The questions below are examples of those you can use to start engaging conversations. Your goal in meeting others is to help them feel at ease and at the same time, generate some conversation that will serve as a springboard for future conversations. You are searching for what we call in Networlding, “Points of Commonality” (things you share in common) and “Points of Credibility” (things that make this person unique and valuable to your network. Take a look at the following questions and think how you could use these questions to start your own engaging conversations. With each question, I add suggestions as to how you can use it to open up further exchange.

So what would be a good first question when you are out social networking. Try asking something like, “What was it that interested you in attending this evening (today, etc.)?

This question is particularly relevant to get someone to talk about something positive. For example, say your connection says, “I came here to see how I could expand my technology company. I specialize in helping other businesses integrate their IT initiatives together so departments are more in alignment with one another.” Now let’s say that you do business with the types of companies this person would like to connect with; now you offer, “I would enjoy meeting with you outside this event to see how we can support one another in meeting companies that could use your skills.

A second great question is, “Who is the best networker in this organization? Hopefully, that person will be at this event and you will be able to get an introduction to him or her. You also want to ask why they chose this person. You will usually find that most people have met great networkers—people who have networks that reach wide and deep and who, in general, enjoy meeting new people and networking with them. Interestingly, though, you will also find that often great networkers don’t’ know or connect with other great networkers. This is one of the best questions as you can be the “connector” to bring these people together, and, in doing so, become part of their networks and a great networker yourself.

Finally a third great question is, “What is one thing you are really looking forward to accomplishing in your business (or career) this year?” The reason this question works so well is two-fold. First, it is positive and directs your conversation to a subject that should add some great energy to the conversation. Second, it should yield one of the best replies you could receive from a question. An example of this question occurred during a networking event we did for a large bank recently. We facilitated a networking event with business owners of companies between $5-$50 million in sales. The result? The bank yielded about twenty business owners who replied that they either were planning to expand their business or that they were planning on purchasing some large piece of equipment. Now, there were business owners that would probably go back to their existing banks for loans for these purchases but we prepped the bank ahead of time to offer themselves as the backup bank. The results were great. The targeted question allowed them to offer support more specifically and effectively.

Who is one person you admire most in your industry? This is a particularly good question to find other top influencers and, hopefully, great networkers you would like to meet. You are looking for those influencers who are “ready, willing and able” to network with you. By asking this question you Great networking starts with great questions, so the next time you go to a networking event or you just want to brush up on your networking skills, try asking one of these great questions and see what happens. How do you open up relationships when you are social networking? Do you think social networking in person is still more effective than online?

Don't be Greedy: Everyone Can Easily Leverage the Power of LinkedIn

This Friday I will be hosting a webinar at 6 Figure Jobs.

You will learn how to:

• Get better LinkedIn Introductions.
• How to create a winning profile that has companies contacting you
• Use the most recent LinkedIn tools (they update at least monthly)
• Learn all about the best connectors and how to get their support
• Search strategically based on the unique skills, background and even interests you bring
• How to get to the decision maker in almost any of your targeted companies
• Reaching SVP’s, CEO’s, Directors, etc.
• How to use the Groups feature of LinkedIn that offers wonderful new, powerful connections

Bonus 1: All attendees will receive the Networlding LinkedIn Tutorial Guide rated as one of the best guides for learning and optimizing LinkedIn.

Bonus 2: For the first 20 who sign up you will be sent access to Networlding’s e-learning tool which provides thirty lessons for learning LinkedIn, a $149 value.

Webinar:Teleconference and web based access to the career coach’s on-screen presentation and tutorial via WebEx.
Cost: $50 *  To register, go to www.6figurejobs.com.

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.

In Malcolm Gladwell’s new book on success– Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell (Hardcover – Nov 18, 2008) he talks about the 10,000 hour rule. Experts are defined as those who have at least 10,000 hours of research and development in a chosen field.  Note that the experts listed below exemplify the type of expert level you would choose if you are very serious about successful networking.

Donna Fisher
www.donnafisher.com
An introvert who learned how to network. Over 12 years ago she established Donna Fisher Presents in order to fulfill her lifelong desire to teach and inspire people to be all they can be. With her two businesses she combines her love of music and motivation.

Jill Lublin
www.jilllublin.com
Praised as a modern-day Dale Carnegie and co-author of the bestselling books Networking Magic, Guerrilla Publicity. Guerrilla Publicity contains hundreds of proven techniques and sure-fire tactics for any business, large or small, to launch an effective and creative publicity campaign.

Michael Hughes
http://www.speakersgroup.com/michael_hughes_bio.html
Michael has done extensive research on, and is a specialist in, utilizing networking as a business strategy. He is author of the 110-page special report entitled “Networking for Results: How to Leverage Relationships into More Sales and Profits”.

Michael Goldberg
http://www.buildingblocksconsulting.com
Michael Goldberg is a networking expert focused on helping sales producers and managers grow their practice. Michael speaks at conferences, runs sales meetings, and delivers dynamic programs on Networking, Referral Marketing, Sales Presentations, and Leadership.

Raeus Cannon
http://www.raeuscannon.com
Raeus Jae Cannon, CNPT, specializes in speaking to Chamber of Commerce groups. Raeus has first-hand experience of moving from shy and introverted to realizing success as an entrepreneur, trainer, author, and keynote speaker. Audiences can easily relate to Raeus’ personal stories and laugh at her experiences.

Susan RoAne
http://www.susanroane.com
Susan RoAne is the leading authority and original expert on how to work a room. She help companies and organizations successfully develop, build and manage client relationships that increase business growth.

Will Kintish
http://www.kintish.co.uk
The UK’s leading authority in Business Networking Skills training. Kintish have helped thousands of people become confident and effective networkers by offering business networking tips, techniques and training.

Bill Cates
http://www.referralcoach.com
Bill Cates, CSP, has revolutionized the way financial professionals generate an abundance of high-quality referrals. Bill has trained over 50,000 financial professionals in his proven referral system. And they are using his ideas to build their practices with quality referrals.

Heshie Segal
http://www.jetnettingconnection.com
Heshie Segal teaches her clients how to turn a business card, a presentation, and even a chance meeting into lasting business. JetNetting is an innovative and highly specific system of preparatory networking resulting in the eradication of cold calling, awkwardness and relationship tensions.

Renee Rosenberg
http://www.fiveoclockclub.com/speakers/Rosenberg.html
Renee Rosenberg has over 24 years experience in career management, counseling, coaching, and workshop training and facilitation. An accomplished and entertaining speaker, Renee regularly presents on a variety of topics including: effective intergenerational communication, and using positive thinking, laughter and optimism as career and life tools.

Robyn Henderson
http://www.networkingtowin.com.au/index.html
Robyn Henderson is a Global Networking Specialist. She has authored and contributed to 19 books (including 10 on networking and business building and 3 on self esteem and confidence building).

David Nour
http://www.relationshipeconomics.net
David Nour is a social networking strategist and one of the foremost thought leaders on the quantifiable value of business relationships. David is solving global client challenges with intracompany, as well as externally focused, Strategic Relationship Planning™.

Diane Darling
http://www.dianedarling.com
As a speaker and author, Diane Darling humorously shares her insights and techniques that can be immediately implemented helping people succeed.She is also a monthly columnist for the Boston Business Journal.

Bob Burg
http://www.burg.com
Bob Burg is a highly sought-after speaker at corporate, financial services and direct sales conventions. Combining humor and entertainment with easily applied, proven systems for personal marketing, audiences come away ready to immediately profit from Bob’s instruction and coaching.

Ivan Misner
http://www.bni.com
Dr. Ivan Misner is the Founder & Chairman of BNI, the world’s largest business networking organization. BNI was founded in 1985. The organization now has thousands of chapters throughout every populated continent of the world. Each year, BNI generates millions of referrals resulting in billions of dollars worth of business for its members.

Julia Hubbel
http://www.principlednetworking.com/index_alt.htm
Julia Hubbel is a professional speaker, seminar leader and prize-winning journalist who specializes in creating lasting, collaborative relationships. Her approach allows anyone to meet and mingle easily and with confidence, forming long-term business and personal alliances.

Andrea Nierenberg
http://www.nierenberggroup.com/index.php
Andrea R. Nierenberg, bestselling author and world-renowned business authority, is the force behind The Nierenberg Group. Called a “networking success story” by The Wall Street Journal, Andrea Nierenberg is founder and president of The Nierenberg Group.

Liz Lynch
http://www.networkingexcellence.com
Liz Lynch is author of Smart Networking: Attract a Following In Person and Online (McGraw-Hill, 2009) and a sought-after speaker who brings a practical and insightful perspective to networking that has connected with a global audience.

Melissa Giovagnoli
http://www.networlding.com
Melissa is one of the world’s leading experts on the development of individual and community leadership networks as a means of growing and accelerating brand loyalty and performance improvement inside and outside organizations.

Andy Lopata

www.lopata.co.uk
A Vice President of the Professional Speakers Association of the UK and a Director of the online network Word of Mouse, Andy is the co-author of two books on networking. His second book ‘…and Death Came Third! The Definitive Guide to Networking and Speaking in Public’ received worldwide acclaim and reached number 2 on Amazon.co.uk on its launch.

Donna Messer
http://www.connectuscanada.com
Donna Messer has been networking for the past 20 years. Donna Messer is President of ConnectUs Communications Canada, one of North America’s largest and most effective business matching companies.

Scott Allen
http://thevirtualhandshake.com/home.html
A 20-year veteran technology entrepreneur, executive and consultant, Scott Allen is the Entrepreneurs Guide for About.com. Scott has offered training programs in conjunction with business networking sites LinkedIn, Ryze, and others, plus courses on creating a powerful personal presence and growing your personal network on the internet.

Don Gabor
http://www.dongabor.com
Don helps professionals from all disciplines grow their revenues by starting profitable conversations with people in business and social situations.  e is the author of the bestseller, How to Start a Conversation and Make Friends, (Fireside/Simon & Schuster) and ten other books and tapes on interpersonal communication skills.

Mike O’Neil
http://www.integratedalliances.com
Founded in 2003, Integrated Alliances (IA) is a world leader in LinkedIn-related training with classroom workshop education (offline), web-based educational webinars (online) with both public and private sessions plus a rapidly expanding coaching and consulting practice.

Neen James
http://www.neenjames.com
Neen specializes in helping people within organizations to achieve amazing results by improving productivity in every aspect of their operations. Author of several books including Strategic Networking, Network or Perish, How to Run a Home Based Business, as well as many articles, e-zines and audio programs.

Daphne Medik
http://www.dmmcommunication.nl
Marketing communication and sales strategy, training and coaching. Inspiring ideas, practical solutions.

Thomas Power
http://www.ecademy.com
Thomas Power is the founder of ecademy.com. Helping business people thrive is what Ecademy facilitates.

Gerard De Gier
http://www.biocareerevent.nl/page/122
He conducts yearly a large number of training sessions in the fields of networking, creative business thinking (under the heading of “New Ideas on Your Command”), senior management and marketing. He also wrote several books on creative thinking (in collaboration with Professor Roger de Bruijn) and on networking.

Patrick Carney
http://referrals.ducttapemarketing.com/
Patrick Carney is a professional artist, networker, speaker and referral training consultant. He owns the Referral Institute – San Diego. In each of these roles, his focus is showing business professionals how to harness the power of referral marketing.

Jochem Klijn
http://www.netwerken.nl
Jochem Klijn has his own Business Network (www.netwerken.nl), travels throughout The Netherlands giving Network -training, -seminars and -courses and sells his English version eBook and AudioBook all over the world through his website: www.thelawofnetworking.com.

Sabine Tobback
http://www.culturaldetective.com
Sabine founded a training and coaching institute devoted to intercultural management, personal skills, human resources management, and leadership. She has developed programmes on virtual team effectiveness.

Jan Vermeiren
www.networking-coach.com
Originally Jan labeled his way of working “Marketing and Networking Coaching”. Due to the spectacular success of the networking activities, the marketing aspect has disappeared, though it is still Jan’s second passion. Now the company is primarily known under the brand name Networking Coach.

When you want to make a difference in the world, it helps to have a collective group who can make change happen faster.  Now you have the chance to participate in the Networlding Socially Responsible Group on Linked In…and become the change you want to see in the world.

You are invited to join our first Tele-Town Hall Meeting on Wednesday, May 28 (5:00 p.m. PST/8:00 p.m. EST, 7:00 p.m. Central) where you will have the opportunity to hear two of the world’s great givers, along with me, facilitate a Networlding Make a Difference initiative.

I, Charles Gay and Gary Goldstein are ready to inspire you to support your desire to make a difference  Their organization, HUB (Humanity Unites Brilliance – www.HubHub.org) was established to empower donors and teams who support the issues facing developing nations. Charles and Gary have been involved in global compassion work throughout their lives, concurrent with developing their vast professional credits in the music and film industries, respectively.  HUB is for-profit, and its vision is to use personal empowerment training as an economic engine, generating sustainable humanitarian funding.  It uses tools like micro-loans, education, food, water and environmental training to give developing nations the essentials to end the cycle of poverty. 

Their invitation to you is to consider what you or your organization can offer to make a difference in the world…and to make the commitment to becoming the change you want to see in the world.  You have the opportunity to make the commitment of your time, energy or economic contributions via the Networlding blog www.networldingblog.com and adding your comments after the blog entry containing this invitation.  Let Gary, Charlie and I know how you intend to make a difference – and then let them teach you how to fulfill that intention through personal empowerment and effective networking.

Charles (Visioning Founder of HUB) has been a powerhouse of US film production since his arrival in the US in 2002 from the UK, where he was already leading hugely successful concert promotions for musical artists like Pink Floyd and Pavarotti.  He went on to work with many of the biggest names in film and to co-found Promenade Pictures, a US film production and distribution company.  He has been involved as Executive Director with the Mineseeker Foundation and the Sole of Africa Campaign in Mozambique. 

Gary (a Founding ArcAngel of HUB) is currently President of The Goldstein Company and has produced or co-produced such critically acclaimed films as Pretty Woman, Under Seige and The Mothman Prophecies.  He continues to produce, speak and write extensively, both to make a contribution to on-going excellence in film and to make a difference in humanitarian issues.  He has served as a member of the steering committee for the Entertainment Industry Foundation and, through that foundation, has also contributed to the improvement of public education in Los Angeles. 

As the Founder and President of Networlding as well as an author, speaker and consultant I train people and organizations to use technology and social networking tools to increase their bottom lines and professional successes while keeping true to the values of sustainability and social responsibility.  I was moved to host this event as part of my own desire to impact global issues. This will also be a good chance to form a much stronger community for our LinkedIn Socially Responsible Professionals Group.

The Tele-Town Hall access is limited to the first 1000 callers, and we’re expecting capacity crowds, so make sure email us at teletownhall@networlding.com today to reserve your seat and we’ll also send you details to access the call. Thanks!

Remember, Wednesday, May 28th – 5:00 p.m. Pacific, 6:00 p.m. Central and 7:00 p.m. Eastern – Take an hour to make a difference!

When he isn’t blogging for TED, David is a General Partner at August Capital where he invests in early stage software, infrastructure and Internet-related companies. Prior to joining August Capital, David was a corporate and licensing attorney who represented and advised numerous Internet and enterprise software startups. David has worked with such companies as Yahoo, Six Apart, Evite, Tickle, PayCycle, Ofoto, When.com, WhoWhere?, DoneRight and Sonique.

David has taught Computer Music at Stanford, legal writing at

Harvard

David is also the editor of VentureBlog. His musings on life can be found on SaysMe, his personal blog. [Back to the TEDBlog]

Career Centre

First, think of the very best vendors you have bought from. What sticks out in your mind most about them? If you are like most of my clients they would first say what great people they were BEFORE they commented on the services or products they sold.

Second, ask yourself if you were ready to buy something that you have been wanting for awhile, looking forward to buying, almost salivating at the mouth to buy, but, unfortunately, you meet up with one of the worst salesperson you ever met. I mean this salesperson is rude, ignorant and disinterested. They almost go out of their way to make you miserable in purchasing something you were so excited about purchasing when you went to the buying table. At this point would you want to buy that product? I bet you would think twice.

Third, imagine vendors who, instead of treating you with disinterest or disdain, do just the opposite. They call you regularly to see if they can be of service. They email you with insightful articles or resources that compliment the work they are doing with you. They are proactive and responsive. They connect with you socially as well as professionally. They are good business friends.

These examples just help us realize the importance of someone who is good at building relationships. They are good at making you look good and, in return, you enjoy doing business with them. These are good networkers and the reason they can be so effective is because they are “exchanging” with other people in their network resources, connections and professional support on a regular basis. The net effect of their networking is that you benefit because they know how to network well.

And, now, more than ever, because of online social network tools like LinkedIn, Facebook and others, you can connect more effectively, looking like the best sales people in your own business or career. It’s all about getting started with your own community of learning a practice.

What’s New? We are now offering you the ability to start your own Networlding Community of Learning and Practice. Email us info@networlding.com for details or call us. We would be happy to have you call us 312-421-4213.