allow me to share a few of the many great listening quotes that are out there.

If you have a favorite listening quote, please don’t to hesitate to send it to me.

I can always get better at this thing called – listening.

Enjoy.


The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood. The best way to understand people is to listen to them. — Ralph Nichols


Effective listeners remember that "words have no meaning - people have meaning." The assignment of meaning to a term is an internal process; meaning comes from inside us. And although our experiences, knowledge and attitudes differ, we often misinterpret each other’s messages while under the illusion that a common understanding has been achieved. — Larry Barker


Our first responsibility as effective listeners is to understand ourselves as communicators. Just as the sources of the communication message shout are trained in self-intrapersonal communication, so, too, should listeners know themselves? — Carolyn Coakley

Every person in this life has something to teach me -- and as soon as I accept that, I open myself to truly listening. — Catherine Doucette

We listen in order to learn and retain information. If we are speaking, we are not listening or learning anything to add to our sum of knowledge. This is why the first step to effective listening is to stop talking! — Ken Fracaro

Listening effectively to others can be the most fundamental and powerful communication tool of all. When someone is willing to stop talking or thinking and begin truly listening to others, all of their interactions become easier, and communication problems are all but eliminated. — Ken Johnson

The contrast between hearing and really listening can be as different as night and day. And in a business environment, not listening effectively to customers, employees, and peers can mean the difference between success and failure. — Ken Johnson

Listening well is as powerful a means of communication and influence as to talk well. — John Marshall

When making personal decisions, listen to what your head says; then listen to what your heart says. If they differ, follow your heart! Whenever you listen to your heart, you listen to that part of you that is most interested in your well-being. — Anonymous


This is a time to give the gift of listening. There are an unknowable but very large number of folks who could really be helped with our listening to them. I know your hearts are all very warm and giving. Please, take time to listen to those around you.
- Richard D. Halley,



My only advice is to stay aware, listen carefully and yell for help if you need it. — Judy Blume

I tell you everything that is really nothing, and nothing of what is everything, do not be fooled by what I am saying. Please listen carefully and try to hear what I am not saying. — Charles C. Finn


History repeats itself because no one listens the first time. — Anonymous

A vocal competition in which the one who is catching his breath is called the listener. — Anonymous

The older I grow the more I listen to people who don’t talk much. — Germain G. Glien

The right to be heard does not automatically include the right to be taken seriously. — Humphrey Hubert

One advantage of talking to yourself is that you know at least somebody’s listening. — Franklin P. Jones

Just because I didn’t do what you told me, doesn’t mean I wasn’t listening to you! — Hank Ketcham

The opposite of talking is not listening. The opposite of talking is waiting. — Fran Lebowitz

Congress is so strange. A man gets up to speak and says nothing, nobody listens and then everybody disagrees. — Will Rogers

Make sure you have finished speaking before your audience has finished listening. — Dorothy Sarnoff

A good listener is a good talker with a sore throat. — Katharine Whitehorn


It seems that we shall eventually come to believe that the responsibility for effective oral communication must be equally shared by speakers and listeners. When this transpires, we shall have taken a long stride toward greater economy in learning, accelerated personal growth, and significantly deepened human understanding. — Ralph NicholsI

Talk less--you will automatically learn more, hear more, see more--and make fewer blunders. — Mark McCormack


You talk, you repeat what you already know; when you listen, and you often learn something. — Jared Sparks


- Ron Sukenick

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

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BEYOND NETWORKING: BEING: “Great Listeners Have Great Connection”

TURNING CONTACTS INTO RELATIONSHIPS: Business Cards and Little Rubber Bands

Turning Contacts into Relationships with Michelle Bergquist

How many business cards with little rubber bands wrapped around them do you have on your desk right now? If you're networking and making connections, you probably have a few stacks of business cards strewn about with rubber bands around them all over your desk and workstation, right?

Think about this. Business cards sitting on your desk provide no value to you if you aren't interacting and communicating with the contacts you've met via networking. If you're like most professionals, finding a way to get business cards of people you've met into a database or contact management system is a big, big challenge. The other challenge is, once you get your contacts into a database, how do you manage all those contacts and relationships? Below are three tips and suggestions to managing your contacts and relationships more effectively.

1) Get all your contacts into one central database or contact management system. Don't keep clients in one system and prospects in another. Get every single contact you have into one central hub or database. Whether you use Act!, Goldmine, Salesforce.com or some other database system, the first step to managing your contacts more effectively is to keep everyone you know or that you've met in one central system.

2) Give a "code name" to your contacts and relationships as you enter them into your database. From clients to prospects to referral sources, give contacts a title as to their relationship to you. Lumping everyone into one database does you no good if you can't tell what relationship a contact has to you and what potential they may have to you in the future. Coding also works to categorize other contacts such as former colleagues, co-workers, bosses, college buddies, business associates, vendor relationships, etc. Every contact you know should be given a "code name" as to who they are and their relationship to you.

3) Categorize how you met a contact or business relationship. If you network and generate leads from different sources, you need to know how you met a key contact or relationship. Have a separate field in your database to code how you met someone and how they came to know you. Whether you made contact at a specific networking function, trade show or event, coding how you met someone can be valuable to you in tracking where you met your best clients or referral sources over time.

Relationship management is just as important as financial management is to business and success. To be more effective and successful in our challenging business climate means taking a different approach to interacting with your best contacts and relationships. Having business cards sitting on your desk do nothing to provide opportunity unless you organize and manage your business relationships more effectively.

Go therefore and get those business cards off your desk and into a database system so you close more business, repeat business and referrals! Organize your contacts and relationships more effectively so you achieve better business results!
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Michelle Bergquist believes that when it comes to business and success, it's all about relationships! As business consultant, author, national speaker and corporate trainer to companies and associations throughout the United States, Bergquist entertains and educates small groups, conference attendees and large corporate audiences. Michelle's book, "How to Build a Million Dollar Database" is quickly becoming the expert authority on how to build a powerful database full of priceless connections and business relationships. Michelle's book is available online at http://www.michellebergquist.com/ or http://www.amazon.com/. If you're looking for a keynote speaker, workshop leader or emcee for your next meeting, conference or event, call 800-438-6132 or visit http://www.michellebergquist.com/.
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TURNING CONTACTS INTO RELATIONSHIPS: Business Cards and Little Rubber Bands

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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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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NET-TECH REPORT: What Inspires You?