March 31, 2016 by

What Type of Networker Are You?

What Type of Networker Are YouSeriously, what type of networker are you?

Recently this is the conversation between these three young professional guys going into the same networking event as me:

“Dude I brought over a hundred of my cards and I plan on getting more than that many before I leave here today!”

“Man, I am going to sell all the way through this event. I am going in here to close some business.”

“Do you think there are any cute chicks going to be here?”

At least one of the three had a potentially winning mindset!

Do you think you are going to a networking event to collect new business cards? You don’t really think you are going to meet someone at a networking event and you are going to close business deals with them right there, that day, at the networking event?

Let’s set the table for the proper meal. If you believe the saying people do business with those people who they know like and trust – Networking is the first step on the know, like and trust staircase!

Here are three key items for you to be a great networker

First is your own mindset.

Be in the frame of mind, thinking – “how may I add value to others, here today, for each person I meet, how may I add value to them.”

This one small habit of thought before each networking event you plan to attend will do wonders for you and how you present yourself to others.

Second is know your talking points about yourself so you may speak them clearly and in a one or two minute maximum statement. It is possible you might have a few of these ready to go depending upon the group you run into at the networking event.

Third is you should be prepared to ask questions and then listen, then ask more questions and listen some more. Show genuine interest and ask questions of the people you meet. Too often people will say their two to three minutes and then the next person is barely able to hold back and they begin to blurt out their own ten minute story of their life!

Is there more to becoming a great networker? Of course there is! Would you be interested in joining a call about better and more effective networking skills CLICK HERE.

Meanwhile add these three key steps into your networking preparation habits to become a better networker.

Mitch Tublin is an advanced, certified coach, business consultant and speaker who resides in Stamford, CT.

Filed Under: Business Networking, Networking Tagged With: , , , ,
June 18, 2015 by

Have You Ever Considered An Advisory Board For Your Business?

advisory-boardDo you have an advisory board for your business? An entrepreneur or a small business owner should definitely have an advisory board. Let’s review a few reasons why it is so critical to set up and regularly meet with an advisory board.

To begin – “It is lonely at the top.”

The assumption and often the reality is the buck stops here, at the top, or if you are alone in your business. As the CEO or lone business owner you must undertake numerous activities which you may have absolutely zero experience or expertise in.

An advisory board might be made up of people who have many of the skill sets the lead entrepreneur or small business owner may not possess. Their advice and potentially their actual assistance diving in would be an amazing asset to have at your finger tips.

You might hang a mirror in your office and discuss everything with yourself. Alternatively with an advisory board there is a sounding board to engage with and discuss ideas, concepts and issues. Depending upon the level of expertise in the members of your advisory board you will be able to have discussions with them about business opportunities, challenges inside the business and with the competition, decisions of paths to take and company growing pains.

This might be the first step for you – assess where you have knowledge and experience gaps and recruit people who have this knowledge and experience to be on your advisory board.

One of the great fears entrepreneurs and small business owners have about creating an advisory board is their need to now share all of their business information with other people who are in many cases, initially at least, complete strangers. A way to keep everyone above board is to create and execute for each individual a non-disclosure agreement and some type of non-compete agreement.

This might sound a bit too formal for some people who want to keep everything casual. Do not fall into this trap with anything to do with your business. It is a business, not a hobby – correct? Act and behave in this manner – like a person who runs a business! 

There is great power in leverage. An advisory board provides one area of leverage.  More than one great mind trying to call every shot and meet and every deadline.

Another advantage of your own advisory board is the network of the members. This becomes another group of people who will become familiar with you and your business.

One of the best early decisions in setting up a new business, breathing life into an old business or operating more effectively in your business is to set up an advisory board that meets at least one time every three months or so. Reach out and begin now if you do not have one.

Mitch Tublin is a business consultant, certified coach and professional speaker based in Stamford, CT.

If you are ready to set up your advisory board and want Mitch to work with you on the process contact Mitch here.

Filed Under: Business Strategy, Business Structure, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,
February 20, 2015 by

Are You Becoming A Cave Dweller?

Tcave-in-rockshe cave dweller syndrome may be impacting your ability to connect, communicate and socialize. A CEO may have cave dweller syndrome. This is when the CEO has the hidden corner office and rarely comes out to interact with fellow employees. A large publicly traded company CEO may have access to a limo, a protection team and a private jet. Not much interaction going on here with the “regular folks”.

The CEO might answer, “Do you know how many meetings I attend?” … “Okay and how many people there challenge you or in reality bobble head yes to everything you say. This is not interacting. It is closer to dictating.”

A founder of a start up may spend hours or even days locked up working on the idea, the concept, the rollout and easily loses track of time. Often the human interaction in person with other people may fall by the wayside. As cave dweller syndrome sets in there is limited feedback or interaction from the outside world.

The entrepreneur busy running their own business may have cave dweller syndrome. They may find themselves squirreled away for hours on end working on their business and not interacting, not networking, not socializing with other people other than their family and often not doing this too well (a topic to discuss in another article).

Recently in speaking with one of the under thirty generation about daily habits, work and productivity, the topic of staying in touch with the news and current events came up.

Basically the entire idea of staying in touch with what is going on in the world and current news is considered ‘clutter’ of the mind. If a topic of interest happens to come over on twitter or on facebook and the item appears to be of interest, well then it is looked up online. Maybe one or a few newsfeeds are subscribed to or not.

What do you think about this behavior? Would you consider this to be higher productivity and a clear mind to get work done more effectively or another cave dweller syndrome participant?

Here are a few suggestions which will not greatly interrupt the established routine and may actually pull someone out of the cave dweller syndrome.

First – join a round table or a mastermind group. The CEO might participate in an Executive Mastermind Group. Confidentiality is primary and best practices and advice are openly shared. Similar to groups run by me.

Second – work with an Executive Coach, trusted advisor, a person from the outside who is there for you and only for you. Study after study reflect the great performance improvement and impact of working with an Executive Coach. The ICF certification held by me is attained by less than 5% of coaches.

Third – network like your life depends upon it. NSN – Never Stop Networking. Start by approaching this by thinking – “how may I add value to others?”

Want some guidance on networking listen to my networking audio – click here to download my Ninja Networking Secrets audio and be sure to follow me on Facebook.

Mitch Tublin is an advanced certified executive and personal coach, a business consultant and professional speaker who resides in Stamford, CT.

 

Filed Under: Business Networking, Business Strategy, Coach Mentor Tagged With: , , , , ,
October 16, 2013 by

Three Keys To Creating Your Successful Networking Process

Business

“The only difference between where you are right now, and where you’ll be next year at this time, are the people you meet and the books you read.”

–  Charlie “Tremendous” Jones, author of Life Is Tremendous

Networking. The ability to skillfully network may be one of the most valuable wealth building tools available to anyone. Wealth meaning more than money. A wealth of connections and relationships. A wealth of resources and knowledge. A wealth of contacts and their contacts.

The reality is most people do not understand how valuable networking is to their professional and personal lives.

Here are the 3 keys to creating your successful networking process:

1.  There is a need to focus on the purpose of the networking. This will determine where to network.

2.  A networking plan and strategy must be created. This must include a method of both capturing names and information from attending networking events and facilitating methods of follow up after the networking events.

3.  An understanding of the fact that in order to network effectively it must be understood and carried forward that networking is not about yourself. Networking is about the other person.

A discussion of the 3 keys to creating a successful networking process:

FIRST –

Okay, our first point – why you are networking and this will determine where you should be going to network.

  • Looking for a job?
  • Seeking to sell a product or a service?
  • Looking for an employee to hire?

Each of these should determine where you go to network.

For example, if you are a chiropractor, you should not be just networking with fellow chiropractors. Maybe once or twice a year at an event or a convention to learn new techniques. You are probably not going to obtain new business referrals from other chiropractors. You might consider health fairs, or events where yoga or other workout folks are or nutrition focused events.

Let’s consider a person who is seeking a job. Should they network with other people who are seeking a job? Maybe once in awhile. This will probably not be helpful. Instead where are the people going who might be in the business or field where they wish to be hired. Attend these networking meetings.

SECOND –

The second point is to create a networking plan and strategy. This must include a method of both capturing names and information from attending networking events and facilitating methods of follow up after the networking events. This cannot be stressed enough. The majority of people never follow up after attending a networking event, or even in general networking and meeting with people.

THIRD –

The third point is to have an understanding of the fact that in order to network effectively it must be understood and carried forward that networking is not about yourself. Networking is about the other person. It is not about me. If we just start networking because we need something; it is not going to happen. Attending networking events is not like going to the store and selecting items off of the shelf.  This is about building relationships. At the end of the day, people want to do business with whom? People they know, like and trust. This networking is step one. You need to connect. See where there might be some common thread or an interest. This will assist in the relationship building.

Approach networking with the value and importance it will add to you in your entire life. The more effort you put into networking, the more you will obtain from it.

Mitch Tublin is an advanced certified executive and personal coach who resides in Stamford, CT.

Filed Under: Networking Tagged With: , , , , ,
August 7, 2013 by

Make the World Better, Good for you and Good for Business

Business“To Try to make the world in some way better than you found it is to have a noble motive in life.”  –  Andrew Carnegie

If this quote resonates with you, is there some way in your business, or in your free time, that you might be able to incorporate something toward meeting this interest?

This might be by volunteering to work with an organization which is aligned with your views and works toward these types of causes. At another level you might be the one to create a group which conducts the work you feel needs to be done.

For example, you might seek out a group which is leading the way toward green initiatives in your region. Everything from solar heating systems to green building materials. Typically there are events, gatherings and networking of these folks and certainly they would welcome another volunteer.

If you are a part of a larger company or organization would you be able to create a better and deeper recycling program within the organization locally and out into the other office locations. Potentially discuss with the purchasing department the cost of buying recycled coffee cups and other paper goods.

On a completely different approach, which is to mentor and guide under privileged youth. Is it possible to either set up groups of people to match up on both sides or to at least become one of the mentors for a young person?

For example, if you are part of a larger organization you might coordinate initiatives throughout the community where a day is spent on a regular basis with mentors and groups of young people who are in need of quality mentors.

These suggestions are by no means the be all and end all. These are suggestions to get the conversation started. Rattle the cage of the summer mind back in tune with, Yes, Big Picture Now – Your Vision, Purpose, and Goals.

You have thought up some big ideas and some big plans for yourself at some point haven’t you? Where have these been hiding? It is time to break these out.

One further thought on this concept. It is not the reason to do any of these items, however, since you will be doing something. Utilize the marketing tools available and let people know what you are doing and why you are doing it. It is important. It is not a self serving attitude to beat the drum. It is actually a wise way to conduct oneself. You just never know who will read about it or hear about it and then what transpires from this contact.

Think of what interests you and how to leave your fingerprint on making something better than it was before you touched it.

Mitch Tublin is an advanced certified executive and personal coach who resides in Stamford, CT.

Filed Under: Achieve Goals Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
September 21, 2011 by

Build Your Network to Create Your Business on Your Terms

Imagine for a moment you are getting ready to go the beach. You are walking along a path carrying a beach towel, a chair, some snacks and cool beverages. You smell the salty air as you are getting closer. Once you arrive at the beach there is a long line, and you cannot figure out what is going on.

You walk by everyone in the line to see what is going on and there you are at the front of the line and you see; well you see what you cannot believe. The beach is just one grain of sand!

Now of course this is a dramatic exaggeration. The beach and the sand are one experience. The sand is made up of hundreds and thousands, no millions of grains of sand. There is so much sand we never even consider the one grain of sand. The beach supports our beach blankets, chairs, and sunbathers, and permits the ocean waves to come crashing in. No one grain of sand would be able to do this by itself.

In building your network, your tribe, as Seth Godin writes about in his book titled “Tribes”, is a group of people made up of individuals who all know who you are, what you stand for and what you do.

It is for you to determine how to best create your network, your tribe for you – social media, face to face networking, public speaking, writing books, other methods, or all of these or combinations of any of them with others.

The key is to care for the one person, for each person. They are not a single grain of sand. If it is your intent to build your network, your tribe, to be a large enough group who all really feel they know you, each person must be able to reach out and touch you or your virtual self enough to be tuned in this way. You must feed each and every person often enough with quality material. One single person will not make your network.

Every single person with every other single person together will make your network.

By paying attention to every single person with the knowledge you have of how important each and every person is, this awareness combined with your constant feeding of your network will permit you to create your business on your terms when the time is right.

If you are ready to create your network, your tribe, RIGHT NOW – contact expert Executive Coach, Mitch Tublin, RIGHT NOW at www.thementorguy.com and get started today.

Filed Under: Business Networking Tagged With: , , , , , , ,