- Business Development Training - How to Beat the Fear of Meeting People
- Business Development Training - How to Beat the Fear of Meeting People
When we resumed I asked how many of them made a point of meeting someone they didn’t know. One lonely hand went up in the air. Only one!
This was particularly important as the conference workshop was about building effective business relationships.
The moral of the exercise was that we naturally gravitate towards people we know and like. And it is easy to stick with our current network of clients, colleagues and industry contacts.
It can get scary when we have to meet new people.
But – from a business development perspective – it is extremely selfish when we are not brave enough too reach out to people we don’t know.
It is selfish for us to avoid engaging with people with whom we may be able to develop a mutually beneficial relationship.
I have spoken with many clients and training delegates who are reluctant to meet new people. They feel a bit awkward and unsure of themselves.
Does that sound like you too?
In many cases this reluctance is based on self-centred feelings such as:
· They wont like me.
· I wont know what to say.
· I’m no good at small talk.
· My business in new, and I’ll look like a beginner.
· They will think I am boring.
· It feels weird talking to a stranger.
· They all seem to know each other. I’ll be the odd one out.
It is ironic that most people feel the same way, and could easily comfort each other. Yet everyone keeps to the ‘safe’ relationships they already know.
So, in our efforts to stay within our comfort zone we act selfishly and do not fully explore new opportunities.
This can be the ‘kiss of death’ to a service business. Especially for new businesses or those that are trying to expand into new areas. Meeting new people is critical to the success of the organisation.
By meeting – and fully engaging – with new people (prospects, industry partners, or referral sources) we open the doors to:
· Learning about other businesses.
· Learning about new opportunities for us.
· Learning how others achieve their goals.
· Learning how ‘not’ to do something.
· Learning what ‘to’ do from those who are more experienced.
· Learning that we can cope with expanding our comfort zone.
· Learning how to be more successful.
One of the greatest challenges for service providers, professionals, business owners, and new sales people is to have the confidence to strike up new relationships.
You owe it to yourself and to your business (or to your employer).
The tools you will need include:
· Active listening skills.
· Flexibility and patience.
· A true interest in the diversity of other people.
· A good dose of self-awareness, to control your natural communication urges.
· A well rehearsed self-introduction; elevator pitch; 30-second introduction; or, audio logo (whichever you prefer to call it).
· Acceptable social etiquette skills.
· The discipline to ensure you follow up after the initial contact.
For those who muster the courage, and learn the necessary skills, a whole new world of possibilities and success awaits you.
Business Development Training How to Beat the Fear of Meeting People - To learn more about this author, visit Stuart Ayling's Website.
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Recently I presented a business development training session at a conference. The audience were managers from all across Australia. I gave them a 2-minute break and asked them to get up and talk amongst themselves.
When we resumed I asked how many of them made a point of meeting someone they didn’t know. One lonely hand went up in the air. Only one!
This was particularly important as the conference workshop was about building effective business relationships.
The moral of the exercise was that we naturally gravitate towards people we know and like. And it is easy to stick with our current network of clients, colleagues and industry contacts.
It can get scary when we have to meet new people.
But – from a business development perspective – it is extremely selfish when we are not brave enough too reach out to people we don’t know.
It is selfish for us to avoid engaging with people with whom we may be able to develop a mutually beneficial relationship.
I have spoken with many clients and training delegates who are reluctant to meet new people. They feel a bit awkward and unsure of themselves.
Does that sound like you too?
In many cases this reluctance is based on self-centred feelings such as:
· They wont like me.
· I wont know what to say.
· I’m no good at small talk.
· My business in new, and I’ll look like a beginner.
· They will think I am boring.
· It feels weird talking to a stranger.
· They all seem to know each other. I’ll be the odd one out.
It is ironic that most people feel the same way, and could easily comfort each other. Yet everyone keeps to the ‘safe’ relationships they already know.
So, in our efforts to stay within our comfort zone we act selfishly and do not fully explore new opportunities.
This can be the ‘kiss of death’ to a service business. Especially for new businesses or those that are trying to expand into new areas. Meeting new people is critical to the success of the organisation.
By meeting – and fully engaging – with new people (prospects, industry partners, or referral sources) we open the doors to:
· Learning about other businesses.
· Learning about new opportunities for us.
· Learning how others achieve their goals.
· Learning how ‘not’ to do something.
· Learning what ‘to’ do from those who are more experienced.
· Learning that we can cope with expanding our comfort zone.
· Learning how to be more successful.
One of the greatest challenges for service providers, professionals, business owners, and new sales people is to have the confidence to strike up new relationships.
You owe it to yourself and to your business (or to your employer).
The tools you will need include:
· Active listening skills.
· Flexibility and patience.
· A true interest in the diversity of other people.
· A good dose of self-awareness, to control your natural communication urges.
· A well rehearsed self-introduction; elevator pitch; 30-second introduction; or, audio logo (whichever you prefer to call it).
· Acceptable social etiquette skills.
· The discipline to ensure you follow up after the initial contact.
For those who muster the courage, and learn the necessary skills, a whole new world of possibilities and success awaits you.
Business Development Training How to Beat the Fear of Meeting People - To learn more about this author, visit Stuart Ayling's Website.
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John BrennanJohn Brennan Ed.D. Dr. Brennan is President of Interpersonal Development, LLC, a training and development firm. Interpersonal Development has provided sales training and coaching to more than 3,000 sales reps from over 100 companies. A native of Australia, Dr. Brennan received his doctorate from the University of Rochester. His dissertation researched the effectiveness of Behavioral Modeling Technology in training people in interpersonal skills. While he has spent most of his career designing or delivering training, he was also a Vice-President of Sales of a training and development franchise with operations in 25 markets. Dr. Brennan has designed and delivered sales training in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. He has been a guest speaker at numerous national and regional professional conferences. When Microsoft wanted Best Practices articles on sales for their web site, they called Dr. Brennan. The results are at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011387391033.aspx His firm’s clients have included Volvo, The Prudential, Merrill Lynch, Eastman Kodak, Gannett, Equifax Europe, the Economist Group and countless small businesses. - Visit John Brennan'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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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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John AlexanderJohn has taught keyword research and SEO skills to small groups of business owners and Webmasters from over 80 different countries world wide since 2002. John is also the Director of Search Engine Academy ; Co-director of Training at Search Engine Workshops offering live, SEO Workshops with his partner SEO educator Robin Nobles, author of the very first comprehensive online search engine marketing courses at SEO Training Online and the SEO Workshop Resource Center. I look forward to hearing from you! - Visit John Alexander'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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Staging DivaDebra Gould, aka The Staging Diva®, is President of Six Elements Inc., an internationally recognized home staging company. Inspired by many requests from aspiring home stagers wanting to start similar businesses, Gould created the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program. Gould has trained over 1000 Staging Diva Graduates worldwide to start staging businesses. Buying decorating and selling six of her own homes in four years lead to an interest in real estate staging which she turned into a career with the launch of sixelements.com in 2002. Since then she has staged hundreds of homes in addition to teaching home staging training. Gould is the author of several home staging resources including a series of popular ebooks made up of a Design Guide, Color Guide and Portfolio Guide. For more information about Debra Gould visit stagingdiva.com. - Visit Staging Diva's Website |
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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Jeff FosterWebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas. We specialize in internet consulting & internet marketing. - Visit Jeff Foster's Website |
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