Flash!

11th Anniversary of Sales...And More!

The tenth year of Sales...And More! went whizzing by and already I am days away from celebrating another year.  This year I would like to add a series of articles to this website that will talk about networking.  The articles will change monthly  Send me your thoughts about the article below and also your networking experiences.  With your permission I'll share some of them with the readers.

The Issue

Recruiting people to do what you want them to do is one facet of the business world that cannot be ignored. Most of us at some point have to hire a new employee, enlist peers to help with the new project at work, or convince friends to help with that charitable event. Possessing solid networking skills helps.

The Face

Jody Alexander has been the Executive Director of the Fort Meigs Center for Health Promotion in Perrysburg , Ohio for two and a half years. When Jody became the director of this YMCA facility, she inherited a Board of Advisers with 11 members. She says, “Of those eleven, only five were active. I knew I needed to develop a better and larger board, but had no idea of how to begin doing that.”

A Solution

About this time Ms. Alexander decided to take a networking course that she thought would help her to feel more comfortable developing the relationships within the community. A major benefit of the course was that she became aware that she needed to meet individually with each current board member to determine how she could best fit them into the big picture. Alexander shares, “It was the first time that I really got to know those members, and to find out what special skills they had that I could tap into. Instead of having to figure everything out by myself I began to use the assets of each board member. Because I took the time to get to really know them, they gave back more than I had ever hoped was possible. Now my board was functioning at a more active level.”

The Next Step

With only five active members, and a fund-raising campaign on the horizon, Ms. Alexander knew she had to recruit more help. She shares, “I went back to the current board and asked them to lend a hand in recruiting other strong players. Knowing how important the person to person meetings were, I met with each prospective board member to find out what they could bring to our board. It might seem that it took a lot of my time, and it did, but that investment has been paid back many times over. We now have twenty six strong, interested board members. They are very proactive. Now they just go ahead and get things done, instead of waiting for me.”

Take Away

There are two lessons to be learned from Jody. The relationship-building part of networking is a tool to be used again and again. The more developed the relationship is, the better the return is on the investment. The second lesson is that most relationship-building takes place when two people meet and get to know each other. Alexander shares, “I had been meeting with my board as a group, but when I began to know each person individually, magic happened. Luckily the only trick I needed to learn was how to really be with people and to listen to really who they were and how they wanted to contribute.”

Debby can assist those wanting to network effectively.  She offers her coaching services via the telephone.

Individual Coaching by Phone

It's a conversation with someone who is innovative in helping you to solve your challenges.  E-mail or call Debby to chat with her to find out how coaching might be able to be a positive force in your life.

Four 30 minute sessions: $180.
Six 30 minute sessions: $250.

Keep your sales graph heading in the right direction – sign up for individual coaching. It’s a bargain at only $180 for four sessions or $250 for six sessions. Send an e-mail to schedule an appointment.

Listed below are some questions Debby has helped her clients address.

• The "do not call list" and how I can work around it?
• How do I even begin networking?
• How can I reap the best from my networking efforts at the (you fill in the blank, but it is some sort of group event) ?
• I'm getting referrals, but they're not turning into sales.
• I get one or two referrals now, but I want more!
• I just met this person who would be a good client. How can I make that happen?
• How can I make a sales presentation that doesn't bore my prospect?
• I won't be able to talk with the decision maker, what now?
• How can I make that transition from the initial "hello" to the body of the sales appointment without being awkward?
• Sales etiquette?  What is that?  How does it affect me?
• Body Language?  Do I have to learn another foreign language, too?
• How can I close my sales presentations and stay in control of the appointment?

Don't see what's troubling you in the list above?  Email Debby at debby@salesandmore.com. to see if your question is one she can help with.