Posts

It’s Meet Someone New Monday

“Successful people know a lot of people” -Walter Bond

It’s Meet Someone New Monday! Today is a great day to work on your networking skills and meet someone who could help you reach your goals. Or maybe by meeting someone new this week, you’ll be the person someone else needs to achieve their goals! Either way, by meeting new people this week, networks are being strengthened, goals are being reached, and relationships are being built. Networking is a critical skill set that we all must develop to enhance our purpose and make progression.

Everything you need to get to the next level will go through someone else’s hands to get to you. Ask any “self-made” millionaire their secret, and they’ll tell you they had a strong team of people behind them and were committed to effective networking. Meeting new people is critical in growing as a person and as a business. You can master programs and processes and create formulas that will improve your numbers, but if you can’t master the relationship building part of your business, you’re doing yourself, and your company, a disservice.

Networking is paramount to your success in 5 major ways:

  • Shared Knowledge. Successful people surround themselves with people who are more successful than they are. By networking with other like-minded people, you can share ideas, knowledge, strategies, and tricks to help you reach the next level. This is one reason our Next Level: Mastermind Group has been such a success, successful people love connecting with other successful people.
  • Increased opportunities. Networking helps you get connected with the people who have what you need to grow. Meeting new people increases your chances of finding new opportunities that will help launch you towards personal and business development.
  • It’s about secondary connections. Businessman Bob may not be the person you need to reach the next level at this moment, but building a long-term relationship with him means that he has connections that could be crucial in your success. Maybe Businessman Bob gives your name to his friend Professional Paula and viola! You’re connected and significantly moving forward.
  • Get Noticed. The more people you know, the more people know you. This helps to increase your profile and reputation in the industry. By making yourself a regular at networking events and business development sessions, you’re letting everyone know that you’re serious about getting to the next level. This will attract other serious business leaders and entrepreneurs into your professional circle.

This week, your challenge is to work on a short pitch/speech that will cover the basics of who you are and what you do in the amount of time it takes to ride an elevator. This is commonly referred to as an elevator speech. Once you’ve crafted your elevator speech, use it on one person that you don’t know. If you’re not doing it, your competition will. Being prepared will help you move past the few seconds of nervousness and start a chain reaction of connections that will get you to the next level.

If you didn’t get in on the Mastermind Group in October, there a few spots left for November. We’ll be discussing networking tips that have helped successful business leaders and entrepreneurs reach the big time!

Now go meet someone new!

-Walter

/0 Comments/by
,

3 Next Level Networking Secrets That Millionaires Love

Everyone knows that in business and in life, it’s more about who you know than what you know. The connections you make in your professional life are what open doors and get you to the next level. We all know we need to attend networking events, participate in mastermind groups, make phone calls, send emails and shake hands. However, there are a few secrets to effective networking that commonly get missed. Before your next networking event, make sure you’re paying attention to these fundamentals that could either make or break your networking game:

Prepare

You’d be surprised at how many professionals walk into a networking event, meet-and-greet or another connection-focused endeavor without being prepared. Not only does this make you look unprofessional and unprepared to potential connections, but it can also decrease your confidence and your chances of making a powerful first impression. Some ways to prepare yourself for success when it comes to networking include:

  • Be clear about your goals and intentions for networking. Are you trying to collect five business cards? Are you aiming to give out all of yours? Do you want to leave with a follow-up phone call scheduled? If you know who is going to be there, make a list of the people you want to speak with. Going in with a plan helps you stay focused and increases productivity.
  • Do your research. Nothing is more embarrassing than meeting a keynote or notable figure at an event and not knowing who they are. Make sure you can identify the high-profile people at your event and learn a little about their history and contributions. This will make you look prepared and educated.
  • Take care of details ahead of time. This means knowing where you’re going, what you are wearing, and any unexpected obstacle that could prevent you from being late or missing critical connections.

Pay Attention To Your Body Language

Whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, your body language at networking events tells people everything they need about approaching (or avoiding) you. Things like crossing your arms, standing against the wall, avoiding eye contact and the way you stand in a group can all send off vibes that you’re unapproachable or uninterested. Many introverts do these things unintentionally and often as a response to crowd-anxiety.

But introverts aren’t the only ones guilty of body language that sends off the wrong message. Dramatic hand gestures, an unnecessarily loud speaking voice, a defensive attitude, and offensive or inappropriate humor could also put people off from approaching you.

Keep your body language in check to maximize the connections you can make.

The Follow Up

Professional relationships are like flowers, the seeds are planted at the initial contact, but they won’t grow if you don’t tend to them. While meeting people at networking events is the first step, it’s all for nothing if you don’t follow up. Your work is not done when the networking event is over, in fact, it’s just getting started. Be intentional about setting a follow-up meeting or phone call before you go your separate ways, and then follow through with this commitment. Even if the connection doesn’t lead anywhere right now, your follow-through and persistence will give them a good impression of your work ethic.

Become A Networking Monster

Networking is one of the significant ways to grow your business. Even if you consider yourself a people-person and have no problem making friends with strangers, it’s important to remember the things you are doing and saying are always working towards presenting yourself in a light that is both personal and professional.

What is your next step in next level networking? If you’re not sure, check out our innovative Next Level: Mastermind Group where we discuss the power of effective networking, by networking!

We want to meet you and hear your story. Let’s get connected!

/0 Comments/by
,

There’s No I In Monday

If you are going to make it through this week, heck, if you are going to make it through this Monday, you are going to need the help of a team. The age-old saying “there’s no I in team” may be overdone, but it is true. A team of any kind, whether it’s a business relationship, a marriage, or a friendship, requires all members to be intentional, interactive and involved. Every successful business is backed by a group of people that are all committed to the same goal. Building a team is foundational in building your business. A great leader focuses on the strengths of his/her team and leads by serving. Anyone can be a boss, but a leader is others-focused and relentless in their pursuit of unity.

There are two types of people in the world: “Here I Am” kind of people and “There You Are” kind of people. The first type walks into any situation and makes decisions based on what is best for them personally. They are self-motivated and put their interests above those of everyone else. “There You Are” people walk into any situation and make everyone else feel valued. These types of people create solid teams of hardworking employees who feel appreciated and connected.

Not being a team player is not an option if you want to get to the next level. The inability to compromise, listen and collaborate will result in your business becoming stagnant. 100% of the time. You need sounding boards, you need people who will tell you you are on the right track, or that your idea does not align with the mission statement of the company. You need a diverse community of people that all have their eyes on the same goal that you do. If your business is not thriving like you want it to, take a look at your team. More importantly, take a look at how you are impacting your team.

We know from experience how powerful it can be to have someone speak positivity and encouragement into your life. We know that the first step in becoming who you are meant to be is self-awareness. You don’t know what you don’t know. This is why we have launched the Personal Development MasterMind Group. People are already signing up for this monthly, interactive personal development meeting that provides the opportunity to learn the skills required to get to the next level in all areas of life. When you join this elite group, you will master things like time management, developing positive self-talk, being an influential communicator and how to foster the relationships that are crucial to your happiness. And that is just the beginning.

You are who you surround yourself with. Look around. Do your daily interactions and attitude towards teamwork scream “Here I Am” or “There You Are”?

Today, think of three ways you could be a better team player. What can you do to shine a light on the strengths and abilities of others? You will be amazed at what happens when you begin to shift your focus from what you bring to the table to how you can help others bring their best to the table.

Keep an eye on our social media platforms for more information (and early bird discounts) on Walter’s brand new Personal Development Mastermind Group.

Go be the leader you would want to follow.

-Walter

/0 Comments/by