My friend, social media expert Mirna Bard, recently wrote a really great blog about getting started with social media, and I’ve pasted a portion of it below.  If you’re confused and overwhelmed when it comes to networking your business online, this is a must-read. Looking Beyond the Hype to Get Started with Social Media If you want to succeed with social media, as many brands have, there are some action steps you must take before you dive into the world of social media.  So, let’s strip away all the ...

One of the subjects I get asked about often in interviews is leadership.  I’ve learned quite a bit about leadership through my role as founder and chairman of BNI, the world’s largest business referral organization. But I’ve also been extremely privileged to be able to build relationships with and gain insight into the subject from some of the world’s top leaders in several fields and industries. One of the first people who comes to mind when I think about what it means to be a true lead...

When I started my first business, I knew I wanted referrals to play a key part in my overall growth strategy, and I began to realize I wasn’t the only one trying to get more sales through referrals.  A lot of other business professionals were trying to do the same thing. So I thought, “What if I became the hub?”  If all the other people out there were trying to do the same thing as I was, why couldn’t I position myself as the gatekeeper of sorts between other people’s networks? Then, i...

Professional associations, or knowledge networks, have been around longer than almost any other kind of group, from the medieval guilds to crafts associations to today’s professional groups and industry associations.  The primary purpose is for the exchange of information and ideas, whether intraindustry or interindustry.  Some of these groups limit membership to their own industry, but quite a few groups that represent industries other than your own will allow you to join as an associate member (as oppo...

If you want to develop an effective word-of-mouth campaign, you’ll need to have an arsenal of credibility-enhancing materials at your disposal to make the most of every networking opportunity. Below is a checklist of items you may already have available or wish to begin assembling, which can be used as collateral materials in developing your desired image.  Testimonial letters from satisfied clients Photos of yourself and your office facilities, equipment and products Photos of your key customers Photos of awa...

How can a time-strapped businessperson figure out which networking events she should attend and which she should let go by the wayside?  The answer: Develop a networking strategy. Here are three easy–but definitely essential–questions you need to answer in order to create a plan that will work for you.  Who Are My Best Prospects?  It’s important to know that each target market will have a strategy that requires you to network in different places. If you’re not sure who your target market is...

 So, do people like to network? Well, based on the Referral Institute study of more than 12,000 people all around the world, almost 95 percent are comfortable networking. Less than 1 percent do not like it at all.  How about you? Do you like to network? If so, what do you like most about it?

In reviewing the results of the Referral Institute study of more than 12,000 businesspeople from all over the world, we have some interesting data on how people become better at networking. Respondents were allowed to select more than one method that they used to develop their skills in this area. Interestingly, participating in networking groups was by far the No. 1 method that people identified in developing their networking skills.  How have you developed your networking skills and what do you think is the be...

Yesterday I posted a blog about my friend Harvey Mackay’s new book, Use Your Head to Get Your Foot in the Door: Job Search Secrets No One Else Will Tell You, and I promised that today’s blog would give you a sample of the kind of great content that you’ll find in Harvey’s new book.  So, without further ado, here it is: Use Your Head Works for Folks Who Use Their Hands, Too By Harvey Mackay If you’re out of a job and looking for work, the frustration and disappointment can be overwhelmin...