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I know, it’s summer and we’re trying to relax.

But just in case you find yourself at a networking event in the next few weeks (or plan to be at one this fall), there are a few key ways you can add value to your attendance in addition to your presence at the event. Of course, when you choose the right one, the networking alone provides a return on your investment.

But we’re often so eager for our actual attendance to equal business that we forget that as with any business development opportunity, it’s not one-and-done. In the dating game, while it might be possible for you to meet someone and marry them the same night, and find lasting happiness, it’s much more likely that you spend time getting to know each other before making a commitment. Your business relationships are much the same.
Continue Reading 3 Tips to Translate Networking into Business Opportunities

Summer is often a time that we naturally slow down – the weather is warmer, we feel lazier, more people are out on vacation and we may be out ourselves.

You may be expecting me to suggest a litany of ways you can supercharge the time you have in the office or on your vacation to make the most of it, but I’m not going to do either of those things. First, I’m going to tell you – if you’re taking time away from the office this summer, take it. Delegate your workload as best as you can except for TRUE EMERGENCIES (and be honest with yourself about what those are) and don’t check your emails. Try turning your work email off your phone for the period that you’ll be out of the office. It sounds anxiety-producing, but I promise you that once you do it, it’s really quite freeing. If it feels like you’re neglecting your work, the truth is that we’re all better humans AND better at our jobs when we take a genuine break from our work and come back to it refreshed. Your clients want that for you too. …
Continue Reading Five Tips to Turn Hot Summer Days into Hot Fall Ideas

Raise your hand if you hate the word “authenticity.”

It’s right up there with some of the other most hated buzzwords and phrases – “at the end of the day,” “thinking outside of the box,” “synergy,” “value add,” “circle back,” “bandwidth.”

Are you cringing yet?

But even though the word “authenticity” might make your skin crawl, it’s actually a pretty important concept – it’s a buzzword for a reason. And actually, I don’t hate it, but I know a lot of people who do! 

One of the most often shared tips for networking is that being authentic is key – whether you’re networking in person or virtually.
Continue Reading Authenticity: It’s a Buzzword, but Also the Key to Successful Networking

Now. Before you freak out and imagine that I’m suggesting that you become either a bard or a liar, just bear with me for a little bit to understand what I mean by “storytelling.” (Hopefully, you’ve also read last week’s post as well.)

Daily, we interact with lots of people – this happens in person, at our offices, in the coffee shop, at our kids’ sporting events, or in art classes. It happens online, through our group chats, text messages with friends, Facebook shares, LinkedIn comments, etc. We interact so much and so frequently, that we’ve reached a real saturation point with these interactions, and even with our professional messages, we can see a lack of care that a lot of us are giving to the details over the tools and the shiny new thing. Instead, we’re just blindly producing more and more and more and more, adding more noise (as Adrian Lurssen would say). …
Continue Reading Lawyers: Develop Business with Storytelling

The short answer? Both!

After two-plus years of being limited to almost entirely virtual meetings, we’ve learned that there are huge benefits to doing things online. But many people were also chomping at the bit to get back to seeing each other in the flesh. So that begs the question – which is better? It turns out that we need both and for different reasons. So while you may be tempted to toss your ring light forever in favor of jumping back onto planes…not so fast. Let’s look at the pros of both types of meetings and see why you need to keep them all in your diary. …
Continue Reading The Battle of the Meetings: Virtual vs. In-Person – Which is Better?

Also known as “How to Translate Content Marketing into Relationship Marketing” without using the big scary words that will make you run away from this post before you read it.

Remember the good old days when we just did a bunch of things and didn’t have specialized terms for them? Yep, these aren’t them.

There are a lot of things that you do or may have done for a while, that now have terms associated with them. You may hear those terms bandied about and get turned off by them, but my belief is that if you knew what they were really talking about, you’d realize that they refer to things you’re already doing and feel a lot more comfortable a) using them and b) maybe even exploring some of the other areas that they refer to more.
Continue Reading Turning “What You Say About What You Do” Into Connections

When networking, it’s easy to focus on the event itself and forget that one of the most important parts of the process is the follow-up. Networking, and relationship building, aren’t a one and done – they’re a process. And that process takes careful tending.

But the good news is that with a few simple steps, you can make that follow-up part of your post-event routine so that following up becomes as natural as brushing your teeth…well, almost.
Continue Reading Networking: Don’t Forget to Follow Up!

There have been many jokes and memes about how we have all forgotten the most basic of social skills after being locked down for two years.

But in all seriousness, it sometimes feels like when you don’t flex a certain “muscle,” you forget how to use it. In some ways, the last two years have really dragged on, but in others, they’ve flown by. So it can come as a surprise when you’re getting excited to return to that first in-person event only to realize that you may feel a little rusty. …
Continue Reading Help! I’ve Forgotten How to Network!

What better way to celebrate International Networking Week with a throwback to a post I wrote about international networking (updated for these modern times)?

With virtual platforms bringing us even closer together these days, the ability for us to connect with counterparts from across borders is easier than ever. But that means we can’t forget that everyone doesn’t do business in the same way that we do. That’s incredibly fun because it means we get to learn about other people and cultures, but there can also be a few pitfalls. Entrepreneur shared this great article back in 2014 on the keys to success for navigating networking internationally and I added a fifth suggestion based on my own experience – these five tips hold true today. …
Continue Reading 5 Ways to Be Intentional About Your International Networking

I’m not big on resolutions.

Some years, I have some, other years I don’t, but they’re generally things I’d like to add more of to my life (like the year I decided I would try to learn how to knit – I’ve been crocheting since I was about five – yes, these are two different things).

Do I always have a business development plan? Yes.

So what am I advocating here? Sheer anarchy??

Uh, no. Don’t worry. …
Continue Reading Resolve to Throw Out Your Business Development Plan Today