Lessons Archives - Dr. Ivan Misner®

28Oct2013

Could You be Making Things Harder Than They Really Are?string(55) "Could You be Making Things Harder Than They Really Are?"

October 28, 2013

education, experience, Lessons, mentors, mistakes Business, Entrepreneurial Enterprise, Global Business, Marketing/Sales, Sales, Strategy, Success 7

In business, there are endless opportunities to learn from the successes and mistakes of others who have ventured into the entrepreneurial waters before us. So, why is it that we often ignore the lessons we can learn from others’ mistakes and doom ourselves to making the same bad decisions? People in business and sales do this all the time. For example, there are tried-and-true sales techniques that are so simplistic it doesn’t seem as though they can really be effective so we write them off and try to reinvent the wheel.

Many times, we try to re-evaluate, improve upon, and complicate these simple yet proven techniques and all we’re really succeeding in doing is making things harder than they really are! One of the biggest mistakes that people in business (and especially in sales) make is not listening to the people who have experience. For some reason, they assume that they have to know better . . . and the truth is, they don’t. There is nothing like experience–it beats education every day of the week. The only thing better is a combination of education and experience . . . or a willingness to learn from other people’s experience.

There are many basic sales techniques that any good salesperson knows to be effective. They don’t look for something more complicated or involved because they know from their own experience, as well as from the experience of others, what works in sales and what doesn’t work in sales. If you’ve read my book, Masters of Sales, you may have read things that seemed to simple to be effective or you may have seen ideas that you’ve heard before. The fact is, instead of being dismissed, these tactics and ideas should be embraced. True Masters of Sales learn from other people’s success and remember that sometimes the simplest ideas can have the biggest impact.

Is there a simple lesson you learned from another business owner/entrepreneur which has helped you achieve success in your business? I’d love to get a conversation going about this in order to share simple tactics for success and important lessons learned so we can all lessen our risk of making things harder than they really are. Please share your thoughts in the comment forum below. Thanks!

3Dec2012

Networking Is an Acquired Skillstring(31) "Networking Is an Acquired Skill"

The Third Law of Notable Networking: Networking Is an Acquired Skill
(Click Here to read about the First Law of Notable Networking and Click Here to read about the Second Law)

Most people are not born networkers; they develop the skills through education, training, the right attitude, and long practice. Any technique of value requires a commitment to learning how to use it effectively. The next generation of business professionals will operate under a different model of management, in which networking will be an integral element. Take advantage of every opportunity you have to learn to network more effectively. It is a skill that will only grow in importance.

Remember Will Rogers’ statement about being on the right track: “If you’re just sitting there, you’re going to get run over!” If you are active in a networking organization, you’re “on the right track.” The key, however, is to take advantage of the opportunities that these groups have to offer. This means you need to be an active participant in the networking process to get any substantive results.

Curiously, many people invest time in networking, but not in learning how. This is like trying to play tennis or golf without lessons. Sure, you can perform, but how well? Simply attending meetings is not enough. You need to listen to CDs, read books and articles, talk to people who network well, and most important, practice what you’ve learned. This is no less than what you would do to learn how to play golf, manage people, or sell a product.

Always keep in mind that in order to develop a successful word-of-mouth-based business, you must attend every networking event that you can and practice, practice, practice! Practice greeting people, handing out your card, asking for their cards, listening, excusing yourself, and introducing yourself to others. If you have questions about what to do (and/or not do) in order to most effectively greet people, exchange cards, listen, excuse or introduce yourself, please let me know in the comment forum below. I’m more than happy to do follow-up blog posts on any/all of those specific aspects of networking (as well as any other aspects you may have questions about). Thanks!

16Jul2012

Not a Born Networker? Don’t Sweat It–You’re in Good Companystring(77) "Not a Born Networker? Don’t Sweat It–You’re in Good Company"

For the majority of the world, networking is an acquired skill. Most people are not born networkers; they develop networking skills through education, training, the right attitude, and long practice.

Any technique of value requires a commitment to learning how to use it effectively. The next generation of business professionals will operate under a different model of management, in which networking will be an integral element. Take advantage of every opportunity you have to learn to network more effectively. It is a skill that will only grow in importance.

It’s like a statement Will Rogers once made about being on the right track: “If you’re just sitting there, you’re going to get run over!” If you are active in a networking organization, you’re “on the right track.” The key, however, is to take advantage of the opportunities that these groups have to offer. This means you need to be an active participant in the networking process to get any substantive results.

Curiously, many people invest time in networking, but not in learning how to network. This is like trying to play tennis or golf without lessons. Sure, you can perform, but how well? Simply attending meetings is not enough.

You need to listen to CDs and podcasts, watch videos, read books and articles, talk to people who network well, and most important, practice what you’ve learned. This no less than what you would do to learn how to play golf, manage people, or sell a product.

Attend every networking event that you can and practice, practice, practice! Practice greeting people, handing out your card, asking for their cards, listening, excusing yourself, and introducing yourself to others. In short, there are many skills to acquire and to perfect; you can’t expect to become a master after your first couple of visits to various networking functions. With that in mind, consistently learn and absorb all you can about how to become an effective networker and make a constant effort to put what you learn into practice.

Networking success is not about being a born natural . . . it’s about learning, practicing, and applying what you learn in order to become a master at networking. Putting in the work to become successful at networking is sure to pay big rewards, not only in business but in life as well.

Do you have a story about how your time and effort in becoming a better networker have paid off in a remarkable way? If so, please share it in the comments section.