Past to Present

I just got off of the phone with an old college friend. We hadn't spoken in about twelve years and I found out last week that my mother and his wife work at the same school in Los Angeles. He and I played phone tag for the past week and then had the chance to finally speak today. Our conversation was only about ten minutes long, but it was great to catch up with someone from my past, learn about his current life and share a bit about mine.

We all live such busy lives and rarely take the time to catch up with people from our distant past, but when we do it can be quite refreshing. Personally, I love hearing about old friends' successes and even struggles. It helps to put my own life into perspective.

The awareness for today is to embrace the opportunity to catch up with old friends, classmates or colleagues. I am not saying you should track them all down, but when the opportunity presents itself, it can be helpful to see the paths that others have taken. Some easy places to find people from your past are MySpace, LinkedIn, Facebook and alumni directories.
~Paul

Picking and Choosing Websites to Join

It is difficult to keep up with the Internet. There are always new blogs to read, websites to join, articles to read, etc. I wrote about some of the networking sites a few months ago here. Recently, I have been receiving invitations to join new social/business networking sites from people I am already in contact with. Many of these sites are still in beta or simply do not have many registered users yet. Personally, I just do not want to join every site and every group that is out there. I am happy to register for proven sites that I believe my business will benefit from.

Today I even learned that a site I was debating joining (I had been sent an invite from a colleague) has closed. Everyone I know has a great idea. Generally, that is all they are...great ideas. It is actually executing the idea into a sustainable business that is the trick part.

The awareness for today is remain focused on our goals and not spread ourselves too thin by "needing" to be connected with every website out there (obviously that is not even possible). Take some time to choose where you want to participate and be active with your time.
~Paul

Business Integrity

I was contacted this morning by a man looking for funding to assist his company in the buyout of another company; we will call him Franklin. I had been introduced to Franklin by an associate of mine at the Institute for Independent Business International. After originally being introduced to Franklin a couple of months ago, he never provided the information promised to me and after he did not respond to a couple calls or e-mails, I simply let it go.

Upon receiving the message from Franklin today, I immediately let the associate who made the introduction know that Franklin had contacted me. I asked if he was still in contact with Franklin, but the main reason I checked in is that I did not want him to feel that I have circumvented him. I will still plan on sharing fees (if there are any earned on this!) with the associate who made the introduction, even though Franklin came to me directly. This is how I would want someone I made an introduction for to treat me.

The awareness for today is to remember to give credit where credit is due...especially if that credit involves any sharing of fees.
~Paul

Different Personalities

This weekend I was at a holiday party hosted by some Intel employees. Everyone was very nice, but I did notice it was a social event filled with introverts. That is not a complaint as I am often quite introverted myself.

What this made me realize is that it really does take all different kinds of people to shape our world. I have been interviewing sales candidates over the last couple of weeks and I have noticed there as well that different personalities are needed for different reasons.

The awareness for today is to step back from judgement and appreciate that there are many different personality types out there and we each have our own roles to play in the grand scheme of things.
~Paul

Common Sense Professionalism

I recently met someone at a networking event who was starting a web design company. This person did not have any business cards nor a working website to show any examples of the sites she had done. She did not make a very good first impression with me. We cannot always provide immediate examples of our work, but being prepared shows those we are speaking with that we are serious ourselves.

When I go to networking events, I always make sure I have plenty of business cards. These days there are many inexpensive options to getting quick business cards so that you can share your contact information. Not everyone needs to have a website up and running, but a web designer should. If I were to open a restaurant, I wouldn't invite people to come to my location and then tell them that the food/kitchen won't be ready for another couple of weeks.

The awareness for today is to be prepared when you are working on your business. If you are going to a networking event, take business cards, flyers, etc. If you position yourself as a professional, you will get treated as such.
~Paul

Benefits to Online Networking

I would like to respond to a comment yesterday from energygirl. Her comment was, "Words of wisdom for this dinosaur. What has been your experience of the value in networking online/having an online networking presence? I'd like to learn more."

I have been using LinkedIn for a about seven months. My profile is here. I contacted former colleagues and college friends and linked up with them. I was also contacted by quite a few of them on their own. It is great to be able to see what people are up to, follow their careers and see who they are connected with.

I have asked for introductions from my connections to their contacts that I would like to meet and have made new contacts this way. I have seen very little business come through this effort, but I am still looking at the long term possibilities that can come of it.

I have also used MySpace, but that has been purely for social networking; catching up with college friends, friends who have moved away and even friends from high school. It is fun, but not at all business related.

The awareness for today is to try something new. Set up an account on LinkedIn (it is free), post your work and education history and begin catching up with old colleagues. It cannot hurt and maybe one of those old colleagues happens to have a need that you can fill and the timing may work out perfectly. Let me know how it goes.
~Paul

Keeping Up with Social Networks

I am pretty tech-savvy and while definitely not an IT professional, I can get around hardware and software pretty well. I enjoy technology and use it to simplify my life whenever I can. These days there are loads of social networking sites that allow you to share your information with the world and to connect to people while doing so.

There is MySpace for social networking, LinkedIn for business networking, and Facebook for a little of both with a lot of pictures. I do like LinkedIn and have my profile here; I have reconnected with people from my past and connected with current colleagues. I recommend checking out these sites if you would like to have an online presence to connect with others; many people will have no interest in doing this.

The awareness for today is to establish yourself online if you want to connect with people from throughout your life. If you do not want to do online networking, then stick to your website for people to find you, that is fine, but it is a bit behind in the times.
~Paul

Excitement of a New City

I have been in Portland, Oregon for almost three weeks now. I have been networking to get to know businesses and business people in the area. I have to admit that it is very exciting and fun to get to know the city. Portland is a great city and the people here have been incredibly welcoming. Everyone that I have spoken with has given me more names to speak with, so my circle of contacts is growing quite rapidly.

I had a meeting on Thursday evening where the people I met with were quite impressed with the number of contacts that I had already made and who those contacts were. It always feels good to be validated by others, but we should not expect it.

The awareness for today is that while our cocoon can be very comfortable, sometimes shaking things up a bit can add new energy into our lives.
~Paul

Networking in Foreign Locations

While I am in Portland, Oregon (or if I were in any other foreign location to me, domestic or abroad) I am quite aware of the fact that I do not know the area. When it comes time to set up networking meetings, I am more than open to letting the other party set the location and then finding my way there (with my GPS of course, as I mentioned here).

I do not have my favorite spots to meet, nor can I generally even choose the location because of my lack of knowledge of the area. Luckily, I have always been fortunate to meet people who are willing to be the "hosts" of their city.

The awareness for today is to simply appreciate our familiarity with our own surroundings and be grateful for those who help us when we are out of our normal regions.
~Paul

Game Face

I had tea with an associate of mine recently and he was shocked when I mentioned that I am an introvert. He and I know each other through the Boulder Chamber of Commerce where I attend many events and network with lots of people.

I explained that networking is part of my business and if I want to be successful at it, I need to put on my game face, get into character and be the extrovert that I want to be. Afterwards I generally need some down time to recharge and reset my energy.

I do not fake interest in speaking with people, but I do push myself to go out of my way to not be an introvert.

The awareness for today is to be the person you need to be for your business. It may not always be comfortable or easy, but like any professional, one must put in the work for the desired results.
~Paul

Networking and Not Working

I had a meeting this afternoon and during it we briefly discussed a mutual client/friend who is a power networker. She is great at meeting people and has very strong connections throughout the States. What she lacks, however, is follow through. She may be great at meeting people and making that initial connection, but if she never follows through and just keeps spinning her wheels, she will never get anywhere. It does not help to spread one's self too thin by over committing and them accomplishing anything.

When I network, I am purposeful in my introductions and meeting people. If I say that I will get in touch with someone, I do it. Unfortunately, I often find myself waiting on others. I am by no means perfect, but I am dependable to those who know me.

The awareness for today is to ensure that you follow through on your committed actions.
~Paul

Long-term Networking

Okay, so I got some private responses regarding my post debating dropping my Chamber membership from people reminding me that associations like the Chamber of Commerce are not about immediate connections, but rather about building relationships over time. I agree. The Boulder Chamber of Commerce has been great for building relationships; many of them have turned into friendships as well.

After a couple of years (hopefully less, but sometimes more), you should get a pretty good feeling about what does and doesn't work for your business. I am very happy with the relationships that I have made through the Chamber, but I am also quite aware that the majority of them are not even potential clients.

My plan is not to stop networking completely, but rather to target events, groups and organizations that are more in alignment with my services and goals.

The awareness for today is to put your energy towards the "right" events, groups or organizations, rather than the convenient ones.
~Paul

Dropping My Chamber Membership?

I am currently an ambassador for the Boulder Chamber of Commerce and have have been since 2005. I have always liked the Chamber and felt that it was one of those organizations you join in any community you may live.

Recently, however, I have been internally debating whether or not I want to renew my membership. Regardless of how financially flush I may feel, $325 is still $325 and if I am not getting anything out of it, then perhaps it is not the best use of my money.

As an ambassador I have attended many, many events over the years. I really like helping connect people to local resources and I enjoy the networking. As I wrote in a previous post titled "Junk Networking Events," I have been cutting out events that do not benefit me or my business. I have gotten very little business out of the Chamber, always feeling that it was more about establishing myself in the community rather than building a good referral network.

In discussions with others recently I have learned that I am not the only one considering stepping away from the Chamber; others also believe the value is just not there.

I would love to hear opinions from my readers; either comment directly on the blog or send me a private note through my contact option on the right.

The awareness for today is to simply be aware and live life with integrity.
~Paul

Networking Ice Breaker

I was thinking back about how difficult it can be for some of us to network. Some of us are naturally shy and would prefer to be approached rather than have to approach someone else.

I just wanted to share a fantastic ice-breaker to use when you want to speak to someone at your next networking event. It is an easy in, giving you a great opportunity to follow up with any topic you would like.

Remember that everyone, including you, is there to network and make new connections.

Are you ready? Here is the ice-breaker:




"Hi, my name is [your name]." It is really that simple.
~Paul

Junk Networking Events

I am sure that a lot of you out there spend a good amount of time at networking events. Whether they are in the morning, afternoon or evening, they take up time. Some of the networking events that I attend are incredibly valuable; many are not.

I am working on cutting out the junk networking events that are really just a waste of my time. If I am not making good connections and the event is not filled with high calibre attendees, then I am not going to attend the event. My time is too precious to waste. I recommend that you take stock of the events you attend on a regular basis and stop wasting your time if they are obviously not worthwhile.

Now, you may say that you have already cut out all of the fat. If you really have, then good for you. However, I know that many of us, myself included, have gotten used to certain networking events that we now attend habitually. That is great if you have the time and enjoy the event; perhaps you look at it more as a social event than a business networking event. It has been pointed out to me and I am recognizing that I could make better use of my time than attending some of the networking events that I have gotten used to.

So my awareness today, and I recommend that you address this as well, is to cut out the junk networking events and the feeling that we "should" attend them. If I can make better use of my time outside of the networking event and I already know that the businesses represented at the event are not in alignment with what I am looking for, then I am not going to attend.

Maybe I will see you at the next event, maybe I won't.
~Paul

Reconnecting with the Past

Today has been a great day for reconnecting with people from my past. It is great to catch up with people (past business associates or friends) and learn what is presently going on with them. I also have found it beneficial to myself to share what I am up to; I pay attention to how I explain my life and get to hear how others respond to it. All in all it has been fun and encouraging to hear from others regardless of whether we are discussing successes or failures. I recognized a long time ago that I learn from every experience I am in; whether good or bad, I learn what works and what doesn't.

Today's awareness is to remember people from your past and try to catch up once in a while and see where their lives' have taken them. Sometimes the timing is perfect and you may both have needed what the other has to offer.

Have a great weekend!
~Paul

Linking Up with LinkedIn

If you haven't already, I recommend checking out and joining LinkedIn. It is sort of like Myspace for adults. You can see my LinkedIn profile here or click the button under my profile on this page that says, "View my profile on LinkedIn." You can essentially put an online biography and resume on your profile and then connect to others. People can give recommendations on your profile as well. It is a great way to stay in touch and share your current information with many people at once.

I have been a member for a while, but I only recently have been using it to connect with others. I read a couple of posts on Guy Kawasaki's blog on using LinkedIn and that pushed me to put some more time in with it. You can read the posts that I mention: Ten Ways to Use LinkedIn and LinkedIn Extreme Profile Makeover.

Once you have connections, if you do a search for a specific person or company, you will see how closely you are connected through your own contacts. You will be surprised how many connections you have that are already connected with someone you are looking to meet. The site shows how many degrees away you are, but many that I have seen are within 3 degrees: I am connected to someone who is connected to someone else who is connected directly to the person I am looking for. Make sense?

For me it has been great to connect with college friends, former coworkers and associates.

I look forward to getting some invitations to connect from some of my readers and I will share my thoughts on the system as I have used it more.
~Paul

Networking 101 Basics

I read a great post from an associate of mine, Carole, at Tips from the Biz World of Alliance Advisors, Inc. called "Why Do We Network?" I got Carole's permission to reprint it so that I could share it with you. Enjoy!

"Why Do We Network?"

I'm beginning to feel like everyday is a constant motion of eating out, whether it be breakfast, lunch, dinner, or meeting for committee discussions of a group I belong, collecting monies for fundraisers I committed to, etc. I attend just about any networking function or event I believe will benefit myself or my business. Why do I do this? Because networking and referrals are the source of livelihood in my business. The more people start to recognize me and we have built a relationship, the more they have confidence in me being able to help their businesses.

I am not the best networker in the world and am constantly working on this but I would like to share some tips on effective networking:

1. Always have a business card. I attended a luncheon yesterday and a young lady was new to venue (as I was) and when it came time to exchange cards she didn't have any. So she writes it on a slip of paper (but she had to ask for my pen because she didn't have one of those either!).

2. Practice your elevator speech! I am working on all of my marketing techniques frequently so I am constantly updating my elevator speech or changing it. Sometimes I get mixed up due to this and not enough practice. Practice, practice, practice!

3. Pay close attention to whom you are speaking. Show an interest. Ask resourceful questions to find out if they are a possible client (find out what they do).

4. Proper attire. I have seen so many new people show up at networking events totally unprepared or unprofessional looking. First impressions are very important!

5. First impressions. Be careful not to over rate yourself when speaking with people. Your credibility is on line here and if you become known for talking about yourself too much, or you think you know everything, etc., it is hard to change the initial impression.

6. Be aware when the conversation is dwindling and excuse yourself and move on to someone else. Do not take up too much of any one's time. They are there for the same purpose as you, to meet people.

7. Do not be afraid to attend alone. When I first ventured out, it was very hard for me because I was not used to attending functions alone. Once you get through the door, you will find out you are not the only person. Step out, be bold, and meet new people.

8. Follow up after the event. If you made a connection at an event, follow up with a note letting them know you enjoyed meeting them. Personal touch means so much more and you will have become unforgettable in that persons mind.

I hope some of these tips help you in your search for your next client or you next sale. I am on an every day learning curve, so perhaps in the future I will add more tips about networking. You never know who you may meet or what may happen at a networking event.

I'd better go get ready for my Chamber luncheon. . . . . . .

Carole
Alliance Advisors, Inc.

I am back on the road, but I will check back with you in a couple of days. ~Paul