"I've learnt the most about how to run a business from meeting and talking with people"
TM & © 2009, Capital Development Agency Limited. All rights reserved.
BUSINESS LEARNINGS
All Business is Personal
by Mark Blumsky (Published in InBusiness)
I know there is a wealth of information out there on how to run a company better. The problem is often - how can a person running the business make time to work on developing the business?
I'm absolutely delighted to share some of the "business learnings" I've picked up over my careers. I used careers deliberately because I've been a successful shoe salesman, retailer of the year with Mischief, two-term Mayor of Wellington, a business mentor, a less successful pizza salesman and a Member of Parliament.
Although there are some excellent courses and books out there, the cost and time commitment puts many people off.
In my experience, I've learned the most about how to run a business from meeting and talking with people. I've always been intrigued by the personal aspects of commerce rather than the technical side. That is why this column will tend to focus on the inter-personal and social aspects of building business.
Networking is often criminally under-rated as a business tool. Human beings - provided they are not hermits - network all the time. It happens when we interact in a business or social environment. It is as natural as conversation - in fact, it basically is conversation.
In this context, I want to focus on the business aspect of networking which can occur in both business settings (like a trade show) and more social settings (like a dinner or cocktail function). This is networking designed to benefit your business in some way. It is not purely social.
Fundamentally, I think business networking can be defined simply as the art meeting people with the aim of establishing a personal relationship which may be of mutual benefit in the future.
Fundamentally, it is about making an impression and then - critically - establishing a personal connection which means the relationship will continue after the first meeting. The connection will be why people remember you.
In a state of information overload and saturation advertising, the power of a personal recommendation or a personal connection is increasing. Over time, effective networking can help generate a steady stream of referrals and help your business grow.
Networking is about relationships rather than simply transactions or sales right there. It is about creating an environment for referrals and orders. The key is having a clear goal and a quick explanation of why you or your business is interesting. This can be known as the "hook" or "elevator speech."
It's easy to get wrong. I've developed five stereotypes of people making common mistakes at networking opportunities:
The Homer Simpson - Homers attend events for the free food and drink. Meeting people is secondary to the coldest beer and the freshest snack.
Hurricane Business Card - They give away 50 business cards in an hour and consider it a huge success. Back in their office, they boast about their networking skills. The problem is that they have not established a connection.
Larry or Lorraine No Mates - This person stands alone in the corner for hours. They are not prepared to make the effort to start a conversation. Most of the people in the room are actually looking for someone to talk to.
The Fame Bloodhound -These people will put aside all else - including friendships and romances - to immediately flock to the most important people in the room.
The Rod Stewart or Britney Spears - They go to functions to meet potential dates. There is a lot of talk but little business networking.
The aim of networking is to meet people with similar interests, contacts, aims or goals and make a connection which could be professionally useful to both in the future. It's the way business is heading.
by Mark Blumsky (Published in InBusiness)
I know there is a wealth of information out there on how to run a company better. The problem is often - how can a person running the business make time to work on developing the business?
I'm absolutely delighted to share some of the "business learnings" I've picked up over my careers. I used careers deliberately because I've been a successful shoe salesman, retailer of the year with Mischief, two-term Mayor of Wellington, a business mentor, a less successful pizza salesman and a Member of Parliament.
Although there are some excellent courses and books out there, the cost and time commitment puts many people off.
In my experience, I've learned the most about how to run a business from meeting and talking with people. I've always been intrigued by the personal aspects of commerce rather than the technical side. That is why this column will tend to focus on the inter-personal and social aspects of building business.
Networking is often criminally under-rated as a business tool. Human beings - provided they are not hermits - network all the time. It happens when we interact in a business or social environment. It is as natural as conversation - in fact, it basically is conversation.
In this context, I want to focus on the business aspect of networking which can occur in both business settings (like a trade show) and more social settings (like a dinner or cocktail function). This is networking designed to benefit your business in some way. It is not purely social.
Fundamentally, I think business networking can be defined simply as the art meeting people with the aim of establishing a personal relationship which may be of mutual benefit in the future.
Fundamentally, it is about making an impression and then - critically - establishing a personal connection which means the relationship will continue after the first meeting. The connection will be why people remember you.
In a state of information overload and saturation advertising, the power of a personal recommendation or a personal connection is increasing. Over time, effective networking can help generate a steady stream of referrals and help your business grow.
Networking is about relationships rather than simply transactions or sales right there. It is about creating an environment for referrals and orders. The key is having a clear goal and a quick explanation of why you or your business is interesting. This can be known as the "hook" or "elevator speech."
It's easy to get wrong. I've developed five stereotypes of people making common mistakes at networking opportunities:
The Homer Simpson - Homers attend events for the free food and drink. Meeting people is secondary to the coldest beer and the freshest snack.
Hurricane Business Card - They give away 50 business cards in an hour and consider it a huge success. Back in their office, they boast about their networking skills. The problem is that they have not established a connection.
Larry or Lorraine No Mates - This person stands alone in the corner for hours. They are not prepared to make the effort to start a conversation. Most of the people in the room are actually looking for someone to talk to.
The Fame Bloodhound -These people will put aside all else - including friendships and romances - to immediately flock to the most important people in the room.
The Rod Stewart or Britney Spears - They go to functions to meet potential dates. There is a lot of talk but little business networking.
The aim of networking is to meet people with similar interests, contacts, aims or goals and make a connection which could be professionally useful to both in the future. It's the way business is heading.
