This is a new electronic business card that stays up-to-date and includes Social Media links as well as your picture. In the old days we traded business cards that were often hard to read, when we got back to the office we had to type or scan into our computer and used paper from trees (NOT Green).

Today instead of the business card we use the  Poken which costs from $20 to $35  (much less then a bunch of quality business cards) .  You meet someone, touch your Pokens together, and that, with short range wireless, transmits a code to each Poken. You plug your Poken in to your computer back at the office using a standard USB port and all their info shows up on the screen including web address, social media sites, videos and their picture. You can export this data electronically to any other system you want.  If they change a website, a phone number, a job, or their picture you get updated with the change automatically! It also shows you where you met them in time.

The Poken is much, much more than just an electronic business card sharing device. It is a fun way to share your social media and contact information with someone you meet who also has a Poken. It can include your photo, all your social media sites, your websites, phone, address..whatever you want to add. Links are active hyper links AND they don’t have to type your contact info into their computer. You can have it on you keychain and when you find someone you meet that also has one and you would like to share information with them, you just touch your Pokens together. They glow and that means the transfer of the ID’s occurred. Next time you are at your computer you plug your Poken into the USB slot and it transfers all your contacts to the web based Poken contact page. It is a new product by a new company that is already turning a profit. I believe this or something like this will be used more and more in the future over just a business card.

There are two models of the Poken and the Hub:

* PokenSPARK: Cost less (~$20.00 + shipping ), are the the little things with the big hand, has no extra memory.
http://www.poken.com/spark

* PokenPULSE: Cost a bit more (~$35.00 + shipping), looks like a USB memory stick and had 2Gig of re-usable memory as well as the Poken electronics and storage for the Poken data. To see the PULSE:
http://www.poken.com/pulse

* PokenHUB: This is the website you use to maintain and keep all your contact data. Since it is web based you can be a different computer and both view and update it. To see more about the HUB:
http://www.poken.com/website

Benefits of the Poken:

* Don’t have to type in their contact information or re-check check scanned in information like a business card.
* If they change their connections or content information your information on them is automatically updated.
* It includes the time / date when you met them on a time-line.
* Their photo is included.
* You can easily export the data to other electronic devices.

What is required to make this work for you:

* You both have to have a Poken.
* You both have to have internet access.
* You need to carry it with you.
* Every 4 to 8 months you will have to open the little case and change the battery that you can find at Radio Shack.

Click here to lean more about Poken in the Raleigh area.

Some other resource to lean more about the Poken

What is a Poken – Comprehensive video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z51JUot_yUY

Connecting your Poken to your computer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-JFOqeULU0

A videos about the Poken:
http://vimeo.com/6985456
More about it: http://vimeo.com/6955476

More about the Networking concept related to Poken:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61jYzrR5MN4

What the Poken looks like inside:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Js2R6E4Q82k

Text explanation of the Poken including the manufacture and technology from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poken

Blog post comparing the Poken to other Digital Business cards:
http://technology.inc.com/hardware/articles/200906/businesscard.html

To get questions and answers about the Poken and community support:

http://getsatisfaction.com/poken

Place to buy your Poken!:
http://www.pokenzoo.com

Also you can get them from a link on inSide919.com
At FindaPoken

And I am often carrying around a few that I will sell at $19.95 for the PokenSPARK and the PokenPULSE for $34.99 (you don’t pay shipping).
Call me for info (919) 847-4757

Now that you own a Poken, how to connect it to your computer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-JFOqeULU0

Hope this was informative and please post your additions and comments. If you have a Poken let us know! I have a new list on Twitter called Poken Owners of RTP, if you are one and want to be on this list send me a tweet! Here is the link to the list: http://twitter.com/martinbrossman/poken-owners-of-rtp
Post a note here or to my Twitter account: http://www.twitter.com/martinbrossman

Martin Brossman
ProNetworkingOnLine.com
Raleigh NC

BNI Morning Show - N. Raleigh

Enhancing the Value of Your BNI Referral Group with Social Media by Martin Brossman

I was privileged to speak at The BNI Morning Show, a popular BNI group in North Raleigh, about business use of Social Media and on-line reputation management. To share the highlights with you, here are a few of my short tips for profoundly enhancing the value of your BNI referral group using Social Media and reputation sites.
- You can update LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook status about the meeting with something unique to that day, and the name of the group. Example someone posted: Looking forward to hearing Martin Brossman about Social Media w/business at our BNI Morning Show

- When having a one-on-one with someone, you may want to say something about the meeting and reference the person on any of your micro-blogs or status updates such as Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn .

- Give recommendations to members on LinkedIn after you have worked with them enough to give a specific and valid recommendation.

- Use on-line press releases to announce significant changes or advancements to the group.

- Include a member /reference the group in a blog post.

- Using Facebook “Pages” for business allows a posting to be picked up by Google vs. your personal profile that is basically seen by only the people you have let in as friends. .

- Have a short URL for a Web page or Facebook business page for members to use when posting on micro-blogs and status updates such as bit.ly .

- Post honest and positive comments in on-line sites like MerchantCircle.com or LocalAdLink.com This can also include posting on the person’s “wall” on sites like Facebook.com, LinkingRaleighNC.com  and inside919.com. (LinkingRaleighNC.com  and inside919.com are in the RTP NC area, www.insideareacodes.com to find the one in your local area code. )

- Make sure you have your LinkedIn profile optimized for your target customer, and consider connecting with the people on your BNI team.

The BNI Morning Show is one of the BNI Chapters in RTP, to learn more about them go to: http://trianglebni.net

Martin Brossman is a Business Coach, Trainer and Author who integrates Social Media training and Success Coaching. He offers training for Referral group on using Social Media for Business.  He is the co-founder of Professional Networking on the Web at the Cardinal Club in Raleigh. Find more info and links to Martin’s Social Media universe at www.ProNetworkingOnLine.com and find his new book “Brossman’s Social Media and Online Resource Directory for Business”. A great resource to find out more about Social Media for Business . Martin can be reach at US EST: (919) 847-4757 or Martin@CoachingSupport.com .

Here is the two links to the shows:
1st the spot that was shown on the nightly news:
http://news.mync.com/site/news/video/2951/Linked%20In%20pkg/

2nd more of the interview:
http://news.mync.com/site/news/video/2944/Martin_Brossman_interview/

I want to thank all who recommended me for this show including Greg Hyer with the great RTP Linkedin resource: www.linkingraleighnc.com, Wayne Sutton and Chuck Hester ( Linkedin Life, find Chuck at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckhester ). I know their were others that recommend me as well but did not get the names.

Other resoruces: Professional Networking On-Line ( Article on MyNC.com ) :
http://wake.mync.com/site/wake/Community/story/11074

Martin Brossman – Success Coach / Trainer

About Martin Brossman
Martin, a success coach, speaker, trainer and author, has been mastering the art of networking in the Triangle since 1982 ( www.coachingsupport.com ). He has originated numerous successful in-person and on-line networking groups which have facilitated meaningful business connections among members. Martin’s computer skills have powered his keen ability to create and teach crucial new Internet communications, such as blogging, podcasting and on-line networking. His own podcast show can be heard at www.InquireOnLine.info . He offers consulting on how to generate profitable alliances by maximizing face-to-face and on-line presence and managing “the conversation of you” on the Web – www.ProNetworkingOnLine.com .

For more information, contact Martin Brossman at (919) 847-4757 or Martin@CoachingSupport.com
For TinyURL to share this page using: http://tinyurl.com/5lqyyl

Republished from: http://wake.mync.com/site/wake/community/story/11074/

To see more about the group go to: http://www.coachingsupport.com/network/PNOTW.html

It is free to join, allows you to form local discussion groups like “Triangle Business Bloggers” or “Podcasting.” It lets you list calendar events, have a blog so you can contribute useful articles, have a profile stating your business and it offers an RSS feed so you can keep up with it in your Blog Reader. By requiring you to live or work in the 919 area code and asking that people make at least one contribution a month, it keeps it smaller then the big guys offering a local connection. It was started by Pat Howlett who moved from a small town to the RTP NC area and wanted to create a small town business networking feel on-line.

My networking advice for using Inside919 is to take a little time to join it, fill out the basic profile, maybe join a few groups that are of interest and connect to some people you know. Next just check in once a week or even once a month based on your time demands and the importance of a web presence. When you check in, look for ways to help others or contribute to a conversation that is occurring in a Forum or group. If you use a blog reader then add the RSS feed to that so you can keep track of it.

I do recommend a picture and if you don’t have one you like, pay a photographer for one good one. The good photographers can offer Photoshop touch ups if that makes you more comfortable. You can find one in InSide919.com as well.

Next share the site with good local businesses you know to help them connect to others.

I like this group since Pat is a local person who truly wants to help the local business professionals and make it easy to participate. To me this can be one of the important pieces of your on-line presence and marketing plan.

Pat Howlett also is creating groups for other area codes and here is a website to find all the groups: www.insideareacodes.com

If you join www.inside919.com , look me up and say hello!

By Martin Brossman – www.coachingsupport.com – Martin@CoachingSupport.com (919) 847-4757

Are you frustrated because networking to get business appears to be a waste of time? Are you networking at the right watering holes? Are you doing it the right way? Are you getting results? How often have you heard a professional who was new to networking complain that the leads group they were in was not getting them business, or that the business group they were a member of was a waste of time and money? Membership or participation in any networking group does not guarantee business unless you follow some basic principles:

1)    Plant in the right field. When you get started, survey a number of different networking groups and find out which ones offer the best exposure for your business, which ones best fit with your marketing plan, and which ones compliment your personal marketing style the best. In this way you will ensure that you invest your time into the places that will yield the maximum return. Don’t make snap decisions. For example, if you are in a business to business segment and you join a leads group that is made up of consumer businesses, or if you are in the healthcare industry and you join a group with IT and communications people, you are not putting yourself into a good position for the best results to occur. Spend time to find the right networking forums for you and your business.
2)    Plant good seeds. Instead of just focusing on what you can get out of the networking group, make your primary focus to look for ways to contribute to the group in the most efficient, effective manner possible. Make referrals, pass leads, make introductions, promote businesses that are in your group, share business information and take leadership roles where you are needed. The principle here is that you cannot give into a worthwhile endeavor and not get a multiplied return.
3)    Tend your field. Building one on one relationships within your networking forums over a cup of coffee or a meal is where the real magic sets in. The individual relationships are the real glue of your personal network. Balance your time between establishing new relationships and maintaining your close contacts. Keep an A list of your closest partners. Maintain communication in a manner that fits your style. If you like to write then send notes, if you like to talk then make phone calls, and if you are spontaneous then send emails.
4)    Do not dig your seed up. A farmer invests in seed, spends time preparing and planting, then waters and cares for the field. Early on, when nothing looks like it is happening, he does not go out and dig his seed up or move to another field, but instead waits patiently for his harvest to arrive. Networking is the same way. It will take time in most cases for you to cultivate trust and goodwill in your networking forums. Be patient and keep planting good seed. Your harvest will come, and when it comes, it will be multiplied.
5)    Visit other fields. You main focus should be tending your own networking groups, but take occasion to step out and visit other ones. You can learn from other forums, make outside connections, and spread the word about your business to other professionals. Look for alliances outside of your regular networking forums. These relationships are something of value that you can bring back to your regular networking groups.
6)    Be prepared for the harvest. When you start getting results, be ready to receive them. Be ready to professionally and effectively facilitate the leads, contacts, introductions, etc. that you receive.
7)    Your harvest does not always come up where planted. Many times opportunities will arise from places that you did not plant. Congratulations! You are experiencing the benefits of the unseen law of sowing and reaping. This is the super seed. Receive it and do not try to figure everything out.
8)    Harvest the field properly. When contacts and introductions are given, make sure that you provide feedback to the referrer on what happened. When the referrer sees that their trust in you was wisely given, they are going to feel all the more confident in sending the next referral. This feedback will encourage the referrer to send you more referrals. Rewards given in the right manner are wise. Take the referrer to lunch, give extra focus on helping them, send a note, or come up with a creative way to say thank you.
9)    Evaluate your harvest and plan next year’s crop. There is a time when you need to take an honest look at your networking plan. Once a year, look at where your time and resources are being spent. Drop what is not working well, and move to a group with programs that may be more effective. Be careful how you do this evaluation. Hard metrics, like how many leads have I received, how many good contacts have I made and how many times has a relationship from this group helped me close a deal, need to be in the mix for your evaluation, but other soft indicators, like branding exposure, access to industry information and size of sphere of influence should be considered as well. These are often intuitive metrics and hard to measure, but they could be even more important to you and your business than are the concrete metrics. Changes in your business or the networking forums you are in may also dictate changes in where you spend your networking time. When you choose to leave a networking forum, do not just disappear. Exit gracefully and maintain key relationships.

In your networking, just remember this quote from the greatest networker of all time whose network continues 2000 years later, “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Be a patient giver and a seed sower and watch the return come in.

Guess what? It really does not matter. If you are someone that people want to remember then your name tag could be on your back. Likewise, if you are forgettable or worse, someone people wish they could forget, then your name tag’s location will not help your cause.

In the coming months I will be talking about getting connected and staying connected. Some people call this phenomenon networking. Before we talk about what it is, let’s look at what it isn’t.

Networking is not about increasing your sales.
Networking is not about finding a new job.
Networking is not about improving your love life.
Networking is not about a free meal.

Networking is about your relationships with others. Period. Networking is the people you know. It is about meeting people, not prospects or future raving fans. And when you meet them, one day you may sell them something or you may buy something from them, they may give you a job, or even marry you. But at first it is a question of what you can do for them.

Networks exist because we do need each other. In an interdependent world one thing you can count on is that if you can be an offer of value, others will become obligated to you. Human beings just work that way, although not all humans get this concept on the same level. Some people get their help solely by making transactions. But living in a world of transaction is very linear and expensive. If I pay a guy to do my taxes, my taxes are done. Once I write a check, we are square. No surprises occur. Nothing larger than life can happen.

Networking is about doing someone’s taxes and not accepting a check. Then finding something else you can do for them. And if you don’t know how to do someone’s taxes, maybe your offer can be even more valuable. From this beginning, non-linear growth in your career and wealth can occur. But finding what to give can be tricky.

So what do you have to offer? The good news is that I do not know. You actually have to figure it out on your own and give others something that fits with who you are. This gift is your own “secret sauce”. Luckily, many people find it easier to be themselves when taking care of others than they do trying to follow a formula. If you copy other people’s ideas, you risk that your offers will be seen as common. The best offers are those that are scarce.

When in doubt, sometimes your most significant offer to another is willingness. Especially when networking with those more seasoned or further along than you, your offer of willingness to help can open doors. Of course, you must follow up this willingness with actual willingness.

Here is the conundrum. In a world where the number is never done and bosses or stockholders are breathing down your neck, when do you find time to network? You cannot find it, you must schedule it. As a first hint, I challenge you to find 5% of your week, every week, just to connect. You already know who is falling out of your network. You also know those that you really need to retain. Call them, tell them you care, send them a card, and reconnect. The worst time to reconnect is always when you need something. Ever get a call from a long lost collegue with a resume in his hand? Don’t be that person.

For more about Gary Davis: www.NetworkingInTheSouth.com

A referral group can be one of your best resources for developing new business. The steps are simple; however, the execution requires an investment of time from you.

•    Regular attendance. Give your group importance and priority. Schedule meeting times in advance and schedule other appointments around your weekly meeting. If you cannot attend a meeting, send someone to represent you or call another member who will let your group know you will not be attending. Your group will appreciate being informed, and will not feel “stood up” when you are missing.
•    Plan effective weekly Intromercials (60 second presentations to educate the group about your product or service.) “Those who fail to prepare, prepare to fail.” This is your opportunity to make an impression. Make your presentation interesting, change it often, and try having some fun with it. Use your creativity. Be remembered. The more they know about you, and the easier it will be to keep you in mind for referrals, when going about their day to day business life. “Plan, prepare and rehearse.”
•    Get involved. Groups are always evolving. Volunteer to do something to develop your group. Invite others to join, especially those in complementary businesses to whom you can easily refer. Welcome visitors, talk with them about their business and encourage them to join.
•    Schedule one on one meetings with group members. Learn about the businesses of others. Focus on what you can do to help develop referrals for them. (“Givers get. That are easy to refer to!”). Make sure it is easy for people to know how to refer to you as well.
•    Show up on time just like you would your valued customers. Being late communicates something just like being on time.

How long will it take to see results?
It is different from person to person, and can take from a couple of weeks to a couple of months. Remember it is about building relationships. The better you are at educating the group and building their confidence, the sooner you will see results.

What is the quickest way to integrate myself into the group?
Schedule one-on-one meetings. Attend regularly. Plan effective Intromercials. Invite guests. Get involved. Look to help instead of taking and you will experience being apart of the group.

What makes an interesting expanded featured presentation?
Some groups rotate speakers from among the group. This is your time to shine, and make an impression. It is an expanded Intromercial that shows who you are and what you do. (Some ideas from others — a drawing, a discount, bring small gifts, prepare a Q&A related to business and offer “prizes” for those who answer correctly, bring props,)
Most of all, enjoy yourself, enjoy the company of the group, and enjoy the benefits!

“Remember,
it’s not neteating,
and it’s not netsitting,
it’s networking.”

Jan Wynns is a realtor with Fonville Morisey Realty can be reached at 919-961-7777 and is involved in a referral group called Great Expectations. Martin Brossman is a life and business coach and leads the North Raleigh Triangle Business Builders. He can be reached at 919-847-4757

Imagine a place where there is a great view, where you meet quality people, and where you can build powerful business alliances with leaders in their field. Imagine further, that you saw the value you could contribute to the community with a membership base of over 4000 people and a facility spanning two buildings in the expanding and ever improving downtown Raleigh area. This is the Capital City Club & the Cardinal Club.

For me, the club has been a leading resource for building valuable alliances and introductions in the triangle area. I want to talk about some of the resources available and the ways in which I utilize these resources. The club is not a place to just ‘sell your widget’ but is a place to build and maintain business relationships within a social atmosphere. It is a place where people get to know you and will appreciate your integrity, one of the building blocks of trust. Initially, you may want to test out these new relationships with a smaller project to assess how well you work together. Nothing occurs by ‘just being a member,’ you have to commit time and energy to interact with people at the club and to take full advantage of the resources the club has to offer.

What are some of the things that the club offers to the business owner, consultant, or employee?

• It is great place to meet clients, associates, and friends for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The service and food is excellent and you will never be rushed.
• It provides the opportunity to share and define a variety of business development approaches. A new member recently described the outstanding payoff he experienced when he bought tickets to join his clients at some sporting events which turn, led his clients to quickly recognize the value of spending time together building their business relationship.

What are the specific business opportunities?

• There are the three Leads Groups who meet twice a month first thing in the morning (Leads I on Thursday, Leads II on Tuesday, and Leads III on Wednesday). I am honored to lead the ‘Leads II Group’ which has 26 members. Members are able to tap into the collective business experience and expertise of their fellow members. The business to business focus does not exclude members who have a business to consumer focus. There is a satisfying shared feeling of professionalism and friendship. New members are always welcome to visit each group.

• The Business Alliance gathering is a group where quality speakers can be heard for the cost of a meal. It is an opportunity to heighten your company’s visibility and provides a robust networking and learning environment.

• The monthly Women’s Ventures meetings, like the Trendsetters, are a special resource and opportunity to meet with other female professionals.

Other business relationships are formed at social events and many lead to lasting friendships, such as those of the Wine Society which has a monthly meeting and is offered at minimal cost for the entire year. For the cost of a meal you can utilize the meeting rooms to gather with groups of clients and business partners (with the exceptions of rooms equipped with special conferencing technology). If you need to check your email or make a quick call, the office center is available to you. In addition, private phone booths with cell phone access are available.

Of course little of value in life comes without a certain degree of commitment. It is important to use the club several times a month with a special effort placed on meeting new people. If you come armed with the attitude of contributing as well as receiving, I assure you, good people are going to help you. I look forward to seeing you at the club and will help in any way I can to enrich and broaden your experience.

In closing, I want to thank members who contributed thoughts and critique to this article, to name a few; Jean Wiley, Greg Brissette, Lee Heinrich, Whitney Hill and Ralph DiLeone.

Martin Brossman
(919) 847-4757 or
martin@coachingsupport.com
www.coachingsupport.com

The real mission

It’s been refreshing to see the field of sales evolve beyond the pushy stereotype of “yes at any cost” to today’s intelligent vendor-client relationships that thrive long-term. It seems to me that networking, a necessary component of the business scene, has been experiencing a similar transformation of mission. What percent of us, I wonder, conscientiously attending networking breakfasts, luncheons, after-hours and the like, or courageously handing out cards and brochures to anyone within arms length, are catching the new unwritten dynamic which makes networking an expressway to success for some, and a rough path to nowhere for others. As a Life and Business Coach, I admit I’ve had the advantage of knowing how to meet and get to know potential clients, yet even so, it took time for me to appreciate the complex choreography of human relationship that happens at every networking event, from one-on-one for coffee to the city-wide Expo. What I began to see was that networkers with a “what’s in it for me” mindset were failing, and those with a generous “I’m here to help” approach were succeeding. This simple analysis brought me to a definitive “aha” and I’m bursting to share with you what real networking is (and what it’s not).

Here it is. “Networking as a contribution” is not about getting business or a job. It’s not selling your product, and it’s not even doing unto others as you would have them do unto you. Real networking is a contribution to society. It is about inspiring yourself and others to be the best contributor to society one can be, which includes providing the best possible products and services. Such networking is accomplished with great people who are the best in their field, and it’s done in a way that inspires you to do the same. This is a skill that generally takes time to develop, coming naturally to very few of us. You can definitely learn it. Go at a pace that works for you, breaking it down into stages so that the process will stretch you but won’t break you. As you read on, note that I have chosen to illustrate positive and negative examples of networking by creating some humorously-named characters to represent the composite experience of actual people.

The common misperception

The inspiration for this article originated after observing my friend, Jeff Killjobs, experience his first lay-off due to downsizing in the corporation where we met. I watched Jeff lose his job, then his house, and then repeatedly get turned down for job after job in the course of a year. I was concerned his family would be the next thing he would lose. I encouraged him to become involved in many valuable networking events, offering to take him with me, but he always came up with excuses of personal crises or the importance of being at every one of his son’s soccer games. While I have the utmost admiration and respect for parents to be there for their children, I could also see his financial situation gradually worsening.

My point? Jeff Killjobs was too bright and talented to be unemployed so long. It just didn’t add up to me that he was not finding a job. As my last attempt, I offered him a scholarship to attend my “Becoming Recession Proof” course. He turned me down for another soccer game. Obviously my messages to Jeff were not getting through, and it was becoming deeply painful to witness a friend going down hill. My intuition told me he was just sending his resume out over the Internet, meanwhile walking around wearing an invisible sign on his forehead which read “Someone Hire Me.” I couldn’t help envisioning Jeff in the not too distant future, clutching his son’s soccer ball, looking for a cozy bridge to live under. Finally I confronted him about his seeming lack of motivation, to which he responded, “I just want somebody to give me t a job so I can make a difference.” The point Jeff missed was that he could have been making a difference all along through his own initiative in networking, and the best time to start would have been while he was employed.

What makes it work

Real networking is based on the reality of caring about other people, and is achieved by actively referring good people to other good people. It is not about who I can “get” to buy my product and it is not about “helping your selected cronies” regardless of the quality of their work. I have found that real networking creates long-term referrals and clients. It is based on asking this one question: “How can I help this person I have just met?” With real networking, you know that when you refer someone, YOUR name goes with the referral (more about this later). You will also notice that you’re more apt to help someone who has helped you. Now let’s look more closely at what makes a real networker hum, what’s makes them so memorable and effective. To emphasize their greatness, I like to call them “Super Hero Networkers.”

Ten core behaviors of the “Super Hero Networker.”

1) Comes from contribution
A Super-Hero Networker comes from the perspective of ‘how can I help great people meet and connect with other great people?’ (Keep in mind, they view themselves as one of these great people, i.e., sincere and confident in their abilities.) Super-Hero Networkers are always looking for opportunities to network. I coached Mia Shy, who worked in property management, to strengthen her “networking muscle.” She came back to our next session excited to share how the coaching had worked. Mia had been in Dillards and overheard a woman in line complaining to her friend about all of the junk e-mail she was receiving in her personal e-mail account, asking her friend if she knew a solution. Her friend replied she had no idea, but admitted she was having the same problem. Mia overcame her normal hesitancy and joined their conversation, telling them about a website she had just found for $20 every six months that blocked junk e-mail; Mia simply asked her if she would like the website info. The woman said “sure,” and Mia wrote the address on the back of her business card. They talked a bit more, and then the woman noticed the front of Mia’s business card. She said she had a friend who was moving to the area who would be needing a house to rent, and that she would be glad to pass Mia’s name on to her.

2) Builds lasting relationships and nurturing those relationships
Aware that long-term clients and relationships can take time to develop, the Super Networker knows the investment of time creates payoff that lasts. A counter example illustrates this point. I met Dr. Myway at a Chamber of Commerce after-hours. He invited me to meet with him at a local coffee shop one morning. He wanted to discuss the Internet-based business he was involved in, plainly wanting me to encourage my friends to buy his products with a resulting commission to me. His idea of networking with me was nothing more than shameless selling of his products with absolutely no effort to know who I was or how we could help each other. Do you think I was inspired to do business with him or refer him to someone else? A firm and enduring NO. He could have made a little effort of finding out something about me and turned the meeting into a true win-win relationship. Building lasting relationships also involves nurturing those relationships. Staying in touch, catching them when they succeed and consoling them when they don’t.

3) Seeks opportunities to connect and honors connections
Few of us are naturals at this. The Super-powered understand the committed effort it takes to think about others when meeting new people, and how the networking muscle takes time to develop fully. You’ll notice them carrying a palm pilot or a book of business cards that lists all of the “good people.” With this readiness they can refer someone with the name, number, and business right on the spot–or if they meet a good referral resource, they record it ASAP. Realizing that their reputation goes with referrals, they may say “use my name” to help you when you contact the other person. Others may want to give themselves more time to think through the referrals thoroughly, making contact with you later.

So, can there be consequences if we ignore the contribution of networking? I personally believe there is a strong connection. For example, over a period of about one year, I referred about 20 people to a very gifted massage therapist, Judy Responseless. Judy and I were good friends and had good rapport. Later I asked her why she had never referred any of her clients back to me. She replied, “I just don’t think about it when I’m working with clients.” Some months later, Judy complained to me that her client load recently seemed to be diminishing, and she was worried about losing more clients. The moral: If we do not invest the time in referring others, why should someone else refer us?

Also, the Super-Networker takes the the idea honoring connections to a new level. They truly realize that that relates to all interactions. How they treat the ‘annoying’ telemarketer, how they respond to people that are soliciting them, how the interact to those close to them has a connection to the caliber of people and customers in their life.

4) Pursues feedback
The Super-Hero Networker knows his name goes with his referrals. (It lets the recipient know how well-tested this referral is, in an honest but positive way). Everyone would like to have feedback from the person or business they have referred. There are a variety of ways to encourage feedback, depending on how well you know the person. Here’s a sample referral technique for someone you’ve known a short time, whose services you haven’t used, like Scott Newcomer, a likeable guy who does home remodeling, To refer someone to Scott, simply say: “Here’s Scott’s number, if you want to give him a call. I have never actually used him, but have a good impression of him. Let me know how Scott’s service is so I will know if I should refer him again.”

5) Cultivates clarity & openness
One of the greatest contributions you can make to another person is to allow them to contribute to you. When Networking Heroes get a referral, suggestion, or even criticism, they consider it a contribution. When receiving a referral or related feedback, they don’t downplay their own importance or responsibility, choosing instead to deeply thank whoever is contributing to them. It’s a key element in their repertoire of R-Powers. Too, they are aware that communicating clearly what a good customer looks like for them can open the referral door much wider. They learn to explain what they do and what their business is about in words that the specific person in front of them can understand.

A perfect example occurred with Jenny Jargon, a Data Security Analyst who came to me for coaching in looking for work. I noticed she was masterful at speaking the language of her field, though perhaps a little too masterful for the average person. I suggested she try explaining what she did so that even Bob the Wal-Mart Greeter could understand her skills and what kind of job she was seeking. (Nothing against actual Wal-Mart Greeters everywhere; Bob at my neighborhood store is actually a great retired guy with three grandkids). The following week at church, Jenny tried this new method of “speaking to her audience.” She found herself talking with a sweet little widowed woman to whom she had previously mentioned she was looking for a job as a Data Security Analyst. This time she told her again in “Greeter” language, with a most surprising result. The woman replied, “Why didn’t you say that before? My son is a manager of a company that protects computers from bad things happening to them, and he needs to hire someone to help him. I’ll get you in touch with him tomorrow.”

6) Develops complementary allies
Super-Hero Networkers delight in developing the valuable asset of building relationships with people in complementary fields. Such relationships create an opportunity to send ongoing referrals back and forth. For example, a real estate broker, a house inspector, a handyman, and a loan officer could team up together and successfully expand their respective potential client bases. The field of home ownership is common to each of the team, yet their individual specialties are strategically complementary.

7) Represents a vibrant and passionate life
The TV is seldom on in Super Hero Headquarters, since they prefer to be volunteering with a favorite charity or pursuing an active hobby. Those who have passive interests of the couch potato variety have very little to talk about. Super-Hero Networkers know meaningful and interesting lives don’t just come to most of us, we have to create them. Always looking for ways to enhance life, they might volunteer with a position in the local Chamber of Commerce, take a personal development course, or assist with a leads group in an area that improves their skills. Super-Hero Networkers, when asked what they do, may give their hobby or favorite pastime as an answer. A great sales manager once said he wanted to know what type of books salespeople he was interviewing were reading. It let him know if they live life passively or actively. Super-Hero Networkers come in all shapes and sizes. The introverted Super-Heroes may have to work on getting out there more, and the extroverted may have to work on listening more.

Looks on all interactions as opportunities to help
Every encounter with another person may be a networking opportunity, especially when they are in the role of a consumer. In addition, the person that you receive great service from, someone you’ve heard does great work, or even the person you purchase from–can be a possible referral. Every interaction you have can create a positive or negative impression. An acquaintance named John Overboard had a style of networking that was alienating others. He would show great interest in buying someone’s product, then avoid contact with the seller, never telling them he had changed his mind. He was developing a reputation for this. Someone even confronted him and said, “Look, are you interested or not?” He said, “Oh I am, I’m just very busy.” Other people would ask me, “What’s up with John? He seemed so interested in my product at first…” Wouldn’t you be hesitant to refer clients to John? Noticing the pattern, I encouraged John to say ‘no’ when he meant no, and ‘yes’ when he meant yes. Super-Hero Networkers work hard to be conscious of how they show up in all interactions.

9) Strives for quality of connections vs. quantity
If our Super Hero had a maxim it might be: It is better to meet a few people well than 20 people superficially. Instead of trying to meet as many people as possible. Super Networkers spend sufficient time to know something specific about the person they just met. People notice superficiality immediately. The room floater fortunately is quickly assessed as shallow, reflecting badly on his product or capability. The right and effective way to develop a quality relationship is having an honest and sincere desire to engage and get to know other’s interests and concerns. Pace yourself, give yourself enough time for you to know people and for them to know you, and you may be surprised how many people you really meet.

10) Honors the letter and intention of the word
All the networking in the world is worthless if one does not deliver a product or service that he or she believes in, with integrity. Integrity is at the core, you do what you say you are going to do. Super-Hero Networkers only sell the products or provide the services worthy of their word. If the product or service degrades the Super-Hero Networker, they take action to correct the problem or find another product or service to support.

Ask yourself these questions to monitor your progress toward Super Hero status (I have found them useful for myself):

Do you know the top people who have referred people to you and are you in contact with them on an ongoing basis, calling them with no agenda?
Do you seek opportunities to help good people connect to other good people?
Do you keep the intent and letter of your word (do what you say you are going to do)?
Are you clear on the best products or services you have to offer the next person you meet?
Can you communicate what you do in a way that they understand?
Do you recognize and graciously accept acknowledgment from good referrals?
Reflections on the larger network

Imagine what this world would be like if we really focused on networking to connect to the best people, and, in the process, inspired them to keep being their best, allowing them to do the same for us?

People often complain about non-reputable businesses succeeding. You can change this by helping the best businesses succeed, by becoming your own version of a Super-hero Networker. What is your edge? What is the area in networking in which you are great, an area you can embrace and improve?

To paraphrase words of wisdom from an unknown source: A famous person leaves you impressed with how powerful he is. A great person leaves you with the gift of how powerful you are! May all the people you network with walk away from you with more of the gift that they are, and you will never be forgotten.

By Martin Brossman, Martin@CoachingSupport.com www.CoachingSupport.com (919) 847-4757 ©2007