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Added for You - Sowing and Growing Your Network
When you start to look at franchising you may have been made redundant, employed, self employed, or just taking a break. Whatever the case the process will most probably be the same: gather as much information as possible by surfing the web (including BeTheBoss UK - http://uk.betheboss.com) and reading franchise publications (such as The Franchise Magazine - http://www.thefranchisemagazine.net), perhaps even attending a franchise exhibition (like the one coming up in Birmingham the first weekend of October), create a shortlist of franchises, by casting aside those opportunities that are obviously not right and requesting more information from those that may be, make contact via make phone calls and emails, meet the franchisor, by attending an initial meeting (sometimes called a Discovery Days, Road Show, etc) then one or more follow up meetings talk to existing franchisees and then, finally, make a decision. This proc
What you do next is important. If someone is speaking, you don't want to be the cause of disruption. Simply say, "Don't stop your story, Stan—I'd like to hear the rest of it too." Then, when Stan is finished speaking, you can introduce yourself—and now you are part of the group! Wasn't that simple?
Moving on
I've seen people twist themselves into knots looking for an excuse to end a conversation and move on. They'll suddenly notice someone they've been frantically searching for, or they'll remember they absolutely must make a phone call—they'll even wave over the other person's shoulder to an imaginary acquaintance! Well here's a flash for you: you don't need an excuse to move on because that's the whole purpose of networking!
Say something like, "Well Janice, I've enjoyed meeting you and we should probably both move on and do some more mingling. I hope you enjoy the conference, and perhaps we'll meet up again later on." That's it. By giving her an opportunity to meet others too, you've removed any suggestion that you are abandoning her.
After the event—growing your network
<Expatriates and foreign nationals who relocate to the United States to live and work often have mixed perceptions about this young nation. Those feelings are probably best described by the late Irish poet and playwright, Oscar Wilde, who referred to America as “a land of unmatched vitality and vulgarity.”While most Americans rarely think of their country as “foreign,” the fact is that non-Americans who relocate to the United States to do business and “do lunch” are often surprised to find they experience a severe case of “corporate culture shock.”According to recently conducted research with dozens of foreign business professionals working in Atlanta and other southeastern U.S. cities, the human resource departments of multinational corporations are woefully inadequate in preparing foreigners for the American workplace. The purpose of the study was to learn about foreign managers’ experiences and attitudes regarding the American business culture. More than half of this diverse group of CEOs, CFOs, vi
But networking is like so many other activities in life—it's easy when you know how. I call the process "Sowing and Growing Your Network" because it has two distinct, but equally important, parts.
Sowing Your Network
Over the years, people have often told me they don't "do" networking any more because it doesn't work. When I hear this, I know that person has committed at least one, and perhaps all three, of what I call the three cardinal sins of networking.
1. The first cardinal sin of networking is selling. Oh dear, is that what you thought it was all about? Well, although networking can be an integral part of the selling process, the two are distinctly different. Have you ever been circulating happily at a networking event (even at one of your own conferences or tradeshows), when suddenly someone has you backed into a corner trying to sell you mutual funds? That's the cardinal sin!
If you meet someone who seems to be a good prospect for your services, tell the person you have some information they might find useful and would like to meet or speak on the phone later to discuss it. If the person seems open to this, be sure to get their business card and make the call as arranged. That's the time to go into selling mode.
2. The second cardinal sin of networking is asking for or offering someone a job. Certainly, job hunting is another reason for active networking, but once again it's only part of the process. If you meet someone who seems a good candidate for a position you need to fill, follow the same process I've described above. If you begin discussing the job opportunity in detail, neither you nor the other person will have an opportunity to mix and meet others, which is the reason you are there.
If your new acquaintance seems to be in a position to offer you a job, this is definitely not the time to begin an in-depth job interview! Again, express your interest in talking later, get the card and make the call.
3. The third cardinal sin of networking is spending time speaking to the wrong people, which generally means the people you came with, or the people you see every day at work. Of course it's a lot easier to chat with friends than make conversation with strangers—but it's not networking. I've seen too many people spend the valuable networking time at conferences with their friends, and then sitting with the same people at the education sessions and again at mealtimes. What a waste of opportunity!
If you are there to develop business contacts and you spend all the time with your friends, don't complain later that networking doesn't work!
Business cards
There is no excuse at all for attending a networking event without business cards, and yet people do it all the time. Excuses range from forgetfulness to new jobs and having left them in the car in the parking lot. If you tell people you forgot your cards, many will assume you are as lax in your business habits and you might lose opportunities.
Even if you don't have your new cards yet, you can easily produce a temporary supply on your computer. When you give them to people you can mention that they are temporary and offer to send them your new one when you have it. That, of course, is a built-in reason to contact people again! A business card is an essential networking tool—make sure you have a supply with you at all times.
For many people, the most difficult aspect of a conference is speaking to people they don't know, and walking into a room full of strangers can certainly be intimidating. We've all stood inside the door looking at hundreds of people busily engaged in conversation, feeling as if everyone knows everyone else—except us! Here’s a secret: the only difference between you and all those others is that they arrived five minutes ahead of you and they have found one person to speak to! So how can you break into that buzz?
The refreshment line
No matter what time of day, there will be refreshments in some form. Most of us look around, find the food table and make a beeline for it while making sure we don't look around and meet anyone's eye on our way. Then we silently join the line, keeping our eyes trained strictly on the food and drink, while those on either side do the same thing. How ridiculous! This is your first opportunity to connect!
It doesn't take much imagination to begin a conversation. You might mention the state of your appetite, the scrumptious smell of the breakfast muffins or the fact that you really shouldn't ignore your diet but you will just for today. Whatever you say, the person you speak to will respond, giving you an opportunity to exchange names and keep chatting as you move along. By the time you reach the end of the table, you can move off into the crowd together. Guess what—you've just joined the buzz!
Breaking into conversation groups
One of the questions I'm most often asked during my networking workshops is about how to break into groups and join conversations in progress. To deal with this situation, you must master the fine art of "hovering". First, choose a group you'd like to join. Now, move towards the group, but stop a yard or so from the edge—just close enough for someone to see you there—and look interested in the conversation. Nod and smile as everyone else does, and before long someone will see you and invite you into the group.
What you do next is important. If someone is speaking, you don't want to be the cause of disruption. Simply say, "Don't stop your story, Stan—I'd like to hear the rest of it too." Then, when Stan is finished speaking, you can introduce yourself—and now you are part of the group! Wasn't that simple?
Moving on
I've seen people twist themselves into knots looking for an excuse to end a conversation and move on. They'll suddenly notice someone they've been frantically searching for, or they'll remember they absolutely must make a phone call—they'll even wave over the other person's shoulder to an imaginary acquaintance! Well here's a flash for you: you don't need an excuse to move on because that's the whole purpose of networking!
Say something like, "Well Janice, I've enjoyed meeting you and we should probably both move on and do some more mingling. I hope you enjoy the conference, and perhaps we'll meet up again later on." That's it. By giving her an opportunity to meet others too, you've removed any suggestion that you are abandoning her.
After the event—growing your network
Losses through theft and fraud vary considerably by the type of operation and the efficiency of their management. To fully understand the cost lets look at the following example:Losses range, for example, from 1.5 percent of sales for a well-managed department store to about 13 percent for a loosely controlled operation. According to one estimate, dishonest employees account for over two-thirds of retail theft and shoplifting for the remainder. Even though you cannot eliminate stealing entirely, you can take steps to minimize it. The key lies in the proper mix of the right controls.The best safeguard against employee theft is the worker whose integrity is beyond question. Too many retailers take integrity for granted. A storeowner or manager should take every precaution to ensure that the people hired are honest, and then, establish and maintain a corporate culture that encourages its employees to stay honest.Any theft or frauds that takes place within your company affects your wallet., but t
2. The second cardinal sin of networking is asking for or offering someone a job. Certainly, job hunting is another reason for active networking, but once again it's only part of the process. If you meet someone who seems a good candidate for a position you need to fill, follow the same process I've described above. If you begin discussing the job opportunity in detail, neither you nor the other person will have an opportunity to mix and meet others, which is the reason you are there.
If your new acquaintance seems to be in a position to offer you a job, this is definitely not the time to begin an in-depth job interview! Again, express your interest in talking later, get the card and make the call.
3. The third cardinal sin of networking is spending time speaking to the wrong people, which generally means the people you came with, or the people you see every day at work. Of course it's a lot easier to chat with friends than make conversation with strangers—but it's not networking. I've seen too many people spend the valuable networking time at conferences with their friends, and then sitting with the same people at the education sessions and again at mealtimes. What a waste of opportunity!
If you are there to develop business contacts and you spend all the time with your friends, don't complain later that networking doesn't work!
Business cards
There is no excuse at all for attending a networking event without business cards, and yet people do it all the time. Excuses range from forgetfulness to new jobs and having left them in the car in the parking lot. If you tell people you forgot your cards, many will assume you are as lax in your business habits and you might lose opportunities.
Even if you don't have your new cards yet, you can easily produce a temporary supply on your computer. When you give them to people you can mention that they are temporary and offer to send them your new one when you have it. That, of course, is a built-in reason to contact people again! A business card is an essential networking tool—make sure you have a supply with you at all times.
For many people, the most difficult aspect of a conference is speaking to people they don't know, and walking into a room full of strangers can certainly be intimidating. We've all stood inside the door looking at hundreds of people busily engaged in conversation, feeling as if everyone knows everyone else—except us! Here’s a secret: the only difference between you and all those others is that they arrived five minutes ahead of you and they have found one person to speak to! So how can you break into that buzz?
The refreshment line
No matter what time of day, there will be refreshments in some form. Most of us look around, find the food table and make a beeline for it while making sure we don't look around and meet anyone's eye on our way. Then we silently join the line, keeping our eyes trained strictly on the food and drink, while those on either side do the same thing. How ridiculous! This is your first opportunity to connect!
It doesn't take much imagination to begin a conversation. You might mention the state of your appetite, the scrumptious smell of the breakfast muffins or the fact that you really shouldn't ignore your diet but you will just for today. Whatever you say, the person you speak to will respond, giving you an opportunity to exchange names and keep chatting as you move along. By the time you reach the end of the table, you can move off into the crowd together. Guess what—you've just joined the buzz!
Breaking into conversation groups
One of the questions I'm most often asked during my networking workshops is about how to break into groups and join conversations in progress. To deal with this situation, you must master the fine art of "hovering". First, choose a group you'd like to join. Now, move towards the group, but stop a yard or so from the edge—just close enough for someone to see you there—and look interested in the conversation. Nod and smile as everyone else does, and before long someone will see you and invite you into the group.
What you do next is important. If someone is speaking, you don't want to be the cause of disruption. Simply say, "Don't stop your story, Stan—I'd like to hear the rest of it too." Then, when Stan is finished speaking, you can introduce yourself—and now you are part of the group! Wasn't that simple?
Moving on
I've seen people twist themselves into knots looking for an excuse to end a conversation and move on. They'll suddenly notice someone they've been frantically searching for, or they'll remember they absolutely must make a phone call—they'll even wave over the other person's shoulder to an imaginary acquaintance! Well here's a flash for you: you don't need an excuse to move on because that's the whole purpose of networking!
Say something like, "Well Janice, I've enjoyed meeting you and we should probably both move on and do some more mingling. I hope you enjoy the conference, and perhaps we'll meet up again later on." That's it. By giving her an opportunity to meet others too, you've removed any suggestion that you are abandoning her.
After the event—growing your network
<Making the Best of Your Time and ResourcesCongratulations! You’re the new maintenance manager of Megamonolith Corporation. Although you’re exited about the position, you realize you have your work cut out for you. Megamonolith recently bought out another company, and you’re assigned to the site. During your first six months, you conduct a facilities audit and discover that the prior maintenance program consisted only of breakdown repairs. (For information about facility audits, please refer to my white paper “The Facilities Audit” available through my website at www.fps-fm.com.)One of the first things you need to do is establish a work coordination and management program that helps you and your staff identify, prioritize, plan, and track corrective actions. The same process must be used by everyone involved in maintenance, and at every location. How can you do this?The system we propose provides these important benefits:1.Easy retrieval and dissemination of information.2.Ensures
If you are there to develop business contacts and you spend all the time with your friends, don't complain later that networking doesn't work!
Business cards
There is no excuse at all for attending a networking event without business cards, and yet people do it all the time. Excuses range from forgetfulness to new jobs and having left them in the car in the parking lot. If you tell people you forgot your cards, many will assume you are as lax in your business habits and you might lose opportunities.
Even if you don't have your new cards yet, you can easily produce a temporary supply on your computer. When you give them to people you can mention that they are temporary and offer to send them your new one when you have it. That, of course, is a built-in reason to contact people again! A business card is an essential networking tool—make sure you have a supply with you at all times.
For many people, the most difficult aspect of a conference is speaking to people they don't know, and walking into a room full of strangers can certainly be intimidating. We've all stood inside the door looking at hundreds of people busily engaged in conversation, feeling as if everyone knows everyone else—except us! Here’s a secret: the only difference between you and all those others is that they arrived five minutes ahead of you and they have found one person to speak to! So how can you break into that buzz?
The refreshment line
No matter what time of day, there will be refreshments in some form. Most of us look around, find the food table and make a beeline for it while making sure we don't look around and meet anyone's eye on our way. Then we silently join the line, keeping our eyes trained strictly on the food and drink, while those on either side do the same thing. How ridiculous! This is your first opportunity to connect!
It doesn't take much imagination to begin a conversation. You might mention the state of your appetite, the scrumptious smell of the breakfast muffins or the fact that you really shouldn't ignore your diet but you will just for today. Whatever you say, the person you speak to will respond, giving you an opportunity to exchange names and keep chatting as you move along. By the time you reach the end of the table, you can move off into the crowd together. Guess what—you've just joined the buzz!
Breaking into conversation groups
One of the questions I'm most often asked during my networking workshops is about how to break into groups and join conversations in progress. To deal with this situation, you must master the fine art of "hovering". First, choose a group you'd like to join. Now, move towards the group, but stop a yard or so from the edge—just close enough for someone to see you there—and look interested in the conversation. Nod and smile as everyone else does, and before long someone will see you and invite you into the group.
What you do next is important. If someone is speaking, you don't want to be the cause of disruption. Simply say, "Don't stop your story, Stan—I'd like to hear the rest of it too." Then, when Stan is finished speaking, you can introduce yourself—and now you are part of the group! Wasn't that simple?
Moving on
I've seen people twist themselves into knots looking for an excuse to end a conversation and move on. They'll suddenly notice someone they've been frantically searching for, or they'll remember they absolutely must make a phone call—they'll even wave over the other person's shoulder to an imaginary acquaintance! Well here's a flash for you: you don't need an excuse to move on because that's the whole purpose of networking!
Say something like, "Well Janice, I've enjoyed meeting you and we should probably both move on and do some more mingling. I hope you enjoy the conference, and perhaps we'll meet up again later on." That's it. By giving her an opportunity to meet others too, you've removed any suggestion that you are abandoning her.
After the event—growing your network
<One of the not so good things in your career can be managing workplace politics. The challenge can be trying to understand the corporate culture first and trying to manage the workplace politics and knowing the culture of the company you worked for.So what it corporate culture? This is basically your companies’ personality, this boils down to a couple of things.1. Who the company is 2. What the company stands for 3. How things are done in your companyIf you know what the culture is this can tell you what the company believes in. As you move in you career and change job (or maybe not) it's sometimes hard and unclear as to what the companies culture is, which in turn can leave toy unable to manage workplace politics.The following list of strategies for managing workplace politics may help you.Strategies For Managing Workplace Culture1. Know the company culture 2. Identify the people with power 3. Be a straight shooter 4. Never be afraid to admit you
The refreshment line
No matter what time of day, there will be refreshments in some form. Most of us look around, find the food table and make a beeline for it while making sure we don't look around and meet anyone's eye on our way. Then we silently join the line, keeping our eyes trained strictly on the food and drink, while those on either side do the same thing. How ridiculous! This is your first opportunity to connect!
It doesn't take much imagination to begin a conversation. You might mention the state of your appetite, the scrumptious smell of the breakfast muffins or the fact that you really shouldn't ignore your diet but you will just for today. Whatever you say, the person you speak to will respond, giving you an opportunity to exchange names and keep chatting as you move along. By the time you reach the end of the table, you can move off into the crowd together. Guess what—you've just joined the buzz!
Breaking into conversation groups
One of the questions I'm most often asked during my networking workshops is about how to break into groups and join conversations in progress. To deal with this situation, you must master the fine art of "hovering". First, choose a group you'd like to join. Now, move towards the group, but stop a yard or so from the edge—just close enough for someone to see you there—and look interested in the conversation. Nod and smile as everyone else does, and before long someone will see you and invite you into the group.
What you do next is important. If someone is speaking, you don't want to be the cause of disruption. Simply say, "Don't stop your story, Stan—I'd like to hear the rest of it too." Then, when Stan is finished speaking, you can introduce yourself—and now you are part of the group! Wasn't that simple?
Moving on
I've seen people twist themselves into knots looking for an excuse to end a conversation and move on. They'll suddenly notice someone they've been frantically searching for, or they'll remember they absolutely must make a phone call—they'll even wave over the other person's shoulder to an imaginary acquaintance! Well here's a flash for you: you don't need an excuse to move on because that's the whole purpose of networking!
Say something like, "Well Janice, I've enjoyed meeting you and we should probably both move on and do some more mingling. I hope you enjoy the conference, and perhaps we'll meet up again later on." That's it. By giving her an opportunity to meet others too, you've removed any suggestion that you are abandoning her.
After the event—growing your network
<“Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage.”Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527) Italian writer and statesmanThe entrepreneur who finds a customer segment that has been underserved or overlooked can earn extraordinary rewards. Niche marketing requires that you focus on customers who cannot get what they want or need from their existing providers. For various reasons, mainstream firms will often innocently overlook or deliberately pass over customers with special needs; instead, they will choose to market to the larger, more homogeneous customer groups. These underserved or overlooked segments can be very fertile ground for the entrepreneur to exploit, since they need a provider who truly understands their requirements.By focusing on these customer segments the entrepreneur can differentiate their offerings from that of the competition while creating loyal customers which will be a sourc
What you do next is important. If someone is speaking, you don't want to be the cause of disruption. Simply say, "Don't stop your story, Stan—I'd like to hear the rest of it too." Then, when Stan is finished speaking, you can introduce yourself—and now you are part of the group! Wasn't that simple?
Moving on
I've seen people twist themselves into knots looking for an excuse to end a conversation and move on. They'll suddenly notice someone they've been frantically searching for, or they'll remember they absolutely must make a phone call—they'll even wave over the other person's shoulder to an imaginary acquaintance! Well here's a flash for you: you don't need an excuse to move on because that's the whole purpose of networking!
Say something like, "Well Janice, I've enjoyed meeting you and we should probably both move on and do some more mingling. I hope you enjoy the conference, and perhaps we'll meet up again later on." That's it. By giving her an opportunity to meet others too, you've removed any suggestion that you are abandoning her.
After the event—growing your network
It's vital that you make contact as soon as possible with everyone whose card you have. (Incidentally, that's why it's more important to get other people's cards than to give out yours.) I suggest you divide these cards into two groups: those you specifically want to contact for a purpose, and those you simply met.
For the second group, I recommend a quick note, possibly on a postcard, saying how pleased you were to meet them at the conference and you hope you will meet each other again one day. Mail these as soon as possible after the event, and then enter the information in your database.
For the first group, if you said you would call on Tuesday morning—make sure you call on Tuesday morning. Seems obvious, doesn't it? But most people don't do it, so you will stand out simply because you kept your word. At this point, you can move from networking mode into sales or job search mode, or whatever is appropriate.
Don't go to all the effort required to meet new people, and then throw away any potential opportunities by ignoring people afterwards. A network is a living, breathing organism. It should grow and change as you do, and if you look after it well, it will look after you for your whole life.
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