Regional Conversation Openers

In Minnesota, it’s all about the weather, then sports. In California, they talk about cars (or used to, when I lived there many years ago). What is the default conversation starter in your area? The topic you use when you catch someone’s eye at the bus stop, in an elevator, at a networking event while you are waiting in the buffet line?

They are niceties that can, depending upon the other person’s social skills and the setting you are in, open the door to more conversation. If you skip the opener, at least in Minnesota, you may be thought of as being far too pushy and the person will shut down on you.

Share with us the opener that works for you, in your part of the world. Later we’ll talk about what comes next.

On the Radio

Today I had the pleasure of being on the radio with Frank DeRaffele, www.eeradioshow.com. A good referral for Frank is a business in one of his 10 markets – NYC area – who is an expert in their field and wants to connect with a NYC audience during drive time.

Being on the radio is a humbling experience. Especially when a friend says you need to remove the word “um” from your vocabulary. Anyone know an effective way to change the way you speak? Ouch! I know he’s right, and I need to do this. Help?

2009 Goal Setting

Are you as tired as I am of this title? Goal setting is something I do year round. I believe that’s the reason I achieve my goals, because I pay attention to them on a daily basis. No, I don’t have them stuck to my bathroom mirror, or on the dashboard of my car. I have them in my head, and everything leads to that.

About 10 years ago I decided I wanted to live on the water. Everything I did at that time paid attention to the goal. I didn’t buy new furniture because I didn’t know what kind of a house I would have, I just knew it wouldn’t be the duplex I was living in at the time. I did the minimum amount of improvements on that house, knowing that I wouldn’t be there forever.

And six years ago I moved near the water. I achieved my goal.

Keep your goal(s) top of mind, and make decisions that support those goals. Don’t settle for anything less, and over time you will find that you either achieve the goal, or change it because it no longer fits.

Goal setting & keeping – a daily affirmation.

Find Anyone’s Email

This ad appeared on Facebook:
Find anyone’s email address instantly. Search by name, or by email to find their name, address, photos and more. Great for networking.

This is wrong on so many levels. The ad takes you to emailfinder.com, where I did a search for one of my email addresses. It found me. Then it wanted $2.95 a month or $14.95 for a one time full report.

I don’t have trouble with any of this, except the last line of their ad: Great for networking. Really? That’s networking? How’s that working for you?

I did a Google search for that email address. I was able to find myself and all of my information free with Google. But again, is that networking? Of course it isn’t. Not effective networking, anyway.

According to Dr. Ivan Misner, the founder of the largest word-of-mouth networking organization in the world, “I define business networking as the process of connecting people to share ideas, resources, information, and referrals.” Will searching out someone’s email address really get you there? I think not.

Online stuff is great, but it’s still all about the connections. It’s not only who you know, but how well you know them. So I won’t be paying that site $2.95 a month to match email addresses to information I can get for free by doing an internet search. I will, however, continue to build relationships with real people, in order to get connected to my target audience.

Are You a Leader?

A woman is advising the President staff member on West Wing regarding how they are doing in the leadership department. She tells the staffer “You are like a French Radical, standing on the sidewalk watching the crowd rush by and thinking ‘I must go with them to find out where they are going so I can lead them’”.

What leadership roles do you have in your life where you are not really leading, but merely giving the appearance of leadership? What can you do to truly lead? Do you have the information needed, the resources you can tap, the foresight and vision of where you want to go? If not, get busy. You are not leading, you just happen to be at the front of a crowd.

Elfin Christmas Fun

An Elfin Christmas

Sometimes you have to take a break and have a little fun. This is what www.jibjab.com can do for you. And yes, I do have an elfin dance to go with it (along with 4 of my friends) but you have to email me to get the link!

All They Want is a Little Respect

Are you treating the people who give you business with the respect they deserve? What I mean by that is once you get a customer you may tend to take them for granted. Once you get to know the members of your referral group, you may begin to take them for granted.

Do you respond to their requests with the same speed and courtesy that you do with a new customer? Or do you put them last on the list, because you figure the trust is already there, and “they will understand” if you don’t respond with the expediency you did during the beginning of your relationship?

Do you assume you know them so well you don’t need to ask them what they want? How can you help them? What pressing problem can you help them resolve? Even if it has nothing to do with your direct business?

Continue to treat your referral partners like the gold they are to your business, and they will continue to feed you more business.

Yes. Sweat the Small Stuff

We’re told “Don’t sweat the small stuff” but I would propose that the small stuff is what matters. People understand when you miss a deadline because you broke your leg (not small stuff) but will leave you in a heartbeat if you miss it without telling them as soon as you know you need to change the deadline. And if they think you blew them off for something they find trivial (as a non-parent, I find the excuse “My child had a play I had to go see” infuriating) they will build resentment towards you.

While it might not break the relationship, it will add another straw onto that camel’s back. A lot of little straws can add up to you losing a good client.

So what can you do to prevent the straws from piling up? Sweat the small stuff.

• Communicate with your client. As soon as you know you are going to miss a deadline, work with them to reset it. Don’t be late – or miss – phone calls or appointments either.
• Value their time, even if you don’t value their own. In this fast-paced world when you get on someone’s calendar treat it like gold.
• Treat everyone the same – the smallest client today could end up either being or referring you to your dream client.
• This works for vendors and colleagues too. And your family and friends as well. If you build a reputation for being reliable, it will not be a big deal when you occasionally misstep. But remember, a lot of missteps can take you a long way in the wrong direction.

In closing, remember to forgive others if they screw up, and even more importantly, forgive yourself. We all make mistakes, it’s how we handle the aftermath that proves our worth.

FastPitch Site

Dr. Misner recommends them, so I’ve set up a free business profile. Still investigating whether it’s worth the investment of cash on top of time….click the image below to see my profile on FastPitch.

The Boat Is In

Last Friday we dropped the boat in the water, so the sailing season has begun. It’s hard to tell here in Minnesota, as there was frost on my windshield this morning, but I have faith. So much for global warming!! It hasn’t yet reached the great upper midwest.

So if you’re going to be anywhere near Pepin, Wisconsin, this summer, give me a holler and let’s set up a time to get out on the water! We’ll go for a sail and do a little networking while we’re at it!