Setting Up for Successful Follow-up
The follow up process is one of the areas of networking that still seems to confuse some people. Most realize that meeting someone at a networking event for five minutes isn’t enough to build a relationship, and that follow up is critical.
The fortune is in the follow-upBut while they may have good intentions …
The Power of Referral Partners, Part 2: Choosing the Right Ones
While many of us who start our own businesses or who become solo professionals value our independence, we quickly find more value in having people at our side to give us extra strength, visibility and insight in the market.
In last week’s post, I touched on the power of referral partnerships. These are collaborations you …
The Power of Referral Partners: Why Two Brands are Better Than One
Whenever I’m at a conference or networking event, my favorite group of people to look for are those I can learn from, who have specific expertise that they are passionate about and love to share. I thoroughly enjoy finding out what people do,
what’s been successful for them, and applying those ideas to my own …
Why Everyone Wins When You Have a Strong Personal Brand
We spend a lot of time here on the Personal Branding Blog talking about the importance of a strong personal brand to the brand holder. You get known more widely, you get hired more quickly, you get paid more, etc. But what about the flip side? What about the benefits to the buyer, the customer, …
Finding the Balance Between the Need to Connect and the Need to Disconnect
People are always surprised to hear that I don’t network on airplanes. Like crispy sweetbreads, Crocs, and cookie dough ice cream, the concept sounds good and others like it, but it’s just not for me. This wouldn’t be so unusual– lots of people I know prefer DirectTV to direct interaction with fellow fliers–except for one …
Smart Networking and the Art of the Ask
Knowing how to build your network is crucial, but knowing how to tap into your network for help is even more important. After all, if you can’t get the help you need for yourself or for others from the people you know, where will you get it?
Some people are reluctant to ask for help …
Will Your Network Be There When You Need Them?
I moderated a networking panel recently where the first question during the Q&A period came from a woman in the audience who said, “I’ve been looking for a job for a while and trying to improve my computer skills in the meantime, but I haven’t been able to find anything. What should I do?”
One …
Why Being Known as a Change Agent Can Add Significant Value to Your Personal Brand
Are you good at handling change? Or do you prefer to hide under the covers hoping change will leave you alone?
In one of my favorite movies, The Shawshank Redemption, one prisoner takes a knife to a fellow inmate’s throat, hoping that committing another crime will extend his decades-long tenure behind bars rather than force …
How to Translate What You Do Into What’s In It For Others
Ever feel like you’re speaking a completely different language when you’re relaying your branding message or elevator pitch to others? Even when you deliver it coherently without stumbling over your words, something seems to be lost in the translation because people just aren’t “getting it?”
What’s often lost in the translation, what others aren’t understanding …
Can’t Afford the Time to Network?
As I’ve been developing new programs for my business, I’ve focused more and more on asking people to spell out their biggest networking challenge. The responses I’ve gotten back have been eye-opening.
I had expected answers like “How do I get people to return my phone call?”, “How do I …