September 1st, 2010
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Synopsis
Here are some tips for positioning yourself as a professional when you go to networking events.
- Look the part. Don’t wear jeans to a professional networking event. Be well-rested if you’re going to a morning event. Shirts with company logos are appropriate. Brand yourself appropriately.
- Make sure your body language sends the right message. Watch your posture, eye contact, and gestures.
- Be prepared. Know where your business cards are.
- Remember to smile. Studies have shown that this makes you seem more open and forthright.
This podcast is based on Dr Misner’s article “Get Your Act Together” at Entrepreneur.com.
Brought to you by Networking Now.
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August 11th, 2010
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Synopsis
August 11th is the BNI Staff Day at Dr. Misner’s house in Big Bear.
People like to talk about themselves; giving them the time to tell their own stories is more likely to result in a genuine connection. Here are five good questions to ask in your first conversation with a new person.
- What do you like most about what you do?
- What led you into that field?
- Where else do you network?
- What are some of your biggest challenges?
- How can I help you?
Brought to you by Ask Ivan Misner.
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June 30th, 2010
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Synopsis
Here are some tips for networking with strangers—at a chamber mixer, or with visitors at BNI meetings. They come from Alice Ostrower’s article in Masters of Networking.
- Get the person’s attention by showing interest. Ask questions.
- Add interest. Respond to the answer, but don’t move the conversation to you.
- Involve. Use the “Feel/felt/found” formula.
- Tie it all together by connecting one person’s needs or goals with the resources, needs, or goals of another person.
If you do those four things, you’re going to make visitors feel welcome. You can also use these techniques in a one-to-one with another BNI member.
Brought to you by Networking Now.
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June 16th, 2010
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Synopsis
Before you start your word-of-mouth marketing campaign, you should have these things on hand to help you, both in print and digitally.
- Testimonial letters from satisfied clients
- Photos of yourself and your facilities and/or products
- Photos of your key customers or their logos
- Photos of awards you’ve won
- Articles that you’ve been mentioned in
- Articles that you’ve published
- Faxable one-sheet about your business
- Audio or video that’s downloadable, or on YouTube
- New product announcements & press releases
- Display ads
- Ads you’re running, or specials
- List of memberships and affiliations
- Product catalogs
- Q & A sheets
- Logos, trademarks, servicemarks
- Newsletters
- Mission statement
- Survey results
- Articles on trends affecting your target market
- Posters or banners for trade shows
Be sure to store the printed materials in easily accessible bins.
Get the whole checklist at Dr. Misner’s Networking Now blog at Entrepreneur.com.
Brought to you by Ask Ivan Misner.
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June 9th, 2010
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Synopsis
This week Dr. Misner provides three essential questions to ask yourself in order to develop a networking strategy and decide which networking events to attend.
- Who are my best prospects? Are they businesses or consumers? What industries are they in?
- Where can I meet my best prospects? Corporate representatives are more likely to be in service organizations or on non-profit boards than in chambers of commerce.
- Whom exactly do I want to meet? The more specific you can be, the better.
Go to your BNI meetings and ask your fellow BNI members these questions.
Brought to you by Networking Now.
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May 5th, 2010
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Synopsis
This week Dr. Misner joins us from BNI’s German-speaking conference in Switzerland to talk about a Referral Institute-sponsored study.
In response to the first question, “Has networking played a role in your success?”
- 91.4% of respondents said yes.
- 6.0% said no.
- 2.7% said the question was not applicable.
In response to the second question, “What do you feel is your greatest weakness in networking?”
- 27.6% said “Being unable to turn relationships into business opportunities”
- 22.6% said “Using a follow-up system.”
- 22.0% said “Approaching someone for the first time.”
- 11.8% said “Knowing how to gracefully close a conversation.”
- 8.7% said “Other”
- 7.3% said “Continuing a conversation after a few minutes.”
For those whose weakness is follow-up, Dr. Misner recommends Relate2Profit, which uses the BNI V(isibility) C(redibility) P(rofitability) process. BNI members can use the discount code ASK-IVAN to get 50% off for life.
Brought to you by Networking Now.
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April 14th, 2010
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It’s not the number of contacts you make that’s important, but the ones that you turn into lasting relationships. You’ll always get better results trying to deepen relationships with people you already know than starting relationships with strangers.
Here are some tips for creating closer connections:
- Give your clients a call. Find out how things went with the project. Ask if there’s anything you can do to help. Don’t ask for a referral at this time.
- Make personal calls to all the people who’ve helped you or referred business to you. Find ways to help them.
- Put together a “hit list” of 50 people you’d like to stay in touch with. Send them a card on the next holiday, then follow up with a phone call 2 weeks later. Then you can ask for a referral.
If you’re having trouble making calls, start with the people you’re at “Profitability” with in the VCP scale.
Dr. Misner recommends reading Stephen M. R. Covey’s The Speed of Trust for more on this topic.
Brought to you by Networking Now.
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March 24th, 2010
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Have you ever been solicited for business or for a referral by someone you didn’t even know? Asking for a referral before there’s a relationship is premature.
Someone Dr. Misner had never met once asked him for an introduction to Sir Richard Branson so he could market a product to the British entrepreneur.
Priscilla sometimes gets calls from aspiring musicians who want to be connected to multi-platinum performers who recorded at the studio years ago.
This is not networking. It’s direct selling. When you give a referral, you give part of yourself away. You don’t want to put your own reputation on the line for a stranger.
Dr. Misner would like to invite Education Coordinators to bring up this topic at their meetings.
Brought to you by Networking Now.
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March 17th, 2010
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Dr. Misner is joined today by special guest Rick Itzkowich, who specializes in helping BNI members triple their referrals using LinkedIn to complement their offline networking.
Here are some facts and figures behind Rick’s “QuoteActions” program.
- Only 3-10% of people are ready to buy now.
- People need to be touched 5-12 times before they buy.
- You need a system that helps you build relationships by touching people on a regular basis with content they want to receive.
You can use a newsletter to create these touchpoints, but that’s a lot of work. “QuoteActions” sends a short inspirational quotation to your mailing list, with no sales pitch—and you don’t have to do anything after you set it up.
You can try “QuoteActions” free for 30 days at www.quoteactions.com.
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March 3rd, 2010
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Today’s podcast topic comes from Dr. Misner’s book Networking Like a Pro. Here are five questions to ask at networking events that will help you leave a lasting impression on the people you meet.
- What do you like best about what you do?
- You mentioned you were in ______ industry. What got you started in that business?
- Where else do you usually network? Are there other groups that you go to?
- What are some of your biggest challenges? (Don’t start a conversation with this one.)
- How can I help you?
Brought to you by Ask Ivan Misner.
View the entire transcript of this episode
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