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Business cards: The tool to good relationships

 At this year's Business Expo I was asked to lead a breakout session and discuss the power of proper business card etiquette. I was surprised by the number of people who attended the session and more importantly how many people came up to me and said my topic was really something they needed to learn. Since the Expo I am continually approached by people who say they have begun to apply my lesson and already see a huge difference. For this reason I decided to share the points that I used that day with the HBBA and now I share it with those on Introduce me 360 so that maybe you will get the same results as those who attended the session.

1. Never give out your business card unless the person you are talking with asks for it. When you stuff your card into a persons hand before they show an interest or ask for your card you are doing nothing more than spamming them. You will come across as someone that is trying to sell something and no one likes a pushy salesman. If you do things correctly the person you meet will ask for your card and will be more likely to follow up with the card if the need for your service exists now or in the future.

 2. When you meet a new person ask for their card 1st. The person that asks for a card 1st will control the flow of the conversation. You can ask them questions about the card, you can ask about the business listed on the card but most importantly you have now steered the conversation into questions about this new person. It is easier to talk about ourselves so if you steer the conversation into a subject that the person feels comfortable with you will get that person to lower their reservations and the conversation will be more open to new business relationships. If they ask about your business answer the question but then steer it back to talking about them.

 3. When you receive a card from someone take 30 seconds to study the card front and back and ask questions. Hold the card with both hands and study the card with 100% attention. Make comments about the card, ask for proper pronouncement of names or ask something in regards to the address. Show the person you are respecting them enough to care about the information on the card.

 4. Ask for extra cards and when you give a card always give more than one. Inform the person that gives you a card that you like to network and are always looking for opportunities to share peoples businesses with other people. For this reason you would like extra cards so that you can share with others. When you give cards give two cards and tell the person to feel free to share your card with others.

 5. Do not write on other people's business cards. The business card is an extension of that persons business. Would you want someone to enter your office and write on your walls? Another reason why you do not write on someone's card is if you write all over it that person knows at that point you will never pass that card onto another person. Carry a small notebook and write down your notes in the notebook and then insert the card next to your notes.

 6. Follow up After you get someone's card follow up on the card and whenever possible follow up with a referral for that person or a lead. This shows that you were sincere when you said you like to network. This brings real value to the person you met.

 7. Always be Sincere. When you take a card be sincere in your comments and body language. Try to avoid looking around while you are talking with this person. This person deserves 100% of your attention.

 8. With your cards do not go cheap. When you have cards made have them made by a professional. Your card is usually a 1st impression. If your card is cheap you look cheap. If you have an email address make sure you get a personal domain. There is nothing that screams unprofessional louder than an email address that is linked to hot mail or other commercial email. Regardless of your business size you need to project the image of being one of the big dogs of the industry.

 9. Do not Clutter the card. It is a business card, not a miniature resume. Keep it simple with only information that is required to get in touch with you.

 10. Be organized. Carry a nice folder or card holder and demonstrate that cards you receive are shared with others. Do not jam the new card you just received into your pocket or fold it or jam it into a stuffed wallet. Show the card respect. If your wallet is jammed with receipts and cards I am going to assume your office is ran the same way. Carry your cards in something that either is very professional looking or something that may spark a conversation. I carry cards in two places on my body most of the time and one place I keep cards is a small cigar tin of a higher quality cigar. This cigar tin sparks conversations in most cases but if I am talking to someone that I think would not know cigars I use my other card case to get out a card.

 11. At networking events do not try to win the contest of giving or receiving the most business cards. He who goes home with the most cards does not get the most business. The person that builds the strongest relationships with those we come into contact with wins every time. Take the time to assess the room, figure out who you think would be a valuable relationship and then focus on one or two great relationships. Meet new people, get to know them and if possible introduce them to others you know. Get their card, then follow up with a referral or invite them to another networking event. Make yourself valuable to them and let them become your referral resource. Friends give referrals to people they like and the referrals are usually the type of people you want to do business with.

 If you do everything correctly the person you meet should ask for your card because they have a value in you as a person or more importantly they want to learn more about your business. . If they do not ask for your card you may decide that a relationship does not exist so move on. If you feel you did connect then simply say at the end of the conversation " Here is my card if I have not gotten back in touch with you by next week please feel free to contact me as I am sure I know of people in need of your services." If they do not take the card move on there are more fish in the sea.
Business cards if used correctly will be the key to opening new doors of opportunities, used incorrectly you can tarnish your image and have some doors closed to you forever.

Networking 101

It is a common thing to have people approach me and say how they wish they were better at networking or how they wish they were better at passing referrals. People assume that it is a skill that you are born with and in a way you would be right in saying this.
If you were born with the gift of hearing then you have half of the skills needed for networking. If you have the capacity to care about people then you possess the second trait necessary to be successful at networking.
Let me describe two examples of "networkers" and then you decide which one would you like to work with?
Example A-
You are at a social event that promotes the idea of networking. You are approached by a man wearing a very sharp suit with a wide smile full of sparkling white teeth his right hand is extended out towards you to shake hands and his left hand is full of business cards that he is poised to hand you and anyone else that walks by. He introduces himself as Mr. Jones and he is a widget salesman. He asks you your name and as soon as you tell him your name he calls you by your first name and proceeds to tell you all about himself. He would love to show you why his widgets are the best widgets you could possible ever own and you and him should get together for lunch. He asks you for your card and says he will drop you a note or call you for lunch and then before you even get to learn anything about Mr. Jones he drops a card in your hand says to give him a call and he is off to talk to someone else.
Example B -
You are in the same environment as above and a person with a warm sincere smile approaches you and asks how you are doing. He then introduces himself as Tom and asks you what it is that brings you to the event or some other small talk. At some point Tom asks you what it is that you do for a living and then follows up with more questions specifically aimed at you and your business. Tom allows you to talk about yourself and he appears to be really interested in you as a person and your area of expertise. Tom asks you what type of clients do you prefer to work with, Tom may mention that he knows a few people that might qualify as business leads and then asks you for a few cards so that he can share them with some of these people. Tom then may point someone out in the room and ask you if you know that person and if you should say no offers to introduce you to him as this person is a very interesting person that you need to meet. Tom continues to introduce you to the people that he knows or simply takes the time to let you talk about what ever topics it is that makes you comfortable. At the end of the event Tom says it was a pleasure to meet you and he would love to touch base again with you over a lunch or coffee sometime just because he enjoyed your conversation.
So who would you rather do business with? I know as soon as I described Example A you visually began to associate this image with people you have met in the past. Did you ever do business with those people? The problem is that most people assume that the guy who talks to the most people and gets around must be the most successful person in the room and to some degree we all try to be more like that guy.
The truth is the person that makes one great connection will grow his business quicker and will have more lasting relationships then the guy who tries to meet everyone. The secret to networking is relationships. Once a relationship is formed then these new people in your circle will think of you as a good listener and will come to you with a variety of issues or needs. Once you are to this point in the relationships the referrals become easy because you simply put one relationship in contact with another relationship as the various needs arise.
Become a resource. There are several books out there that discuss how certain people seem well connected and these people are valuable resources in the community. The common link between all resourceful people is they all listen to those around them and they truly care about these people.
The nice thing about human nature is no one has a perfect life. Everyone needs something and if you are listening close enough you can help people around you by simply connecting people together. The bonus to this type of networking is your services are looked at from a whole different perspective. You are not some salesman they met at a social event. You are a friend.

Absolutely Great Stuff Rick!  I learned a lot from reading your blog.  Thanks for all the effort you put into this.  Would it be ok if I feature your blog on the main summary page for the next few weeks?

feel free to use anything of mine you want. If it helps then it accomplishes what I meant to accomplish.

The Law Of Reciprocity

So whats in it for me, this is a common thought process by many people in business or another common thought is how does my action help the bottom line. People that think like this do not understand the law of reciprocity.

The law of Reciprocity - basically means that what you do for others will be returned to you. Those that study this concept find that the rate of return is not one for one but it has a multiplier effect so that once you begin to give and give regularly you will find this same act will be returned to you in larger quantities.
-There is a psychological law of reciprocity that says, "If you make me feel good about myself, I will find a way to make you feel good about yourself." In other words, people will always look for ways to reciprocate your kindnesses toward them. When you look for every opportunity to do and say things that make other people feel good about themselves, you will be astonished at not only how good you feel, but also at the wonderful things that begin to happen all around you. - Brian Tracy-
It is hard not to like someone that has helped you out. If I gave you $1,000 and then complemented you sincerely is there any reason you would not want to help me succeed? As much as we focus on the cash generated by a referral we all need to understand that a referral is a compliment. By me giving you a referral I am saying that I trust that you know your business well, you have demonstrated a level of skill and I consider you a professional and worthy of praise. So if I actually came out and said this would that not make you feel good about yourself? Would you not feel a certain obligation to say something similar? This is where you giving referrals to others accomplishes this.
The way you can stand out from your competitors is for you to position yourself as a business partner, always looking for ways to improve your customer's business
-Brian Tracy-
The one thing we need to understand when referring to this law is you need to give without expectation of reward. It will come unless you look for it.

we cannot pursue the power of reciprocity. When we try to invoke reciprocity directly, we lose sight of the reason for it: helping others. Paradoxically, it is in helping others without expecting reciprocity in return that we invoke the power of reciprocity
- Wayne Baker-

So if you want to receive more in life the solution is quite simple... begin to give without expectation and the more you open doors for others the more you will discover for yourself that all of the doors you are looking at are already being held open by others for you!

Agreed!  More good stuff.  I enjoy getting your Blog.  Let's see if we can get the rest of HBBA on 360.  You should ask them all to subscribe to your blog.

The Power of Firing your Clients

I know you have all heard the phrase "The Customer is always right" and many of you believe this line 100% but did you ever stop to consider who came up with this idea? It was the customer. Back in the days of the settlers if you walked into the trading post and wanted a pound of coffee and the shop owner told you it was 1.00 a pound you didn't have the chance to tell the shop owner he was wrong you bought the coffee for one dollar because you needed the coffee and there was nowhere else you were going to get it.

 In today's modern world most businesses have competition and because of this they need to be able to satisfy the needs and desires of the customer so we give in to the belief the customer is always right and this can be the source of all of your problems.

 I am not saying that we ignore customer service what I am saying is we need to evaluate the various sacrifices we make for our clients and determine if there is still a benefit to the sacrifices we make. I have talked to business people who have dropped the price to match their competitor in order to keep a client but the truth is the competitor is using lower quality products. It would be like having a Porsche dealer lower the price of his automobile in order to compete with the Ford dealership down the road. You and I both know that a Porsche and a Ford is not on the same playing field. A certain level of quality and commitment is associated with the Porsche brand and they do not need to lower their prices or give away the house in order to sell and neither should you.

 When you lower your price or change how you do business once then you are setting the bar of expectation at that point. The customer is not going to come back next time and say wow I really appreciate how you lowered your prices for me last time but this time I am willing to pay the full price. You will always work twice as hard to keep this person happy and make half the money you would from a great client.

 Instead of giving away the house you need to educate your clients. You need to point out why you charge the price you do and you need to demonstrate that you bring something unique to the table. Like the old trading posts of the past you are providing something that they cannot get anywhere else and if you do not believe this yourself then you are not in the right business.

 When a client tries to push you into a corner you need to fire them as a client. You simply let them know that you are a successful business and your time is valuable and there are clients out there who value what it is that you bring to the table and you would rather be serving those clients needs then trying to accommodate someone that doesn't appreciate the value of your services. Most of us believe we are not successful enough to be able to turn away a potential client but the truth is you will be re-energized as you begin to focus on only those clients who appreciate your business and you would be surprised how the person who walks away will find themselves back in front of you as they learn to respect what it is that you really offer. By taking this approach you will build your reputation as an expert and the confidence you place in your own business will be the source of growth and success. The customer is right sometimes but no one knows your business better than you.

Build your business on a foundation of Friendships!

They teach a lot of things in the marketing and in the business courses but no where do they mention friendships. Henry Ford would never have gotten his business off the ground if it were not for his friendship with the owner of Firestone tires. Friends give you a place to bounce ideas and also, most importantly friends can open doors for you!

Recently I was invited by a member of my chapter to attend a small wedding ceremony where only a few close friends and direct members of the family had been invited. As I stood there I realized that there was only one other person there I knew and I knew he was invited because of his friendship with the groom. Realizing that I was in this very small circle of friends or family made me feel very special and also re-energized my committment to helping this person succeed. 

The following week I was again invited by another member of my chapter to join him at a very prestigeous event for the Green Bay Packers where I had the chance to mix in conversation with the likes of Ron Wolf and Mark Murphy over cocktails. Again I realized that this person could have invited anyone to join him at the event but he chose me as a friend to participate in this great opportunity.  Like the first person I suddenly felt like I needed to figure out ways to help this person succeed. 

Another business person took me out on a fishing trip, another person invited me to his place with my daughter so she could ride a horse, and all of these events made me feel special. So what is the common theme here? All of these people treated me as a friend, made me feel special and in the end I want to help them succeed just as they want to help me to succeed.     

So why do so many people try to keep a distinct line between their friends and their clients? What value does this barrier create? With friendship comes forgiveness, which means you can have the room to make mistakes and still continue to work with these people. With Friendship comes respect which means they can give you sincere advice and they can also give you real referrals versus canned pitches. Most importantly with friendship comes communication where you and your friends can share ideas and re-enforce each others ideas because you share an open and truthful line of communication.  

So you decide, you can apply marketing principles designed by professors who never really sold anything in their lives or you can rely on the skills every child acquires out on the playgrounds, in the treehouses, and out in the ball parks of our country that by this point in your life you probably have mastered. Start being a friend to those you come in contact with and see where it can take you!

Networking Events

Ok so you paid your ten dollars to attend a networking event, you ate some smokie joes, you had a drink, and you talked to the guy who has a business across the street from your business. Maybe you handed out a few cards but now that you look back at the event and in your eyes it was a waste of time and money. You do not intend on participating the next time because it just wasnt a good fit for your business. 

Sound familiar? Many people do not get any value out of networking events and the reason is not the event it is the individual. One of the most important things to understand is your client base will not grow by 40% after attending one event. It takes a few events before you are even recognized as a networker.

The first few times you attend an event you should spend the time learning who the power players are. Every event has them so take the time to figure out who they are. These are the people that everyone seems to know and these are the ones who seem to have control of the conversations. If possible introduce yourself to these people but DO NOT try to sell your services or products simply get your name in front of these people. If you have a good memory and think you will be able to remember their names and occupations great if not get the persons card and take a minute to write yourself some notes.

The next event that you attend try to find some of the power players from previous events, reintroduce yourself to these people and mention that you met at a previous event, this builds your networking reputation. If you do this correctly you will find in a very short period of time you become one of the power players yourself. 

Some of the other the tips to getting the most of these networking events are:

1. Try to meet the person or people responsible for the events and thank them for the event. Many times the hosts feel unappreciated but your efforts to thank them will be appreciated. They in return for your compliment may take the time to introduce you to some of the more influential people at the event.
   
2. Get to the event early. Usually the first ones to the event are looking to network and if you are one of the only people in the room, by default, they will talk with you. As the rest of the room fills up, people generally will migrate towards the people already in conversation
3. Plan on staying late. Those who leave last are the ones really looking to meet people so why not use this to your advantage.
4. DO NOT focus on talking with the people at the event you already know. Be sociable and friendly to those you know but realize you are at work and you dont make money at work standing around the water cooler talking with your friends so dont do it at events. You and your friends can take a planned approach where you meet someone and introduce them to the people you know and your friends do the same but do not work the room as a herd. Divide and conquer!
5. Do not focus on the food and drinks. Enjoy yourself and have a bite but do not heap a plate with food. I recomend eating before the events when ever possible. And by all means this is not the place to tie one on, drink in moderation.
   
6. Attend events regularly. Become a recognized networker by attending the events as often as possible.
   
7. Dress appropriately - Do not show up at a black tie event in jeans and do not show up at a Packer tailgating in a suit and tie. Common sense should dictate your wardrobe.
8. Have fun and do not force the sales. Networking events are where you build relationships they are not designed as a place to close a deal. If you build the relationship the deal will follow but if you come across as a pushy sales person the relationship will not develop and the deal will never make it to the table.   
   

Networking events can be the tool you need to take your business to the next level but it all comes down to recognizing what you are there to do. Treat the event like work because that is what it is but do not try to close deals because that is not what the event is designed for. Listen to and watch the people in attendance and most importantly have a plan. The plan is to build a solid relationship with 1 - 3 people and be prepared to open some doors to new clients! See you at the next event!       

Great advice Rick...Thanks for sharing.  There is a lot a person can learn from business body language and the hidden "rules".  Your suggestions really make a lot of sense and give me a lot of new perspectives.

To Eat or not to Eat.....

Many networking events have some type of snacks made available for the guests but is this really a wise decision?  I guess you need to ask yourself are you there to eat or are you there to work? Many of us are very conscious of our hygiene when we are working and carry a tooth brush so we can clean our teeth after a lunch but at networking events there is always the woman with the spinach on her teeth and the guy who ate way to many servings of the garlic dip.

You need to ask yourself if you were about to meet your biggest client of the year would you decide to eat a few slices of Pepper jack cheese and greasy chips before shaking hands?  So how do you know that your next big client i'snt at the event you are at?     

If you are going to eat then eat but eat something and then go use the rest room make sure there isnt anything in your teeth freshen your breath and get back to work. 

You dont have snacks at your work desk and networking is your job so treat the event as such and you will find you are better at networking, make more leads, which translates into more money and then you can eat out every night!

The great name dropping debate-

A week or so ago I sent out an email in regards to the controversial topic of name dropping and how it has a negative impact in the HBBA. I would like to go into this a little further because this seems to bring up a more important subject and that is what makes a good referral.
Let us start with what is a good referral. A good referral means this person has heard of me or is expecting to hear from me because this person has a need and I may be in a position where I can help them. A good referral eliminates the cold call scenario because this person has already been informed by the person that gave the referral that I am going to be calling, I can be trusted, and the person that gave me the referral is willing to testify on my behalf.
If you give a good referral I am entering into the first meeting with a built in level of trust because the person I am meeting trusts you and you put us in touch with each other. The person that gives the referral should make sure there is a need to be filled and that this person is open to meeting. When you bring up the idea of meeting with an associate of yours with this possible referral, you will be able to determine if this person will be open to meeting or if this person is even the right person to be meeting. A good referral does not mean a done deal. It is still up to me to fulfill the needs of the client and provide the product or service them as needed. I the receiver of the referral still need to close the deal but you the person giving the referral gave me the opening to make it possible.
Here is an example: I receive a referral that says to meet with John Smith because he is a friend of yours. John Smith is Vice President of company XYZ and handles finances. I am a financial planner and I do my homework and want to impress John so I put together a proposal for a new pension plan for employees of XYZ. I show up and tell the receptionist that I am a friend of Bob Jones and Bob said I should meet with John Smith. John allows me in because he is great friends with Bob and thinks this might be something important. I walk in, introduce myself and before I am 5 minutes into our talk John says that this is a waste of both of our time because the company has been bought out and no one at this level has any access to benefits. The company that bought them out has its own financial planner in the company and most of the employees of XYZ will probably be losing their jobs. Now we are both standing there in an awkward situation at which point we either end the meeting or start some small talk about how we both know Bob. A complete waste of our time
Now had Bob made the call before passing the referral he may have found this out and then told John that this great financial planner might be able to help with the roll-overs of the employees that are losing their employment. At least John would have known why I was there and the meeting may have gone better. A good meeting reflects value in you, the person that put us together. A bad meeting also reflects you and over time you become the boy who cried wolf. A referral is meant to make our job easier. If your referrals result in getting doors slammed in my face then your referrals serve me no more value than a phone book and over time your referrals become a much lower priority. If I spend hours chasing ghosts referred to me by you do you think I will be open to passing you great leads?
Many of us feel like we all want to be contributing to the chapter we belong to so the temptation to drop a name or give a bad referral becomes easier as time goes on. The truth is members of the chapter do talk among each other and the question comes up as to who is passing great referrals and who passes the referrals that never result in any business. Once you get a reputation of passing less than desirable leads you are setting yourself up for a path that seldom leads to an easy success.

Thanks for the tips on exchanging business cards. I agree with the advice, I've found keeping a notebook during larger events like conferences and Expos to be very helpful. It's nice to be able to remember a little about the conversation you had and who you spoke to, especially if they are referring you to someone else in the company. 

The first conferences I went to I came home with business cards stuck in back pockets, brief case, purse -- all over the place -- and after three days of networking it's hard to remember the backstory on 40 or so business cards!

Face Time

Ever have a great first meeting but then days later nothing has come from this meeting and there is no new business stacked on your desk? When someone says no they are not interested in working with you does this cause you to walk away and never look back? 

The problem is not necessarily your technique or your product but most likely it has to do with face time. People are creatures of habit and there are plenty of studies that confirm that people do not work with a person or even believe a person until after several times of hearing what it is that you offer. The human brain will take things as fact once it has heard or seen something at least 6 times. With that being said you need to take certain steps to insuring you reach your prospective clients.

1.       the use of Teasers - Approach your prospects like a boxer enters a fight. You need to give enough information to intrigue a person but save your best for last. Do not come out swinging with all of your might because the defenses are still up and this will take away from the knock out delivery when you need it most. Tease your prospects, make them want more and then deliver more in small pieces. When you get to the point where this person seems that they are open to anything you say that is when you deliver your knock out presentation and when this occurs only do what is needed less is more in business so keep a reserve of information that can be used if something goes wrong down the road.
   
2. Social Butterfly - You need to be out and about networking every chance you get. This increases the number of exposures you put yourself in and these opportunities count as times in front of a prospect. Say your name, share a comment that is work related be sociable and then get in front of someone else. If you run into a prospective client 5 times out in social events and then show up at their office a week later you have already had the face time to increase your level of success. If you were sociable and friendly and demonstrated characteristics that are well received then this persons brain will be programed to accept and believe you.
   
3. No doesn't need to be permanent - When you receive the no I am not interested you need to understand that the no applies to today and has no guarantee that it will be the same answer tomorrow. Maybe today your services are not needed or maybe the one providing that service for them has not made any mistakes...yet. Either way it doesn't mean that tomorrow the needs wont change. With this being said continue the teasers when you cross paths, drop in and visit those who said no because you do not know what it will take for that no to change to a yes and you want to be there when that situation arises. Be around those who said no so that when a trigger occurs that opens the door it is opened to you and not your competition. 
   

We never know who is our next great client until it occurs but if you look back and review all of your great clients how many did you get from the first attempt? Keep making yourself available to those you want to work with and who knows the nastiest no's you ever receive may become your best clients of the future.

Good Stuff Rick!  I appreciate getting these updates from you.  Always good advise.  I've been in a sales role in the past and can assure you that these concepts apply.