Actively listen to determine how you can contribute to others.
Zig Ziglar said it best: You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.
I have always been naturally curious to learn about other people. When I first meet someone, I ask questions to determine how I might be able to assist them. Questions might include what they do, what they are passionate about, whether they face any business challenges, etc. Not only does this help me establish rapport, I am able to determine if I have something that will help them or if I know of a resource for them. Often, I am able to immediately connect them to someone who has what they are looking for.
The result—I now connect two people who might not have otherwise discovered each other. Many times, people then ask how they can assist me. As is human nature, they are now more motivated to find a way to reciprocate in helping me find what I am looking for.
As J.T. O’Donnell says, “It’s not what you know. It’s who knows you!” By being a resource and making connections for others, I have become known as the “Networking Diva.” People know to reach out to ask if I know who can help them. This creates ‘Top of Mind’ awareness for me and my business. Along the way, they become advocates for what I do. Then when someone asks, Do you know…, my advocates say, You need to call Anne Alberg.
Networking by being in contribution to others has recently become even easier online with the expanded use of online social networking communities. I can now reach out to two people whom I think should know about each other, and initiate a connection between them. This allows me to gently keep in touch and deepen our relationships.
How can you apply the concept of Successful Networking through Contribution?
• Create a list of 2–3 questions you can ask someone when you first meet them. Specifically ask them about the one thing they are looking for that would make a difference in their business or take them to the next level.
• Actively listen to determine how you can be in contribution to them.
• Take notes on the back of their business card so you can remember what they are looking for. Include the date and the name of the event where you met them.
• Respond in the next 24–48 hours if you promised to send them an email.
• If you made a good connection or if you may want to follow up with them at a later date, immediately enter them into your contact management database.
• As you discover ways to be in contribution, reach out to them via the phone or email. In affect, you are being their advocate as you make connections for them.
• Along the way, educate them on what you are looking for so they can be in contribution to you.
30-Day Challenge: Take five minutes each morning to review the profiles on one of your social networking sites or think of someone you know that you can be in contribution to that day. This could be making a connection for them, using their service or giving them a marketing idea. Practice being in contribution every day for 30 days and you will see the difference it will make not only in your business, but also in your personal life.