trust Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Dr. Ivan Misner®

27Sep2010

Using the Power of Networking to Go Globalstring(42) "Using the Power of Networking to Go Global"

We now live in a fully global society, and referral networking has become a prominent marketing strategy in this global society for one reason: It works. The idea of growing your business through word-of-mouth marketing is a concept that crosses cultural, ethnic and political boundaries because we all speak the language of referrals, and we all want to do business based on trust.

Referral networking is a cost-effective way to get in front of new clients worldwide, and it’s a much better way to keep a business prosperous over the long term (because it’s built on mutually beneficial relationships between you and your fellow business owners). Referral networking is powered by the oldest and most enduring principle of human society–Givers Gain–the idea that the good you do will eventually come back to you in one form or another.

Earlier this year I did a live telebridge interview with my colleague Paul Martinelli on the topic “Going Global via the Power of Networking,” and we had more than 500 people call in from all over the world. To me, this truly demonstrates the worldwide interest there is in global business building through networking, and it’s a testament to the fact that networking will only become more vital to business success in modern times.

If you’d like to get in-depth advice on how to use the power of networking to go global with your business, you can Click here to get free access to the recording of the interview I did with Paul Martinelli on the subject.

9Aug2010

Moving from Visibility to Credibilitystring(37) "Moving from Visibility to Credibility"

August 9, 2010

Ivan Misner

Credibility, Networking, opportunity, Profitability, Referrals, relationships, trust, VCP, VCP Process, Visibility Building Relationships, Business, Credibility, Networking, Networking Prep, Profitability, Visibility 5

In last Thursday’s blog, I explained that visibility, the first phase of the VCP Process®, brings the opportunity to build credibility and that credibility is what will ultimately get you to profitability, where you’ll actually benefit from your networking and relationship building efforts.

So how do you move from visibility to credibility? Well, once you and another individual achieve visibility with each other, meaning you’re aware of each other and the nature of each other’s business, you begin to form expectations of one another; once those expectations are fulfilled, your relationship can enter the credibility stage. If each person is confident of gaining satisfaction from the relationship, then it will continue to strengthen.

Credibility is the quality of being reliable, worthy of confidence. Credibility grows when appointments are kept, promises are acted upon, facts are verified, and services are rendered. The old saying that results speak louder than words is true. Failure to live up to expectations–to keep both explicit and implicit promises–can kill a budding relationship before it breaks the surface of the ground and can create visibility of a kind you don’t want.

To determine how credible you are, people often turn to third parties. They ask someone they know who has known you longer or perhaps has done business with you. So, how credible are you? Would the people in your network vouch for you by saying that you are reliable and honest, your products and services are effective, you keep your appointments, act on your promises, deliver results as expected, and can be counted on in a crunch? If you’re not sure, now is the time to make a strategic effort to build your credibility; without credibility, you can forget about achieving profitability.

If you’re interested in learning more about profitability (If you’re in business, it’s safe to assume you’re very interested. ;-)), the third phase of the VCP Process®, and when you should expect to achieve it with your contacts, be sure to come back and read this Thursday’s blog.

1Jun2010

It’s Not WHAT You Know, But WHO You Know–True or False?string(67) "It’s Not WHAT You Know, But WHO You Know–True or False?"

How many times have you heard the phrase “It’s not what you know, but who you know” when it comes to determining success?? I’m willing to bet that over the course of your life to this point, you’ve heard it a lot. Do you think it’s true? Well, it’s not–it’s false. It’s not what you know, or who you know–it’s how well you know them that really counts.

Here’s the difference. How many people do you know? Open up your e-mail address book and count the names. You know as many people as are listed n your e-mail address book and probably a lot more. Now, reach into your pocket and pull out your car keys. How many of the people you know would you hand your car keys to?

Surely, now you understand that the importance of how well you know a person. A contact is a person you know but with whom you have not yet established a strong relationship. A connection, on the other hand, is someone who know you and trusts you because you’ve taken the time to establish credibility with that person.

Your network must not only be broad but also deep. When you rely on others to cross-market your business or promote your program to a client, you’re not asking a simple favor. For true referral networking, you need relationships that are deeper than mere contacts; you need strong connections, established well in advance.

So, beginning this week, focus on taking the time and energy to cultivate deep relationships by giving your referral sources anything and everything you can to help them succeed. These will be the relationships you can count on when you need powerful connections because it really isn’t what you know or who you know–it’s how well you know them, how well they know you, and how well they know the people you want to meet.