Elevator speeches, do you need one?

Do you need an "elevator speech"?

Yes & no! When talking about their businesses, many entrepreneurs try to get everything they do into a 30-second pitch, and we miss most of it. We simply tune out after the first few items on the list. Instead, you should focus on your top two or three areas of expertise.

*Start with the First 10 Seconds, What if 10 seconds is all you get? Does your first sentence tell your listener enough so they understand what you do and inspire them to want to know more? 

Here's the simple, but effective approach.
"I work with [type of clients] who have [these types of problems, issues or challenges]."
That's it. Don't try to sugar it up or make it too catchy

*Avoid the what you are approach, "I'm an accountant" or "I'm a marketing consultant" or "I'm a financial planner". You've heard them time and again. You've probably even done it yourself. The problem is your listener(s) may not understand what the title means and may remember an incorrect definition
*Avoid the, what you do approach. "I do small business accounting including sales tax and payroll" This tends to be boring and doesn't help the listener(s) understand what they get as a result.

*Say how you solved a problem or served a client. Reinforce your first 10 second sentence with a second sentence that shows how you solved a problem or overcame a particular issue or challenge.

"I help mid-sized accounting firms plan big conferences on a small budget.
I just recently lined up free live entertainment for a firm that hosted 500 people in town last week."

*Tell them why you are unique. What makes you stand out from the crowd?
Maybe it's a unique model or approach for better results, focus on a specific niche, a guarantee, or extras that others don't provide.

There are many ways to define your uniqueness that will help gain attention and make you memorable.

  I work with small businesses to increase their profits.

  I encourage entrepreneurs by providing opportunities.

  I help people find ways to make more money.

  I create opportunities.

I hope it helps and works for you!

let me take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy Christmas and a really successful 2013.

Malcolm 

http://www.stevenagelocalbusiness.com/

Different personality types...

Last time I was telling you the more you know about people the more likely you are to connect with the right people; so continuing this theme, let me give you a brief overview of the four different personality types by colour:

First there is Yellow. Yellow's make up 35% of the population and are open and indirect with their feelings.
They are the best at using both sides of their brains. They are relationship and family orientated, logical, analytical and teamwork is very important to them. Their voice is soft and gentle and they speak in relaxed tones. They like giving back to others. They don't like pushy people, aggressiveness or sudden change.
Talk to a yellow slowly and relaxed and let them know they are appreciated.

Next is Blue.. Blues make up 15% of the population.
Blues are open and direct with their feelings. Very right brained, talk fast, very creative, must have fun doing things. They are strong on family and relationships, spontaneous and enthusiastic.
When you talk to a blue, you should focus on fun, talk about excitement. Never try to sell a blue.

Then Green. Greens make up 35% of the population.
They are indirect and self-contained with their feelings. Left brained, very logical, and analytical. Precise and need to have all the facts and figures. They are savers, organised, task orientated and accurate. They're the best negotiators.
When speaking to a green, give them the facts and figures. You cannot overload a green with information.

And finally Red. Reds make up 15% of the population.
Reds are direct and self-contained with their feelings. Reds are Left brained, forceful, stern and to the point. No chitchat, money is power, take action; task orientated and impatient.
When you talk to a red you need to let them think you need them. They like being sold, close them, focus on money and stroke their ego.

So, to summarise:

Yellow - Use both sides of the brain.
Blue - Right brained and creative
Green - Left brained and analytical.
Red - Left brained and task orientated.

So, there you have it, listen and learn; and remember, as I said in a previous article, "If you're constantly looking for ways to help people … achieve their goals, they'll be much more likely to help you in return."

Next time I'll be looking at elevator speeches and asking if you need one!

Malcolm 

http://www.stevenagelocalbusiness.com/

Getting to know people...

In my last Blog I talked about small talk and the graceful exit; one reader made the comment, "The best networking is achieved from being social, listening, and seeing how you can help others, not how they can help you", and she is absolutely right! If you are a good listener you're a good networker. 

This time I want to develop the point that the more you know about people the more you can really listen and learn!

If you actively listen to someone you will be able to qualify their conversation and ask some open-ended questions that will help you get to know the person better. If you also know something about differing personality types, the more you are likely to understand their needs.
There are many ways to differentiate between types but for the purposes of this article I will use colours! 

There are 4 colour/ personality types: Red, Blue, Green and Yellow.

Everybody has a colour type, and acts in a certain way:

• Some things are important to us.
• We like to be talked to in a certain way.
• We like and dislike certain things.

What if you:

• Knew how I liked to be talked to
• Knew what was important to me.
• Knew what I didn't like. Knew what I liked,
• knew if I was over sensitive,
• Knew if I needed support and knew if I like to have fun.

How can this information help you? Well, if you had this information about me and gained more insight as you talked with me it should help you understand me and my needs!

So, next time I will give you a brief overview of the four different personality types by colour.

Malcolm 

http://www.stevenagelocalbusiness.com/

The art of small talk...

Small talk basically consists of 3 phases:

• The ice breaker
• Get to know you better
• Graceful exit

So you attend a networking event, you make eye contact with someone you want to meet; you approach them and introduce yourself and now what?

Having a few powerful, open-ended ice breaker questions should certainly do the trick. For example:

"So John, what do you do?"

Now people love talking about themselves and their business so the idea here is to get them started talking, and most people also love to hear the sound of their own voice!

"So John, what brings you here today?"

Now notice on these sample ice breaker questions I've repeated the person's name.
Firstly, by doing this it will help burn that person's name into my mind so I don't forget it.
Secondly, people love the sound of their name - so don't be afraid to use it throughout your conversation

*Getting to know you better

Depending on the results of the ice breaker questions you should by now be able to determine whether or not it makes sense to get to know this person better.

If not, simply skip this phase and go to what I call the graceful exit (More on this later.)

But if you do see a connection, try some of these again open-ended, getting to know you better, questions:

How did you get into that business?
What is success for you and your business?
What's new in your industry?

You can use one or two of these questions, or more if the situation permits.

However, be careful here not to dominate someone's time as the idea is to network not monopolise and possibly alienate someone!

* The Graceful Exit

It's vastly important how you leave a conversation - as this is the last impression you make on that person. We're not looking to create any animosity; the key is to exit gracefully.

A major difference between the types of questions or statements you make in this phase as opposed to the previous two phases is that now you shift to using close-ended ones. For example:

Introduce the person to someone else that may be of interest to them and then politely excuse yourself.

Now they exchange pleasantries and you immediately exit the conversation by saying something like,

"Well you two probably have a lot to talk about."

"It's been great meeting you John, I hope to see you at the next meeting."


More next time, until then, I hope your small talk brings you continued success!

Malcolm 

http://www.stevenagelocalbusiness.com/

Developing a network...

Here are a few tips that can help develop a network that works for you:

Be Patient; Networking doesn't happen overnight; it's a process. While people may want to help you, they might not be able to do so right away.
If someone agrees to meet with you but can't do so immediately, accept their offer graciously and patiently. Never let an opportunity to meet with someone during the course of networking slip away. Always be open to meeting!

Be Authentic and Kind; when you do meet with someone take a sincere interest in their life, not just the information or possible assistance they can offer you.

Don't push people for their knowledge or connections and then abandon the relationship. Networking means fostering relationships. Relationships are built on trust and sharing over time.

Be a Conduit; Remember, the objective of networking is more networking.
Always find more contacts to meet and, in turn, become a great connector yourself! Open up your network to others. Hopefully they'll follow suit and do the same for you.

Be a Teacher; Keep in mind that not everyone you meet will understand what networking is or how they can help you. Many people think that the best way they can help you is to take your CV and pass it along; it's not, build relationships not contacts!

Be a Helper; Networking is reciprocal. No matter who you're dealing with, you should always try to give more than you receive. For example, if you have information about a particular company, industry, or educational program that would be valuable to someone in your network, share it. By sharing you will help others and in turn, others will help you.

So, remember, if you're constantly looking for ways to help people in your network achieve their goals, they'll be much more likely to help you in return.

Having started to develop your network, the next stage is to master the art of Small Talk!

 

 

Malcolm 

http://www.stevenagelocalbusiness.com/

Networking - the law of attraction...

When you go to a networking event it is important to attract people to you, some do it naturally but most of us have to work at it!

How to be visible:
What attracts you to people attracts people to you!

• Quiet or outgoing - The way you behave will attract similar people to you.
• Charisma - A thing we may worry about but really it is best to be yourself and remember, some will, some won't…
• Where you stand - Is really important, try to position yourself towards a corner where you can see people entering the room and never stand in the middle!
• How you enter a room - Is just as important , as people will be watching you too! You know where you're going, towards a corner where you can see the door, so walk purposefully there! (Of course if you know someone at least acknowledge them!)
• The quality of your conversation - This will get people to remember you, be glad to see you and get you invited to other events, so work on it!

Then, when you have met someone or made a good contact, keep in touch!

Keeping in contact:
Depending on contact/occasion:

Mail: Drop a mail to thank host; "good to meet you" or meet as agreed
Phone: Host; contacts as above
Send them invitations to your events.
Send them email / newsletter to share news or success stories, especially anything of relevance to them.

Finally always remember that it is better to give and you will receive!

Giving and receiving:
Don't try to sell! Listen, ask, remember non verbal shows of interest and you will be asked, "And what do you do?"
Build trust: people buy from people! Remember, what attracts/ detracts you from people? Effective networking is about building relationships: with others who can refer you once they've come to trust you and have confidence in you.

This truly is the key to networking success, and this process takes time. This isn't a get-rich-quick scheme. It's a way to build your business through referrals.

Someone giving a third party testimonial: helps more than anything, and that's the power of the third-party testimonial. It happens not because they trust you, but they trust the person who is referring you!

If you want to get better at giving referrals, there's a simple question to ask people:

"How will I know when I meet a really good prospect for you?"

You will find they describe for you their ideal client and…it maybe you!

I hope this helps and next time I will talk about developing a network that works for you!

Malcolm 

http://www.stevenagelocalbusiness.com/

Networking - the first meeting...

When we meet someone for the first time, are you afraid that…

You won't know what to say: Hi I'm …!
You won't know anyone: Introduce yourself, look for someone, join group - Hi I'm …
You'll dry: Rehearse phrases - I'm …. and I'm new to this
You'll make a fool of yourself: So what, think how often does that happen.

FIDO = Forget it Drive On!
Remember, some will, some won't, so what!

Come up with some icebreakers or conversation starters.
Have questions prepared that you can ask anyone you meet at the event.
You may want to inquire about other people's business, their connection to the sponsoring organisation or their opinion of the venue.
 

You will not come across as pushy if you seek out the "approachable" people. These are the ones who are standing alone or who are speaking in groups of three or more. Whereas, two people talking to each other are not approachable because they may be having a private conversation and you would be interrupting

So, before you walk into a room think & remember...

When you go to networking event be prepared, be relaxed and genuine, you will find that it is a lot more fun. Prepare: What you're going to say, Hi I'm ... and …
Have a plan of action to really get to know people; you will be much more productive in a shorter amount of time.
Decide how many people you'll meet; Set a number between 2 & 5. Avoid: people you know and are safe company, however do acknowledge them!
People will feel comfortable talking to you and you to them in an environment of truth, more people will want to do business with you and to be around you; authentic enthusiasm is contagious

Meet and greet, remember what I suggested in an earlier post, imagine you are the host and introduce people!

That's it for now, I hope it helps and next time I'll cover some more tips to help you create your own successful network! 

Malcolm 

http://www.stevenagelocalbusiness.com/

Networking - The Do's and Don'ts..

If you have a car, would you hand over your car keys to a perfect stranger? Of course not!
Now instead of a key to your car, imagine you have a key that opens the door to an important relationship with a colleague that someone else would like to connect with. You hold the key to this relationship, but you don't know the person who's asking for it. Would you give it to them? Of course not! Why?

*Because when you give a referral, you give away a piece of your reputation. If it's a good referral, it helps your reputation; if it's a bad referral, it hurts. Intuitively, you'll only hand over the keys to someone you know and trust.
What I love about this example is that it works on two levels:

First, you're not going to hand over the keys to a relationship until you know a person well. But more important, others don't even know what keys you actually have until you trust them enough to tell them.

So what should you do?

*Get involved - be visible. Do as much as you can to make yourself more visible. Being involved does a couple of things for you and your business.

• First, you'll get more opportunities to establish connections and get to know some of the contacts you've made even better.
• Secondly, the higher the visibility you have in the group, the less you'll have to work to make new connections.

*Make it a point to meet new people. Instead of spending all of your time with friends or colleagues, go off on your own. Sit next to them during the sessions. Start conversations while walking between sessions.

*Don't advertise, give out cards or dominate conversations. It all comes down to establishing credibility. I've seen many people who think networking is about meeting people and asking for business right then and there. Think
how you would react to someone who says, "Hello, my name is ….. Let's do business."

*Do ask, listen, be interested, move around and give only when asked, "How can I help you?"
Networking is like farming. It's about cultivating those relationships with other people. Think about a farmer, he prepares the soil for months before ever planting the seeds. He tends the seedlings with care, feeding and watering them regularly, putting up a scarecrow to keep birds away. It's a long, drawn-out process to go from seeding a field to harvesting the crops. There's no quick return.

*Ask open-ended questions during your networking conversations, questions that ask who, what, where, when, and how. Try to avoid questions that require a simple yes or no response.
Remember, in all your dealings, if you make a mistake and say something that can be potentially embarrassing, you can always apologise for it and be forgiven. But if you say something that is not true, your credibility may be permanently damaged!

I hope that helps, next time I'll discuss meeting someone for the first time & going to your first meeting.

Malcolm

Networking - Are you shooting yourself in the foot?

When you find a group or two join and go to all the meetings you can. Don't go just once or twice expecting things to happen and then if they don't quit. Building mutually beneficial, win-win relationships will take some time.
There are lots of myths about networking, so let's debunk a few:
Myth 1: The more you network, the more effective your networking activities become

Truth 1: It's much more important to become well-known in 1-2 circles than to spread your networking activities over many different groups.

Myth 2: The cocktails and drinks circuit is the way to network to success

Truth 2: Networking with strangers to build business is about as effective as going to a bar to get married!

Myth 3: Networking is all about getting more people to know what you do.

Truth 3: Networking is all about getting people that already know you to share opportunities where you can be helpful to each other.
* Make 2-3 phone calls a day to connect with people from past jobs, former clients, or influential people who have expressed interest in you in the past.

Here's why you're not going to meet your business soul mate at a networking event:

• You aren't going to do business with someone after meeting them for a few minutes.
• Businesses are built on relationships
• Most of us have major trouble in explaining what we do
• Networking with strangers is not targeted or specific and is completely random.
• This type of networking is exactly as effective as cold calling, which is the least effective marketing tool there is.

So am I saying that networking is a waste of time? Absolutely not, what I'm saying is you need to start networking smarter:

* Network by having coffee or lunch with people one on one. Get to know them and their business. But aim first and foremost to make them a friend. The rest will follow naturally.

* If you're going to network with strangers, go with the goal of making 2-3 lunch or coffee dates with people you find interesting.
* Ask every happy customer you have, for just one referral of someone who would be interested in your type of goods or services, then call and use their name.
* Create a network "hit list" of the exact kind of businesses you want to network with. Make the list and put it in your little black book or on you computer contact list. Focus your networking on only those people - or others who can refer you to those people.
* Join non-business groups and spend time doing non-business activities: Civic, social, religious, recreational, musical, athletic... the list is endless. Establish relationships with people in your group.
* If you do go to a "mixer" event go with a targeted goal in mind. For example, your goal might be "to meet three people on my target list"


Next time, I'll show you what to do and not do!

Malcolm

How to begin TaiChi...

How to begin TaiChi – Sorting the Wheat from the Chaff!

Most Beginners TaiChi may not look pretty; it takes much dedication and perseverance to reach a high level in the art. Most of us have often seen that the of images of TaiChi play on television or in the media, the soft gentle flowing movements practiced by its participants may have resonated within your sub conscious; giving the look and feel that the practitioner is in complete harmony with nature and their surroundings. Each movement gently flowing onto the next, with no discerning pause in between, this can have an almost hypnotic feel to the spectator.

I would like to give TaiChi a try!

You may have seen the wonderful movements of TaiChi being practiced and would like to begin your TaiChi journey but do not know what to do next.

Where do I Begin TaiChi?

You have come to the conclusion that you would like to try TaiChi but do not know where to find a suitable class for beginners TaiChi.

Local newspapers

Local newspapers are a brilliant source of information about events that are going on locally to you. Scan through your local newspapers and see if you can find an advertisement for a beginners class advertised. This would be a brilliant way to find out whether you like Tai Chi and get on with the teacher. Please ask the teacher whether you can try out a lesson, to see if it is for you. No descent teacher should mind if you have a go for one lesson for free.

If you cannot locate a beginner’s TaiChi class in your local paper, there are normally classes advertised most weeks in the paper. Again ask if you can try out for one lesson for free, to see whether it is for you.  

Local directories

Another source of local information is directories such as Thompson or Yellow pages.

The internet

The internet is a fantastic media source; look through it carefully there are normally lots of classes and associations advertised on the internet.

Word of mouth

Ask friends, colleagues or family if they know of a good TaiChi class advertised locally. It is surprising when you talk to people that you may find out that they are actually doing tai Chi or know a good local class.

Notice boards or window advertisements

Start to read local notice boards or window advertisements as they can be a good source of information for what is going on locally.

I have found a class and would like to begin Tai Chi

It is always a very good idea to try at least 3 different classes before you begin training properly under one teacher.

Classes can vary so much, so it is a sensible idea to try a few teachers first, making a list of the pros and cons before you decide on a regular class.

What do I need to know before I begin my first lesson?

Joining a new class can be a big commitment, so it is a sensible idea to check out the teachers credentials. You will have to feel confident in your relationship with the teacher as you could be training for many years together.

Ask about lineage

In TaiChi one of the most important questions to ask the teacher about is their lineage; No authentic teacher should mind you asking this question. This will give you important information about who the teacher has trained under, and if they are training in an authentic style; which can trace its origins back to the founders of the system or style, usually originating from the east in countries like China.

Choose a well known style

It is vitally important that you choose a well known style of TaiChi such as Yang, Chen, Wu or Sun style etc.

If you move area, change classes or teacher you should have no problem finding a new teacher for your style, as styles or systems can vary so much.

Look around the class

Speak to the other students within the class as they are another source of useful information. See if they are happy and look at how the teacher passes on his knowledge on to them.

Teacher CPD

• Does your teacher continue to learn and train under more senior teachers within their art?
• Is your teacher choosing to practice what they preach and do continual professional development, to improve their Tai Chi and teaching methods?

If your chosen teacher is continuing to learn and practice under their teacher or teachers this is usually a good sign that you are in a good authentic class. If your teacher does not continue to learn this can be extremely de-motivating for the students, and would normally indicate that unless they are a complete master, in which case the class is not an authentic one or that the teacher is a very poor one.

Syllabus

Ask your teacher about their teaching syllabus as in an authentic class the syllabus is huge and takes many, many years, to learn in full. In a lot of cases the full syllabus is only taught to the inner students (most senior students), but this should not deter your progress within the art.

Do not rush

When you begin TaiChi observe your teacher very closely and listen to what they tell you. Do not compare your progress to that of others as this can also hinder your progress.

Does the class meet on more than one day a week?

Ask your TaiChi teacher if they run other classes, as you progress you may decide to increase your lessons. If your teacher only runs one class a week this may hinder your future progress.

Enjoy your Tai Chi

There are numerous other questions that have not been covered in this short article, but when you begin TaiChi it is important that you enjoy your future learning.

Good luck!

Gary Webb MChS Podiatrist

Mind, Body and Spirit Coach

Is Networking for you?

Whether you're an introvert or an extrovert, feel like you have the gift of the gab or just don't know how to make small talk, networking know-how is very important for your business success. There is a notion in business that I believe most of us subscribe to that says,
"All things being equal, people will do business with and refer business to those they know, like and trust."

The key to this is obviously being able to develop relationships; so over the next few blogs I'm going to guide you through the minefield that is networking.

What types of networking are there?

Online: This is the latest fashion and there are many excellent sites out there; some of the one's I use include: Ecademy, Twitter & Facebook. However you must decide which is right for you and how you are going to use them, personally I use the first two for business and the latter for family and friends. My advice is don't mix the two, if you want both a personal & business presence then have two separate user names.
Networks: Again there are numerous networks to consider, most, if not all, offer access to a large network of contacts for which you pay a subscription. My advice is to look around and visit before you commit to these, especially as some can be quite pricey!
Informal: These are often forgotten or neglected but can be very useful! Included here are, friends, work and ad hoc meetings, However, please remember the rules and don't treat these the same as formal networks, there is nothing more annoying that being pitched when you believe you are meeting someone for a social cup of coffee! So build trust by being a good listener and hold back!
Groups: As with the previous category, these can often be overlooked as a means of getting known but can be very beneficial in raising your profile. Included here are local, community or national groups that can be an interest, hobby or a society that you have a loose affiliation to.

Whatever you decide is right for you; one useful piece of advice is to look for groups that don't target people like you!

Surround yourself with people who don't look like you, don't sound like you, don't talk like you, don't have the same educational background as you, and don't have the same experiences as you. Connect with people who are substantially different from you. The value in this is that you meet people who connect you to people you wouldn't normally have contact with and this is the essence of successful networking!

Next time, I'll ask if you're shooting yourself in the foot!

Malcolm

Inspirational Programmes for Schools and Colleges...

This month’s Blog is about a company I’m associated with, School Dynamics, which delivers inspirational courses to Staff and pupils in Schools:

  School Dynamics.

Inspirational Courses for Schools and Colleges.

STOP PRESS JANUARY - Exams time!  Time planning/deadline planning/stress management workshops: book now for your school!  Our popular ‘Mastery of Stress and Time – don’t panic – get SORTED’ workshops help your students plan their revision and project work, minimise stress and learn the techniques and tools that will help them (and you) “keep calm and carry on”….  No midnight oil required…

The School Dynamics team delivers a comprehensive portfolio of student leadership, staff team development and business support programmes for schools and colleges.

Our experienced team is made up of educationalists – former Heads, Deputy Heads, Heads of Sixth Form – and business, marketing and communications experts.  We are working with schools and sixth-form colleges to deliver proven leadership training, mentoring and coaching incorporating the tools and techniques of inspirational leadership, and our expert marketing and business advisory team helps schools and colleges optimise their marketing and promotional activities.

Leadership

School Dynamics student leadership programmes include:

• Full-year programme including delivering a leadership or community support event
• A shorter programme covering one or two terms, also including delivering a leadership or community support event
• Introduction to Leadership for Prefects: half-day or one full day
• 3 days: Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM) Level 2 Award Effective Team Member Skills programme
• 3 days: ILM Level 2 Award Team Leading programme
• 2 days: Leadership Training
• 2 days: Teamwork Training
• 1 day: Introduction to Teamwork
• 1 day: Introduction to Leadership
• NEW for 2010-2011 Your impact: confidence-building and presentation skills

Some more detail on the leadership challenge projects
You decide if your students run a full day, half-day or a single event and the project can run throughout the academic year or in any term that suits your school.  As these programmes tend to need more time to develop, they are most suitable for Lower Sixth or for 11-13-year-olds either about to join the senior school or in the final years of prep school.  Key elements of the programme, fully tailored to the age of the participants, are as follows: 

• Students learn the theory and practical application of leadership, management and project management, incorporating a range of best practice tools and techniques.
• Students determine the format and content of their leadership or community event, within certain boundaries – primarily of course legal and health & safety requirements, but also making sure that the activity retains strong educational content  
• Our expert facilitators, with extensive experience of business and leadership development, coach and mentor your students throughout, helping them brainstorm, plan, market, promote, communicate and deliver their event
• In a targeted debrief day after the event, pupils explore what they learned collectively and individually, revisiting the theory and application of leadership and teamwork
• Through practical exercises, students review their own personal performance against the theory and derive a personal action plan to enhance their own leadership skills.

While your staff can participate in the project if they wish, it is designed to run with no impact to staff workload
Costs are flexible and tailored directly to your school budget.

Student leadership programmes from School Dynamics: delivering you a strong differentiator in leadership training and development.

School Dynamics people also give a number of presentations and workshops FREE to schools in their local communities.

Sharon Pink

Call 020 8582 2513 or mail sharon.pink@school-dynamics.co.uk now for more information.