If you’ve worked with a client for long enough, you’ll likely learn tidbits about their family. Knowing these can be the key to building a long-term relationship, even if they aren’t always your client. For instance, I worked with a client for over three years but parted ways when my business model changed. This previous client’s…
Unless you live your life in complete isolation, you’re going to meet new folks – sometimes every day. However, if you focus only on whether they can help your business, you run the risk of driving them away. Contacts are people first, business leads second. Engage them with talk about kids, pets, travel, food (bacon…
Do you grab your customers’ attention? You can bet I was intrigued when this plastic egg showed up in my mail. Mail? Yes, mail! I opened it to find a note from my dentist and a ‘$100’ bill to use if I booked a service by April 30. I guess I’ll book that filling appointment…
For face-to-face networking to be valuable, plan to succeed. Instead of attending unprepared, plan a few open-ended questions to ask people you meet at the event to help/get the conversation flowing. Fashionably late isn’t such a good thing either. Arrive at the start of the event (or even early) when the crowd is smaller. It…
“When you are going to a face-to-face networking event, make certain to wear something worth commenting about. For women, a statement piece of jewelry is a great conversation starter. Men, think about an interesting tie or shirt. (And no, it needn’t be expensive jewelry and definitely stay away from controversial shirts!). Shirley Mott – The Write…