Juli Monroe
1 to 1 Discovery
571-220-1891
juli_monroe@yahoo.com
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Greetings!
Last month I talked about developing an
action plan for your networking in 2009. This month I want to discuss
another kind of action plan. How to devise strategies and tactics for
getting the most out of your one on one meetings.
Effective
follow up after a one on one meeting is a big stumbling block for a
lot of people. They meet someone, have a nice chat over coffee, agree
to refer each other and then go on their way. I always hope they at
least had good coffee because often that was all they got out of it.
Sound familiar? Think back. How often do you get referrals or
good introductions after a one on one meeting? If the answer is
"not too often," read on. Let's make some changes.
Starbucks should not be the only one benefiting from your time and
money.
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 More Than Just Good Coffee
The first step to a good action plan
from a meeting is knowing who you want to meet. I've done a couple of
articles on this. If you need reprints, let me know. I am happy to
oblige. Armed with that information, you can make some goals on what
you want to get out of the meeting.
The second step is knowing at least a
little bit about the people you will be meeting with. The Internet is
a great place to gather some basic information. Do they have a
LinkedIn or Facebook profile? Do they have a website? From these
sources, you can often get some idea of who they are and who they
work with. Knowing that, you can make a few plans.
If they work with people you want to
work with, great. You know some possible introductions you can ask
for. Make some educated guesses about the types of businesses they
probably know. Some of those might be good referral sources to ask
for.
Think about who you might know who
might be potential clients. Or who might be good strategic partners.
Make a list prior to the meeting.
In other words, walk in armed with some
possibilities. Then during the meeting, listen carefully. Ask
questions about who they work with. Compare the information to the
educated guess you made. Think about who else you might know who they
need to meet.
Of course, you want to be very clear in
who you need to meet. Are the people they work with potential clients
or strategic partners of yours? Do they know people who could be good
mentors? Or people whose services you need? All of those are good
introductions to ask for.
Don't forget to find out where they
network. They may know of a great venue you haven't tried. And
meeting someone at a networking event is a way to touch base and
build the relationship you have just started.
Finally, try to find something out
about them personally. Perhaps you have shared interests. Or one of
your clients is absolutely passionate about something this person
likes. Shared interests give you easy ways to make introductions and
follow up in the future.
If you have done all these steps, and
the other person is at least willing to try, each of you should walk
out of that meeting with some actions to take. Introductions to make.
Events to attend together. Articles to send each other. The
possibilities are endless.
The next step, of course, is to do
implement the actions you said you would take. If you do what you
committed to, you make it much more likely that the other person will
do likewise. And the reverse is true. Sometimes people we have just
met test us to see if we are committed. Make sure you pass that test!
And the actions from that meeting are
just the beginning. You can follow up to see how introductions went.
You can pass on information about events. You can send newspaper
clippings to each other. Anything to enhance and build the
relationship. You could even agree to meet again.
If you walk out of a meeting with an
action plan, you have set the stage for a long term, highly
profitable relationship. If you walk out without an action plan?
Well, the effect from the caffeine will only last so long. And the
let down on the other side is no fun.
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Can We? Yes, We Can!
I don't usually include politics in
this newsletter, but I am writing this on January 21, 2009, the day
after the inauguration of Barack Obama. This newsletter won't post
until the beginning of February, but I wanted to write this while the
excitement was still alive and before the harsh realities of change
have had a chance to hit.
This last election was my sixth
presidential election. I am an independent, and I have voted for both
Democrats and Republicans. Some of my choices won. Some didn't. I
have lived through 10 inaugurations, but this was the first one I
have ever watched. For the first time in my voting life, I am excited
and hopeful that we have elected someone who can do real good and
bring real change.
It's short and simple but "Yes, we
can" is a powerful message. I found it highly ironic that I met
with a client on Inauguration Day and had the privilege of
challenging him to say "Yes, I can." I have accepted the
challenge also, and I would like to invite you to do the same.
It's very simple. For the next month,
when you hear yourself say "I can't" stop and reflect for a
moment. Think of two ways that you "can do" what you just
said you can't. See what kind of difference it makes in yourself.
And if you take the challenge and feel
like sharing, email me with your story. If you'd like, I can include
it in an upcoming newsletter.
Imagine what we can do as a nation and
as a world if we all accepted that simple challenge.
I can. Can you?
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 Challenge
Anyone who accepts my challenge and sends me the results will be entered into a drawing for a $25 Starbucks gift card.
Take the challenge and get good coffee for your next one on one meeting. What's not to like?
Please forward this newsletter to anyone who might need the information, or my services.
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