Sports and Social Media Marketing Tips » The Huddle

Referrals and the Power of Structured Networking Groups

Frank Agin — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:00:31 +0000

Ask any entrepreneur, sales representative or professional and they will tell you that the best source of business is referrals. These little nuggets of business gold are far more reliable and far less expensive than any other source of business. Ask these same business people and they will also tell you that finding a reliable source of referrals, however, can be one of the biggest obstacles to growing a successful enterprise – probably second only to finding good help. This is not to say that referrals never occur. They do. But they do not always occur with the consistency upon which one can rely.

The initial problem for today’s businessperson is that our society tends to be more transient. Our grandparents lived in a world where everyone was intimately tied to the same few city blocks for literally generations. People watched the young child grow, marry, become a parent, and then a grandparent all in the same neighborhood. Today, we can live in a house for years and have neighbors we will never meet.

Additionally, society is now naturally more disconnected. Years ago, business was conducted on Main Street America, where the attorney, banker and baker all were in tune with everyone’s lives. Today, with improved highway systems and consolidating businesses, our lives – both personally and professionally – tend to be ‘far flung.’ Business people can wake up in a bedroom community and, after a quick cup of coffee, scatter to the four corners of the compass without knowing that potential business is two doors down.

To rectify the situation, business people have attempted to actively network themselves – endeavoring to circulate themselves among like-minded others. But these efforts are difficult to sustain, as it is nearly impossible to coordinate consistent connections among various similarly situated business professionals.

Although these efforts may yield results, often business people complain that the results are simply not commensurate with the effort expended. To overcome uncoordinated business lives, business people join civic or trade organizations. In droves they become part of the local chamber, trade associations, Rotary, Kiwanis and other similar groups.

These are all wonderful organizations and great for coordinating the schedule of today’s busy entrepreneurs, sales representatives and professionals. The problem, however, is that these organizations, as great as they may be, are not geared to facilitate the generation of referrals amongst the membership. As a result, oftentimes business people become frustrated as their expectations are not in alignment with the objective of the organization.

Finding a consistent, reliable source of referrals is perhaps just one of those daunting and seldom conquered business challenges, right? Not necessarily. Enter the concept of the structured networking group. A structured networking group is an association of entrepreneurs, sales representatives and professionals that meets periodically, usually weekly. These business people assemble in an organized setting for the purpose of learning about one another’s business and respective clients on an anonymous basis.

In this environment, professional relationships are forged. That is, members get to know, like and trust one another. And as a result, referrals are exchanged among participants. For example, the accountant’s clients are also potential clients for the attorney, banker, realtor and financial advisor. He or she can refer them on to these other professionals when the opportunity presents itself. In exchange, these other professionals endeavor to do the same for the accountant with their clients.

Almost equally interesting with the concept of structured networking is that businesses actually exist to assist business people in establishing and maintaining groups – charging a fee for membership. Such business organizations are AmSpirit Business Connections, Golden Referral Club, BNI, and many others.

The success of a structured networking group hinges on a couple key factors. The first is structure. These meetings are not simply another open house or mixer. They follow a prescribed meeting format where everyone is provided an opportunity to talk about their business and the referrals they seek.

Equally important to structure is accountability. Members commit to consistent attendance, doing business with each other whenever possible and aggressively promoting one another amongst their respective networks. Those not able to comply with these guidelines are politely asked to discontinue their membership. This happens less often than one might expect however. Structured networking works.

Individuals can and do build their entire marketing plans around referrals from their fellow members in these groups. Given that, it is in everyone’s best interest to ‘play by the rules.’ Can one start his or her own group without the assistance of for-profit organization? The simple answer is, certainly. In summary, just as one can sell their own house or invest their own money, anyone can create and maintain his or her own structured networking group. Bear in mind, however, that just like selling a house or investing money, people generally fair much better with professional assistance.

Is the cost of membership worthwhile? The average cost to participate in a proprietary organization ranges from $20 to $30 per month for each member. Certainly at this level, the cost is far more competitive than most any other form of marketing. In addition, for most business people, an entire year’s membership fees usually are recouped by business from a single referral.

These organizations cite some remarkable results. Some Chapters have been in existence for decades. While the average group size is approximately 20 non-competing business professionals, many groups have memberships that exceed 30. Most impressive is that several members boast that they receive so many referrals that membership in their structured networking group is the only real marketing they employ. No Yellow Pages advertisement. No telemarketing. No direct mail campaigns. All their business is generated through referrals.

Whether or not you consider aligning with a proprietary organization or forming one on your own, the tremendous power to becoming involved in a structured networking group is something to consider as these groups become a referral machine.

For more information on structured networking groups, conduct a search on the Internet.

###

Image by lizadaly

The Huddle: Nothing Beats a Team

Frank Agin — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:46:20 +0000

The sights and sounds of summer are arguably the best of the year. Ask most anyone and they will list summer as one of their favorite times of year.

If you ask why, you will get a variety of answers. Some will cite the long, sunny days filled with enjoying time at the beach. Others might mention backyard cook outs with family and friends. Still others will bring into the conversation an occasional round of golf.

The game of golf is unique in that there is something in the game for everyone. You can start playing when you are young and enjoy it until you are in retirement years. As long as you are able walk a few feet and swing your arms, you can play golf (not necessarily well, but you can still play).

You can play golf for fun, just passing the time as you chase that little white ball down the fairway (and through the sand, across the rough and sometimes into the water). Or you can be ultra serious about it, working to push your handicap ever lower and lower. Or you can be somewhere in between.

You can play golf with friends and relatives, using the game as a vehicle to re-live old times and create new ones. You can play with those you know just a little in hopes of knowing them better. Or you can play it with total strangers, hoping to add these new acquaintances to your stable of contacts.

There are lots of ways to enjoy the game of golf (or be frustrated by it). There is the traditional game – one person maintaining an individual score over 18 holes. There is match play – two people pitted against each other, with the best score moving on to face another opponent. And, of course, there is the scramble format.

A scramble is usually played with a team comprised of four golfers of varying abilities. In a scramble format, each player tees off and the foursome decides whose ball is in the best position for the next shot. Each player on the team then moves his or her ball to that spot and hits again. Then the process repeats until the scramble team hits the ball in the hole.

What is interesting about a scramble is that these four very amateur golfers, on average, bring in scores of six to eight strokes under par. While the best professional golfers – even the likes of Tiger Woods – usually only score four or five under par in rounds where they win. That is right, a handful of self-proclaimed duffers can out play the best of the best in golf.

My point is that nothing beats a team. A collection of so-so individuals, each with a remarkable skill at one particular expertise (perhaps one driving, one putting and one with the chipping game), outplays the best of the best almost every time.

Always consider tapping into your network to get the job done. Tap into the advice of colleagues. Ask for the encouragement of friends. Use the experience of those who have come before you. Each of these will surely enhance your overall performance.

Individually, you cannot effectively handle every type of challenge and you cannot put forth the very best effort. Collectively, however, the combined talent and experience of your network is an unstoppable force. Nothing beats a team.

###

Image by chrispita_666

Image by davidandnasha

Being a Networking Decathlete

Lewis Howes — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:06:42 +0000

The decathlon is a track and field competition involving 10 events – five on each of two successive days. Performances in the 10 events are scored by reference to a points table. The individual accumulating the highest number of points after the 10 events is declared the winner.

The decathlon is a menu of athletic events, testing an individual’s speed, endurance, strength, skill and determination. It clearly reflects the ancient Greek ideal of all-around, balanced excellence in sports. In fact, every four years, the winner of the Olympic Decathlon is dubbed the World’s Greatest Athlete, a title that has been bestowed on Americans such as Jim Thorpe, Bob Mathias, Rafer Johnson, Bill Toomey, Bruce Jenner and Dan O’Brien.

The notion of the decathlon is not limited to the arena of track and field competition, however. Consider any other sport or athletic competition. Victory or success generally goes to the well-rounded competitor or team and not the individual or team with a single overpowering attribute. For example, those considered to be the world’s best gymnasts are those who have competency in most, if not all, of several different gymnastic apparatus.

The notion of the decathlon is not limited to athletic competition. Success in pretty much anything is a function of all-around, balanced excellence and not perfection in any one particular aspect.

Consider parenthood, one is not considered successful by merely being able to provide three nutritious, square meals. And one is not considered successful only by maintaining a safe and healthy home, or simply by devoting the requisite attention to the kids’ school work, social anxieties or need to play. No, success in parenting is a function of all of these things. In fact, if one were only competent in one area and deficient in all others, the person would likely be considered a bad parent.

Consider business as well, one is not considered successful by merely having a great product or service. And one is not considered successful only by having an interesting and catchy marketing program, or simply by having a great price, or sound distribution or any other single attribute of business. Success in business requires having the whole package. In fact, each and every year businesses that are great on one aspect and deficient in all others tend to founder or worse.

This notion of the decathlon also holds true for your networking efforts. Networking involves a variety of different activities. To be a success at networking, however, you must be reasonably proficient at all these activities and not simply seek to be overwhelmingly brilliant at any one.

For example, in keeping with the spirit of the decathlon, here are ten of many potential networking activities. No one alone can establish your networking prowess. All are required to make you proficient.

Getting Involved: You cannot effectively network sitting in your office chair. It takes getting up and getting out. Circulating. Becoming engaging. Involving yourself, formally or informally, in the lives of others and allowing them to become involved in yours. However, this alone does not ensure networking success.

Presenting Ourselves: For others to have an interest in associating with you, they need to have a reasonable understanding of who you are and what you do. For this to occur, you need to present yourself well, both verbally and physically. But a polished look and strong 30-second commercial is not enough to establish you as a great networker.

Listening: Inherent in networking is communication and implied in communication is hearing what others have to say and appropriately responding. Although good networking requires strong listening skills, strong listening skills in and of themselves do not guarantee you will be a good networker.

Discovering Common Ground: The bonds that tie you to your network are all those things you have in common with them. As such, much of networking success lies in discovering all of these mutual personal and professional attributes. But you can have a tremendous amount of common ground with your network and still not have enough to be a tremendous networker.

Remembering: The basis for a solid networking relationship is a mutual knowing, liking and trusting. Inherent in the first element, knowing, is remembering things you have learned and discovered about those in your network. It is this memorization that signifies to those in your network their importance to you. Without a reasonably good memory – especially with respect to people’s names – every meeting becomes a first meeting. Remember, however, remembering alone is not enough.

Following Up: People have contact with many individuals each and every day on various levels and for a variety of reasons, including you. You set yourself apart, however, by acknowledging your connection through an appropriate follow up, which demonstrates their importance. But if all you have is great follow up, in time you will have less and less to follow up on.

Contributing: You take to networking to advance yourself – to get. You soon realize, however, that for you to get you must endeavor to ensure that others get first. Hence, in working to become an effective networker you must contribute to others, giving information, time, energy, contacts and encouragement. If all you did to network, however, were give, your networking experience would be hollow.

Asking For Assistance: You ultimately cannot help others unless you have been helped yourself. To get the help you need, however, you need to dare to ask, appropriately and specifically. You know, however, that a polished request, no matter how eloquently stated, will not alone establish you as a strong networker.

Showing Appreciation: You can say “thank you” for anything; you should say “thank you” for everything. You should even take the opportunity to thank someone for thanking you (“I really appreciate that you took the time to acknowledge my effort”). Whenever you take the time to thank someone, you create an opportunity to further connect with them. But being great at expressing sincere appreciation does not alone establish networking greatness.

Being Patient: Networking is an ongoing wonderful adventure. The experience of the adventure cannot be evaluated on the basis of really any unit of time. You need to be patient and trusting that your networking experience will be a productive one. But patience alone will not do, especially if the patience you exhibit is only demonstrated sitting in your office chair.

Your success in networking, like any sport or aspect of life, is not a function of being the best at any networking skill. Rather, networking success requires that you be the best you can at all the skills required of networking.

Frank Agin writes a monthly sports themed networking series for SportsNetworker.com entitled “The Huddle“. Frank is the founder and president of AmSpirit Business Connections and consults with individuals and businesses on how to become more successful through networking. He is the author of two sports related novels, Out of the Comfort Zone., and his latest hit, Rival.

Singles Score Runs Too!

Lewis Howes — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 22:17:56 +0000

We have all played baseball at least once in our lives. It may have been just a pick-up game in the street. It may have been at school in gym class. It may have only been tee ball. Whatever the case, we have all played baseball.

Let us reflect back to the first time we were up to bat. What did we do? Did we attempt to bunt? No. Did we earn a walk to first base on a series of bad pitches? No. What did we do?

We tried to hit the ball as hard as we could. Now in all likelihood, we may have struck out in the process. Or we may have ground out to the shortstop. Or we may have popped out to left field. Whatever the case, our intent was to whack the ball out of the park and then enjoy a slow meander around the bases.

Unfortunately, for all of us from time to time, this is indicative of our contact with others. When life presents us with an opportunity to interact with others, we look for the home run ball. That is, we save our effort for those, and only those people, that will yield some real results – runs or scores, in baseball vernacular.

We seemingly reserve our eye contact for the potential new clients. We tend not to flash our warm smile unless we can deploy it on those people responsible for hiring and promoting. We ostensibly cannot muster a “how are you doing?” “hello,” or even a “hi,” unless it is directed at someone of significant consequence to us.

Far too often, we do not want to be bothered with that person who does not appear to have the potential to provide us direct benefit. They might represent getting to first, second or third base, but little more. As a result, our actions reflect our attitude. For these people, we offer no polite pleasantries. We generally maintain a straight face when we encounter them. Moreover, if we have eye contact at all, it is for a fleeting uncomfortable split second.

Nevertheless, we need to take a lesson from baseball. According to Major League Baseball statistics, if the only way a player could score in baseball was to hit a home run, there would be over 75% fewer runs. In fact, in baseball at any level runs are largely the result of activities other than home runs. Teams attempt to score relying infrequently on blasts out of the park. Rather, baseball teams score runs by stringing together a series of walks, hits and stolen bases.

Certainly, the home run is responsible for driving in runs other than just the batter. However, those extra runs batted in are the result of preceding walks, singles, doubles and triples. In baseball, there is a combination of strategy and luck involved in getting a player safely home. However, no successful baseball team relies entirely on the home run bat day in and day out.

We should follow this strategy in our approach to developing our network and life. Certainly, some new contacts generate immediate results. From these we get clients, jobs, and other opportunities. These are the home runs. Just as in baseball, we should rejoice at these accomplishments and celebrate.

However, not every new contact will generate immediate results or value at all. Nevertheless, value still exists. There is opportunity in every contact. While not every contact creates results in and of itself, every contact serves as something upon which we can build.

Some contacts we can deem as singles, some doubles, and still other triples. They all move us closer to scoring runs. With everyone we encounter, we should make eye contact. And while we are at this, we might as well smile. And if we have gone to all this trouble, we might as well say, “How are you doing?”

Home runs – in life or with personal contacts – are great. Often they make our day, year, or even life. All the same, despite the attraction of realizing these moments of celebration, we need to keep in mind that singles score runs too!

and businesses on how to become more successful through networking. He is the author of two sports related novels, Out of the Comfort Zone., and his latest hit, Rival.

Did you like this article? Please write your comments below on your own sub 4-minute miles in your life and check out the other articles from “The Huddle”:

Stand Tall, Or Bow To A King…What Would You Do?

Lewis Howes — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 15:43:14 +0000

This is a guest article in “The Huddle” series by Frank Agin:

The crowning spectacle of any Olympic Games is the opening ceremonies. No matter what Olympic sport of which you happen to be a fan (or even if you are a fan of no sport at all), this exhibition is captivating, entertaining and inspiring.

Traditionally, the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games is officially opened by the head of state of the host nation, such as a president, prime minister or even a king. From there nation after nation enters the stadium, each being led by an athlete representative that carries that country’s flag. As each country proceeds around the infield, when they pass where the head of state is seated, following tradition, the flag bearer dips the nation’s flag in deference to the host country’s lead dignitary.

Literally every nation follows this protocol – every nation but the United States. This exception to the tradition is considered tradition in and of itself and it relates back over 100 years to the 1908 London Games.

On July 14 at approximately 2:45 PM, with Austria leading the way, nations began to parade into London’s White City Stadium for the opening ceremonies of the 1908 Olympic Games. Eventually, the United States joined the procession, being led by 6’6”, 275 pound Ralph Rose as its flag bearer.

As the contingent of Americans marched before King Edward VII, to the outrage of the crowd, Rose did not lower the American flag as was custom. Although there is some debate as to just how much of an uproar this created amongst the British, one American’s response to the act was clear. Martin Sheridan, known as a burly, hot-tempered shot putter, emphatically stated, “This flag dips to no earthly king.”

As such, a tradition-bucking tradition was born. In the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games, the American delegation does not lower its flag. The American flag has remained high before kings, presidents and emperors. It has not dipped in great nations such as Canada, Germany and China.

No matter the dignitary and no matter the country, in the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games the Americans keep their flag standing tall with pride, confidence and optimism … proud of its past contribution to the world … confident of its place as a leader in global humanity … optimistic of its role in a great future.

You are no different than the American flag. You have every reason to stand tall in any situation, no matter who you encounter. And thus you should shy away from meeting no one.

Yes, there are people who have accomplished much – award-winning authors, note-worthy business professionals and civic leaders of every kind. Do not concede anything to them. Rather, stop, reflect, and take inventory of your own past. It is a proud one too – marked by wonderful milestones, accomplishments and achievements.

Yes, there are people who offer a great deal to society – architects of innovation, masters of a craft and commanders of loyal followers. Do not wilt in their presence. Rather have every confidence that no matter what you do, your contribution to society serves to make the world a better place – even if it is just in your little corner of it.

Yes, there are people whose crowning achievements are clearly ahead of them – future dignitaries, rising-corporate stars, and budding entrepreneur types. Nevertheless, do not back down from them. No matter how high their stock may rise, remember you should have every optimism that yours will rise too.

In short, no matter where you find yourself and no matter whose company you are in, believe that you belong. As such, stand tall, throw your shoulders back and offer yourself to those around you … but do not bow to any earthly king.
##

Did you like this article? Check out the other articles from “The Huddle”: