It sounds silly, of course you wouldn’t turn down a paycheck, but do you REALLY know how often you are non-intentionally doing it?

I often try to remind people that networking happens everywhere; soccer practice, book club, church luncheon, waiting in line at the DMV, birthday parties, backyard BBQs, and anywhere else you mingle with people. Its easy to say “ya ya I know that” but if you can start saying “there’s my next paycheck” I truly believe that can change your whole mindset.

Look at Cathy sitting next to you watching your sons play soccer. Have you talked to her? Do you know what neighborhood she lives in? Do you know if she’s happy where she lives? More importantly, does she even know what you do?! Cathy could be sitting there, right now, glancing down at Zillow listings and wondering how to even get started at making a move. Wouldn’t you kick yourself if you found out at next week’s game she purchased a house with some strange agent she found online?

Letting people know what you do, and staying in front of them doesn’t need to be pushy sales. It can be subtle. Here are some ideas:

• Wear clothing with your logo on it
• Bring a camping chair to the game with your logo on it
• Provide reusable plastic water bottles for all the kids, branded of course
• Provide goodie bags for your women’s retreat
• Become Facebook friends with EVERYONE and make them part of your sphere (they will see you being a successful person and want to know more)
• Sponsor the team BBQ
• Hand out branded towels at the swim tournament
• Carry notepads and/or branded pens to give the guy next to you searching for one
• Take an ACTUAL interest in their lives
• ALWAYS have business cards on you

Don’t miss out on opportunities to earn your next client aka Paycheck.

Happy Networking

We has adult humans, and especially us females, have a very hard time asking for help. We feel that asking for help makes us less, or weak, or incapable, or incompetent. When in fact, asking for help makes us stronger and more successful.

Sometimes I think the road block we hit is actually using the word ‘help’. Here’s some tips to taking that step and getting the support you need.

• Build a support team. Surround yourself with people that you are able to help and that can help you. These can be people in completely different fields that can bring outside knowledge or find those you can trust that are in your same industry that can share knowledge and experiences you have yet to conquer.
• Start using the word ‘Team’. You’ll find find it easier to ask your ‘teammate’ for help than anyone else. Because, well isn’t that what teams do?
• Help others first. If you become a resource to others they will be asking to help you in return. Catch here tho…don’t turn down their help!
• Keep your goals in mind. If you need an assistant, or partner to achieve your goals, do it! There will be learning curves and growth pains and communication struggles but in the long term it will pay off.
• You can’t clone yourself, so don’t expect to find help that is just like you. Find someone that is like minded, but brings other skills to the table. Someone that compliments you but will also put you in your place if needed.
• Let go. Just do it. You can’t help yourself if you don’t learn to delegate. You’re just spinning your wheels and not moving up in the world if you think you can do it all yourself. If you want to grow, you have to let go.
• Help comes in all shapes a sizes. It may not be an assistant at the office, maybe its someone to clean your house, or pick up your kids, or cook for you, or run errands, or watch your kids so you can have date night. Make a list, find out where you really could use an extra hand to achieve your goals.

Hope this helps on your path to growing your success.

Happy Networking!

 

Today lets chat about the infamous ‘elevator pitch’. In my 11 years of networking, I have heard probably a bazillion of these, maybe more. What bothers me the most is when I hear someone say the exact same thing I just heard someone else say.

I’ll give you an example:

Lame Jane: Hi, I’m Jane, I’m a realtor who helps people buy and sell homes. Do you know anyone looking to move?

Wake up Jane!!! The average person has 3 realtors in their sphere of influence and I have over 100…so you need to say something to get my attention and stand out from the hundreds of other realtors that I know.

Fun Jane: Hi! I am Jane and I am a home ownership specialist helping people all over the city discover the home of their dreams.

OR

Hi! I’m Jane and I use my passion for helping others everyday to work with individuals in the search for their new homes.

OR

I turn houses into homes by finding their perfectly matched owners. I’m Jane and I am a Real Estate Agent.

There’s just a few examples, but the point is, change up your intro. Share your passion not just your title. Stand out from the crowd.

Happy Network