Bad Networking Training

I could see if happening from afar.  The young sales woman was making her rounds.  I knew that she was new to the sales world and had received direction from her sales manager -- a uneducated sales manager.

Picture this, the young sales person approached each and every person with her business card extended, like a ticket to get on the ride.  Every person got the same treatment.  She asked for their card, too.  I'm sure her instructions were to pass out as many cards as possible and to gain as many in return.  As I observed her, she didn't stop to talk with anyone.  Her goal was in numbers -- the largest amount of cards to give away and to take back to the office. 

But you and I know that her manager is training her for failure.  None of those people will remember her when she uses her time to make call backs the following day.  She was just a blur to them, not memorable at all.

So sales managers of the world, please do me a favor!

Please ask your sales people to have a conversation with 3-4 people.  They can ask them what they do, what they like about their job, types of clients they are looking for or even what brought them to the networking event.  At the end of that short conversation, she can make a decision as to whether she wants or needs their business card.  And for the ones that count she can make an appointment right there at the event.

What training have you received from a sales manager, good or bad?

Be a Hero, Invite!

Recently I was at a networking event where I met a really neat and helpful person.  We are planning to share a cup of coffee and further conversation in January.  What's really mind-boggling about this meeting is that this person was a guest of someone else at the event.  It was a one-time happening and he probably has no reason to visit ever again.

That's one miracle of you inviting your friends to go to networking events with you. But there are more than one!

Miracle #1 - Your guest may be the very person that another member is trying to meet and would have no other way of making that happen. 

Miracle #2 - Your guest may meet a member who can help them to solve a problem or issue.  Again hero status for you.

Miracle #3 - Your guest may see you in an entirely different light and in doing so may  better understand how you can be helped. Do I see a smile poking around the corners of your mouth?

This time of year is when everyone is focused on their goals for the next twelve months.  Mine is that I will ask one person per week to be my guest at whatever networking event is looming of the horizon.  I know that not everyone will come, but asking is the first step in turning into Wonder Woman!

What networking goals have you set for this year?

It Makes Me Think

Several years ago I was talking with my friend, Matt Lohr, who works for mechanical contractor, Campbell Inc.  He shared with me a pithy comment that the owner, Keith Campbell, once was heard to make.

Keith was asked why he poured so much money into training his employees, when they might leave him for a better opportunity.  Keith's answer was priceless as far as I'm concerned.

He said, "I'd rather train them and have them leave than not and have them stay."

Of course that hits my button because I'm the owner of a training company, but it can really be a comment about just about anything.  Basically it says, I'm going the extra mile because I know it is good for me AND for everyone involved.

What do you do that might seem crazy to the next person, but in your heart and mind you know it is the best path to follow?

For me it is to continue to meet with young people and new business owners to help them to learn how to network even though as a rule neither has the money to take my course.

Connext Nation Monthly Book Report

Our guest blogger today is Don Kardux, President of Business Navigators.  He reads voraciously and provides a book report each month for the Connext Nation newsletter.  We have changed the format of the newsletter so we are going to have Don appear here once per month with his favorite book of the month.


This month's choice is:
Switch; How to Change Things When Change is Hard
by Chip and Dan Heath

"There is this Elephant and on his back is a Rider with reins and there is a path.
That's it, that's the summary of Chip & Dan's book.
The Elephant is our large emotional side
The Rider is our rational  side.
The path can be anywhere we decide to go.

From the book's introduction, "If you want to change things,  you have to appeal to both.  The Rider provides the planning and direction and the Elephant provides the energy. So if you reach the Riders of your team but not the Elephant, team members will have understanding without motivation.  If you reach the Elephant but not their Riders, they will have passion without direction.  A reluctant Elephant and a wheel-spinning Rider can both ensure that nothing changes.  But when Elephants and Riders move together, change can come easily."

Thanks, Don, this is such a simple explanation of a giant issue.  As I sat here reading this I wondered if my Elephant is fully engaged!

What path is your Elephant and Rider on?

Obligatory Card

OK, I feel like the Grinch here, but I just have to say my piece! 

The other day I received an e-Christmas (holiday) greeting from a business colleague.  Well, let me rephrase that!

I received the missive from this person's administrative assistant on this person's behalf.

Now, I am no dummy.  I know that there are plenty of secretaries and administrative assistants that have signed their boss' name and addressed the company card and sent them out without the boss ever touching them, but at least they PRETENDED like the boss sent them.

Instead of feeling joyous I felt less than! 

Then I wondered if I was just jealous because I have give up sending out Christmas cards.  I don't have time to do it well.... or I don't make time to do it.  (I grew up in a household where my parents sent out over 700 cards every year with a personal message on each and every one. And my dad helped with that chore, too.)

So maybe I'm a dinosaur.  But please save yourself time.  Don't send me a holiday card unless you can personally enter into the transaction.

What do you think?

Networking Failure

OK, I must admit, I was a failure at networking the other night.

I was invited to a business friend's holiday open house.  I arrived late into the party, so that it was in full swing.  In fact, I could hardly get in!  The place was so crowded that it was difficult to move around.  I couldn't get to the coat closet, so there I was walking around with my stick-on name tag on my coat.  I tried to find my friend, just to deliver my greetings to no avail.

Everyone was into their own conversations and didn't exhibit open networking body language.  So here is what I bravely did -- I ate an appetizer and left.  Yep, that's right, I left, the networking guru gave up.

I've thought about it since then and here are some conclusions.

1.  Go to the party when it begins if you can.  (I had appointments, so I couldn't that evening.)

2.  I didn't have far to walk so I could have left my coat in the car even though it was cold.

3.  I would have emailed my friend the day of the party to let him know that I would be there but later and perhaps, just perhaps, he would have looked for me.

4.  Nothing else at this time, but I am sure tonight in the middle of the night I'll think of something.

What would you recommend?

Another Goodbye

The thing about relationships is that they are wonderful!

The thing about relationships is that at the same time they can be painful.

Today, Steve and I decided that our wonderful little brown, stripped, tabby cat, Maizy, was not living a good life.  So a little after five this evening we said a sad goodbye to her as Doc Martin helped to ease her from this life.  Our new puppy, Gable, has made it his job to torment her with his antics and last night she finally nailed him with a claw to his dew flap.  This frail little cat had a hold of that flap of skin pulling it away from his mouth.  I wanted to do a cheer leading jump in her triumph.  In the old days, the other four dogs that are no longer here either, knew who was the head of the household and it wasn't any of the four.  They would steer a wide path around her especially when she was sitting on the ottoman at the perfect height to slash with those ever sharp claws.

It has been sixteen fun years with her since she appeared at our window one summer evening as a very small kitten.  The best memory is of her running around with a lime green cast on one hind leg after being stepped on by one of the giant dogs. The vet had told us to keep her quiet, but he forgot to tell her.  She even fell into the water garden pond while jumping from rock to rock.  Evidently she was no worse for wear when the cast came of many weeks later.

I will miss Maizy, but know that in the past couple days her congestive heart failure was worsening.  I am sad.