Networking - soon on Soflow
In a little over a week, the messages will start flying on Soflow under the Cannon Training & Development banner. If you want to get something done that you haven't been able to get done or if you simply want to get it done faster, networking can be a huge solution for you. What you're missing is an introduction to a person who can help you with a particular function or area of expertise or introduce you to a potential client. In some cases, all you really need are some people willing to apply their intellect and creativity to help you figure out where it is you want to go and what to do to get there.
Being an active participant in the networking process is important. You need to think like an entrepreneur, even if you're not one. Be willing to be a problem solver and not simply a complainer or venter. Of course, you can simply vent or complain. It's great when you have someone to whom you can vent. But, when you're finally done venting and want to actually find a solution, that's when networking can really help you. I tell prospective business partners for my contact manager/greeting card business that if everything is wonderful I can't help them. If they don't see a reason to change their situation, if everything is satisfactory to them, then I have nothing to offer. If they really take a look at their situation and see something they want to change or improve, that's when I or someone else can help them.
In order to be truly active in the process, you need to go beyond having others serve you. I'm amazed how people looking for work will tell me to tell the person with whom I'm connecting them to look at their website or profile. I'm offering to introduce them over them phone [or in person, in some cases]. In my opinion, they don't understand the power of relationship in the equation. Once I have introduced them and they stand out from the crowd because I have introduced them and because they have had some conversation, then looking at the website or profile merely becomes an exercise in filling in the blanks.
I think some people simply don't believe the incredible opportunity being offered to them when they can be introduced to someone so that they are not simply one piece of paper on a stack of papers.
However, some people do understand. I introduced a gentleman in Texas over the phone to the Founder and President of Saludfinanciera.com in California. The two gentlemen seemed to get along very well, came to understand more about their respective strengths and needs, and were appreciative of my introduction. I doubt very much that they would have met anytime soon if it weren't for me. This happened because the gentleman in Texas did NOT say, "Well, have him look at my profile and contact me." He let me serve him in the sense that I spoke to my friend in California about him.
I introduced myself over the phone and email earlier in the week to the gentleman in Texas and by Friday I arranged a three-way phone call. This "overnight success" actually took a while longer as I met my California friend four and a half years ago at the Free Enterprise Forum which is put on by IBIGlobal. Gary Dale Cearley had me join LinkedIn about 16 months ago and I found my man in Texas this week.
One great thing about LinkedIn and Soflow and my online contact manager is that they help you keep track of your connections. I had not spoken to the Founder of SaludFinanciera in months and had to connect to a friend [who is also on LinkedIn] to get his contact information. Coincidentally, he and I both had serious computer trouble near the end of 2004 and lost each other's information.
Why do I use both systems? LinkedIn is the best business networking site around and millions of people are connected there. It's not a place for lonely people to instant message each other as some of the other systems can be. I use Soflow mainly for the listing/message board so we can SNAP network with each other. LinkedIn does not provide that function. About four and a half years ago I started an email group through Yahoo where we networked through email. I am experienced at this. One challenge I faced with that group was people sending ME their requests and expecting me to post them. With Soflow they will have to behave like entrepreneurs and do their own posting. Plus, we won't fill each other's email to the brim because we'll visit the Soflow message board to see the requests others in the Cannon group have posted.
The one common denominator is that these people are all direct connections of mine. Some have been through Cannon Training's Magnificent Life Seminars, some have been through the Free Enterprise Forum, some know me through Toastmasters. You get the idea. Build Relationship. Build Income. It works.
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posted by Leftcoastman @ 7:29 PM
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