Archive for May, 2009

I love to network and make new business connections. It was the main reason behind starting the DARE To Be Phenomenal Women’s Only Networking Events. I wanted a place where women could meet and build long lasting connections that would help to grow their businesses.

But for some, networking conjures up all sorts of negative thoughts and anxieties. Will I know anyone there? What if no one talks to me? I’m no good at these events; I never know what to say. And the list goes on and on.

So what’s a gal to do who hates to network? Follow these 9 simple tips to gain more confidence and you too can be a networking diva in no time flat!

1. Networking is about meeting, building and sustaining quality relationships. Be genuine and authentic. Don’t immediately try to pitch your product or service, which by the way is a real turn-off. Instead, listen for how you might be able to help the other person. Extending yourself goes a long way in building long lasting business relationships.
2. Know your goal. Not all networking opportunities are the same. Some focus on service like Rotary Club, while others focus primarily on making business connections…think BNI and Chamber of Commerce. Identify your target market and then focus your efforts on attending those events where your potential clients would be.
3. Visit as many events as possible in order to get a feel for what group will best support your efforts. Look to see that members are friendly, supportive and interested in helping each other grow their businesses. Get a feel for the members and trust your intuition! If a group doesn’t feel right, find one that does.
4. Be prepared to answer the question, “How can I help you?” Although it is important to be mindful of how you can be helpful to others, it is just as necessary to know how others may be of service to you.
5. Always ask open-ended questions in networking conversations. This means questions that ask who, what, where, when, and how as opposed to those that can be answered with a simple yes or no. Using this form of questioning opens up the discussion and shows listeners that you are interested in them.
6. Develop and practice your elevator speech. Use simple language that talks specifically about what someone receives as a result of using your services.
7. Be the go to gal. Be the person that others turn to for referrals, suggestions, and ideas. When you are known as a strong resource, you remain visible and on people’s radar screen.
8. Follow up quickly with all referrals that are given to you. Nothing is more damaging to your reputation than when you neglect or forget to contact the referral that a business colleague has gone out of their way to give you. When people give you referrals, your actions are a reflection on them. Respect and honor that and your referrals will grow.
9. Follow up with the people that you meet. Send a simple note expressing how much you enjoyed meeting them. Schedule a time where you can meet for coffee and learn more about each other. You will be hard to forget if you take the time to follow up and continue to build those solid business relationships that will help your business grow.

” The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it.”  ~  W. M. Lewis

I came across this quote the other day and it struck me right in the center of my being. So often I hear people say things such as…my life will be perfect when I loose those 20lbs. When I get that promotion and have more money coming in I can really start enjoying life. If only I didn’t have all these medical problems my life would be great!

Of course, I am often puzzled by these statements. I spent my entire childhood listening to my aunt vocalize how she was waiting for something “better” to come along so that she could start living. The sad truth is that she wasted her whole life waiting for something “out there” to make her life worthwhile. I often reflect on this fact and feel tremendous sadness for her.

The truth is that many of us waste our precious energy talking, wishing and hoping for a better life. But the fact is that we have the power to create whatever life we want for ourselves. We can choose to keep wishing or we can get into action and begin to work towards that which we desire.

Are you waiting for something better to come along so that you can start living your life? If so, I challenge you right now, to stop and write down your goals. What can you do today to bring you one step closer to that which you desire? What can you do this week, month and year to bring to fruition the dream you have in your heart? I invite you to step into action and feel the power of a life fulfilled.

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. ~Henry David Thoreau

I love this quote! I used this quote recently during a talk I gave on living a simplified life. It sparked the best conversation among the participants and really got me thinking on a number of issues. But I would like to focus on one point in particular…the use of the word deliberate.

Living deliberately …what a concept! How many of us live deliberately each day? It is so easy to let the hustle and bustle and stress of our lives get in the way of living deliberately. If you stop for a moment and think about yesterday does anything pop into your mind as being significant? If you answered no…then you probably didn’t live very deliberately yesterday.

When we go about our days with little reflection, awareness, as if we were just going through the motion we are missing out on the wonder and beauty of our lives.

For me living deliberately means that when I step outside, I take a deep breath and let the air fill my lungs and it reminds me how grateful I am to be alive. When I look at the birds on the feeder or the deer roaming in my back yard I am reminded of how God has designed our world and the beauty he made for our enjoyment and care. When I am sitting with my friend listening to her troubles or her triumphs I am reminded that I am connected to this other human being in a way that reminds me of my obligation to be good, kind and loving towards her.

We all know that life isn’t about the destination but about the journey. So if we know this to be true then why do we insist upon living our lives in a state of rush unable to remember what happened yesterday or an hour ago? One way that we can improve our lives and starting living deliberately is to keep a journal. Journaling is a great way to reflect on what has happened during the day and to be reminded to enjoy each moment, take stock of what we have to be grateful for and to later to reminisce and share these experiences with generations to come.

Today I lived deliberately…did you?