FREE! 55 GREAT QUESTIONS: TO BREAK THE ICE,
BUILD CONVERSATIONS AND BECOME AN
IRRESISTIBLE PEOPLE MAGNET AT NETWORKING EVENTS

"I keep your 55 Icebreaker Questions in my Jeep and review
them before every event!" Jim Higgins, ProForma Branding Excellence
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How Adele’s Secret Can Make Your Elevator Pitch Sing

How Adele’s Secret Can Make Your Elevator Pitch Sing

Just to let you know…

this will not be an ordinary set of tips on how to write a great elevator speech.

You’ve read enough of those in the past.

That being said,  if you’ve ever been to a networking event, a business conference, pitched an investor, or simply had someone at a party ask you, “So what do you do?”

you know that uncomfortable moment while you quickly try to respond with something brilliant and memorable about your business in 30-seconds  or less.

If so many articles have been written by business gurus about  how to craft a great elevator speech ……

 

Why are  elevator speeches still so HORRIBLY boring and such a turnoff?

To answer this question…. [Read more...]

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The Price Of Impatience

The Price Of Impatience

Last week the world got a lesson on how “patience prevails” – if they were watching.

In Indian Wells, California, at the BNP Parabis Open, a kid from North Carolina, who, at 6’9″ could just as easily be a winner on the basketball court as the tennis court flexed not only his athletic muscles but his patience muscles and won big time.

John Isner upset the world’s number one player, Novak Djokovic (who had a perfect grand slam record last year!) and advanced to the finals in a top championship,launching himself into the top 10 for the first time.

While John beating Novak was exciting, I thought the real interesting story was in the match he had before, the one between him and Gil Simon. Gil Simon is not a seeded player but he is one of the most frustrating for many of top tennis players in the game today. Gil’s strategy? Return every ball, don’t go for flashy winners, and keep his opponents having to play the next ball in the rally.

In essence, he wears his opponents down. He’s got an infinite amount of patience.

The opponent Gil faced right before John Isner was the up and coming young American superstar, Ryan Harrison. Ryan is immensely talented and equally fiery and temperamental. Ryan was so close to beating Gil but lost the match because he lost patience. He wanted to ‘finish each point already’, and Gil forced him into errors that cost him the match.

John Isner, on the other hand, is no stranger to patience. He is already famous for his 11 hour, 3-day marathon tie breaker with Mahut at Wimbledon – which he won. How many people could have withstood even an hour tie-breaker, much less a 3-day one?

So at Indian Wells, John out-patienced Gil Simon, won that match and went on to beat Novak Djokovic, catapulting him into his first finals match at a major tournament.

Do you have the patience to wait out lack of success, or your opponents? How many of us have the patience to keep reaching out to that ideal prospect, hearing no, no,no until we finally hear that yes?

“Patience is a virtue”. We’ve heard it since childhood but take a look at what we actually expect now: instantaneous replies by email, buy with one click, and expecting immediate results in business or we deem that effort a failure.

Where has your lack of patience cost you a big price? Where could you add in a dose of patience and win – in your business, with your kids, with your job, with your clients?

I’m taking a lesson from John Isner’s playbook. I don’t have to be 6’9″ to get that the payoff is available for those who build the patience muscle.

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Would You Sink Or Swim In The Tank?

Would You Sink Or Swim In The Tank?

One pitch, one message, one opportunity to fund your dream business.

Have you been watching Shark Tank?

What a great show. Rich guys and gal “Sharks” entice entrepreneurs with their deep pockets into pitching them with their products and business opportunities.

Here’s what’s amazing: If you watch the show regularly, you’ll notice that the Sharks want to know three things: How much are you asking for, what % of equity are you willing to give them for their dough, and how much have you sold in the last year.

They want to know what you think the value of your company is, and then they figure out if you’re reasonable or off the wall with what you think your business is worth.They decide whether they want to partner with you and help you become a super-success.

I’m amazed by how unprepared some of the entrepre-pitchers are, but also how indecisive they often are. Frequently, the Sharks are the best deal they’ve ever gotten and yet they think about it so long they lose the deal.

The best part is when they bring back former entrepre-pitchers to show you what’s become of the business in the last year. Barbara Corcoran gave Kim of Daisy Cakes $50,000 for 25% equity in the company. In 2010 she sold 2,000 cakes and at the close of 2011, she sold 18,000 cakes!

Shark Tank is on Friday nights at 8 PM on ABC.

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5 Ways To Grow Your Business Via Skype

5 Ways To Grow Your Business Via Skype

Time. Never enough of it for busy professionals and entrepreneurs.

Relationships. More important to build them than ever.

Even though I know that nothing takes the place of being face- to- face, eye- to- eye, with a colleague, prospect, or client, meeting one- to- one with people is very time-consuming.

This is where I bless technology every day.

My favorite solution? Video Skype.

I have networked face to face over Skype.

I have worked with clients 3 time zones away, face to face, over skype.

I have given presentations to a networking group 3,000 miles away via Skype.

There is no reason not to be face- to- face with people AND save time now that we have video Skype.

I am going to give you 5 ways to use this very effective, no-cost tool so you can optimize your time and enhance your level of connection with people simultaneously.

Before I list these tips for growing your business or practice, you will need to do a little set up. The difficulty level of Skype set up, in my opinion, is around 2 or 3 on a scale of 1-10. I am not a techie and I found it a snap.

You can use Skype for audio and/or video communications. You will need a computer with a built in microphone (or you can connect a separate microphone) for the audio, and a video cam in your computer (or you can purchase a video cam very cheaply at an electronics store or online) Again installation difficulty, in my view,  is around 2-3.

Downloading Skype at www.skype.com is very easy. Once installed you will have the ability to chat, phone, and/or video. Instruction buttons are very easy to understand and read.

If you want to Skype with someone, you will need to invite them to your Skype list. Everyone has a Skype name so you invite someone to connect with you over Skype by asking them their Skype name and sending a connection invite (My Skype name is NancyFox – so invite me:)

So here are my 5 favorite ways to use Skype to grow my business.

1. Skype for follow up to networking – I can save anywhere from 1 hour to 2 hours by not driving to a follow up breakfast or lunch. Having a video-Skype follow up is wonderful, easy, and the next best thing to being there. And we both save money on lunch or breakfast. Double benefit.

2. Skype for collaboration on projects – You can work on projects with colleagues or virtual staff  through video Skype and there is a file share button allowing you to share files during your session.

3. Video Skype with prospects: Give prospects a much deeper, more connected, more influential experience of working with you by using video Skype.

4. Skype with distant clients – This is a huge benefit. Your georgraphical footprint just expanded globally, instantaneously and inexpensively. You get to see their body language as well as hear them. Total relationship builder.

5. Lead videoconferences with groups: Skype allows you to conference with more than one person at a time. Ideal for conferences with 2 or 3 others. The video screen is just split with several people at once. You can purchase a day pass (under $10) or get a yearly subscription.

Other tools and advantages:

Skype sessions can be audio and video recorded although you will have to purchase outside tools.

By searching online for “Audio Record Skype Sessions” or “Video Record Skype Sessions” a number or different downloadable software tools will come up to assist you in taking maximum advantage of these sessions. I have recorded client sessions to enhance their notetaking.

Sometimes, when I lead a role play exercise with a client, I can record and send this back to them for analysis and debriefing.

I have found Skype to be an outstanding way to enhance value add with colleagues, clients, and contacts.

A word on security and privacy. As with all tools based in the “cloud” there are security and privacy issues. Skype is a reputable resource and certainly has addressed security issues. That being said, no online system is foolproof. Read more about Skype privacy here: http://www.skype.com/intl/en-us/security/security-privacy/

Skype it out. This is a winner tool with very little downside.

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