Does technology always help in the sales world? The knee-jerk response from most sales professionals would be a resounding “Yes!”, but we might want to dive a little deeper. It’s great to be able to use the latest AI-driven CRM or social media platform, but is it interfering with the fundamental role of a salesperson? Is it making it harder for us to connect and influence people because we can’t engage with them on a human level? Technology Makes Us Conversationally Absent Sherry Turkle, the author of Reclaiming Conversation, shared the results of a meta-analysis of 72 studies that showed that college students have experienced a 40 … [Read more...]
Simple Solutions to Big Networking Fears: 10 Surefire Ways to Remember Anyone’s Name
It's an experience we've all had. We're at a party, a conference, or a reunion. Up walks someone that we know we know...but we can't for the life of us remember their name. It's right there, at the edge of our memory, but it won't come to us. We mumble an apology, ask for their name, and carry on with the conversation. But we feel bad because of it. Even though it really doesn't have a massive negative effect on our relationships, most of us are really afraid of forgetting other people's names in social situations. We dread that moment of staring at someone and drawing a blank. Maybe it's because we don't like it when others … [Read more...]
A Simple Step that Helps Millennials Start Professional Conversations
Are Millennials better or worse at interacting on a one-on-one basis because of the prevalence of technology in their lives? I’m not sure what the long-term effects of growing up in a world of computers and cellphones will be. However, watching high school and college students communicate leads me to believe that texting and digital communication have affected their “in-person” communication skills (but that is a completely unscientific observation). When looking at what skills to develop, face-to-face communication is a critical place to start. The more effectively you interact with others, both online and off-line, the more powerful … [Read more...]
How to Master the Fundamentals of Good Face-to-Face Communication
Good networking depends on our relationships, and our relationships depend on...well, relating. While it's important to know what to talk about, it's also important to consider how we interact with others. This is especially important when we engage in a face-to-face conversation with someone. In the last century we've moved from only one option to communicate with someone not physically with us (writing a letter) to a long list of options that includes phone calls, emails, social media, texting, video conferencing, and more. These other forms of communication can be useful, but they are still a proxy for talking in … [Read more...]
3 Easy Body Language Adjustments For Better Business Meetings
With more and more of our time spent online, there are hundreds of articles that will help you develop the perfect online presence. You can learn how to create an optimized social media profile, a blog post with the perfect headline, and a website that will make you look like the pre-eminent expert in your field. For most of us, though, our digital activity eventually funnels us back into the "real-world". No matter how fancy your CRM or iPhone app, most deals get done face-to-face. It's hard to shake someone's hand to seal the deal when you aren't sitting across from them! It doesn't matter how stunning your online presence is in the … [Read more...]
My Trick to Successful First Dates (It Works on Networking “First Dates” Too!)
Updated October 2018 I wrote this article about how to do well on first dates (because I was going on a lot of first dates and I was struck by how awkward they can be). I realized that the tool works just as well when you grab a cup of coffee or lunch with a new networking partner...which is basically another form of first date. So whether you are looking for a referral partner or a spouse, I hope this will help! Most of us dread first dates. It's a weird combination of job interview, etiquette test, and fashion show that we submit to in the hopes that a) we like the other person and b) the other person likes us. And the most "useful" … [Read more...]
When It’s Not About the Nail…and When it Is
Breaking news! Women and men tend to have different communication styles! Yeah, I know, it's not new news at all. But it's funny, because we so often persist in talking to each other like we all have the same style. In fact, each of us goes around thinking that everyone has the same style, and wants the same things from a conversation, that we do. The gender difference is one of the more obvious, but it can vary based on a host of other factors, including where someone is from, their age, their cultural background, and, duh, or their personality. https://youtu.be/-4EDhdAHrOg I know I tend to be pretty analytical and solution … [Read more...]