Ivan R. Misner's Blog, page 136

Want More Business from Networking?–Watch This Video

I've been asked time and time again by people all over the world what I consider to be the key to getting more business through networking.  I can, without a doubt, say that there is, indeed, one thing you can do to get more business from your networking efforts.  Do you think you know what it is?  The answer may surprise you . . . Watch the video and then take a minute to leave a comment if you have the time . . . I'd love to hear what some of your guesses were in regard to what the ...

When Does Going Faster, Make Things Slower?

I start this blog with a riddle: When does going faster, make things slower?  Well the answer is: when you are rushing a relationship. A few years ago a close friend of mine, Dr. Emory Cowan, contributed an article for my book Masters of Networking.  I'm sharing his contribution in my blog today because I think it is a great concept to think about as we start the new year. Building a word-of-mouth marketing plan requires developing a trusted network of partners — which means cultivating relationships. But relationships require time, energy, persistence, and, most of all, patience. I believe that patience gives us ...

Video: Learning to Network–What's Your Tactic?

  How did you learn (or how are you learning) to network?  Do you think there is a difference in the way women learn to network vs. the way men learn to network?  If you think both genders learn to network in relatively similar ways, let's just say you're in for a surprise . . . In this short video, my Business Networking and Sex co-authors and I discuss five different ways of learning to network and how, based on our worldwide survey of over 12,000 businessmen and businesswomen, one of the genders generally utilizes almost all five ways of ...

Getting to the Referral Stage with a New Contact

People often ask me how to move a relationship with someone they just met to the point where the new contact feels comfortable passing them a referral. I always say that the best way to get to this next referral-passing stage depends in part on how you came into contact with a person in the first place.  Let's say you met while giving a brief presentation to a group of people who are in your target market.  Assuming you did a good job, then you absolutely have the possibility of receiving a referral, even though you just met.  Why? Because ...

Don't Wait for a Reunion to Network with Former Classmates

After graduation, classmates seem to spread out to chase individual professional goals without any context in which to keep in touch.  Fortunately, the internet now offers a multitude of options to help you reconnect with old school friends and acquaintances and convert those relationships into useful tools for your business. In this short video, I discuss several of these online networking options that will help you effectively connect with your former classmates so you don't have to sit around waiting for a reunion to give you the opportunity. After watching the video, I encourage you to connect with one of ...

Business Networking And Sex (not what you think)

Business Networking and Sex (not what you think) is officially released this week in bookstores.  This book was more fun to work on than any book I've ever written.  My co-authors: Frank De Raffele and Hazel Walker were fantastic to work with. You may be wondering what sex has to do with networking.  You may also be excited to learn how to use your sexual prowess to influence business deals.  Well, get your mind out of the gutter!  Sorry to burst your bubble, but this book is really more about gender than sex, but who's going to want a book called ...

Year-End is Time for Vision Making

Each year, a few days before New Year's Eve, I head off to my mountain retreat in Big Bear Lake, California, to recharge my batteries. It's a great opportunity to spend time with the family and prepare for the onslaught of the coming year. It's also a good time to give some thought to the vision you have for your business and life over the next year. It's hard to hit a target you're not aiming at. The new year is a great time to think about some of your plans and goals for the next 12 months (and beyond). ...

Do Your One-to-One Networking Meetings Seem Like a Waste of Time?

Have you ever heard someone in your network say, "If you don't do one to ones effectively, you might as well talk to yourself"?  Well, it really is true–if your one-to-one meetings seem more like a waste of time than productive, relationship-building, referral generating sessions that equal time well spent, I highly recommend you watch this fantastic video. In this short video, Lawrence Conyers of UK based Anson Corporate Media, who is not only an experienced networker but also a gifted and creative photographer, videographer, and artist, demonstrates the actions, behaviors, and strategies that make the difference between one to ...

Making a Mark with Marketing . . . How Are You Making Yours?

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 books on marketing and learned as I went, and it was that experience that gave me enough knowledge ...

Business Networking and Sex . . . and Shopping?

In this video, my Business Networking and Sex co-authors and I explain the very different ways in which men and women shop for any given item and, aside from learning a thing or two from this one, I guarantee you won't be able to keep from laughing at Frank and Hazel's antics! After watching the video, come back and leave a comment . . . do you think the observations we talk about in this video ring true in your experience?