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Posts tagged "Networking" (Page 2)
I’m asked by financial advisors (and other sales folks) from time to time if there was just one thing that needs to be done to grow a practice, what would it be? Kind of reminds me of that classic scene in City Slickers. You know the one! Jack Palance (Curly): “Do you know what the secret of life is? One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and the rest don’t mean ****.” Billy Crystal (Mitch): “But, what is the one thing?” Jack Palance (Curly): “That’s what you have to find out.” Well, I’m not sure what the secret of life is but I do know it takes more than just “one thing” to be a successful financial advisor. So here are six things…
Continue Reading “Just One Thing…”
Posted by Michael Goldberg in Business, Networking. Leave a Comment
To have a meaningful conversation, you must ask meaningful questions. If your questions are about the weather and other topics that aren’t significant, your conversation will not be meaningful—unless we’re about to have a big storm. Even if you don’t feel like you’re in an environment that is a true networking environment—like a holiday party—it’s still an opportunity to consider the five reasons people network: to get more business, to land a job, to solve a problem, to get ideas or learn something, or to make social connections. The extent to which your conversation is meaningful is directly proportional to the quality of questions that you ask. That’s always what it comes down to. One great way to start a conversation is to mention something…
Continue Reading “How to Start a Meaningful Conversation”
Posted by Michael Goldberg in Business, Networking. Leave a Comment
So let’s continue from where we left off. Did you start your day early? How early? Were you productive? Even if you were a bit sluggish right off the bat, I bet you still got more done than if you started at your typical time. Try it again tomorrow. You may be surprised that once you do this for a few days, it won’t even bother you anymore. And, your production will increase tremendously! What else can you do? 2. Start and end every day with a to-do list Maybe two lists – one consists of people (prospects, clients, return calls), and the other is tasks (thank you notes, proposals, contracts, case analysis, document reviews). You could devote a set amount of time for the…
Continue Reading “6 Ways to Give It 100% All Day, Every Day (cont.)”
Posted by Michael Goldberg in Business. Leave a Comment
Networking is about learning from and potentially helping people. That’s it! Networking is NOT about selling a product or service or handing out resumes. If you learn from and potentially help the right people, they tend to help you right back! The essence of networking is knowing what you want (more business, land a job, learn something, solve a problem, social reasons), going to the right places (associations, chambers of commerce, conferences, networking groups, alumni organizations, social clubs), saying the right things (strong intro, asking good questions, delivering an elevator pitch, exchanging business cards, creating interest and engagement), meeting the right people (those that can help you accomplish your goal – economic buyer, hiring manager, referral source), and following up the right way (promptly making…
Continue Reading “How do you Network?”
Posted by Michael Goldberg in Business, Networking. Leave a Comment
The essence of networking is being able to relate to other people, empathize with them, and have a giving nature. If you can make other people feel good about what you do and say, that feeds into every networking approach that I can think of. Keep this in mind when you practice the little things all day, every day.
Posted by Michael Goldberg in Business, Networking. Leave a Comment
It’s exciting to start a new job, career, or whatever. It’s easy to share your excitement and exuberance with those you know and even people you meet. In sales, it’s key to channel this excitement into a targeted strategy. The more people that know what you do and how they can potentially help, the better. Not easy though for two reasons. One, people don’t want to be sold anything – especially something they perceive they don’t need or want. And two, people generally care more about themselves than about you. Given this, you need an approach that is clear, targeted, genuine, and collaborative. Get in the habit of asking people about their work and current focus. Offer your help or support if you can. When…
Continue Reading “How do I spread the word about my new career? How do I tell people what I do?”
Posted by Michael Goldberg in Business, Networking Questions. Leave a Comment
It is my belief that, other than possibly curing a disease, you can accomplish almost anything through networking. If you know with whom you need to speak, where you need to go and what you need to say, you can make tremendous progress. Networking is a gateway to solving problems and meeting the people you need to meet, with everything you do, in every aspect of life. My definition of networking is a proactive approach to meeting people so that you can learn something and potentially help them. That’s it! Networking is simply about learning and helping. Not you—them. Let me repeat, not you—them. If you do a great job at learning about the business people you are with and helping them, they will help…
Continue Reading “What is Networking — Really?”
Posted by Michael Goldberg in Business, Networking Questions. Leave a Comment
So, I’m in the airport and I see this sign: What do you think? Should you be networking? Of course you should! Think about who you need to meet and therefore where you need to go and what you need to say. Help others do the same. Talk to clients, attend meetings, and give referrals. Build this into your calendar today! Happy Networking!
Posted by Michael Goldberg in Networking Questions. Leave a Comment
Sales people are funny. Real funny. Especially those in the financial services industry. (Financial advisors are particularly hysterical.) Why? Because even after taking my program and being primed on the rules of networking, many forget (or somehow haven’t yet realized) that networking and selling are two completely different things. Then again, maybe it’s me. Here is a question an advisor wrote me after a lot of back and forth through email and coaching sessions on the concept of networking. It’s a question I get a lot in my networking seminars – usually from the funny ones that struggle with networking. The last few days I have been introduced to people along the way. Sometimes it is only an hour lunch or over drinks. More often…
Continue Reading “Why So Funny?”
Posted by Michael Goldberg in Networking Questions. Leave a Comment
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