Choose your "All Star Team"
Choose Your "All Star Team" That Will Work For You
Ever wish there was someone in your corner, someone looking out
for you, singing your praises or making connections and opening
doors for you? You do. In fact, you probably have 10 or more
potential people like that who can improve your business, help
you network, and create opportunities when you least expect
them. You don't have to head a huge corporation to have a board
of advisors. In fact, you probably already have a potential
group of associates and acquaintances that could serve you well
as advocates, mentors and personal cheerleaders. The key to
developing this core group into your "All Star" team, your
advocates, your personal "sales" team is identifying and
cultivating these relationships, so you can count on their
unsolicited support, like money in the bank.
Building relationships requires making investments. Like regular
deposits in a bank account, staying on the radar of your "key"
people requires creativity that goes way beyond a monthly call
to "check in". In fact, calls of that kind are the least
effective. They give contacts the impression that you are
calling because you want something. Ideally, you want contacts
and advisors to associate a call from you as an opportunity they
won't want to miss. Here's how:
Coach Nick's Step by Step Approach To Putting Together Your "All
Star Team:"
Identify your core, then zero in. The first step is looking at
the 200-300 people that comprise your personal network. This
includes neighbors, friends, colleagues, past and prospective
clients, former employees, etc. Go through your Rolodex and find
the core 10 percent - the most valuable people, or the people
you perceive as having the best possibility of influencing your
career. How do you determine the cream of the crop? Your best
"All Stars" are people who are influential, either in terms of
position, money or contacts they can use to help you. The
second, even more important criteria, is that they care about
you and care enough to help you without asking. Once you've
identified this core group, you want to do everything in your
power to build on the relationships you have with them, so your
return is even greater than what you already have been fortunate
enough to receive. Make contact anything but routine. Nobody
wants to get a call that smacks of "can you help me now."
Approaching business relationships like you would other
relationships means going beyond the transparent "check in" call
and developing a relationship where contact from you is wanted,
welcome and perceived as offering value. Make frequent contact
with advisors (and people you want to cultivate as potential
advisors) in a way that offer benefits. E-mail a great article
you read that relates to their field of interest. Send them
tickets to an event they are passionate about, such as a golf
outing or a concert. Support their favorite charity monetarily
or by offering to volunteer. Write them a handwritten note
congratulating them on a recent success.
Become a networking partner. One of the easiest ways to show
advisors you care and offer value by association is by making
referrals and introductions. Whenever you come across a person
or situation that could benefit your contacts, make the
connection for them. Keep them in the loop by e-mailing them
about referrals you've made or offering to make introductions on
their behalf. By helping them succeed in their careers or
personal goals, you incentivize them to continue being proactive
on your behalf. It's all about the law of reciprocity - doing
something good for others inevitably comes back to you.
Stay on their radar. A proven way to develop "All Stars," is to
be on their minds at least once a month. One easy way to ensure
this is by giving a monthly "gift" that makes them think of you
every time they receive it. Whether it's a magazine or business
journal subscription, or a coffee or beer-of-the-month club, by
keying into their interests and giving them something that's
appreciated, you're guaranteed to be "always on their mind." The
cost or effort connected to this kind of gesture isn't huge, but
your returns will be.
Make it personal. Connecting with advocates on a deeper level,
makes them care about you even more, prompting them to want to
help you. Reaching that deeper level can be achieved by taking
relationships to a more personal level. Picking up a neat
souvenir for them when on vacation, inviting advocates to
barbecues or holiday parties hosted by you, are easy ways to
show them how much you value their association. Events also
offer the opportunity for all your associates to meet, network
and inevitably talk about how they know you. The good times they
create and the relationships they build put them in your debt.
Offer rewards. Take time to properly thank advocates for any
kind of referral or introduction they make on your behalf. If it
leads to any business or opportunity, send them a token of
thanks, a gift that will motivate them to send more
opportunities your way.
Share opportunities. If you land an opportunity, such as a big
project where you'll need outside help, or an event requiring
sponsors or speakers, go to your advisors first. Even if they
turn down the opportunity, they will be flattered to be asked
and remember to offer you the same opportunities in return. If
they do take you up on it, any future business contacts they
make from the event will put them in your debt.
Creatively staying on the radar of your "All Stars," adds value
to their lives while serving to bolster your own "sales team."
It's the ultimate win-win. Deposits in this kind of bank account
gain interest and generates the feel-good energy that comes from
helping others. When you need to withdraw from the bank account
for a favor, you'll know you've got the funds to cover any
request. Developing strong relationships with advocates creates
a circle of positive energy that ultimately comes back to you.
You can never go wrong do something right, so remember to pay it
forward.