Recently the 10 essential principles of business networking were posted to the 30SecondsGo! Blog. So far we shared details about #1 Elevator Speech and #2 Be Different. This week we are sharing more about principle #3 Be a Giver
3. help others – give before you receive
Always prioritize helping and giving to others ahead of taking and receiving for yourself. Remember the old saying ‘you must give in order to receive’. It’s true, in fact it is biblical! One of the oldest and wisest of saying. Be helpful to others and you will be helped in return.
Networks of people are highly complex – often it is not possible to see exactly how and why they are working for you, so you must trust that goodness is rewarded, even if the process is hidden and the effect takes a while. Remembering the principle of ‘what goes around comes around’ and it will serve you well.
A possible explanation of how Karma (or whatever you call it) produces positive outcomes is found in the rule of ‘cause and effect’, or the scientific law (loosely speaking) that ‘every action has an equal reaction’. Good deeds and helpfulness tend to produce positive effects. They are usually remembered and often repaid. The giver builds reputation and trust. Referrals tend to result.
Imagine yourself having lots of personal connections like this. You become known as a helpful person. Word about you spreads, and your reputation grows. People who give are seen to have strength to give. Followers gravitate to strong giving people.
Helping others extends far beyond your personal specialty or line of work. Networking is about working within a system enabling relevant high quality introductions and cooperation, which get great results for the participants.
Try to ask helpful questions. These typically begin with ‘what’ and ‘how’, and address an area of interest to the other person, not you.
Open questions (who, what, how, when, etc. – also “Tell me about…”) give the other person opportunity to speak and express their views and feelings:
Ask people:
“How can I help you?”
“What can I do for you?”
Be creative and constructive in how you regard others and how you might help them. Being defensive and making assumptions tends to limit options and growth.
For example, try to see your competitors as potential allies. When you talk with your competitors you will often be surprised by the opportunities to collaborate in areas you do not compete, and even possibly in areas where you do. This is particularly so for small businesses who can form strategic alliances with like-minded competitors to take a joint-offering to a market and compete for bigger contracts.
Coaching and connecting people is part of how we support our clients at 30 Second Success. We work closely with clients to create a clear, concise message that connects with confidence. The ability to convert contacts into clients through your messaging is powerful. We help you take opportunities to share your elevator speech and turn them into one on one meetings where the real magic happens. Call today for more information 215.801.6750
