A colleague just sent me a promotional piece for yet another social media expert. I took the time to look at his promo and I was impressed . . . until I went over to look at his following on Twitter and, even more specifically, his grade on http://grader.com/ which is a product that HubSpot created.  The score for his site was a 16 out of 100. HubSpot offers a variety of graders, and, not that I am bragging, but this will give you an idea of how it works:

• Networlding Website – (HubSpot Grader Page) – Grade: 95.5 out of 100

  The website www.networlding.com ranks 85,748 of the 1,916,503 websites that have been ranked so far.

  A website grade of 95.5/100 for www.networlding.com means that means that of the millions of websites that have previously been evaluated, our algorithm has calculated that this site scores higher than 95.5% of them in terms of its marketing effectiveness. The algorithm uses a proprietary blend of over 50 different variables, including search engine data , website structure, approximate traffic, site performance, and others.

• Networlding Blog – Grade: 94 out of 100
• Networlding on Twitter – (HubSpot Twitter Grader Page) – Grade: 98.5 out of 100

  I am close to the top where Chris Brogan and Guy

For those wondering. Here are the Algorithm Factors:

The Grade Calculation: So, those are the factors that go into the calculation of a score.  This score is then used to compare a user against all other users that also have a score.  The grade is calculated as the approximate percentage of other users that have an equal or lower score.  So, a Twitter Grade of 80 means that about 80% of the other users got a lower score.  At the time this article is being written, over 2.1 million users have been graded. To get the whole scoop (which you should), go to this great Twitter article.

Enter the big question everyone asks around networking. Just how many referrals could you get in one year? There are certainly a lot of number floating around out there, but according to a survey I have done with a number of the networking experts (see the article below) I have queried, the numbers that I am hearing and that I have witnessed are between 30-50 referrals.

But there is a catch! There is always a catch, of course. The catch, here, is that you need to set up some form of structured networking group to yield a return like 30-50 referrals. I would also add, coming from my Networlding world, that you need to first focus on the quality of the referral source amd second, on the quality of the referrals from your sources.

First, when choosing the quality of your referral source, consider the following:

1. people have networks that reach wide a deep. If the people you are networking with are new to networking and don’t have a vibrant network, they are very unlikely to be able to provide many referrals.
2. people who are ready, willing and able to make connections for you (and you are ready, willing and able to make connections for them).  So, for example, if the people you network with are so busy on current projects or have personal issues that take up their time, they are not in a position to be good referral sources.
3. people who are in some field that is complimentary to yours. In other words these people will be coming in contact with possible prospects they can refer.

In upcoming segments I will share more about how to ask for referrals and how to provide enough detail so that you turn your referral sources into a supplemental sales force. Of course you need to be prepared to do the same for them. But, when you have the right group of networking partners and have vibrant exchanges where you prepare your sources as to just what you are looking for you will find yourself creating a much richer and more successful pipeline. It’s all about the process.

- Melissa Giovagnoli, Networking Coach, Speaker, Trainer and Thoughtleader on the Science of Networking and Networks

For more information, email me at melissa@networlding.com.

Melissa,

Try this approach and let us know what you found out. You can always email me at melissa@networlding.com.

How many times have you received an RFP (Request For Proposal) from a “potential” and previously unknown company, a strange entity that has not been qualified as a good prospect. Today’s technology makes it impossible to determine the motive for unknown companies to approach and ask for definitive and sensitive information including pricing, capabilities, staff and annual sales volume?

Are they genuine?  Are they sincere?  Or are they getting their required magical “3” vendor pricing to appease their respective decision maker before they assign or worse yet pass on this information to their present vendor!

How many times have you resisted making that three point shot with this RFP request rolled up into your recyclable file 13?

RFPing is a common tactic used by corporations to hire a marketing or advertising firm to gather “information” on competitors to best strategically market themselves or in reality to get closely guarded information. 

I am a president of ROM Squared, Inc., my company is a production hub for clients that do not have staff, equipment capabilities, or knowledge to duplicate, package, or create their own optical CD/DVD media requirements. 

Recently, I received a RFI (Request For Information) from a very large educational marketing company via email.  The email had an enclosed PDF requesting information that frankly, I don’t even think my doctor has.

My instinct was to practice my jump shot, but on further consideration I decided to call the requester and asked why they considered my company in their search for a vendor.

This is where it became interesting.

The individual said that she “Link in” and found my listing and recognized a name of someone she trusted in my bio. Upon further conversations I realized that she indeed new someone that we both mutually trusted and respected.

Instant credibility!

Webster Dictionary describes synergy:

syn•er•gy n. pl. syn•er•gies
1. The interaction of two or more agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects.
2. Cooperative interaction among groups, especially among the acquired subsidiaries or merged parts of a corporation, that creates an enhanced combined effect.

Individually, the company requesting the information would not have received the useful information needed in making a proper purchasing decision, and my company would have lost out on a very qualified prospect by providing guarded information.

My conception of this request immediately changed.  Instead of being wary and guarded with the requested information, I was compelled to answer in great detail and very accurately, the information desired.

My results were extremely positive.  ROM Squared made the next stage in the decision making cycle of this company. We were informed that based on our reply we were considered an excellent vendor and were invited to join in a later formal RFP presentation.

The opportunity almost lost by an unknown company’s request was instead forged with positive energy, a synergy if you will by Linked In.

As an executive and CEO of a company it isn’t unusual to be asked to be “invited” to be linked.

Individually, we all have personal criteria for those individuals that we include into our link: integrity, professional interaction or experience, professional organization members, etc. The bottom line is that they are individuals that we trust.

The purity of these criteria is essential for the credibility and usefulness of Linked In as a powerful tool of positive networking.

Presently, I do not know the end result of the negotiations with my potential client.  What I do know is that with the common denominator of two individual companies being Link In, made a very powerful synergy.

Perhaps the result will be included in another “blog”.

Thomas A. Brunhart
CEO/President
ROM Squared, Inc.

The ATHENA Leadership Model is unique in that it focuses on personal traits of strong, successful leaders. It captures the spirit and collaborative leadership style often exemplified in women leaders, while also recognizing the importance of traits such as courageous acts and fierce advocacy in the pursuit of excellence. The ATHENA Leadership Model tenets include Authentic Self, Celebration and Joy, Collaboration, Courageous Acts, Fierce Advocacy, Giving Back, Learning and Relationships, and provide a model for 21st Century leadership.

Check out Melissa’s feature in Crain’s:

Click Here

Congratulations to Chicago’s Best Networker!

Chicago Networking: Joining the Best Networking Group in Chicago

After twenty years in business I find again and again that the best networking groups are the ones that are custom designed. And I don’t know of any other organization in Chicago who will help individuals and organizations design their own networking group or groups.

Recently we started networking circles that meet every Friday. How are we different?

Consider the following:

• We bring in only seasoned networkers with track records. Most groups have a mix of seasoned and early entrepreneurs. What happens though is that the younger businesses with fewer contacts are like weak links often limiting the quality and quantity of introductions and referrals.

• We bring in true, complimentary businesses as participants. Most networking groups restrict membership to only complementary businesses, but what happens often is that most of those businesses that are not really good referral sources for each other. So, for example, if you are a management consultant to large organizations you don’t want a group that has mostly small entrepreneurs selling to other small entrepreneurs.

• We add in additional support through our expansive leadership network. We take only leaders who have their own strong networks, which makes it easy for us to offer introductions to our network of over 2,000 leaders in business who are good Networlders. No other networking group offers a similar service.

For More Information: Click Here