The Link System®

Call in every Friday morning at 8:30 am PDT (9:30 Mountain, 10:30 Central & 11:30 Eastern time) for an informal chat about networking.  There will be a topic of the day, but you are encouraged to bring your burning questions to the call to get them answered.  There’s no registration, just show up! 
October 30th – Recession Proof your Network - When thing get tough, the strength of your network will see you through tough times,  What exactly is involved in “the care & feeding of your network?
November 6th - Networking for the Job seeker – Most people you meet at a chamber mixer or a Happy Hour are there to generate business..either as a business owner or as a sales representative.  But what if you just got kicked back out into the job market again?  What are the rules now? Many jobseekers have been out of the “networking loop” for a while.  Here are some things to consider.
November 13th - Speed Networking. First there was speed dating – now speed networking – it’s all about the numbers, right? Maybe yes, maybe no. If you have an ineffective approach, all the numbers in the world won’t help! (On either front!) To fully utilize this format, preparation is in order.
Effective Networking is a learned skill-set.  I guarantee you will learn at least one (if not several) new strategies or tactics on each call. What have you got to lose?
November 20th - Elevator Speech Basics - You can’t effectively network until to can describe what you do in a way that will get people asking for your business card! Get the basics here!
November 27th – Black Friday…go out and SHOP!.
December 4th – Networking Basics & FAQs for the newcomer to networking – Ok, everyone says to “Get out there and network”, but you hesitate because you’re not sure where to go or what to do. The tips on this call will point you in the right direction.
December 11th – Referral Group Success – Are you satisfied with your Referral Group experience? Are you finding it hard to “give back” to your fellow members? (Remember, you have to give in order to receive)
December 18th – The Referral Group Presentation. After you join a referral group, you get to give a presentation ot the whole group! Oh Boy! (or OH NO!!!!) Here are some tips that will give you some ideas on how not to be nervous and make the presentation effective (they learn how to get business for you) and fun for you (you may discover you want to do more speaking)

You never have to pre register…just call this number every Friday morning at: 8:30 am Pacific Time
9:30 am Mountain Time
10:30 am Central Time
11:30 am Eastern Time

Dial-in:(712) 432-1630
Access Code: 420322#
8:30 – 9:00 am PDT

You cannot be considered a serious networker or be a competant “PowerPartner” without subscribing to your local Business Journal. Every community has their business publications. Here in San Diego we have the weekly San Diego Business Journal, The San Diego Daily Transcript and the quarterly Biz San Diego Magazine.  For my money, I like the weekly Business Journal.  It’s not too much…it’s not too little…It’s Just Right.
 The SDBJ is a part of my Making The Connection networking workshop.  I bring in an issue and we discuss how they can use it to:

• Be conversant in current events – Make networking conversations easier 
• Find information to share with those in your network
• Learn about the “Movers & Shakers” in your community…imagine running into someone at the next event and being able to comment of their recent article…believe me…they will be impressed and flattered
• Find events/seminars for yourself and others
• Learn of future “Awards” events and nominate someone
• Learn of future articles in their editorial Calendar
• Learn the top companies in major industries And more!

For the proactive, creative thinker there are several pieces of useful information in every issue.  Did someone you know get a promotion? Send a congratulations card! Did you notice a business meeting that will pull in a certain audience demographic?  Share that information with others! When it comes to speakers, the more influential the speaker, the more influential the audience.
 
In  my PowerPartner Appoach® Trainings, we define networking as “The exchange of Ideas, Information & Resources”.  Keeping current with your community’s business news to find information to share with your network is imperative to staying  ahead of your competition.

British polititian Benjamin Disreali said “In the end, the person with the most success is the one with the best information”

What Does It Take To Be Successful? People are forever clamoring for the missing element that will turn them into a success. Elements such as the right words to say (script or sales copy), better quality leads, better tools to use, (website, computer, an assistant, etc). Now don’t take me wrong, these elements are important as well, but they not the determining factors in most cases.
I once attended a training by Darren Hardy, now publisher of Success Magazine. That question was put out to the large audience and Darren wrote down the suggestions as fast as they were shouted out: Determination, confidence, passion, persistence, integrity, high self-esteem, etc., almost 20 in all.

Darren told us it boils down to three main components: knowledge, skill & attitude. Then he took our list and noted which category our suggestions fell into. By an overwhelming majority they came under (drum roll, please) Attitude. (For comic relief, someone had offered “Good-looking” and that was determined to be a skill). All the knowledge and skill in the world will be in vain if we undermine ourselves with negative self talk and self doubt. There is a fine line between learning from our past, then growing vs. letting what happened in the past hold us back. The choice is ours.

Our daily actions are the product of the thousands of thoughts going through our heads every single day. In fact, many of those thoughts are repeated over & over again. Now, are those thoughts positive and encouraging? Or are they negative and limiting? How better would our lives be if we took 10 minutes a day to feed ourselves strong, positive, uplifting & educational “food-for-our-thoughts” every day? What could be your potential if your thoughts were all positive? Think about it, then act.

It was several months in the making. I first heard from Ellen Volpe, President of American Business Associates, when she purchased the CD audio program from the website. When I saw she was from Long Island, a quick Google search told me she was a major player in the local Business to Business Networking scene. A phone call was in order! Five months later I stepped up to the podium in front of almost 100 people gathered at the Clubroom of Hofstra University in Long Island, New York. What a thrill!

Here is Ellen Volpe, (second from the left) and the rest of her crew who help out that morning. The Hofstra Club is a very posh venue located on the Hofstra University campus in Hempstead, Long Island.

“The event on Friday was engaging, entertaining and most of all informative. Mindy, your energy and interactive presentation made the time fly by. Ellen and Gene, thanks for making this quality program available. ” Joyce Zimmerman – JoyWriter Communications

In the crowd was Paul Pileggi who had been to the workshop I presented last year for Greiner Maltz Commercial Real Estate. It was he who shared this information with Ellen in one of her networking groups.. Thank you Paul!

In the picture to the right, this man is no doubt explaining to the other that the nametag goes on the RIGHT lapel! This group was very vocal and willing to engage…so fun to work with! We had them up on their feet trying out the “Four Pre-Qual Questions” and taking the microphone to tell us who their PowerPartners are. More than one company sent their entire crew!

“Mindy has a passion for networking”
“Awesome!!”
“Very enlightening and refreshing….A wonderful session!”
“The concept of ‘linking’ vs. ’selling’ takes a lot of pressure off. Great information!”

I hope to return SOON to present another workshop. Bye!

Bye!