Tuesday, 31 May 2011

The A-Z of networking some examples – Paul M Johnstone

In this irregular reference on networking these selections are all from the letter C
Hope you like dipping in and out of them.

Closed Groups:

In an open networking event, closed groups are where a group of two or more are in conversation.  And their body language makes it clear they do not want interrupting.  Or with a group of 3 or more they have closed the space between them, indicating private meting. 



Collaboration:

Similar in application to Synergistic partnerships and joint venture, collaboration
Collaboration is a recursive process where two or more people or organizations work together in an intersection of common goals.
For example, by sharing knowledge, learning and building consensus to achieve a common goal. Most collaboration requires leadership.
Share resources and contacts with people who have a similar target audience as you.  It helps if some decisions are mad on the resources you need:
Agreements help maintain both parties focus and identify what resources will be required.



Complex Proposal:

Sad but true, if you have a complex proposal for your services it will take a lot longer to trigger members ‘Reticular Activator’ (more of that later)  In fact some groups, notably those with strict and fixed agendas are probably least useful for complex services.

You may not think you have a complex proposal.  Please take a moment to think about what your prospects think you do.  If that can be summed up in 4 words or less it’s a simple proposal.  Think of an Accountant, Printer, Business coach, are all titles that convey an action most people can follow simply.  Sadly if it takes longer it is in Networking at least a complex one. Management Consultant, Communications Writer and Alternative therapists do not mean the same to most people so it’s best to think of those as a having a complex proposal.

Look for a group that allows you a little more time to deliver your proposal.  Or look for a group where you have significant time in the meeting to influence other members.  This may be as a result of more open networking time, opportunities to deliver a 20 or 30 minute meeting topic on your specialism or through meeting forums.


About the Author

Paul M Johnstone is a Professional networker, he build two businesses by using the power of the network and with almost no other marketing. He has worked for 3 of the largest networking organisations in the UK and is a network mentor. He can be reached at +44 (0)7711 324362or through his website at http://www.paradigmshakers.co.uk/ 

Please comment on this or any of my earlier Blogs. All feedback is great feedback

Helping Real People do Real Business Through Real Networking
©Paul Johnstone

Thursday, 26 May 2011

Social Networking Ok its different Paul M Johnstone


Social Media is becoming more and more an acceptable face of networking.  Like all networking it has it’s us as well as it’s downs. But you can’t ignore it.  It it’s LinkedIn or Facebook or Twitter.  All have a place in the networking marketing mix.
There are lots of people on both sides of this argument.  Many have had considerable success using the power of social media.  But many people have spent lots of time fumbling in the dark, getting nowhere. 

Social media is like any other form of marketing, it takes time or money or both to complete.  It’s not free there is a cost, but for most small business people that will be in time.  OK small business people and time are not usually words used in the same sentence but here it’s worth looking a little closer.

Lots of people look at social media and ask the same question “What’s the big deal and what do people spend their time on social media?”

The numbers involved in social media alone are staggering which is a start as well as hooking up with lost school mates and ex colleagues what else is there?   It’s called sharing. 
When you go to visit a client or prospect or even talk to them on the phone, there is a degree of social interaction before you get down to business.  It’s natural – How’s the children - What was your holiday like – Where are you having your birthday party – How’s your golf handicap and so on.  We all do and social media allows you to have those conversations with potential business people where ever you are.

There is a great piece I read recently which shows how several companies have made it big and in some cases bigger with the help of social media.  Read it at http://ow.ly/53l7z 

Social media is not for everyone, but by simply interacting with others, contributing to discussions and sharing some f your tips and experience does not have to take up much time.  But it will raise your profile, help create a Buzz about you or your business.  And That’s no bad thing

Next Time Training and social Media


About the Author

Paul M Johnstone is a Professional networker, he build two businesses by using the power of the network and with almost no other marketing. He has worked for 3 of the largest networking organisations in the UK and is a network mentor. He can be reached at +44 (0)7711 324362or through his website at http://www.paradigmshakers.co.uk/ 

Please comment on this or any of my earlier Blogs. All feedback is great feedback

Helping Real People do Real Business Through Real Networking
©Paul Johnstone

Friday, 20 May 2011

What Your Business Card says about YOU – Paul M Johnstone

Yesterday I blogged about my experiences at a business start up exhibition http://ow.ly/4Z3kS
A fantastic show with lots and lots of networking opportunities.  One of the highlights was the speed networking session where I made contact with over 40 people in less than Two hours.  What a result!

If you have ever been Speed Networking you’ll know you need to condense your message into a short concise format and get it into about 40 seconds, which allows time for the other speed networker to ask question.   

Think about it a bit like coffee!  If you want that hit of caffeine in the morning an espresso is what you need.  When you think about it your espresso is your brand.  Or a condensed passionate which drives an experience your customers can feel,  “That’s fantastic” I thought.  Then my usually unreliable memory kicks in.  I’ve heard that before and after a little shuffling of the grey cells I remembered it.

Angie Eagan a colleague of mine at the Professional Speakers Association has written a book called ‘Espresso yourself’ subtitles ‘The Taste of Your Brand’ where she explores this theme, ho hum back to the drawing board for me!

But that theme of the taste of your brand kept nagging a way as I thought back to the exhibition.  Branding, what is it?  Well this is a subject that can run and run.  But for the purposes of this blog lets look at the first time you meet a prospect what usually happens?

I don’t know about you but I usually offer my business card.  In the blog I referred to at the start of this piece, I spent time discussing some business cards that I believe missed the mark.  This morning when I returned from a networking breakfast I decided to take a random selection form my card box(over 2,000 cards) and see how they stack up.

After picking at random 150 cards here is what I found:

2 Had no first name on their card: Why? What is to hide about your first name?
21 Had No physical address: This gives a less than professional impression.  You can get a PO Box number for less than the cost of a glass of wine a week, and they deliver the mail to you door. No more driving to a sorting office to collect your mail.
32 Crammed too much information on the card:  The net result is the reader has to have super vision if they want to get any information off the card.  The idea is to give people information not get them to reach for a magnifying glass!
35 Printed one side only:  A business card is a valuable piece of real estate, so use it well.  A graphic designer friend of mine told me that for a business card to do it’s job the front should say who you are, and the back should say what you do.  Simple stuff name contact details on the front and your area of business on the back.

Worst of all is turning up at an event with no business card.

Remember you only get one chance to make a first impression – so make it a professional one.  To read my previous piece, please follow the link http://ow.ly/4Z3kS


About the Author

Paul M Johnstone is a Professional networker, he build two businesses by using the power of the network and with almost no other marketing. He has worked for 3 of the largest networking organisations in the UK and is a network mentor. He can be reached at +44 (0)7711 324362or through his website at http://www.paradigmshakers.co.uk/ 

Please comment on this or any of my earlier Blogs. All feedback is great feedback

Helping Real People do Real Business Through Real Networking
©Paul Johnstone

Friday, 6 May 2011

Colaborating is the way forward: Paul M Johnstone

More from the A to Z of networking this time we are into the letter C.  Hope you enjoy the journey. 

Collaboration:          

Similar in application to Synergistic partnerships and joint venture, collaboration

Collaboration is a recursive process where two or more people or organizations work together in an intersection of common goals.

For example, by sharing knowledge, learning and building consensus to achieve a common goal. Most collaboration requires leadership. 

Share resources and contacts with people who have a similar target audience as you.  It helps if some decisions are mad on the resources you need:

Agreements help maintain both parties focus and identify what resources will be required.


Communication:

A huge subject, and with over 70% of communication being visual, its worth spending time here.  In networking as in all other activities, like it or not image is important. 
We do not have enough time to detail everything in this section.  We will therefore just pick the network golden moments for you.

Your Voice:  Resonance in your voice gives you a rounded, richer sounding voice.  This creates depth, substance and weight to your delivery.  One of the great benefits of this is, when you are nervous speaking to a group, it stops you sounding shrill.

Your Handshake: This makes a great impression on who you meet. It contributes to the impression you make.  Not to firm and not too weak, firm but forgiving is what you are looking for in a handshake.

Posture: There is tremendous benefit from the Alexander Technique on posture. Place you feet directly under your shoulders.   In short be natural and a quick tip if you have poor posture or experience pain when you are on your feet for a long time, try the Alexander Technique, great for repairing poor posture.
 
Relax: When you are relaxed you breathing is deep and even, its how the body likes to do it.

About the Author

Paul M Johnstone is a Professional networker, he build two businesses by using the power of the network and with almost no other marketing. He has worked for 3 of the largest networking organisations in the UK and is a network mentor. He can be reached at +44 (0)7711 324362or through his website at http://www.paradigmshakers.co.uk/ 

Please comment on this or any of my earlier Blogs. All feedback is great feedback

Helping Real People do Real Business Through Real Networking
©Paul Johnstone

Thursday, 5 May 2011

3B's from the A to Z of Networking - Paul M Johnstone


Carrying on with the A to Z of networking, we are now at Body Image and Body Language , two topics many of us struggle with.

Business Cards:

Always carry plenty of business cards.  Being prepared is all part of being ready to achieve your objectives.  I usually carry more cards than I think I will need.  This is based on the habit of some people who will always take 2 cards when offered.

If you think back in time they used to be called - calling cards. These days they should contain a lot more than just your name and contact details.
There is a school of thought that believes you should have your name and contacts on the front and on the reverse you should have something saying what you do.

However I have recently seen cards with so much information on the reverse it detracts from the impact.  With cards ‘less is more’ is worth considering. 

But I agree print on both sides you can get your message across so much better.

Business Miles

A term used to describe suppliers who are based locally to your business. It has come from the concern over travelling long distance to supply product.  Simply: the closer you are to your suppliers and customers the less damage you do to the environment.

Some Restaurants price dishes according to the distance the ingredients have travelled. Apart from being a good marketing exercise it shows the diners they are thinking about the environment.

You may be more familiar with the term food miles.  Business miles are a variation on that term.

Business Networking

Business networking is a marketing method by which business opportunities are created through networks of like-minded business people. There are several prominent business networking organizations that create models of networking activity that, when followed, allow the business person to build new business relationship and generate business opportunities at the same time.

Many business people contend business networking is a more cost-effective method of generating new business than advertising or public relations efforts.
This is because business networking is a low-cost activity that involves more personal commitment than company money.

As an example, a business network may agree to meet weekly or monthly with the purpose of exchanging business leads and introduce connections with fellow members.

To complement this activity, members often meet outside this circle, on their own time, and build their own "one-to-one" relationship with the fellow member.
Business networking can be conducted in a local business community, or on a larger scale via the Internet. Business networking websites have grown over recent years due to the Internet's ability to connect people from all over the world.

Business networking can have a meaning also in the ICT domain, i.e. the provision of operating support to companies / organizations, and related value chains / value networks.

Check back for more A - Z of Networking
Helping Real People do Real Business Through Real Networking
©Paul Johnstone

Please feel free to comment on this or any of my earlier Blogs. All feedback is great

Wednesday, 4 May 2011

What can you tell from Body Language? Paul M Johnstone

Carrying on with the A to Z of networking, we are now at Body Image and Body Language , two topics many of us struggle with. 

Body Image:

Body image is a term which may refer to a person's perception of his or her own physical appearance, or the interpretation of the body by the brain. Essentially, body image describes how one perceives one's appearance to be to others, which in many cases may be dramatically different from one's objective physical condition or how one is actually perceived by others.  How you look at a networking event influences others in their view of you and the business you run.

Body Language

Part of your non verbal communications; Well that’s a bland statement of fact!
Body language is a book in itself. There are however some simple pointers to improving and using body language beneficially while networking.
Body language is a form of non-verbal communication: Consisting of body pose, gestures, and eye movements. Humans send and interpret such signals unconsciously.
It is often said that human communication consists of 93% body language and paralinguistic cues, while only 7% of communication consists of words themselves - however, Albert Mehrabian, the researcher whose 1960s work is the source of these statistics, has stated that this is a misunderstanding of the findings   Others assert that "Research has suggested that between 60 and 70 percent of all meaning is derived from nonverbal behavior."  Next time you are at a networking event check other and see if you can work out what they are thinking.

Body language may provide cues as to the attitude or state of mind of a person. For example, it may indicate aggression, attentiveness, boredom, relaxed state, pleasure, amusement, besides may other cues.

The technique of 'reading' people is used frequently. For example, the idea of mirroring body language to put people at ease is commonly used in interviews. Mirroring the body language of someone else indicates that they are understood.
Body language signals may have a goal other than communication. Both people would keep this in mind. Observers limit the weight they place on non-verbal cues. Signalers clarify their signals to indicate the biological origin of their actions.

Physical expressions like waving, pointing, touching and slouching are all forms of nonverbal communication. The study of body movement and expression is known as kinesics. Humans move their bodies when communicating because, as research has shown, it helps "ease the mental effort when communication is difficult."

Physical expressions reveal many things about the person using them. For example, gestures can emphasize a point or relay a message, posture can reveal boredom or great interest, and touch can convey encouragement or caution. 

One of the most basic and powerful body-language signals is when a person crosses their arms across the chest. This can indicate that a person is putting up an unconscious barrier between themselves and others. It can also indicate that the person's arms are cold which would be clarified by rubbing the arms or huddling. 

When the overall situation is amicable, it can mean that a person is thinking deeply about what is being discussed. But in a serious or confrontational situation, it can mean that a person is expressing opposition. This is especially so if the person is leaning away from the speaker. A harsh or blank facial expression often indicates outright hostility.

Consistent eye contact can indicate that a person is thinking positively of what the speaker is saying.  It can also mean that the other person doesn't trust the speaker enough to "take his eyes off" the speaker. Lack of eye contact can indicate negativity.
On the other hand, individuals with anxiety disorders are often unable to make eye contact without discomfort. Eye contact is often a secondary and misleading gesture because we are taught from an early age to make eye contact when speaking. If a person is looking at you but is making the arms-across-chest signal, the eye contact could be indicative that something is bothering the person, and that he wants to talk about it. 

Or if while making direct eye contact a person is fiddling with something, even while directly looking at you, it could indicate the attention is elsewhere. Also there are three standard areas that a person will look which represent different states of being. If the person looks from one eye to the other then to the forehead it is a sign that they are taking an authoritative position. 

If they move from one eye to the other then to the nose, that signals that they are engaging in what they consider to be a "level conversation" with neither party holding superiority. The last case is from one eye to the other and then down to the lips. This is a strong indication of romantic feelings.

Disbelief is often indicated by averted gaze, or by touching the ear or scratching the chin. When a person is not being convinced by what someone is saying, the attention invariably wanders, and the eyes will stare away for an extended period. 

Boredom is indicated by the head tilting to one side, or by the eyes looking straight at the speaker but becoming slightly unfocused. A head tilt may also indicate a sore neck or Amblyopia, and unfocused eyes may indicate ocular problems in the listener.

Interest can be indicated through posture or extended eye contact. Such as standing and listening properly.

Deceit or the act of withholding information can sometimes be indicated by touching the face during conversation. Excessive blinking is a well-known indicator of someone who is lying. Recently, evidence has surfaced that the absence of blinking can also represent lying as a more reliable factor than excessive blinking. 

It should be noted that some people use and understand body language differently, or not at all. Interpreting their gestures and facial expressions (or lack thereof) in the context of normal body language usually leads to misunderstandings and misinterpretations (especially if body language is given priority over spoken language). It should also be stated that people from different cultures can interpret body language in different ways.

Here are some examples for your next network meeting:

·         Hands on knees: indicates readiness.
·         Hands on hips: indicates impatience.
·         Lock your hands behind your back: indicates self-control.
·         Locked hands behind head: states confidence.
·         Sitting with a leg over the arm of the chair: suggests indifference.
·         Legs and feet pointed in a particular direction: the direction where more interest is felt
·         Crossed arms: indicates submissiveness.

Check back for more A - Z of Networking
Helping Real People do Real Business Through Real Networking
©Paul Johnstone

Please feel free to comment on this or any of my earlier Blogs. All feedback is great

Tuesday, 3 May 2011

The A - Z of Networking Trust - Paul M Johnstone

Behaviour to build trust

There is a wonderful piece written by Stephen M.R. Covey on 'The 13 Behaviours of a High Trust Leader'. The behaviours that he describes apply equally in networking.
Here is a little of the background.

What separates the great leaders from the good ones?  What makes a manager a manager of choice by her reports, peers, and boss? What makes an individual credible with customers, suppliers, distributors, investors, and other stakeholders?  While there are many dimensions to these questions, there is one common thread throughout: being an individual who can be trusted.

Perhaps a more important question than, "Who do you trust?" is the far more personal question of, "Who trusts you?"  There are some organizations who ask all their employees directly the following simple, key question in formal 360ยบ feedback processes:

"Do you trust your boss?"       These companies have learned that the answer to this question is more predictive of team and organizational success than perhaps any other question they might ask.   A High Trust Leader is an individual who has unquestionably strong personal credibility, has the ability to create and grow trust with others interpersonally, and who is then able to extend that trust organizationally.

High Trust Leaders are managers of choice who understand the impact trust always plays on two key outcomes—speed and cost—and how low or high trust either extracts a tax or produces a dividend on every activity and dimension within a relationship, team, or organization.

High Trust Leaders have learned how to interact with others in ways that increase trust levels while avoiding the pitfalls that deplete trust. While there are numerous actions and behaviours that affect trust accounts, we have identified the 13 key behaviours that High Trust Leaders have in common.

As you go through these behaviours, you may also find it valuable to consider the opposite of these 13 behaviours and how such "withdrawals" deplete trust.
What’s most exciting is that these 13 Behaviours of High Trust Leaders can be learned and applied by any influencer at any level within any organization. The net result will be a significantly increased ability to generate trust with all stakeholders in order to achieve better results.

He describes Character Behaviours, Competence Behaviours, and those that combine both Character and Competence.

Character:
1
Talk straight
2
Demonstrate Respect
3
Create Transparency
4
Right Wrongs
5
Show Loyalty

Competence
6
Deliver Results
7
Get better
8
Confront Reality
9
Clarify Expectations
10
Practice Accountability

Character and Competence
11
Listen First
12
Keep Commitments
13
Extend Trust

By using these 13 characteristics you will be a far more successful and as a result a much more profitable networker.

Check back for more A - Z of Networking
Helping Real People do Real Business Through Real Networking
©Paul Johnstone

Please feel free to comment on this or any of my earlier Blogs. All feedback is great