August 3rd, 2008
It can be tough.
You say you’re a therapist and suddenly people are afraid to talk to you in a public networking place. No one wants other people to think they’re crazy, and the fashion of everyone having a therapist had its peak in the late 80s and early 90s.
Or worse, people think you being at a networking event means you’re giving away freebies and you have someone spilling life history from birth at you over a plastic cup of wine. Not a good position for you to be in.
There are also the laws that keep you from saying or doing certain things. You don’t want to risk your license.
In cases like this you can get listed in sites like :
Or you can focus on listing yourself in the Yellow Pages, or HomePages or whatever your local big book o’ businesses is called. But then you get the random people calling – that’s not what you want for your practice.
So how do you network and let people know what you’re looking for in a client?
Very carefully.
You can use subtle cues – such as mentioning organizations that are known to the people in the demographic you want to capture as part of your practice. Looking for more upscale clientele? Go for a conversation about golf or charitable donations. Looking for people that are the same religion as you, talk about your church and the denomination (without being overbearing.)
The people you want will be drawn to you and the people you don’t want will be drawn away from you.
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By Jennifer Gniadecki -- 0 comments
August 1st, 2008
This weekend, just for fun, find someone to compliment.
Feeling frisky? See how many people you can complement over the weekend. Don’t try to get anything out of anyone or make a sale (unless it just happens) this is just for the practice of talking to strangers!
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By Jennifer Gniadecki -- 1 comment
July 31st, 2008
Come to find out there was someone that tried to call me from the last public speaking engagement I had.
That was two weeks ago, and I got the message this morning.
I could have blamed my lack of response on technology or any number of things. But instead, I told the truth – I forgot to open the RingCentral call center on my desktop and I don’t have it set up to send me an email of the messages because all I was getting for a while there on that number was sales calls. Oops.
I told her that I emailed her and she responded with the problem she’s had with her Blackberry and being able to receive emails. Oops.
Human error + Human error = No hard feelings
She was just pleased (as was I) we were talking now.
It’s okay to be human, and your reason for not getting in touch doesn’t always have to be a stolen laptop, lightning storm that knocked your power out, or a family illness.
You’re human. I’m human. We all make silly mistakes sometimes. It’s okay.
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By Jennifer Gniadecki -- 0 comments
July 30th, 2008
If you’re a networking type that gets speakers in for groups (and I know there are a few of you out there) you need to check your speakers.
I just received an invitation to a networking luncheon where the woman speaking is a known shady-lady. She owes a very powerful acquaintance of mine $300 – not a big deal financially – but just tacky in her eyes. She tried to talk to the lady about it several times but it never got resolved. So now my friend tells people about the issue when things come up.
This same lady has gotten out of her former biz and is now in cahoots with her hubby on a pagerank 0, no backlink masterpiece – a local business social networking site with video. They called us and wanted to barter. I made Randy, my husband and the SEO guy in our family, talk to the husband and co-owner and when he asked the owner of this local networking company what they had done for SEO he replied, “We’re going to do that once the site is up and running and live.”
What?
I’m no SEO expert but even I know that a lot of the SEO is in how the page is coded, set up, etc. You don’t just “do SEO” after the site is live. I mean there is additional SEO but…yeah…that’s just bad form.
So we didn’t work with them, mostly because we don’t do barter and haven’t in a couple years, but also because they didn’t know anyone I wanted to know. Who would they refer to me? Other shady people?
So when I see the co-owner wife is doing a talk on how video can explode your business and how you can get an Internet presence beyond or even instead of a website…that’s a problem. I also know at least 20 other people that are going to see that email and have a problem.
Then two friends tell two friends and the reputation of the people having her as a speaker is now in question.
So double-check your speakers are the real deal and have credentials to back it up. When I saw this woman’s bio and it said she was immersed in the marketing world for 15 years…well…by that definition of marketing I’ve been doing it for 17 years…ever since I got my first job and had to upsell. Because upselling is marketing, right?
Just…check your speakers. It’s a big deal.
Tags: bad networking, check your speakers, networking rantShare This
By Jennifer Gniadecki -- 0 comments
July 29th, 2008
I was back at the Caribou (my coffee shop of choice for actual work) and typing away when from behind me I hear, “Do you use Vista?”
Um…no.
Which leads this person into telling us (my friend was in a chair nearby) what a great deal he got on his new computer and he starts giving the specs. Bully for you and your dual core, but come on.
At some point he mentioned he had a business, but I had all but shut down by that time because I absolutely, positively have to get the project done I’m working on.
So this is the post with twofer advice:
- It’s okay not to talk to every stranger you cross paths with. Sometimes they’re just lonely and looking for conversation. You are not obligated to be the person that gives it to them.
- Make sure when you’re talking to someone, they’re interested. Even though my friend and I had stopped making eye contact and didn’t even make noises to respond, the guy kept up for ten minutes. Then he settled down.
There weren’t any other open plugs in the shop or we might have moved.
I know a lot of people think if some random stranger that’s lonely talks to them their deity has put the stranger there for them to help. If that’s the case, you may want to be more careful when you talk to strangers. You need to start being more finicky with who you talk to.
Just a thought.
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By Jennifer Gniadecki -- 0 comments
July 28th, 2008
I decided to take my own advice over the weekend and talk to a stranger.
After going to Caribou Coffee to get some work done with a friend of mine we heard this guy in a chair close-by start to laugh out loud. I asked my friend (via IM, we’re subtle like that) what he was reading. She replied that it was a book on physics of some kind.
He stood up and started talking to this kid about physics and I boldly eavesdropped on the conversation. Then I interrupted and asked, “What book are you reading?” To which he replied, “The Quantum Ten.”
I was enraptured! Here’s a little secret about me, I love reading about and studying theory on quantum physics and mechanics. It’s interesting, and it’s basically the proof that if you study something hard enough and you try to figure it out long enough you are left with a bigger mystery than when you started. Logic leading to mystery is fun, therefore, I love quantum physics.
We had a conversation based on the book and when it was published (this year!) and what he did for a living (something about laminates and jets and physics) and what I did (blogging and writing) and it was a really enjoyable conversation.
He went back to reading, I went back to working and all was well.
Then…he came over and asked me if I’d like to borrow the book! He had just finished and said that he’d lend it to me and I could call him when I was done and we’d arrange a drop-off back at the very public Caribou Coffee.
Needless to say, I’m excited. While I’m a big fan of talking to strangers, I’ve never done so when I was working, because I do my best to concentrate and get my goals accomplished. But that half hour is easily retrieved from my work week, and now I have a book to read that I wouldn’t have known about (or had easy access to) otherwise.
What you get from networking isn’t always a client. This is evidenced by my book as well as the comment from Ruth (at Maplewood VA) on Friday who won an apple pie for deciding to talk to a stranger. But these little moments where you talk to strangers and get something positive out of it will make it easier to talk to the next stranger and ask them if they know someone that might need your services.
It’s all about practice making perfect.
Tags: fun friday, General Networking, getting stuff, talking to strangersShare This
By Jennifer Gniadecki -- 0 comments
July 25th, 2008
I’m not sure how this Fun Friday thing is going to work out, but we’ll see.
Just for fun, find someone you don’t know this weekend and tell them what you do.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a business owner, a receptionist, or a database repair geek. Tell someone that is a complete stranger what you do.
You don’t have to walk up to them and blurt it out. Say hello first. Are you in line at the movies? Are you waiting for your turn to check-out at the grocery store? Doesn’t matter. Find a place where you have a couple of seconds and just say hello.
Talking to strangers isn’t fun at first, but the only way to get used to it is to do it. If you try, come back and leave a comment letting everyone know you did it!
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By Jennifer Gniadecki -- 1 comment
July 24th, 2008
I logged onto Yahoo! Instant Messenger today and an offline message popped up:
screenname: I have to tell someone – I made a new logo today that can be found at www.websitename.com
Well, gosh. I’m so glad I got to be a random someone. Not, I respect your opinion. Not, you have a good eye. Not I wanted to tell you first because you’ve been with me on this journey.
Nope. Just…you were someone….so here.
Don’t do that. It doesn’t make someone feel special. If you’re taking the time to share something pick someone you’re excited to be sharing it with.
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By Jennifer Gniadecki -- 0 comments
July 24th, 2008
Fun story.
I met a woman and she was a client for a while. I did a few things for her and since everything I do is project based she didn’t have anything for a while, but we continued talking.
She listened to some of what I had to say about networking, plus she follows salespeople and networking experts that are superstars – so she knew how to thank me for my fine work besides just paying me.
I was excited, and thought, hey, this is how networking can be a dream for a business!
Until she sent me an email letting me know who she sent my info to.
Her financial advisor.
He called me. I answered because I thought maybe this guy doesn’t know an Internet marketer can’t help him a whole lot if he’s, you know, not his own boss but owned by the company and the legal department of a huge ConglomoCorp.
The conversation revolved almost exclusively around him. Other than me saying, “Oh” and “I see” a whole lot. I did manage to interject that my husband had been a financial advisor for two years before the strain of pushing crap on people who couldn’t afford it made him an insomniac. He then switched the topic of conversation to my business buddy, Beth, that gave him my information. “Beth told me I really needed to talk to you.” I responded, “Yes, she told me she gave you my information, you’re her financial advisor?” He said, “Yes, I like to think some of her business success is in some part due to working with me.”
I tried not to laugh, because at this point Beth had moved to downgrade her home and her credit cards were maxed out. She was NOT in a good financial position…and here this guy thinks I don’t know…so he’s lying to me! That’s about when I decided that if I ever did want a financial advisor, it wouldn’t be this guy.
So he talked about meeting me, mentioned he never went to the suburbs so when could I come up to meet him in the city, and talked about when we could get together – really wanting to get me in his datebook.
I told him, “Well, you know I am severely limited in what I can do for you by your corporate legal department, right?”
He laughed and said, “Oh, you know about that! Well we should still get together.” I said okay and that I’d let him know the next time I had a networking event in the city and maybe we could have coffee beforehand.
But…you see…I never got that whole sentence out. When the words “networking event” got out of my mouth he interrupted me cold and said, “What do you expect to get out of our meeting.”
I let that hang, completely stunned by how offputting this whole conversation had become. Finally I said with a smirk that I felt but did not let show in my voice, “Nothing. I can’t imagine what I would get out of our meeting.”
He said that he would explain to me this and that about financial investing and how it could set me up for retirement. I said, “LIke you did for Beth.” He said (with a satisfied tone), “Exactly!”
I said I would call him.
He called four times over the next three weeks.
I finally sent him an email reminding him I said I would call him and to please stop calling.
The worst part? Beth sincerely thought she was helping me by making this “connection” – she had no idea that from the moment she gave him my name it was a one-way street…and he never thought to tell her differently.
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By Jennifer Gniadecki -- 2 comments
July 23rd, 2008
So it looks like Tech Cocktail has jumped on the Ning love train and started a community.
It makes sense. All those people who think that Tech Cocktail is the greatest name of a community ever (me included) should be able to meet with people of like mind.
Yet, I’m hesitant to join.
Does being a new media junkie that considers Plurk a form of methadone when her Twitter heroin supply goes all flying whale on her make me a good candidate for this group?
I’ve heard mixed reviews from people that have attended Tech Cocktail (I have not, so bear that in mind here – I’m speaking from learning about it through people I network with…no firsthand experience to be had until October when it comes back ‘round here to Chicago.)
Maybe my own personal identity crisis will help me decide. Until then, I wish they didn’t have it set up so you can’t see without registering. I would like to know what’s going on back there without having to commit with my handle and password creation and all that other hoopla that’s necessary to begin taking part in the fun and games of Ning community sites (I have one, so I’m well aware of how they work.)
But the forums aren’t that great on Ning sites. Of course, since it is the Tech Cocktail people they may have spiffed it up all code-a-licous style. The social networking? Well it happens through individual blogs that are on the Ning site. You can also post and share video and pictures. There are other features that may be great in there that I don’t know about due to the technical competence of those running the site.
I’m asking myself the same question I always ask when presented with a new networking opportunity. Is it the place I want to be for networking? Do I want to meet other Tech Cocktail fans that are based where I’m based?
Plus, part of me wonders if I’m really cool enough to be there with all those super-uber-cool people. (Don’t pretend you’ve never wondered the same thing when you joined a new group…)
What do you think? Is the Tech Cocktail Ning site the place to be? Or will I be surrounded by people with fun, made up title names (evangelist, in case you were grasping for an example) that think a swanky degree, a made up title, and too much screen time make you king (or queen) of the emo new media universe?
Maybe I should interview someone that’s in charge of the site and ask them. I’ll let you know how that shakes out.
Image source: Tech Cocktail Community Website
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By Jennifer Gniadecki -- 0 comments
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