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'Connecting is not Enough' - tips and tools to help you get a return from your networking
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Thank you to everyone who came to the launch of Recommended at Eight Club, Bank a couple of weeks ago. It was another great turnout and superbly hosted by Sean Brickell.
It's unusual to have had two book launches in a few months. After five years without a book, I guess they are like buses! Rest assured, there are no plans to publish again in the next six months, although that doesn't mean I'm resting on my laurels. Yesterday I was at the Positive Ground studios, home of my co-author Peter Roper, recording an audiobook of '...and Death Came Third!' and I'll hope to do something similar for Recommended very soon.
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On the subject of Recommended, if you haven't yet purchased a copy, you can download a free Chapter courtesy of my friends at The Directors' Centre. It's worth checking out their site while you are there as they have a host of other similar resources for visitors and members.
Download the chapter, Where will your referrals come from? here.
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As you read this, I should be safely ensconced in my Midlands hotel waiting for the beginning of this year's Professional Speaking Association (PSA) convention.
It is important to take some time away from delivering your product or service and reflect on how you can improve your business and do things better. There are few more effective ways of doing so than learning from your peers. I try to do this on a regular basis and the PSA has been a vital platform for that support over the last eight years.
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If you have any questions you'd like me to address either in this newsletter or on my blog, please either tweet me, post them onto our Facebook or LinkedIn pages or email them to me.
I always try to address as many as possible.
Happy Networking!
If you like what you read, please feel free to forward it and invite others to subscribe.
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If you have received this in error and don't want to receive future editions, please use the unsubscribe link at the foot of the email and accept my apologies.
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It's a family affair
Networking Top Tip | |
Last Thursday morning I spoke at a Successful Insurance Selling conference in Milan. In preparation for the talk, I discussed the role of the family in business with my interpreter. I then shared her words with the audience, much to their amusement, when I said, "In the UK many people like to separate the family and business; in Italy, the family is the business"!
Mafia associations aside, it was interesting to discuss the different approaches people take to the role of family and business in the two cultures. In the UK, despite the large number of family businesses that exist, I still attract comment when people find out that I am in business with my family. We tend to prefer on the whole to keep our business and personal lives separate and many people I come across are quite firm about that divide.
My Italian audience were, however, surprised that anyone wouldn't include family members in their business life.
When you build a network around you to help drive your business or your career forward, you want to look for people who you can trust and who will have a strong interest in your success. I don't know who, in most cases, would meet those criteria more strongly than your family. Yet so many of us prefer to spend our time networking with strangers to build new relationships.
On more than one occasion, someone in one of my workshops has recognised a family member who has been perfectly placed to make key connections for their business or career, but who they have never asked. Often because they had simply failed to make the association.
I'm not advocating selling to your family, I think that is where the line between business and personal relationships becomes sharper and you need to tread more advisedly. But many people within your family would be happy to support you with advice, feedback and introductions and perhaps you haven't asked.
And maybe that is a mistake.
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Creating a network who will refer you on a regular basis
'Recommended' Video Tip
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How can you move your network from people who would be happy to refer you if asked, to people who actively pursue opportunities?
 | | Creating a network who will refer you on a regular basis |
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Bits & pieces | |
Congratulations to Guy Rigby, Head of Entrepreneurship at accountants Smith and Williamson, who has just published his new book,
From Vision to Exit. Subtitled The Entrepreneur's Guide to Building and Selling a Business, Guy has aimed to write a book that takes budding entrepreneurs through the complete growth process.
You can download two free chapters from the book, courtesy of Smith and Williamson, here.
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I know that I have a number of regular readers of 'Connecting is not Enough' who share an interest in the success of women in business. I have been told about an event later this month that may be of interest to you.
The Womensphere Pan-European Summit hosted by Oxford's Said Business School on 21 October will feature more than 40 speakers sharing case studies and leading discussions including Cherie Blair; Amanda Mackenzie, CMO, AVIVA; Phil Smith, CEO, Cisco UK and Ireland and Helena Morrissey, Founder, The 30 Percent Club.
Linklaters and McKinsey & Company have underwritten a portion of the summit to extend a limited number of 50% scholarship discounts to men and women who have a commitment to women's leadership development. If you'd like to take advantage of this scholarship to reserve one or more of the remaining delegate tickets, go to www.womensphere-europesummit.com; to activate the 50% scholarship discount (available first-come, first-served), enter code 'OXFORD2011' upon registration.
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Coming up... a few opportunities to see me speak at an event coming up soon:
12th October 11am - Word of Mouse - Using LinkedIn as a referral tool at SageWorld. EventCity, Manchester.
http://www.sageworld2011.co.uk/
13th October 11am - How to network with confidence at SageWorld. EventCity, Manchester.
http://www.sageworld2011.co.uk/
19th October 5.30pm - Crossing Boundaries from Raising Profile to Story Telling at European Professional Women's Network, Ernst & Young, London Bridge.
http://www.wearethecity.com/2011/09/25/191011-epwn-event-crossing-boundaries-from-raising-profile-to-story-telling/
26th October 8.30am - Discussing Recommended: How to Sell Through Networking and Referrals at The Hospital Club, 24 Endell Street, London WC2H 9HQ.
27th October 7pm - Host of the Camden and Islington Business Awards. Arsenal's Emirates Stadium.
http://cibawards.com/ |
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The adventures of a stick man
Just for Fun
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Simply addictive and a touch of genius... |
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I hope you've enjoyed the newsletter and look forward to your feedback.
If you're serious about developing a networking and referrals strategy that can take your business to a new level, or you are interested in booking me for a speech or training session for your team, find out more details on our website or you can contact me on:
Tel: 07930 417833
Skype: andylopata
I look forward to hearing from you.
Andy
� All material copyright H & A Lopata ltd 2011. All rights reserved.
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Recommended: How to sell through networking and referrals.
Buy Now
Compare on Amazon.co.uk |
...and Death Came Third!
The Definitive Guide to Networking and Speaking in Public
Buy Now
Compare on Amazon.co.uk
Kindle version
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Andy's Musings... | |
A selection of Andy's regular online columns and coverage elsewhere:
How To Get Recommended
accountingWEB 2011
Inside the Entrepreneur's Mind - Andy Lopata
Gary Gorman's Blog
Expecting Your Call
Law BusinessReview
October 2011
Ten Top Tips for Running a Successful Networking Event (Part Two)
Huffington Post
Why Do We Refer other People?
Huffington Post |
In other people's words | |
"We engaged Andy Lopata to conduct a seminar on networking at our offices in Waterloo, Belgium.
Andy is an energetic presenter who quickly captured our audience's attention. The content of his presentation was excellent and fostered lively commentary and questions.
The break-outs were especially constructive and everyone enjoyed the six degrees of separation exercise.
Networking is a critical skill for success and Andy offered many helpful tips that were relevant and useful to our pan-European employees."
Jennifer Rademaker, Head of Strategy Development Europe, MasterCard
"I saw Andy present to an audience from a major investment bank.
Andy had the audience in the palm of his hand throughout and it was clear that his content had massive relevance to them.
There was extensive takeaway value in the presentation and there was no doubt in my mind that Andy's client had achieved tremendous value from the seminar."
Joe Adams, Adams and Associates and Chairman of Academy of Chief Executives Group 11 Former MD and National Sales Manager, Encyclopedia Britannica UK and Ireland
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