To purchase a copy of the book:
The Connectors: How the World's Most Successful Businesspeople Build Relationships and Win Clients for Life
Tips:
Improve your social networking skills.
In today's business world, social networking can't be ignored. We promote products on Facebook, network through LinkedIn, and get our news updates via tweets on Twitter. And while social networking is a great way to connect, it can be easy to forget that what you are aiming for are meaningful connections. And making meaningful connections via social media can sometimes take a little extra work and a different approach. Kuzmeski says that using a few simple rules of thumb can help make your social networking more efficient.
Remember: It's quality, not quantity.
While the connections you make through social media are important -- especially when you can transform those connections into relationships -- you have to be careful not to get caught up in a more, more, more mentality, where you are constantly striving to get more friends on Facebook or to tweet more often during your day.
You can actually be more successful if you use the time you spend going to the extreme in the social media arena to instead revamp the connections you already have by making them more meaningful and personal. Focus on making your connections more impactful, and you'll have a better shot at creating lasting relationships that you can count on for the long term, rather than wasting your time and resources casting a wide net just so you can make as many connections as possible.
Be a voicemail non-conformist.
If you've worked in business for any amount of time, then you've probably played a game of phone tag or two (or twenty!). When we attempt to connect with people over the phone, we're usually faced with having to leave a voicemail. But just because you're connecting with a voice mailbox doesn't mean your connection can't also be meaningful.
Build your own "Harvard Network."
People who have gone to Ivy League schools like Harvard typically look out for one another. They connect with each other, hire each other, and refer potential clients to one another. The same can be said for many of the most high-status schools in the nation. It may even be true that these alumni networks are more valuable and important to the success of graduates than the education they received. So what do you do if you didn't go to a prestigious school? The principles are the same for any network of people.
Create your powerful connections list.
In order to form new and more powerful relationships, it's a good idea to first begin by determining who are, and who can potentially become, your most powerful connections. Ask yourself: Who do I need to be able to connect with to build my business successes?
Leverage your connections.
Effectively leverage your business network by creating a large enough network, regularly staying in touch with them, and helping them get to know you, what you do in your business, and the kinds of people you work with. But most of all, concentrate on getting to know them and developing a relationship focused on them.
True connections happen eye to eye.
Just because there are a lot of new and improved ways to connect with people, it doesn't mean we should rule out good old-fashioned face-to-face contact. Sure, social networking is great, and when used the right way, it can be a great tool for you and your business. However, if you want to really connect with people, it is important to make it a priority to schedule face time.
Sit down and have a one-on-one conversation with someone you would like to strengthen your relationship with. Think about those on your powerful connections list, people you truly care about--the ones who will mean the most to you in the year ahead--and then make it a point to see each one of them in person at some point in the next few months.
Make amends when you mis-connect.
It's bound to happen at some point: You send an email about a client (intended for one of your employees!) to the client. Or you tweet something that at the time seemed funny and edgy, but instead offended a few of your followers. Or you forget to follow up on a referral you've received because they got lost in your email inbox for three months. What do you do? Mark these connections down as technology casualties and move on?
Kuzmeski says that option is a big mistake. She says that whenever you've made a mistake -- online or otherwise -- you should take immediate action to rectify the situation. Take down the offending tweet, send out an online apology, and certainly pick up the phone to apologize personally.
The Connectors: How the World's Most Successful Businesspeople Build Relationships and Win Clients for Life
Tips:
Improve your social networking skills.
In today's business world, social networking can't be ignored. We promote products on Facebook, network through LinkedIn, and get our news updates via tweets on Twitter. And while social networking is a great way to connect, it can be easy to forget that what you are aiming for are meaningful connections. And making meaningful connections via social media can sometimes take a little extra work and a different approach. Kuzmeski says that using a few simple rules of thumb can help make your social networking more efficient.
Remember: It's quality, not quantity.
While the connections you make through social media are important -- especially when you can transform those connections into relationships -- you have to be careful not to get caught up in a more, more, more mentality, where you are constantly striving to get more friends on Facebook or to tweet more often during your day.
You can actually be more successful if you use the time you spend going to the extreme in the social media arena to instead revamp the connections you already have by making them more meaningful and personal. Focus on making your connections more impactful, and you'll have a better shot at creating lasting relationships that you can count on for the long term, rather than wasting your time and resources casting a wide net just so you can make as many connections as possible.
Be a voicemail non-conformist.
If you've worked in business for any amount of time, then you've probably played a game of phone tag or two (or twenty!). When we attempt to connect with people over the phone, we're usually faced with having to leave a voicemail. But just because you're connecting with a voice mailbox doesn't mean your connection can't also be meaningful.
Build your own "Harvard Network."
People who have gone to Ivy League schools like Harvard typically look out for one another. They connect with each other, hire each other, and refer potential clients to one another. The same can be said for many of the most high-status schools in the nation. It may even be true that these alumni networks are more valuable and important to the success of graduates than the education they received. So what do you do if you didn't go to a prestigious school? The principles are the same for any network of people.
Create your powerful connections list.
In order to form new and more powerful relationships, it's a good idea to first begin by determining who are, and who can potentially become, your most powerful connections. Ask yourself: Who do I need to be able to connect with to build my business successes?
Leverage your connections.
Effectively leverage your business network by creating a large enough network, regularly staying in touch with them, and helping them get to know you, what you do in your business, and the kinds of people you work with. But most of all, concentrate on getting to know them and developing a relationship focused on them.
True connections happen eye to eye.
Just because there are a lot of new and improved ways to connect with people, it doesn't mean we should rule out good old-fashioned face-to-face contact. Sure, social networking is great, and when used the right way, it can be a great tool for you and your business. However, if you want to really connect with people, it is important to make it a priority to schedule face time.
Sit down and have a one-on-one conversation with someone you would like to strengthen your relationship with. Think about those on your powerful connections list, people you truly care about--the ones who will mean the most to you in the year ahead--and then make it a point to see each one of them in person at some point in the next few months.
Make amends when you mis-connect.
It's bound to happen at some point: You send an email about a client (intended for one of your employees!) to the client. Or you tweet something that at the time seemed funny and edgy, but instead offended a few of your followers. Or you forget to follow up on a referral you've received because they got lost in your email inbox for three months. What do you do? Mark these connections down as technology casualties and move on?
Kuzmeski says that option is a big mistake. She says that whenever you've made a mistake -- online or otherwise -- you should take immediate action to rectify the situation. Take down the offending tweet, send out an online apology, and certainly pick up the phone to apologize personally.
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