If you have a chance, I highly recommend reading The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind about William Kamkwamba. It's a fascinating and inspiring read. I found out about the book while watching an interview years ago on the Daily Show with John Stewart. It struck me in the interview when William says about Google, "...I said what kind of animal is this Google? Where was this Google all this time???" It's impressive that this kid, who has almost no access to information or tools, created a windmill from scavenged resources. Can you imagine what someone with his ingenuity and drive could have done with access to the internet? Connections Create … [Read more...]
Why I Think it’s Dumb to Not Use Business Cards
I was at a conference sponsored by a large high-tech firm, and because they were a high-tech firm, they were going to be fancy and high-tech and put QR codes on everyone's namebadge with their contact info. In theory, you would scan the QR code with your smartphone and download their info directly and this would make networking more efficient. In practice it was a pain in the ass. I got tired of aiming my phone at someone's badge and trying to keep everyone physically still enough for it to work. And it was a huge interruption in the flow of the conversations I was having. And then there was the afternoon my phone battery … [Read more...]
Business Niches are Important
I'm going to let you eavesdrop on a conversation I've had with hundreds of people in the last few years. It comes up while talking about networking and their social media presence: Me: "So who are your ideal clients? Who's the target market you want to work with?" Really Well-Meaning Professional: "Everyone! Which is why I'm totally confused about why I don't have more work!" It's sad but true that I usually have this conversation with professionals who are struggling to find success in their chosen field. It doesn't matter if they are a small business owner, a service provider, or a salesperson for a large company. Someone who … [Read more...]
Good Networkers Always Have Jobs
People that are good at building and maintaining a strong professional network are rarely unemployed for long; and it’s not just because they know a lot of people who can hire them. It’s because the competencies that are necessary for successful networking are highly sought after in the job market. When you are actively networking, you are both a) continually honing these skills and more importantly, b) proving that you have them! Intangible Business Skills Here are a few of the areas involved in successful networking that have an impact throughout your career: Interpersonal Communication Skills Networking is communicating. If you … [Read more...]
3 Necessary Ingredients for Building Networking Relationships
One of the most important pieces of powerful networking is building successful, long-term relationships. That’s why people who take a short-term view to networking usually fail - you can’t take shortcuts to building relationships. Just as your personal relationships take time to nurture and grow, so too do your professional connections. It does take time to build connections with the people in your network, but you can accelerate the process by focusing on the quality of your interactions – and always keep your networking goals in mind. There is an old sales adage that says “people do business with people they know, like, and … [Read more...]