Transcript
Speaker: Made on Zencaster. Hello and welcome to The Independent Minds, a series of conversations between Abecedah and people who think outside the box about how work works with the aim of creating better workplace experiences for everyone. I'm your host, Michael Millward, the managing director of Abecedah.
Speaker: In this episode of The Independent Minds, networking expert Michael Foreman and I are going to be discussing how to make business networking work.
Speaker: As the jingle at the start of this podcast says, the independent minds is made on Zencaster. Zencaster is the all -in -one podcasting platform on which you can make your podcast in one place and then distribute it to the major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Amazon, and YouTube Music. Zencaster really does make making content so easy.
Speaker: If you would like to try podcasting using Zenkaster, visit zenkaster .com forward slash pricing and use my offer code ABACEDA. All the details are in the description. Now that I have told you how wonderful Zenkaster is for making podcasts, we should make one. One that will be well worth listening to, liking, downloading and subscribing to.
Speaker: As with every episode of The Independent Minds, we won't be telling you what to think, but we are hoping to make you think. Today, my guest Independent Mind, who I met through matchmaker dot .fm, is Michael Foreman, a networking expert and the author of the book, Networking Unleashed. Michael is based in Cummings, Georgia in the United States. It is not somewhere that I have been, but I bet it is warmer there than it is here today in Yorkshire.
Speaker: When I think of traveling to warmer locations, I also think about making those travel plans with the Ultimate Travel Club, because that is where I can access trade prices on flights, hotels, holidays, and all sorts of other travel -related purchases. There is a link and a membership discount code in the description. Now that I have paid that all -important heating bill, it is time to make a podcast and find out what the temperature is in Cummings, Georgia. Hello, Michael.
Speaker: Michael, how are you? I'm a little bit chillier than you think you are. At the moment, we've got 39 degrees Fahrenheit in our in our back garden. I suspect it's it's quite a lot warmer in Cummings, Georgia. Yeah, it's about 70 degrees here.
Speaker: So it's a little warmer. It's a little warmer, but I suspect it's a cool day for you. Yeah, well, it does get warmer here. It does get a little cooler here also.
Speaker: Um, but we've had 90 and a hundred degrees days. Wow. That sucks. What you've got at the moment would be an extremely hot day for me here in Yorkshire, but you've also experienced a lot hotter places as well. Haven't you though, in the middle East? Yes, I have. I'm a, I'm a veteran of desert storm. I'm an air force veteran. I spent nine years in the, in the air force. I went over to Saudi. We did about.
Speaker: I think it was about 44 sorties from Saudi to Iraq. I never touched down in Iraq, but it was still quite an incredible time. Yes, very much so. How did you go from being in the Air Force to being an expert in networking? Could you give us a little bit of a summary of your career and how you ended up doing what you do now? Well, I started in the Air Force and really in the Air Force,
Speaker: I was a young guy who outranked many others, and I had to learn how to basically tell them what to do and how to do it without really seeming overbearing. So that was my first taste of how to speak with people. Then I went into my own business. I owned a graphic design studio, pizzerias, restaurants, and all these taught me how to deal with people all from different levels. I wound up in the mortgage industry for about 10 years with my brother and I moved down to Georgia. I was in New York at the time and I moved down to Georgia and I wound up being a sales director of a law firm. And everything that I've said, you learn how to network with people a different way. Yes. And um it's all how you talk with people. But what pushed me to
Speaker: writing the book and really concentrating on the networking aspect but was the the pandemic. You know, put everybody inside the house. Everybody thought that you can communicate using your cell phones or using Zoom on your computer. And you lost that that personal touch, that getting out and seeing the people, feeling the room, feeling the vibes of the person.
Speaker: It was all very important and it was all very much lost. Although there are many good things about the online communication and the fact that even today we are communicating together, we are having a conversation. I'm in the United Kingdom. You're in Georgia, USA.
Speaker: The chances of us meeting at a networking event are less than zero, but because of the internet, because of the the facilities available on sites like matchmaker .fm, we can connect and then we can end up having a conversation. What you're saying, I suppose, is that it's great to be able to connect with people all over the world. But when you're going to do business on a local level, you still need to make that physical contact. And I suspect as well, if you want to trade with someone,
Speaker: do business with someone on the other side of the world. At some point or another, depending upon which country you're in, you are going to have to meet that person face to face and actually you know look them in the eye, shake their hand and and build a relationship with them. You know, the the days of building customers is really gone.
Speaker: Um, for the business people, you know, we don't sell widgets, you know, I want to buy three widgets or give me $6 and everything's fine. Um, we are in the the time of building relationships and the relationships stick with you forever, you know, and, um, really the best way that I describe a customer and a client, a customer.
Speaker: Let's say you go to a a supermarket and you see them, you say, hi, Mike, how you doing? Oh, hi, Mike. And you keep going, but a relationship you stop and say, hi, Mike, how are you? How's the wife, the children, your children are playing sports. That's great. What about them? And you have a five minute conversation and then you move on because then you just elevated yourself a little bit like two steps higher.
Speaker: than everybody else because, hey, he remembered me and my family. And that goes a long way. An awful long way. You're reminding me of how we and describe the different types of people that we have as, or we have relationships with.
Speaker: at Abecedah because we have a web shop where we very rarely get to talk to the people. The people go onto the web shop, they buy their learning resource, their training course, their business tool, and we get an email message saying, this person has bought something. They're a customer.
Speaker: The people who are clients are the people that we have a face -to -face conversation with, a telephone conversation with, an online conversation with. We know more about them. We've met them. We've seen them face -to -face and it's we're able to build a relationship with them. Whereas the person who's come onto to a website and made a purchase probably doesn't want to have a relationship with us other than the fact that just knowing that we're going to do what we said we're going to do, which is deliver a product in a certain amount of time for a price. It's true. That's exactly right. Yeah. It's this idea that the high value
Speaker: or this idea that our relationships rather than our transactions will be what drives our business forward. An awful lot of the transactions are done by machines, but the relationships are what will drive our businesses forward. Yeah. That's correct. And that that's where networking, networking events, customer relations,
Speaker: client success, that's where all of that stems from. Yes. Yeah. So tell us about the book. You're saying that it's networking unleashed. There's one of the things that can happen. You can look really cool if you've got a dog and it's not on a leash and it's walking by the side of you, looking up at you and you know that if you turn right, it's going to turn right. If you turn left, it's going to turn left. That looks really cool. There's the other, you unleash your dog and it goes all over the place and you spend the next three hours trying to get it to come back to you.
Speaker: What's the context of networking unleashed? What's the reason for that particular title? Well, you know, the book is basically a blueprint, a blueprint of how you should network, how you should go to a networking events, um, how to network with somebody one -on -one. You know, it's really, it's the same, but it's a little bit different. Um,
Speaker: If you meet somebody one -on -one, if you have a meeting with somebody in a corporation, you know, you walk into the office, you have either five seconds or five minutes, depending on his schedule, on whether or not you get a feel for what he's about. And when I say a feel, look around the office. Are there pictures? Is a picture of his wife, his children? Are they playing sports?
Speaker: Is there music? Is there art? Is there something that you can talk about? Because as soon as he comes in, you don't want to immediately start talking business. You start talking. Now, I didn't create this. I i stole this, actually. um But it's form, F -O -R -M. Family, occupation, recreation, and a message where you can get onto the same level.
Speaker: And it's the same in that scenario as it would a networking event. When you're speaking with somebody one -on -one, you speak about their family or their occupation. what do they What kind of interests do they have? Do they ski? Do they water ski? Do they play ball, baseball, football, soccer, you know, anything so that you can let them start talking about themselves.
Speaker: Because one thing that I've always found out is that people love to talk about themselves. They love to talk about their family and you just let them speak.
Speaker: um When you walk into a networking event, that's a little bit different. That is because you walk in and all of a sudden you're faced with a thousand people.
Speaker: I digress. you know The book itself is about just that. It's how to network properly. It's a very short book. It's like 45 or 50 pages. And you if you read it, you'll be one step ahead of everybody else because you will know how to network.
Speaker: So in a networking event or even meeting a new colleague at at work, so speak going into a meeting, one of the key things to do is to find something, some sort of common ground that you can talk about, find the thing that that person is comfortable talking about as well. And I think it's that starting of the conversation with someone and I'm listening to you, I was thinking back to the networking events or the ah opportunities to network that I've had and how I've started conversations. I remember getting on a plane which was going to fly across the Pacific and unlike myself, I was getting on quite late. It had all been a bit rushed and I was upstairs in the jumbo jet.
Speaker: and Cathay Pacific it was, and found my chair, sat down, and there was nowhere to put my bag and all this stuff, because I was sitting next to her someone who'd sort of brought on a lot of hand baggage, and I just started a conversation about, well, where do you think I should put my bag?
Speaker: And that started it. And I learned from that because ah that's like a long time ago, and I'm still friends with that person, is that if you have an opportunity to talk to someone, regardless of where it is, say hello, say good morning, waiting for a bus the bus. Is the bus going to be on time or waiting for a train? Whatever it is, you can start a conversation with someone by sharing your perspective of what is happening at that time. It's networking.
Speaker: You know, don't only think about it in a corporate environment. Okay. Networking is exactly what you said. You're online in a grocery store. You're in line where you buy your your clothing. You're in line to get your shoe shine. It doesn't make a difference. Okay. It's when you turn around and you start the conversation with somebody. Now,
Speaker: When you're in a networking event, you kind of jump the head three steps because as soon as you walk up to a table or sort it, and you see, let's say five people, you don't start talking immediately. You don't start talking to somebody. First thing you do is listen. You listen for the conversation.
Speaker: Is this a conversation that you want to be a part of? If it is, great, then you'll stay and you'll listen. But if it's not, then you politely bow out and you go somewhere else. But if it is, now remember, you are the expert in your field. So you what you're about to say, it better to be fairly important. So the conversation is going on around the table, and then you find a good time and you say something.
Speaker: you say what your feelings are or whatever the case may be, and you wait to see if one or two or even three of those people turn to you and direct some conversation towards you. yes So when this happens, but now you still don't start talking, you know, like diarrhea of the mouth. You go to one person and you say, what do you do? And let them talk.
Speaker: Remember form, F -O -R -M. And okay, so that's great. that And talked about either his wife or his job or someplace that that he went for recreation. Let him talk. And if you did your job correctly and you let him talk, you say, you know something? I like you. I like what you do for a living. I like how you do it. How can I make you more successful?
Speaker: How can I be a good referral source for you? This is all without you even saying what you do for a living. What you're doing is adding value to someone else, isn't it? Before you say anything about yourself, yeah you try and add value to the other the other person that you're having the conversation with. You're always looking to give, not receive, okay? If you go to a networking event expecting to make a sale, don't even go, okay? Because you should just go and listen, if you can be a referral source,
Speaker: for 10 people and of course the trick is to find somebody to refer to that person but you're so far ahead of the game. So now here's part of your follow -up. Let's say that you did everything right and he did ask you finally what you do for a living and he gives you his business card. What do you do with that business card? Well you write down the date,
Speaker: the name of the function and of course something that you spoke about because that will help you later on remember who it was that this card is for. Listen, when I was in the mortgage industry, I went to the conferences and the shows and everything else. I came home with a shoebox full of business cards. I would remember five names and that was it. But here's the following. Let's say it's a three or four hour event.
Speaker: You shouldn't take home more than 15, 20 business cards. That's it. Because if you took home more than that, then you weren't giving the people you spoke to enough time. But when you leave the networking event, whether you go home or your office, you're going to write them an email. What's the email going to say?
Speaker: Hey, Mike, this is Michael. I saw you tonight at such and such event. I want to thank you for giving me your time, Mike. That's it. No more, nothing else. Because the next morning when he gets in and he sees that thank you, you have about a 20 % chance of him returning that email, only a 20%. But you're going to take out a thank you note. That's right, a handwritten thank you note. And you're gonna hand write, hey Mike, I saw you on such and such date at such and such an event. We spoke about your wife. She wrote about her hairstyle or something else like that. I hope to meet with you soon, Michael. Now again, I didn't put what I do. I didn't put a time for, a seat I just put a thank you for meeting and a little
Speaker: in there to jog your memory of something we spoke about. So now I've just increased your 20 % response rate to about 50%. And you wait about three or four days, because that's about how long it takes to receive the thank you. And if you still haven't gotten a response, you send them another email. Hey, Michael, how are you? This is Mike. I saw you on such and such date at such and such an event. We spoke about your wife.
Speaker: Listen, I just saw that Tuesday and Wednesday of next week opened up. Would one of these days be more available to you? Michael, and for your your business card went in there at first anyway. You're either looking for a positive or a negative response. Either way, as long as they respond. But I just went from 50 % to about 70 % by that email.
Speaker: Let's say that he's a stick in the mud. He still hasn't responded. Oh my God, it's horrible. But we wait about two or three days. Hey Mike, how are you? This is Mike. I mentioned such and such date, such and such event. We spoke about your wife. I said to you Tuesday or Wednesday had opened up. Tuesday seems to have closed up a little bit. How's Wednesday at three o 'clock? So I'm narrowing it down, funneling it to me so that if you don't answer me, it means you're really not interested. Okay. So still is you have not answered. You're sticking them. Well, it's simple. Don't throw that card away because you're going to take that information, put it into your CRM and put them on a trip campaign.
Speaker: always Keep your name in front of the people because you never know in six months. They might need your services Now I listen I just I think last week I got a response from a set of emails that I sent about eight months ago They weren't in need for a speaker until now, but she thought of me because Once a month I sent her an email That's the main thing for follow up. And listen, most people don't buy your services or don't buy what you have to sell to the fifth or sixth time you email. That's how many touches, how many networking touches you have to deal with people until they respond.
Speaker: The essence is that once you've met someone and you've built that small relationship with them, the essence of eventual success is to maintain contact with them in some way or another. Yes. Yes. it's Otherwise, you know, listen, everybody meets so many people and unless you did something so outstanding that they remembered you.
Speaker: You have to keep your name in front of them at all times. And once a month is is sufficient. It's enough to jog their memory about you. And so that when something does come up, they know enough about you. And I suppose the other thing is to be consistent in your messaging as well. So that if some, so that you haven't got a, you're not creating confusion about what it is that you actually do. What did what you can offer that potential clients, you've got a consistent message.
Speaker: You can't be everything to everybody. You pick your lane and you stay in it. And if you stay in it, if you remain consistent with your name and what you're trying to, whether it's service or a sale of some sort, you remain consistent in that. And that that person will remember you because say, Oh, i I know Mike, he's he's that speaker.
Speaker: What you're suggesting is that, like I say, the consistency is important, the focus is important, and the the building on the relationship that you started with that person so that you're staying in the right tone with them, I suppose, as well. Exactly.
Speaker: One of the things that I quite like about the sort of way in which you describe all of this is there's an expression that you use which is moving from elevator speech to elevating yourself. Could we explore that a little bit and explain, well, what an elevator speech is and then what you mean by elevating yourself? Your elevator speech should be about 30 seconds. Literally be enough time to go from one floor to the next with an elevator. That's where the elevator speech came from.
Speaker: But I'm saying keep your elevator speech to five seconds because you have to get the retention and all you're trying to do is have them respond to you so you can continue. Now, my full elevator speech is I help professionals network and communicate more effectively and efficiently, thus creating more profits.
Speaker: right If you try to tell somebody, what do you do for a living? Well, I help professionals network and communicate. And all I'm trying to do is draw out a question. What do you mean by that? well How do you do that? And that gives me the go ahead to go on and and speak about it further. But that's all an elevator speech is supposed to do is get them to ask you a question.
Speaker: And once you respond, you respond intelligently, i what I might add. And that's how you elevate yourself. Because again, you are the expert in your field. And if you come off saying that, not saying that you're an expert, but if you say things to say that you are expert in the ah communicating, in the networking,
Speaker: and you are therefore elevating yourself. It's what you can demonstrate rather than what you can say, I suppose, in that sort of situation. Exactly. like Yeah.
Speaker: I suspect that there are some people who are listening to this and going like, well, yeah, I'm a complete extrovert. I can do this, no problem at all. And then there are other people who are thinking, I know I've got to do this. This will be good for my career. This will be good for my business as a key part of being a corporate employee or key part of being a small business person.
Speaker: What are the differences between the approaches that someone who is an extrovert should take and this approach that an introvert person should take? Well, it it sounds funny, but they're almost the same. Now, I described to you what an extrovert would do. Now, if you were introverted, let's say you finally push yourself and you're going to a networking event,
Speaker: but you'll walk through the door and oh my God, you're, you're, you're looking at a thousand people and like, no way, I'm not doing it. I always say go to a networking event alone by yourself. That's an interesting point. If you're an introvert, that's when you bring somebody. Who are you going to bring? A sister, a brother, someone, a close coworker, somebody who's not going to be in competition with you. And you'll walk up to the table. Now remember, I said, listen first.
Speaker: you're both listening, approaching the table with that somebody, somebody who is not in competition with you, who is there to assist you, and you're listening for the conversation. So when the conversation comes around to you, instead of you saying something because you really won't say anything because you're introverted, I'm gonna call him my wingman. I'm an Air Force guy, so I'm gonna call him my wingman.
Speaker: And your wingman will say, you know something? That's a very good discussion. Michael, what do you think about that? And then I'll start talking because all I need is that introduction. All I need is that something to break the ice. Permission. It sounds like really as an introvert, you need permission to contribute to the conversation. Yeah, he you need permission, but really what you need is a really good segue.
Speaker: You really need somebody to introduce you to either the group of people or a person or whatever the case may be. He's kind of there as your support person in case you need him. And listen, your your first networking event being an introvert is not going to go away. Okay. But by the third, fourth, even fifth time you go to ah an event, you're going to need that person less and less.
Speaker: It's building the confidence and the expert. The confidence comes from the experience and the skills and the knowledge of how to do it and how to do it well. Networking and communication is a skill set. It must be practiced.
Speaker: And the starting point for that is like you say, in networking unleashed, you've got all of the information in how to do it well. Exactly. You know, Michael, thank you very much. It's been really very interesting. I do appreciate your help in making such an interesting episode of The Independent Minds. Thank you very much. You're welcome. Thank you. I am Michael Millward, the managing director of Abecedah, and I have been having a conversation with the independent mind, Michael Foreman, author of Networking Unleashed. You can find out more information about both of us at abocida .co .uk. There is a link in the description along with a link to opportunities to purchase Networking Unleashed.
Speaker: I must remember to thank the team at matchmaker .fm for introducing me to Michael. If you are a podcaster looking for interesting guests, or if like Michael, you have something very interesting to say, matchmaker dot .fm is where matches of great hosts and great guests are made. There is a link to matchmaker dot .fm and an offer code in the description.
Speaker: If you are listening to the independent minds on your smartphone, you may like to know that 3 has the UK's fastest 5G network with unlimited data. So listening on 3 means you can wave goodbye to buffering.
Speaker: There's a link in the description that will take you to more information about business and personal telecom solutions from a three and the special offers available when you quote my referral code. The description also includes links to all of the websites that have been mentioned in this episode of the independent minds, which means that the description is well worth reading.
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