Glen Gould

This is perhaps the hardest thing to do. When you are given the opportunity to tell people what you do you may think that you must tell them everything you do. After all, this is your one chance and we need to cast a wide net. We live in a multiple-choice society and everyone expects that you will have multiple offerings. And you should. However if you wish to be the top of mind choice, you must be known as a specialist in something.

In day-to-day networking efforts, you should focus your message toward a specific solution your prospective networking partners will be hoping to fill. It is important that you make it easy for your networking partners to think of you first when they hear someone has a need that you can solve.

You can own that top of mind position in your category by being consistent when you tell people what you do. People will bring you referrals based on the picture you draw for them of your client. Be sure to draw a picture of an ideal client. That way your networking partners will bring you more of what you want and less of what you don’t.

Resist the temptation to talk about what you do in a way that sounds like you want to sell everyone in the room your product or service. Specialists are rarely seen selling products and services. Specialists are problem solvers.

Above all else, keep to one thing. Gone are the days of generalists. When our foot hurts we see a podiatrist. When someone has a need that you can fill, you need to be known as the specialist.

Specialists command higher fees, have fewer unhappy clients, and subsequently do better work since they continue to hone their craft in a specific area. Of course you’ll have other offerings and you’ll do other things, but your specialty will provide you with a steady and reliable source of quality referrals.

Being able to provide good service, low prices, and fast turn around is essentially what everyone expects as a minimum qualification to do business. What you must do is provide something no one else does. That something is being a specialist.

Today you can spark an economic revolution. Are you up for the challenge?

It has been said that environment is a direct reflection of the people in it. If you want to change the environment, just change the people. Shouldn’t this apply to our economic situation as well? So how do we change the local economy? By changing the way the people interact and do business. When each of us becomes more focused on helping our friends, neighbors, and local businesses, everyone will experience an economic revival and it starts by referring friends and acquaintances to people we know.

And best of all, it’s not a new skill to learn. You’ve already referred people to others before. Maybe you referred a friend to a local dry cleaners or auto mechanic. Perhaps you helped someone find a store in town when asked, or maybe you just conveyed well wishes from one friend to another. These are all forms of networking. Everyone is networking all the time, whether for business, charity or friendship, networking is a part of all our lives.

Networking is and has been one of the most relied upon ways for small and large businesses alike to build their business base. Networking is cost effective, easily measured for success or failure, and often times fun! It brings great joy to know that you have helped someone address a need or solve a problem

Most everyone knows that a customer that comes to us through word of mouth promotion is very likely to be one who will become a loyal customer and one who will send us future referrals. But did you know that a potential contributor to your favorite charity will donate more money more often if they have a personal or networked relationship with that charity? Even our relationships are enhanced when we are referred to a potential new friend. As the saying goes, “Any friend of yours is a friend of mine”. What most people don’t know is they can control to a large extent the quantity and quality of the referrals they receive.

There is a golden rule in networking as there is in life; treat others the way you wish to be treated. In business, local business owners wish for local consumers to shop in their store. As consumers, we wish for businesses to give us excellent service, quality, and value for the price we pay. Whether buying or selling, we wish for others to consider our needs.

People do business with people they know, like, and trust. Being known happens when people become familiar with you through repeated exposure. While being referred by others and advertising helps, being known in a way that leads to being liked and trusted is best accomplished through personal interaction. That means you would be well served by attending events and meetings regularly.

But often times we find the same people attending regular meetings of chambers of commerce and other associations and we mistakenly begin to believe that there is not much of a reason to continue attending those events. After all, we’ve pretty much fished this pond out, right?

Nothing could be further from the truth. Studies show that less than ten percent of people will do business with someone new in a group within the first three encounters. While the vast majority who will do business with you will do so within the fourth to seventh encounter, additional studies show that nearly one third of all business you will do will occur after the eighth encounter with that person. Why?

It takes time and familiarity for people to believe you are trustworthy. Until we buy your product or service we have to rely on your actions to gauge your effectiveness. Regular attendance provides evidence that you are consistent and consistency is a trait of those we rely upon. We begin to trust people when we can predict their actions. It’s like making a deposit in the bank of our trust each time we see you at a chamber event or meeting.

Attending meetings at your chamber puts you in a room with like-minded business professionals. This improves the likelihood that you’ll be liked. Attending regularly provides evidence you can be trusted.

Get involved at your chamber and you’ll become known by your persistence, liked by your availability, and trusted by your predictable regular attendance.

Today we manage more relationships than ever before.  And with social media driving the relationship model, we often find ourselves “friends” with people we’ve never met.  Many people today find themselves overwhelmed.  Between family, friends, and work, we find ourselves pulled in so many directions we often don’t know what to do.  This often leads to procrastination.

Procrastination is when choice meets confusion.  Given options but no direction results in procrastination.  Simply put, since we don’t know what to do we choose to do nothing.

While procrastination in our lives is counter-productive, procrastinating when it comes to our relationships can be devastating.  How many times have we thought we ought to call or write a friend or loved one but failed to do so?  Keeping in touch with the ones we love is often the hardest thing to do.  We know we should, but how?  You need a plan.

Here’s a simple system to stay in touch:

1. Create your list - list everyone you appreciate, care about, love, and generally wish to stay in contact with
2. Ask each person for their physical address and their birth date (no need for year)
3. In your Daytimer, calendar, or Outlook, enter each person’s name at the beginning of the month in which their birth date falls and at the beginning of the month six months after their birth date.
4. Choose two holidays where everyone will hear from you.  While it may seem obvious to choose Christmas and New Years Day, consider different holidays (e.g. President’s Day, Labor Day, Memorial Day, or even Groundhog Day)
5. On a day of your choosing near the end of each month send a card to everyone on the list for the coming month.  You will be sending a card for birthdays, two holidays, and one day of no significance six months opposite each person’s birthday.

Of course you can substitute a phone call if you wish, but be certain to use a card for the birthday. You’ll be showing appreciation for each person on your list several times a year.  They will know how much you care and you’ll find that you feel better about yourself and your relationships.  Try this system - it works!

How busy are you?  Perhaps a better question would be, “Are you busy living or busy doing?”

We fill our days with tasks.  Important tasks.  Things that must be done or………..well or what?

The vast majority of people are on auto-pilot.  They engage in the same activity day after day.  If you charted their week by charting each day, you’d find that they wake up at the same time, brush their teeth the same way, and leave for work about the same time. Their work is mostly routine.  They sit in traffic with the same people and watch the same shows on television each night.  People are creatures of habit.

But what about living?  It’s been said that you’ve never lived until you’ve almost died.  Sadly today we have news that confirms that some believe this to be true so much that they try to live through near death experiences.

But the inspired life is one filled with wonder and awe of living!  Inspired life comes from a combination of truly seeking the magnificence in creation every day and by purposefully engaging in the experience of life.  When we fail to see or smell the flowers, we’re likely engaged in doing rather than living.

Inspired living comes naturally when you live your life congruent with your purpose.  Part of every persons purpose is to marvel at God’s creation:  Dew drops on leaves in the morning, the sunrise or sunset you enjoy with a loved one, the smell of freshly cut grass, hearing from an old friend, and watching children at play are just a few of the things that make up life.

All too often we engage in activity to fill our day so that we feel alive, failing to recognize the simplest things that make up living.  It’s a never-ending battle, a battle that cannot be won.

If you’re finding yourself busier than ever and feeling less fulfilled, stop for a few moments each day and ask, “Is this what I want to do with my life?”  “Is this congruent with who I really am?”

One thing is certain.  You will fill your day.  The good news is you get to choose what you fill your day with.  Begin and end each day with gratitude, and fill your day with a sense of purpose and awe.  We have a fantastic life.  Live it inspired.