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Monday was a very Special day for me. 

Back in November you may remember that I visited Chicago and while I was there, worked with the National Speakers Association and Special Olympics Illinois to deliver presentation skills training to  Special Olympians, athletes with learning difficulties, as part of the their Global Messenger Programme. 

I came back to the UK inspired and reached out to Special Olympics GB to suggest something similar over here. As a result of those discussions, we ran our pilot session in the Council Chamber of Gateshead Civic Hall near to Newcastle on Monday. 

 

I had fantastic support from six fellow members of the Professional Speaking Association. Thanks to David Hyner, Simon Raybould, Nev Tynemouth, Mary Askew, Geoff Ramm and Xina Gooding-Broderick

We saw a number of the athletes make an amazing journey during the day. Some were struggling to communicate with any clarity in the morning but by the end were sharing strong, powerful and impassioned messages. One participant told us how she hated the term 'Special Needs'. "Yes, I have needs", she said, "but I tell everyone that I am a normal person. I'm no more special than anyone else."
I received the following email from my Keith Hogan at Special Olympics Gateshead this morning: 

"Initial expressions from athletes are really quite emotive.  Comments such as 'I never thought I could do that' and 'it was the best day of my life' are just a select few already.

"We're still in awe of the effort and investment you and the 6 speakers put into the day.  The athletes are heading off now for their athletics, cycling, football and netball sessions at Gateshead International Stadium this morning and you can just see the comradeship and camaraderie between them all - I think Monday's event cemented that unity even further.  

"We constantly impart to our athletes the old Mary Kay Ash adage that everyone has a sign hanging around their necks saying 'Make me feel important' and that they should always remember that in their interactions with others.  Undoubtedly, it was the athletes themselves who felt of extreme importance on Monday and we can't ask for any better outcome than that."

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I was interviewed for a podcast earlier this week and the conversation, as it so often does, turned to how to follow up with key clients effectively when time is in such short supply. 

This is a commonly asked question and so many people seem to struggle to build relationships and manage their network while juggling many other balls. But if you only approach people when you need them, the relationship will soon ebb away. 

To help with this, I have written a short guide to building business relationships and to help you stay 'in sight, in mind'. The tips book is available for purchase in our Networking Shop but we'd like to offer you the e-book version for free. You can download your free copy by clicking on the link below:.


 

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I hope you enjoy the newsletter and look forward to your feedback. Please do check out the blogs listed on the right hand side of the page for lots of extra ideas, tips and thoughts. 


 

Let me know what you think. 


 

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: +44 (0)7930 417833
Skype: andylopata   

I look forward to hearing from you.

     

Andy 


� All material copyright H & A Lopata ltd 2015. All rights reserved.

 

Video Tip: Why your requests for referrals from clients fall on deaf ears

At Wella's Business Network Live last week I talked about why I believe that the vast majority of customer incentive schemes fail to generate enough referrals. 

It's not the first time I've shared this viewpoint. Here's why: 


The A to Z of Networking: I is for...

 
Integrity
Earn people's trust and support by being true to your word, honest and reliable. Never take any action that will reflect poorly on you or on anyone who associates with you. 

 

In the Room
In his book, 'You Had Me At Hello', Nigel Risner, who has contributed regularly to this series, says, "When you're in the room, be in the room. 

"Enjoy the process of meeting new people and learning about their business. Show them that you believe in what you do...let your enthusiasm work its magic and whet people's appetite for more."

When you're in conversation with someone, be 'in the room' for them, giving them all of your attention and focus. 

I is also for...

 

Include People
Try to be aware of others and include them in the conversation. Be aware of people who might find it more difficult because of hearing difficulties or other challenges and adapt your conversation to engage with them. 
Innovation and Ideas
Your network is a fantastic source of new and innovative ideas. Be open to suggestions from people from a range of backgrounds and also be ready to offer your own views to others when requested. 
Ice Breakers
Anything but 'What do you do?' please! Many people try wacky ideas to be different and trigger a conversation but just be yourself and find out what you have in common. (Clue, it's usually the circumstances under which you are meeting.)
Interested
'People are interested in people who are interested in them'. Show a genuine interest in the people to whom you are speaking. 
Get Involved
Don't stand on the sidelines. Volunteer, invite people and support your network by getting involved and taking responsibility for its success. 
Initiate and Interact
If you wait for people to approach you, you could find yourself on the sidelines for a long time. Initiate conversations with others, get involved online, at meetings, on courses or elsewhere and make sure that you interact with a wide range of people. 
Intent
Network with intent and purpose. Failure to have a clear idea of what success looks like will limit your possibilities. 
Influencers
Build a powerful network who will speak about you to the people you want to meet. Let them influence decision makers on your behalf so that you are positioned as a trusted connection.  
Introverts

Not fond of taking centre stage or speaking in groups, introverts actually often make the best networkers. Their ability to listen and give space to others is a tremendous strength. 

 

More fantastic ideas from my Facebook friends this week, you were quiet responding to the last newsletter and on Twitter though! 
Thanks to Nigel Risner, Rhiannon Evans, Maurice Watts, Ian Steel, Paul Brown, Marthe Andersen, Bill Morrow, Laurence Lowne, Arvind Devalia, Phil Williams, Elaine Hanzak, Jo Webber, David Marks, Claire Boyles, Rohit Talwar, Oli Barrett, Richard McCann, Chris Mitchell, Kate Allen, Simon Raybould and Adam Harris for your ideas. 

 

If you want to find out a number of the ideas that have missed out, check out the discussion on my profile on Facebook and the Facebook page

 

Just for Fun: It's a Dog's Life
 
After his wife left him and stripped out their home, leaving only their dog, Rafael Mantasso made the most of his bare walls and, I guess, docile dog, to help regain his spirits. 


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What people say...

"It is great to work with a speaker like Andy who really wants to understand the audience he speaks to and tailors his content to them.

 

It's also great to have all the post event content Andy prepared specifically for us and so quickly.

 

It has been a pleasure to work with him."

  
Galina Lebedeva
Education & Events Senior Co-ordinator
Wella UK & Ireland
  
 


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