Notable Networker Archives - Dr. Ivan Misner®

22Jun2015

What Networking Is Notstring(22) "What Networking Is Not"

June 22, 2015

NetworkingNow.com, Notable Networker Education, Educational Resources, Networking, Networking Prep, NetworkingNow.com 2

Photo courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Misconceptions about networking abound. I saw a newspaper editorial which implied that networkers were mercinaries who attacked a crowded room until no one was left untouched. According to the editorial, people who networked cared only about themselves and not those to whom they were speaking. The writer was basing her comments on several meetings where she had witnessed these so-called networkers in action.

There is a big difference, however, between good networking and bad networking, and what she undoubtedly saw were vivid examples of bad networking. It sounded to me as if some of the people she described had had a charisma bypass and that their major contribution to the event was to leave it. These people apparently were hawks who surrounded their quarry.

Implying that such people were typical of all networkers is a little like saying all salespeople are like Herb Tarlek, the obnoxious salesman on the TV series “WKRP in Cincinnati.” Networking is as good or bad as the person who happens to be doing it at that moment. The problem is that good networking is an acquired skill and one that not all people have acquired.

Most people have been left on their own to develop their networking abilities. They have drawn upon management, sales, and social skills, and then applied them to a loosely defined notion of networking. This is why I devote so much of my time to writing books, articles, and blog posts about networking. People can achieve great things through networking, but first it’s necessary to gain an thorough understanding of the skills and techniques required for becoming an effective or Notable Networker.

Whether you’re a networking newbie or a seasoned networker, I highly encourage you to visit NetworkingNow.com to learn everything you can about how to continually improve your networking skills and get the highest return from your networking efforts. There are literally hundreds of business and networking downloads available in the site’s online library and you can access all of them for FREE for six months by entering the free subscription code given below.

The free subscription is a gift from IvanMisner.com and all you have to do is enter the code (“freesixmonths”) on NetworkingNow.com to gain access to the entire library of content! Please note that you will be required to enter a credit card number on the site but you will not be billed for the free six month membership. You will need to end your subscription if you don’t wish to be billed for the second six months.

Once you visit NetworkingNow.com, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Please come back and share your thoughts in the comment forum below and, also, please let me know what type of downloadable content you most prefer to access on sites like NetworkingNow.com:

Video?
Audio?
PDF Articles?
Digital Books?
Something Else? If so, what specifically?

19Nov2012

Are You Using Networking Tools Effectively?string(43) "Are You Using Networking Tools Effectively?"

The Second Law of Notable Networking: Learn How to Use Networking Tools Effectively
(Click Here to read about the First Law of Notable Networking)

A Notable Networker must have and use the right tools to network skillfully. All professionals need the tools of their trade to conduct business. A painter needs a brush, a teacher needs a blackboard, and an administrative professional needs a computer. To achieve success, networkers need their own tools as well. Good networkers’ tools include:

name tags to identify themselves to others,
card holders to carry their business cards, and most important,
card files to carry other people’s business cards.

It has been said that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce coined the term “networking.” Over the years, I’ve gone to many Chamber of Commerce business mixers. Unfortunately, too many of them seem to practice a passive form of the technique. However, depending on the chamber, some mixers can be an outstanding way to meet many new people. At Chamber of Commerce mixers, people from a variety of businesses get together with the idea of meeting one another.

At these meetings, I often encounter people who don’t wear a name tag. Of those who do, many neglect to put their company name or profession on the badge. I can’t imagine anyone going to a business meeting and not telling everyone what business he or she is in! You’ve got to let people know who you are and what business you’re in if you want to reap the full rewards of networking.

I also run into people who don’t have any business cards with them. Business cards are one of the most inexpensive forms of advertising available and a crucial tool for networking. They should be well designed and present a professional image. Most important, you need to have them in your possession! A large stack of cards sitting in the desk drawer at your office doesn’t help much at a business mixer. Always carry a small card case full of business cards with you and keep a large box of business cards in the glove compartment or trunk of your car for restocking your card case on the spot. Use the backs of any cards you get from others to make notes that will jog your memory about each individual or about the conversation you had.

In addition, you should go a step further and carry a vinyl or leather card-carrying case or book for the cards of the people you network with. These are people in your own personal network of contacts, people who presumably are storing your cards and referring you as well. Always keep three or four of their cards so you can hand one to anyone interested in their services.

One way to enhance your networking efforts is to use computer software. When you get back to your office, you can enter the new names and information you’ve acquired into a contact management program to help you organize your information and enable you to easily handle follow-up activities. In addition to these, several general database programs, such as Relate2Profit, provide contact management capabilities. You can log in new information and contacts, get reports of your progress, and reminders. If you’re not already using a program such as this, rest assured that the learning time is a couple of hours or less.

Do you have a favorite networking tool or a particular software program that you’ve found to be especially useful in enhancing your networking efforts? If so, please write about it in the comment forum below–I’m always interested in hearing about new tools for increasing networking effectiveness. Thanks!

12Nov2012

Have a Positive and Supportive Attitudestring(39) "Have a Positive and Supportive Attitude"

November 12, 2012

Ivan Misner

First Law, givers gain, Net-Eat, Net-Sit, Net-WORK, Notable Networker, Notable Networking, positive attitude, Referrals, support Connections, Givers Gain, Marketing/Sales, Networking, Networking Prep, Networking Tactics, Success, System 8

The First Law of Notable Networking: Have a Positive and Supportive Attitude

Good networking involves providing a positive and supportive environment to other business people. Remember this: Notable Networking is predicated upon the concept that Givers Gain®.

If you freely give business to others, they will give business to you. This concept is based on the age-old notion that “what goes around, comes around.” If I give business to you, you’ll give business to me, and we will both do better as a result. Networking is like a savings account: if you keep investing wisely, you can draw upon it when you need it. One enthusiastic networker who belongs to a formal networking group told me, “The longer I’m in the group, the better I get at networking and the more referrals I get. In addition, it seems that the more referrals I get, the higher the percentage that I close! By developing long-term relationships, I am gaining the trust of the other members, which makes it easier to receive and close the referrals that are passed to me.”

A positive, supportive attitude also includes the way you present yourself to other people. Everyone likes to do business with an enthusiastic optimist. If you join a networking group, remain focused on the reason you’re there. I see far too many people go to networks and get caught up in the irrelevant nitpicking: “The food’s no good,” “The speaker was mediocre,” “This room’s not very nice,” and so on.

With the quibblers, I share this anecdote: An airline attendant once responded to a passenger’s complaints about the quality of his dinner by asking him, “When you go to a French restaurant, do you usually order an airline ticket?” The same rationale applies to networking meetings. The quality of the food and the speaker should be secondary to the quality of the contacts you are making. Don’t lose sight of your purpose.

It’s not Net-Sit or Net-Eat, it’s Net-WORK! If you want your network to work for you, then you have to work your network in a positive and supportive manner.

In many ways, the First Law of Notable Networking involves more than attitude; it’s a way of life and a good way to do business. When you constantly and consciously keep other people in your mind, they will do the same for you.

I’ll be posting about the Second and Third Laws of Notable Networking over the next couple of weeks so be sure to check back if you want to learn even more about how to succeed as a networker.

*Can you think of a person in your network who exemplifies the First Law of Notable Networking? If so, take this opportunity to carry out the First Law yourself and showing them your support by recognizing that person in the comments section below. Tell us who they are and what they do that makes them such a shining example of this First Law of Notable Networking.

5Nov2012

The Three Laws of Notable Networkingstring(36) "The Three Laws of Notable Networking"

Over the last few decades, I’ve met individuals who have developed such incredible networking skills that they get almost 100 percent of their business through referrals. They’ve been successful at building a word-of-mouth-based business because they’re as committed to giving referrals as they are to following up on the referrals they get. What does it take to achieve results like these?

There are three requirements or laws for becoming a Notable (or effective) Networker. Without applying these laws, you would find it impossible to work your networks effectively.

At face value the laws seem simple, but don’t let first impressions deceive you. Behind these simple-sounding principles lies a comprehensive set of requirements and obligations. If you don’t heed these laws, you will invest many hours and some dollars into networking groups but get a poor return on your investment.

The Three Laws of Notable Networking Are:

Have a Positive and Supportive Attitude
Learn How to Use Networking Tools Effectively
Networking Is an Acquired Skill

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be going into detail about each of the above laws so be sure to come back to learn more about how you can become a truly Notable Networker and get optimum results from all of your networking efforts and investments.

Also, if you have a story about how you’ve used one or more of the above laws to achieve success in networking, please share it in the comments section below so we can all learn from your successes. Thanks!

30Sep2010

Becoming a Notable Networker–Tips and Insightsstring(52) "Becoming a Notable Networker–Tips and Insights"

If you really want to succeed at networking, take a look at the following tips and insights:

Notable Networkers are people who are skilled at networking and committed to the idea that givers gain. By helping other businesses get new clients or customers, they get new business sent their way.
The key to building a word-of-mouth-based business is mutual support, not necessarily friendship.
Organizations that network effectively provide opportunities to develop and exchange quality business referrals. Being a member of a well-organized network is like having dozens of salespeople working for you, each referring prospective clients your way.
A Notable Networker must have a positive and supportive attitude. Good networking involves providing a positive and supportive environment for other businesspeople.
A Notable Networker must have and use the right tools to network skillfully, including an informative name badge, business cards and a business card carrying case to hold others’ cards.
Networking is an acquired skill; it requires listening to CDs, reading books and articles, talking to people who network well, and practicing what you’ve learned.
Effective networking requires practice, practice, practice–and then more practice.

Is there a bullet point in this list you would like me to expand on? If so, leave a comment and let me know; I’m more than happy to oblige. 🙂