Episode 008: The new year is around the corner and so is resolution agony for many professionals. The start of a brand new year is a natural opportunity to reset, regroup and consider what your plan for 2020 might look like. Setting goals for your networking activities is no different. There are many, many resources you can find for telling you how to set goals. For many people they work like a charm. BUT what if they don't work for you? It can be frustrating when you can't seem to make changes in areas of your professional or personal life the way you want. In this episode Eric takes a look at this issue and offers some simplified ideas to help you rethink your resolution reluctance for 2020.

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Episode 007: Starting conversations is critical in any networking situation. The traditional answer to getting beyond the first "Hello" is the elevator speech. The problem is that even after decades and decades there are still people who hate them. A scripted and memorized elevator speech can sound wooden and stiff. Delivering one can leave you awkward and anxious… and possibly make you feel a bit like a used car salesman. In this episode Eric will talk about a different way to approach learning to introduce yourself that feels more genuine and engages more naturally. By preparing conversation elements instead of an elevator speech you can increase the likelihood you'll get a positive response as well.

Infographic download, episode takeaways and full text: AdventuresinNetworking.net

006: When my eight year old grandson, Mason, goes to the playground he has no problem asking other kids to play. Yet, as adults, we often struggle to initiate conversations and get anxious about the whole networking process. I sat down with Mason to find out what wisdom a third grader might offer the rest of us. The things he shares are both simple and profound. This episode just might take you back in time to when the most important question you had for someone new you met was how fast they could climb the monkey bars.

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#005: Exchanging business cards is a natural part of business networking. But do you give your card to people too often? This is the question we explore in this episode as Eric walks you through why cards get exchanged so much and what to do to make it more effective for you and for the people you meet. Building on the five steps model he offers a different way to think about the role of using the card exchange in the referral and prospecting process.

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Episode #004: Everyone tells you to follow-up with people you meet when networking. How do you know why it's not working and what do you do about it? Sometimes the answer is that you shouldn't be following up with them in the first place. This episode will help you understand when to follow up and when not to follow up. It will also share what to do with people you don't need to follow up with so you don't lose contact with them.

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#003: In this episode we explore how to best use the leadshare or referral group structure to be successful and grow your business. Whether you're brand new to a group or a veteran who's experiencing a slow down in activity, this show will point out some simple, but critical ways to make sure you're getting results from your networking. Making the most of group and one-on-one meetings as well as pointers on actually passing referrals takes thought and preparation... and sometimes patience. If you're sales depend on your prospecting and group networking efforts you want to listen to this one.

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#002: Built into the fundamental fabric of networking is a process that helps you fight panic about making a bad first impression. So much is made about the initial introduction, or elevator speech, when we are prospecting or trying to get referrals that it's easy to completely over look this hidden gem. It can help you at networking events but more importantly in your chamber leadshare group too. Tune in and we'll pull back the cover and reveal what is really happening as we meet people.

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#001: Welcome to the first episode of Adventures in Networking! In this episode Eric shares how getting fired during the recession was one of the best things that ever happened to him and how it lead him to this podcast. There's a conversation we need to have about referral networking, especially in chamber leadshare groups. This conversation needs to include the good and the bad, the glory and the rough stuff. Eric begins this conversation by introducing you to his own adventures networking to grow his own business and get customers. He also introduces you to several key concepts that have helped him along the way, including identifying information that's not wrong, but not helpful. He ends with one eye opening realization that totally changed his concept of what it means to network effectively.

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