44 Networking Know, Like and Trust
b'Today I want to talk a little bit about networking and building your customer relationship, your customer base, and it doesn\\u2019t really matter whether you\\u2019re just building friendships or whatever, or whether you want to just really expand your business network.\\n\\nBusiness success and personal success depends on contacts. Networking leverages your resources and opportunities.\\nWhat motivated this episode is actually kind of funny. I was at an event about three weeks ago, and I saw somebody that was kind of interesting, but I didn\\u2019t get a chance to meet him. Two weeks later, last weekend, I saw him again, so I introduced myself and exchanged cards. I figured it might be an interesting person to talk to and find out a little bit more about. Yesterday he calls me up, and the first words out of his mouth is his 30-second elevator speech. I don\\u2019t know about you, and I know these things are preached all over the place, but: They tick me off.\\nLet me explain that a little bit. Basically, 99% of elevator speeches all come out the same way: \\u201cI either help create or increase some type of person with something to help them get, receive, attain, reach,\\u201d\\u2014whatever\\u2014\\u201csomething else.\\u201d They all sound alike. It\\u2019s just like when the person comes up to your door, knocks on the door at dinnertime, and says: \\u201cDo you want to buy magazines?\\u201d You know right away the first thing they are: They\\u2019re trying to sell you something.\\n\\nI thought everybody in sales knew the golden rule of making sure before you introduce your business, make sure the person knows, likes, and trusts you. I\\u2019ve known this guy for 90 seconds, so I wouldn\\u2019t say I know him. I certainly don\\u2019t have trust yet, and after that speech, it dropped through the floor. And I\\u2019m not so sure about the liking much anymore.\\nFor example, say somebody is a dentist. Rather than saying: \\u201cI\\u2019m a dentist. I help children with keeping their teeth in the best of care and to help them get that pain-free.\\u201d You can say that way, which really sounds contrived, or you can just say: \\u201cI\\u2019m a dentist, specializing in pain-free children\\u2019s dentistry.\\u201d Then immediately turn around and ask the person about them. Show your interest in them. That\\u2019s where you\\u2019re going to find like.\\n\\nThinking back in the times of dating, when you were dating, you would be liked more by asking questions about the other person and being interested in what they say. That\\u2019s what networking is about, it\\u2019s almost like dating. You\\u2019re building relationships, you\\u2019re hopefully building friendships. If it doesn\\u2019t lead to business, so what? They might make you a referral, they might like you, and if somebody says something, they\\u2019ll say: \\u201cOh, go see John Doe. He\\u2019s a good dentist. From what I heard, he does really well with children.\\u201d\\n\\nAnother part of it is be careful what you\\u2019re bragging about and what you\\u2019re telling the person. If you\\u2019ve had some time (keep in mind this was 10 years later the guy gives me a call), he\\u2019s got my card, my website is on there, he could look at the bio, see what I do. To be turning around and talking to me, (and he\\u2019s really trying to impress me) and bragging to me about how he\\u2019s a numbers person\\u2026 Wait a minute. What I usually do is I turn around and say: \\u201cOh, great. Have you looked at my bio?\\u201d Because what\\u2019s running through my mind right now is: \\u201cYou obviously haven\\u2019t read it or looked at it.\\u201d Keep in mind in my bio right upfront it says: \\u201cI have a PhD in mathematical and statistical economics,\\u201d and this guy is trying to impress me that he\\u2019s a numbers person. By the way, this isn\\u2019t the first one; I\\u2019ve had dozens, if not, hundreds of people that try to impress me that they\\u2019re a numbers person. Fine. That\\u2019s great. I\\u2019m glad to meet somebody that\\u2019s also, but show that you have understood a little bit about me if there\\u2019s been some time passed.\\n\\nIf there\\u2019s something that you just met me and you\\u2019re expressing, that\\u2019s fine. But if you\\u2019re calling me back a week or two later, or you\\u2019re meeting me a second time and you\\u2019ve had th...'