Your Powerful Networking Questions!!!

12 Power Networking Questions

 

 1. What is the most important project you are currently involved, in case I or someone I know can be a resource to you?

This question helps you determine very quickly if you can add value, and adding value is the key to power networking. Be sure to write down the response on the back of their business card.
2. Who is your perfect customer, in case I can refer you business?
Generally, people love to be referred business. Remember to always seek to give and add value. Be someone who can not be “out gived”.
3. How did you get started in ____________?
This question can often unlock the true passion of the person you are speaking with. Be sure to note those passions so that you can look for ways to add value.
4. I meet lots of people, what should I tell people about you?
This question helps understand that person’s perceived image and value. It also helps you to gain clarity of what it is they do.
5. What do you do for fun when you’re not doing ______________?
This is another great question to help you determine the person’s true passion in life. If what they do for fun is something you also enjoy, then you have an excellent opportunity to build a deeper connection.
6. So, do you have any children?
Most parents adore their children and will beam with pride when discussing them. Use care here; however, since this is a highly personal question. If you do find out this information, remember the names and ages so that you can inquire about them later.
7. Where are you from originally?
Another question to determine if there are some commonalities.
8. Where is your favorite place to vacation?
Not only will you learn about cool places to vacation, you will know how to greatly add value if you happen to come across some tickets to that destination.
9. Who is your favorite author?
Sending a key contact a copy of their favorite author’s book is a great relationship building idea. Even better, a introduction to that author will greatly enhance the relationship (check your linkedin to see if you are somehow connected to the author).
10. What’s your number one personal goal for the year?
The answer to this question allows you to add value in a very powerful way.
11. What are your top 3 goals for this year?
Another question whose answer allows you to very specifically add great value to the relationship.
12. I have a large network that I always strive to add value to, in case I or someone in my network can help you today or in the future would you give us permission to stay in touch?
This is the golden question, do not forget to ask it! You want to be sure you have permission to contact them at a later date.
It will serve you well to memorize these questions and start using them next time you go to a networking event or call up some old contacts and ask a few of these questions. Please share your experiences in the comments section below.

You can sleep better with these 10 suggestions!!

1. Clear Your Thoughts
You can keep a little yellow pad and pen next to the bed so that before turning the lights out, you can empty your head onto a to-do list. It keeps you from having racing thoughts all night long.
2. Stay on a Schedule
"Establish a strict bedtime and awakening time. Expose yourself to bright light in the morning -- within 5 minutes of waking, go outside and take a walk for 30 minutes. Avoid any bright light for 2 or 3 hours before bedtime, or exercise within 3 hours. Avoid heavy meals, large amounts of fluid and alcohol.
3. If You Can't Sleep, Don't Stay in Bed
Sleep doesn't happen when you're trying too hard. If you can't sleep, try occupying yourself with any activity that is both engaging and relaxing, where you can be absorbed enough that you forget about sleep. you can read, fold clothes, organize your closet. Do this in dim light and quiet.
4. Sleep on Your Back
"Everyone should be a back sleeper. All day long we flex over our computer screens, dinner tables, and books, and we never do extension unless we do the up dog in yoga class. When you're on your back, you open up the rib cage, rest your back muscles and -- believe it or not -- work your abs. Your neck is neutral and your face isn't mashed into the pillow, so you're not getting wrinkles
5. Create Darkness
You can install large-scale Federal-style solid panel shutters on the bedroom windows. They're gigantic, like shutters you would put on the outside of a house, only now they're on the inside.
6. Wear Comfortable Pajamas
you should generally sleep in the oldest, softest cotton T-shirt you can find. 100 percent cotton pajamas. They may have a saggy butt and saggy knees, but who cares? They breathe, they give.
7. Try Lavender
"You could get an eye pillow with lavender in it -- warm it a little in the microwave first -- or put lavender oil in your humidifier. Inhaling lavender releases tension.
8. Listen to Music
"Stereo speakers in the bedroom! Mozart, Bach, Gregorian chants, wonderful quiet pipes and flutes -- - the sounds of waterfalls, oceans, birdsong. All terribly relaxing.
9. Early to bed:  Try to be asleep before midnight. It's always best to sleep between 11 P.M. and 1 A.M., as this is when the body's replenishes itself.  As you close your eyes and snuggle into your pillow, take three very deep breaths, slowly -- the deeper the breath, the deeper your sleep will be
10. Create An exclusive Sleep Enviroment
"Considering the bedroom solely as a room that is set apart for sleep and rest... It should have a bed that is ideally comfortable, a chaise longue on which to rest by day. And that is all."

Help yourself by helping others FIRST!!

Your 4 Ways to enter the Circle of Life!!

1. Giving means helping others achieve success. What is your plan to contribute to others? How much time and energy can you spare for this? Do you actively seek out opportunities to help people? You could volunteer to help out with something that’s important to someone in your circle of friends, offer advice or support in time of need, or even work hard to connect someone to a valuable contact of yours.
2. The person who helps you will not necessarily be the person you helped. Zig Ziglar says, “If you help enough people get what they want, you will get what you want.” In other words, what goes around comes around. If you focus intently on helping others, you will achieve success in the end.
3. The law of reciprocity can be measured. It is a myth that networking cannot be measured and, if you apply the law of reciprocity, you will see your weekly total networking score gradually rise.
4. Success takes getting involved. Contrary to Woody Allen’s assertion that “90 percent of success is just showing up,” you have to do more than simply be present to be a successful networker. If you join a chamber of commerce, become an ambassador. If you join one of the many networking groups or even help in a leadership role with your children's sport teams or any community service and get involved in the leadership team. If you join a civic organization, get on a committee. The law of reciprocity requires giving to the group; it will pay you back many times over.
A master networker understands that, although networking is not the end but simply the means to growing a business, service to your network of contacts must always be uppermost in your networking activities. Once you have established a solid reputation as someone who cares about the success of others, the law of reciprocity will reward you with an abundance of high quality referrals.

Why you should have face to face meetings!!

When the daily avalanche of emails and voice messages gets overwhelming, it’s so tempting to retreat to your office and start typing replies and returning phone calls. That’s one of the biggest mistakes you can make.

No matter what industry we’re in, we’re all in the people business. We’ll only be successful if we really get to know our customers and colleagues. Many clients are so busy that they now prefer texting to even emails or calls. Skype, WebEx and audio calls are convenient and create the illusion we’re actually having a meeting -- but nothing beats the power of a truly personal, face-to-face connection.

What can you learn from an in-person meeting that you can’t from a virtual one?

1. You're off the record. In Silicon Valley and many other places, there are few private offices. Many of my clients work in cubes and can’t have private telephone conversations with me or anyone else. This means that when I talk to them on the phone, I might not get to hear the most important information they can share: the unique team dynamics or executive’s personality quirks that would make or break our ability to match an expert consultant. Over sushi or a latte or a walk around the block, your clients can let you know more -- with more color -- than they can over the telephone or in an email.

2. Make use of not-so-small talk. Most business conversations are focused on solving a problem quickly and efficiently, while business relationships are built when people take the time to share and learn more about each other. That happens more naturally in person than over the phone or in an email. What cements a bond between people? Small talk about a favorite team, passion for pecan pie, parenting challenges, and the other bits and pieces that make us unique and interesting.

3. Make an impression. You can only leave a really indelable impression face to face!!  There are over 382 silent, observed signals transmitted in a face to face encounter!!  How do you do that over Skype?

4. Read the body language. Facial expressions often communicate so much more than words. We host consultant coffees and invite a handful of independent consultants to our office in order to better understand the nuances of each professional in a relaxed setting. We need to know what isn’t on the resume that makes each person unique. In their eyes and in their body language, we can see confidence, empathy, fear, friendliness or sincerity. That ability to “read” a candidate beyond their keywords is a huge competitive advantage for us.

5. Learn where the action is. I find out so much when I visit one of my clients in their office. Is the lobby bright and inviting with recent accolades proudly displayed? Do employees seem happy? Is there free juice and healthy snacks in the cafeteria? Brand new Herman Miller chairs in the conference room? Is everyone moving in slow motion or is there a palpable buzz? The environment speaks volumes and may factor into your business proposal or plan. By understanding company dynamics, we can communicate more effectively to meet their needs.
I love new technologies that allow me communicate with others more freely and quickly. But as a business-person, I try to remember customers want to work with someone they can relate to, not just buy from.