We're moving to a new location

Dear readers and followers:

Please go to http://www.zachryinc.com/therelentlessnetworkerfor future posts and the archive of this blog.

Thanks for reading and thanks for continuing to follow us.

Keep on networking!

Relentless

Relentless Live: at the NDCC September 3

On Thursday, September 3rd, I'll be presenting a seminar in the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce's Business Toolbox Series entitled “Using Networking and Social Media Tools to Build Your Brand and Grow Your Business"

The 7:30 am event is intended for business owners. Visibility and top-of-mind awareness are the keys to building your business. Over the past several years, I've used a number of tools and methods as a part of our strategy to build awareness of the Zachry Associates brand in the DFW Metroplex and beyond. By telling our story and sharing his examples, I hope to arm you with ideas and tools you can use yourself. In this presentation, I will cover how I have used these tools to build the ZA brand in the marketplace:

• Social media
• Blogs
• Face-to-face networking
• The US Mail
• Obvious things

For more information, please visit www.ndcc.org to register.

Relentless

Stay focused

No matter what, keep your eye on the ball. There are many distractions in this business world and you have to not be distracted by the latest tool, the wrong person or the things that waste time.

Be there and be square.

Relentless

Co-opetition

How often have you been in the presence of your competitors? Whether it is at a trade show or networking event or in a lobby awaiting an interview, we've all been around those we are competing with.

What should you do?

How about make friends and be courteous? Flys and honey and all that aside, it's the best thing to do. Sure, you won't divulge competitive-sensitive information, but you can have a polite conversation. It might teach you something about them, their motives and--you.

The latest version of this phenomenon I witnessed was with a group of marketing managers for credit unions. These folks are all competing for similar business and clients, yet they are will to set aside their differences for 2 hours a month to talk over ideas and learn new ones.

My personal experience is from my Honeywell days as a trade show manager. I made friends with the TSM of our biggest competitor, Johnson Controls. I still am in touch with Keith Tomaszewski as he is a great souce of knowledge about the trade show industry and the controls business.

I realize this is also the title of a book by Adam Brandenburger and Barry Nalebuff, but the term works well with a lot of industries and situations.

Relentless

Adam M. Brandenburger, of the Harvard Business School, and Barry J. Nalebuff, Yale School of Management, published "Co-opetition" in 1996 with Doubleday.

Managing your volunteer efforts

It is the best of things to do: you help an organization by lending them your skills. You get the satisfaction of having helped further a cause or organization.

However, it has it's pitfalls. Remember, you aren't being paid and it can't (shouldn't) infringe on your work time (if you have one; if you are in transition, be careful not to take too much time away from your search).

The good news is that volunteer activities have a way of working on an ebb and flow concept: if you can't do a task, don't be afraid to ask for help. The help also sees when things fall off and will jump in.

It always seems to work out, but you need to manage the time and effort just as you do your work flow.

Relentless

A great example of personal brand

Jamey Wozniak is the best example I've seen in sometime of someone doing two things well:

• Creating and managing her personal brand
• Using her skills to transition from one career to another

Jamey is the owner of Joe's Hitch, Trailer and Truck Accessories in Dallas. This former human resources professional really took a sharp turn in her career: HR manager in the cosmetics and home fashion business to CEO of an automotive parts and accessories company.

Her skills as a human resources professional allow her to speak and interact with her employees and customers as few know how to do, applying her knowledge to the day-to-day operation of her company.

She also did a makeover of her appearance: from suits to jeans and boots--business to biker.

While it might seem extreme, from what I've read and learned of this smart businessperson is that it more suits her personality. She makes it clear in the consistency she shows from contact to contact: a Dallas Morning News story and photo, her Facebook and LinkedIn pages and profile, her image associated with the business in advertising and other media.

Consistency is a must when projecting one's brand image. Great work, Jamey.

Relentless

This is extracted in part from Cheryl Hall's story in the Sunday, 8/9/09 edition of the Dallas Morning News. Thanks, Cheryl.

The Three Ps

My colleague, Rob Brown, reminded me of another mantra for networkers and business seekers: the three Ps.

• Patience
• Persistence
• Passion

Patience. Good things come to those of us who wait. It is really true.

Persistence. Keep at it. Don't be rude or impolite, but keep at it.

Passion. It's worth your time and energy, go for it and do it with wild abandon.

Relentless

Rob Brown is the principal in RDB Consulting, www.rdbconsulting.biz

More on personal brand

From a seminar this morning on social media (where it is critical to manage your personal brand):

We are all brokers of three things:

• Knowledge
• Resources
• Relationships

Equal parts of these are the fuel of networking, marketing and sales.

Relentless

Thanks to Sean Piket, president of the Dallas SMEI chapter

Chasing Cherrios

As I look down into my morning cereal bowl, I realize: I am eating alone.

That Ferrazi guy has it right, "Never Eat Alone." It is the best use of time, working through meals. Let's face it, we're all pressed for time and taking time to meet and talk over a meal makes tremendous sense.

You learn a lot about your meal mates: what they like, their basic table manners, and, sometimes, personal things slip out to help paint the whole picture of who they are. As you listen, you learn a lot about who your connection is, especially if they are a potential employer or client.

It really isn't about the meal, either. While you might be hungry, it is about the conversation and the exchange. You might leave the table hungry, but that's okay.

So, look over your calendar and see if you have openings at meal times (all three each day plus two coffees at 10 and 2).

Relentless

Repeating the Mantra

As those of you who follow this space know, our basic theme is "It's Not About You."

Thank you, Kim Young! She knows, realizes and repeats this!

I attended Ms. Young's "Facebook, Twitter & All Things Social" at the Center for Nonprofit Management in Dallas yesterday. There, on a page headed "Secrets of social media..." were the words:

"IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU."

All of these tools are about making connections and gaining supporters.

Thank you, Kim, for spreading the word.

Relentless

Kim Young is the founder and principal of The Forest & The Trees (www.forestandthetrees.com)

The Positive Side of Networking

Networking can lead to lots of experiences. One of the things we can do is influence others in a positive way.

In a story written in this week's Sports Illustrated (the July 27 issue), Phil Taylor tells the story of Ryan Nece, a journeyman NFL player. Not a big star, Nece is an out-of-work linebacker (released by the Detroit Lions recently). But his character and generosity are very big indeed.

Nece invited 70 friends to a restaurant last month and distributed to each of them envelopes each containing $55 (Nece's jersey number). The cavaet was that they were to commit an act of kindness with instructions to their various receipients to continue the kindness ("pay it forward").

Responses ranged from one woman converting the cash to quarters and stuffing parking meters about to expire, leaving a note to extend the kindness. Another bought art supplies for his cancer-survivor artist friend who, in turn, adds an envelope with $55 to the back of each painting he sells. You get the idea.

We all have the power within us to make change happen. Revolutions have been started with the few influencing the many. The March of Dimes started with moms going door-to-door collecting the 10-cent pieces and ended up defeating polio.

The point is that don't ever feel you can't make a difference. In networking, we seek to meet and influence people. As long as we remember it isn't about us, it always will work. There is no substitute for courtesy and kindness.

Relentless

You can read the full text of Phil Taylor's "Point After" in the July 27, 2009, print edition of Sports Illustrated or online at www.si.com.

Connections

It's been said before in this space, but it came up again this past weekend: we really don't know the width and breadth of our networks.

A colleague from my Honeywell days wrote to me. It seems he had interviewed a former client of mine and she was in my network. He didn't know her, but I did. Independently, the candidate/former client had also written to me. Maybe it is a function of time, but the value of knowing both those people and the fact that they are now interacting, makes me remember several facts from earlier columns:

• You never know who you are going to work with or for.
• Don't burn a bridge--you may be standing on it.
• Courtesy is king.

I value the friendship and trust of both of these people and respect their skills and work ethic, as I do the people in my network. You just never know when paths will cross.

Relentless

A colleague reports: Who's Got Your Back?

Our colleague, Ann Ranson, recently heard a talk from networking guru, Keith Ferrazzi (the author of "Never Eat Alone"). While Keith was promoting his new book, he did come up with some great ideas important to our networking skills. Ann reports:

"I loved hearing Keith Ferrazzi (this past week) on the Leading News monthly conference call with Patricia Wheeler. He has great energy and passion, and is really into servant leadership – a passion which I share. He has a new book Who’s Got Your Back which sounds great."

"He says that networking is really about relationships, intimacy and generosity. It’s not about working a room. He talked about the importance of developing at least 3 LIFELINE relationships, which he defines as people who have our back:

• People with whom you can let your guard down & be vulnerable.
• People who will do anything for each other’s success.
• People who will be totally honest and will hold us accountable to greatness.

"After you have three, keep working to add one more person – and you must be willing to be vulnerable in seeking and developing these relationships."

"Be willing to ask your LIFELINE relationships the tough questions: how can I be more successful? What do you see that I’m doing that’s preventing my total success? The only acceptable responses are either thank you, or please clarify."

"Prioritize service and generosity…"

Thanks for sharing, Ann. As we have discussed many times, relationships are the key to quality networking and a quality of life.

Relentless

Ann Ranson is a skilled business consultant (www.annranson.com)