The Power of Networking
The Power of Networking
How powerful is your network? What would happen if you got fired today? What would happen if you had to fold your business and declare bankruptcy? What would happen if a loved one needed emergency medical surgery not covered by insurance and it was a matter of life and death? How many people in your network would be able to really help you out when the going gets tough? Would you be able to pick up the phone, call up one of your contacts, and get a decent job referral or have them lend you some money to tie you over?
This might sound like too serious and morbid a topic to even think about during the holiday season, but let’s face it – many employers wait until after the holidays to break the bad news, and many businesses fold after a bad holiday shopping season. So if you haven’t asked yourself this question, now is a good time to ask and honestly answer the question.
Do you think that someone you haven’t called in months, maybe years, is going to open up their wallet or rolodex and help you out of the kindness of their heart. Maybe. And that’s a BIG maybe. But in all likelihood, I think not. In fact, it would be insulting to the person and demeaning to you, that you never bothered to stay in touch, and are only calling to hit them up for some money. In some cases, people do have the financial and/or human resources to help out; but it’s more likely they will help out someone they know and trust over a stranger.
Networking is not about handing out and collecting business cards. It’s about developing relationships. It’s about picking up the phone and calling people and staying in touch with them. Do something nice for someone in your network. Refer them a lead for their business. Offer to help them out on a project or to lend a helping hand if they’re moving. They’ll remember you for it.
Stay in touch! And for heaven’s sake, if someone gives YOU a lead, follow up right away!! Life is too short and fragile. I remember getting a good lead from someone in regards to contacting the legendary Canadian author, Pierre Berton, who wrote 50 books in 50 years, and won three Governor-General’s Awards and 14 honorary degrees. I kept putting it off, and putting it off, thinking I had all the time in the world, and eventually the lead got filed away somewhere and I forgot about it. Mr. Berton died three days ago at the age of 84 at Sunnybrook hospital in Toronto of complications from diabetes and heart disease. Canada is at a loss. I most certainly am at a loss.
The Power of Networking - To learn more about this author, visit Sharif Khan's Website.
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"If you don’t network, you don’t get work." - Unknown
How powerful is your network? What would happen if you got fired today? What would happen if you had to fold your business and declare bankruptcy? What would happen if a loved one needed emergency medical surgery not covered by insurance and it was a matter of life and death? How many people in your network would be able to really help you out when the going gets tough? Would you be able to pick up the phone, call up one of your contacts, and get a decent job referral or have them lend you some money to tie you over?
This might sound like too serious and morbid a topic to even think about during the holiday season, but let’s face it – many employers wait until after the holidays to break the bad news, and many businesses fold after a bad holiday shopping season. So if you haven’t asked yourself this question, now is a good time to ask and honestly answer the question.
Do you think that someone you haven’t called in months, maybe years, is going to open up their wallet or rolodex and help you out of the kindness of their heart. Maybe. And that’s a BIG maybe. But in all likelihood, I think not. In fact, it would be insulting to the person and demeaning to you, that you never bothered to stay in touch, and are only calling to hit them up for some money. In some cases, people do have the financial and/or human resources to help out; but it’s more likely they will help out someone they know and trust over a stranger.
Networking is not about handing out and collecting business cards. It’s about developing relationships. It’s about picking up the phone and calling people and staying in touch with them. Do something nice for someone in your network. Refer them a lead for their business. Offer to help them out on a project or to lend a helping hand if they’re moving. They’ll remember you for it.
Stay in touch! And for heaven’s sake, if someone gives YOU a lead, follow up right away!! Life is too short and fragile. I remember getting a good lead from someone in regards to contacting the legendary Canadian author, Pierre Berton, who wrote 50 books in 50 years, and won three Governor-General’s Awards and 14 honorary degrees. I kept putting it off, and putting it off, thinking I had all the time in the world, and eventually the lead got filed away somewhere and I forgot about it. Mr. Berton died three days ago at the age of 84 at Sunnybrook hospital in Toronto of complications from diabetes and heart disease. Canada is at a loss. I most certainly am at a loss.
The Power of Networking - To learn more about this author, visit Sharif Khan's Website.
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John PowerJohn Power, founder of Biltmore Franchise Consulting, has extensive experience developing and marketing franchises and business opportunities. He has been in and around franchising for over twenty years. From 1980 through 1990 he conceptualized, organized, and developed the American Video Association. He grew AVA to 2,000 national members, before selling the company it 1990. It was later merged into another home video marketing company. From 2000 to 2005 he worked as a contract marketing and human resources consultant to several local and national companies. In 2005 Mr. Power began working as a franchise development consultant on a full-time basis. Since that time he has helped more than three dozen companies initiate and develop their franchising program. He notes that there are many companies interested in developing a franchise program, and who need his specialized assistance. Mr. Power is a “hands-on” franchise consultant. He said, “I am the ‘nuts and bolts’ person who tends to the details for my clients.” Mr. Power holds a B.S. degree with a major in Marketing. See: www.biltmorefranchise.com You may contact Mr. Power at: jpower@biltmorefranchise.co - Visit John Power's Website |
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Kim CastleWith nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website |
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Anne BarrAnne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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