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When one of your business contacts passes you a new referral, does that mean the prospect is ready to hear a presentation on your product or service?  Repeat after me . . . NO.  Assume nothing. When an associate passes you a referral, say thanks, then start digging for more information.  Exactly what does the prospect do?  What products or services does he want from you?  Will your offerings truly fulfill his needs?  What is his behavioral style?  What are his business goals?  How large is his company? Don...

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I am excited to announce that I will be presenting at the Mega Partnering VI conference (www.MegaPartnering6.com) this year which is taking place in Los Angeles, CA from November 29-December 2. The event is run by the J.T. Foxx Organization (www.JTFoxx.com) and J.T., whom I’ve gotten to know over the past couple of years, has invited me to give a presentation on how to achieve success through networking. J.T. (pictured with me below) has a very interesting story as he started investing with nothing more than a ...

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I recently had several business associates ask me about finding a good model for a business plan that they can use for their franchise. Being able to market your business is, to a large extent, based on understanding your business.  Understanding your business begins by creating a plan.  One of the best models I’ve seen is one that I have used and recommended for years.  It’s called the “Profit Puzzle.”  It was developed by a good friend of mine – Don Osborne. Below are the key cate...

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Marketing isn’t something I was always confident about.  When I first started out in business, my degrees were in Political Science and Organizational Behavior.  I had very little marketing experience until I went to work for a transportation company in Southern California and, within a two week span, went from a role in purchasing to a significant role in marketing–a huge change that was an even bigger learning experience. My marketing experience was trial by fire and reading.  I just started reading ...

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Years ago, an associate of mine who read one of my books and attended some of my training sessions called me and said, “I really love your material, but why don’t you put more emphasis on your ideas about ‘creating your identity as a brand’ and how it affects your networking efforts?  These ideas have made a huge impact on my business, but I don’t hear you talking about it very often.” I admitted that this associate of mine was right.  I haven’t talked a lot about identity in my material, and I agree ...

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I met Starr Hall at an Entrepreneur Magazine Conference that we both spoke at last year and she did a really impressive presentation on social media marketing. One of the things she discussed was the concept of “BizPer” Social Media Marketing. She said that about half of your social media posts should be about business and about half should be personal. I love the concept but, I’m not sure I’m comfortable with the percentage.  I definitely believe that people want to see a little of me as a p...

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I am pleased to announce that I will be participating in an educational teleseminar event which is being offered FREE of charge and hosted by Business Strategist and Executive Coach Michael Beck (pictured at right). This online event, the 2011 Eliciting Excellence Entrepreneur Expo, will feature insights and strategies from 15 entrepreneurial experts (including yours truly) and I encourage all to attend who are interested in this free opportunity to learn about powerful income-boosting strategies, marketing insights,...

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It’s no secret that we all want to do business with people whom we know and trust.  So, how do you build rapport and create trust with new contacts at networking events?  By offering value-added advice–solid, helpful information provided out of a genuine concern for another person. Let’s say you’re a real estate agent talking with someone at a networking event who, although not ready to buy a home today, is heading in that direction.  You could say something like this: Well, I know you̵...

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My company has recently created a “business index” to gauge the economic state of business based on global survey results of retailers, service companies, and manufacturing companies all around the world. The statistics gathered from the survey results are intended to keep small business owners, entrepreneurs, and companies, as well as the general public, educated and informed as to the changing state of the global business economy and the current business trends that become apparent over time. The Janu...

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I am excited to announce that this blog was listed as #26 in the list of “50 Best Blogs for Young Entrepreneurs”! Here’s what they said: “Networking Entrepreneur: Even if you think you’re a pro at networking, check this blog for new tips and strategies as your business grows. Recommended Posts: Make No Assumptions and Clueless When It Comes To Conversing? Four Tips” The list, published by OEDb (Online Education Database), was created as a resource for young entrepreneurs who are lo...