Networking Is Simple… But Not Easy
How do you nurture your relationships and create value for your clients? Do you want to be the person to whom everyone wants an introduction? How do you do that? Here is my opinion. Simply make your interactions with others valuable…to them! I try to make a point of creating value whenever I interact with another person. It is an important key to networking. Here’s a simple question that you can ask yourself and always keep it top of mind: “What can I do to add value to this person with whom I’m interacting, both today and into the future?” One of the keys to success is looking at life as a giver’s game. Why do givers win more? It’s simply because they help others win more. We can all take that point home. It’s a big concept if you want to grow your business, have fun, work less and be extremely referable.
Stand out from the crowd and increase your refer-ability following these four simple rules:
- Be Happy
- Develop the Discipline to Follow Through
- Give More
- Expect Less
I’m sure you will agree that these days less is more. If you are like me, you probably feel a bit overwhelmed with life. I believe that we tend to over complicate things so let’s spend a few minutes discussing these four rules.
First, be happy. This is simple, yet profound. I am a triathlete. A friend of a friend who had a $10,000.00 bike showed up to a ride on a $500.00 bike. Naturally, the assumption was that he was in the shop. The reality was that he had just lost everything: his business, his house, his possessions; however, his comment was, “It’s no big deal; I still have my network. “ WOW! To be happy is a choice that we make every second of every day. This is a choice we make on every phone call, every interaction and at every event we attend. Be positive. Have fun and let it show. I believe having a positive attitude could possibly be the biggest key for productive networking. So sing along with me, “If you’re happy and you know it, raise your hand!”
Second, develop the discipline to follow through with what you say you are going to do. If you tell someone you are going to do something, do it. If you commit to following up, do it. This point was really driven home for me recently. My training company, High Achievers, is doing a challenge called Muddervation leading up to the Tough Mudder, one of the toughest events on the planet. We are doing weekly boot camps and my 7-year-old little boy, Peyton, asked to go with me to one of the boot camps. We were doing a four-mile run and at mile one he cramped up; we stopped at a restaurant to use the bathroom. When we walked out I suggested that we head back to the gym. He looked at me and said, “No way, I’m never going to give up.” He had the discipline to run through the pain and achieve his goal of running 4 miles. AMAZING!!!!
Join us for the Challenge!
Third, give more. For the first time in my life, I set a goal this year for raising money for charitable causes and another goal for volunteering. This was new for me. I am constantly looking for opportunities to give. I recently sponsored an event primarily because all the proceeds go to different charities; one of which I chose. So, the simple fact that I have set goals to give more allows me to benefit in positive ways that were unexpected.
Fourth, expect less. I’m not saying to have low expectations; what I am saying is be happy with who and what you are. The confidence that you will outwardly convey will resonate with your network of friends, family, and customers. Over the last couple of years, I have made the transition from always wanting more to being happy and grateful with what I have and the results show. It is not things that make me successful; it is people who make it happen. I’m working on getting rid of things. I just began a program that focuses on eliminating the excesses out of your life. The first challenge is to only eat 7 foods. The benefits: healthy food choices, less preparation time, less eating out, save on groceries, no complaining children (we all agreed on the foods), and weight loss. It sounds simple but the discipline to do it is certainly not easy. Cake anyone? Google: “7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess” to find out more.
What do these simple little rules have to do with networking and referral marketing? Everything! In upcoming blogs on making yourself referable, we are going to dive into some items that we consider to be the X-factors of referral marketing and these four simple rules apply to all of them.
Let’s work less and live more through the power of an introduction.
David Alexander
CEO of High Achievers