Networking is one of the best business building strategies I have ever used.  As a matter of fact, I built my business through networking, so I know that it works.  I was truly inspired by the great book: Never Eat Alone! (Ferranzzi) http://www.keithferrazzi.com/

Very often, people tell me that networking doesn’t work for them. I used to wonder why networking was so good to me, but so useless for some folks, until I realized that the people who say that networking doesn’t work for them simply didn’t understand the concept.

Networking is about connecting with others.  Those connections might turn into sales, or they may yield a steady stream of referrals, alliances, advice, support, friendship, or extra special care when working on your projects.  All of these are valuable, although few will ever happen at the first meeting, because networking is a process that takes time and effort, so if you’re going to network, you have to do it right.

Here are Five ‘Secrets’ you need to know about networking to make it a great strategy for your business:

1. Networking is more than face-time; it’s about really getting to know others.  And most people make one of two mistakes when they’re networking — doing too much, or too little.

Doing too much networking means attending meeting after meeting, but failing to really connect with other people in a meaningful way.  Just showing up at networking meetings isn’t enough; you need to spend some time getting to know other people, learning about their businesses, and understanding how (and who) to refer to those folks, just as you are hoping they will do for you.

Doing too little networking means joining groups but not attending meetings, or attending meetings but not interacting with others in the group.  Just being on a membership roster isn’t networking, and if you really want to network, you have to be prepared to step out of your shell and actually talk with other people.

2. Where you network matters.  When you network, you are looking to connect with more than just your prospects — you are looking for referral partners, potential alliance partners, and perhaps even colleagues with whom you can partner on large projects, or send prospects who are not a good fit with you.  That means that at least one of your networking meetings should be with colleagues, another with prospects, and third with non-competing businesses who serve the same client you do.

3. Not every person you meet is a prospect, but nearly every person you meet can be a valuable part of your network.  Just because someone isn’t a prospect right now doesn’t mean she won’t be in the future.  And once you have her trust, she’ll be able to refer others in her circle of influence to you.

4. It is your responsibility to mingle and connect.  Too many people go to networking events hoping to make connections, but self-consciousness or shyness keeps them cowering on the sidelines, so the meeting is a waste of time, effort, and money.  Everyone at the meeting is there for the same reason — to connect — so there is nothing to feel self-conscious about.  Approach someone who is standing alone, introduce yourself, and ask him what he does if you want to get a conversation going. Do this three times at every meeting you go to, and soon you will know everyone there, and will be comfortable (not to mention popular!).

5. People get bored or turned off really easily, so you need to be prepared to speak clearly, concisely, and positively about what you do.  If the first words out of your mouth when someone asks you what you do are along the lines of “well, it’s complicated,” or “it’s hard to explain,” then you need to figure out what you can say that will be memorable, interesting, and explain what you do and for whom in just a few words.

Carpe diem,

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Networking is a great way to get your business and your name known, find new potential strategic partners, and to surface some prospects. But networking isn’t just about finding prospects. You know that, and I know that. Pretty much everyone in business knows that, right?

Wrong.

I was at a business networking event a few weeks ago, ready to meet lots of new people to add to my ever-growing network of colleagues, clients, alliance partners, prospects, and contacts.

I spoke to another marketing professional, and we chatted about getting together so that we could refer to each other. (Hey, not every person who wants marketing help wants to work with ME, so I like to have a few good marketing experts in my network to whom I can refer with confidence.)

I traded jokes and business cards with a charming husband-and-wife life insurance sales team. I have a great relationship with my own insurance lady, but she isn’t right for everyone, so I was happy to spend a few minutes getting to know these two nice people. I will definitely send business their way.

And then I was approached by one of the smiling hosts of the networking event. She asked me what I do (although I got the feeling that she didn’t listen to my response), and asked me for my card.

Then she asked me if I had heard of a certain type of make-up and skin care line that is sold exclusively through personal sales reps. I said yes, and mentioned that I my wife was wearing a lipstick from that line at that very moment.

Her smile turned into pursed lips, and a crease appeared between her eyebrows as she looked at me for a moment. Then she (rather abruptly) asked the name of my sales rep.

You probably won’t believe this, but she returned my business card to me, because (and I’m just paraphrasing here) she had no reason to keep it if I was already working with a competitor.

No interest in finding out whether I might have anything to offer HER.

No interest in asking if I knew anyone who meets her ideal client profile (and who may not want to work with my sales rep, because of location, age, personality, or whatever reason).

No interest in getting to know me, period, because she saw no immediate sales potential in me.

I don’t think I need a crystal ball to predict that this woman is not going to win the “Networker of the Year” award. And she isn’t doing her business any favors, either.

Because networking isn’t about making sales or setting up sales appointments on the spot — it’s about developing relationships. It’s about becoming known, liked, and trusted.

It is not about what I will buy from you right now, or what you will buy from me tomorrow, it is about adding resources to our business tool boxes. And those resources are so much more than just one-time sales (and they certainly contribute to sales); they are intangibles like support, referrals, suggestions, introductions, tips, information, mentoring, advice, and alliances.

The bottom line is this: The value of networking isn’t in the potential of an on-the-spot sale — it’s the relationship.

The woman who returned my card saw no value in knowing me. She had no idea how very many people I know, how open I was to referring to her, and how access to my network could help her build her business. And now, she will never find out.

That’s a networking lesson worth learning.

Carpe diem,

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More and more we as an industry have distilled ourselves into the lowest common denominator. You see it on the plethora of real estate agent’s websites – “we work with buyers and sellers, investors, renters, those thinking about any of the above now or might be thinking about any of them in the future”, in one or more cities, counties and God forbid, states.  In fact, truth be known, most of the agents you know would work with almost anyone who would fog a mirror. 

I understand why people do this, they come from a place of scarcity and fear.  I mean, what if I lost the opportunity to close one sale, another opportunity may never come along again.   Most of the industry has never figured out the lead generation and rainmaking piece of their real estate business so every prospect is treated like it is gold.  Trust me, your attitude changes when you go from getting the random one new lead a week to having a steady flow of 100 a week. 

The problem is this – if we never focus, we never really get good at anything.  We become a jack of all trades and a master of none.  Being an expert is much more than declaring yourself one on your latest postcard.  It is really knowing the community you live and work in.  Not only where the schools are, but who the teachers are.  Who local business owners are, where the best places are for a romantic dinner out.  When are the best community activities and what are the future plans at city hall.  Much less how much Mr. Steven’s house down the street sold for.

Establishing value and creating a business that is worth having demands we get to the point where we can outshine every other agent in our area in something and the only way to get good at one thing is to give up holding on to the many things. 

Carpe diem,

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Tired of marketing like a maniac but not getting any clients?  Beef up your referral systems, and soon you’ll have all the clients you want.

Here are ten secrets of building a referral machine that builds your real estate business:

1. Network, network, network.  And when I say network, I don’t mean join groups and never go, or go but skulk around the sidelines, I mean network actively.  Talk to people about their businesses, and your business.  Mingle with people you’ve only met once so that you get to know them better.  Introduce yourself to everyone you don’t know, and learn how you can refer to them, then tell them how they can refer to you.

2. Build a Group 100.  A Group 100 is a network of 100 people with whom you have a reciprocal referral agreement.  You feel comfortable referring others to them because you have personally sat down with these folks, and learned enough about their businesses to understand who will really benefit from their products or services.  In the process of learning about them, they will learn about you, and so you have just expanded your network to the 300 people each of your Group 100 folks knows!

3. Refer to other people.  Referrals are almost like yawns in that they spawn more of the same.  I receive reciprocal referrals more often when I am referring to others, so I make it my business to refer as often as possible.  Make sure that they are quality leads you are giving.  You don’t want to waste time with bad leads, and neither do your partners.

4. Ask for referrals.  Ask your clients, ask your prospects, and ask your colleagues.  But ask correctly.  Don’t ask if they know anyone who needs your services, because they might not know off the top of their heads.  Sure, they know a lot of people, but may not think of the right person to refer to you unless you ask in the right way.  The right way is to ask a clarifying question such as, “You’re active in your neighborhood association, aren’t you?”  A positive response sets up your request for referrals: “Do you know anyone in your neighborhood who is also thinking about selling or buying a home?”  That focuses the attention on a specific group, rather than on all acquaintances, which is more likely to result in an actual referral.

5. Give it away.  Not your services, of course, but something valuable to people who are thinking about buying the services or products you have for sale.  For example, you might have a free report or checklist on choosing the right professional for the job that you do.  Once it becomes known (through your web site, press releases, and word of mouth) that you offer a great tool for figuring out how to buy what you’re selling, you can become the go-to person for real estate related services in your community.

6. Become visible.  If you’re not on the internet, you’re invisible.  But just one little web site isn’t going to cut it these days; you need higher visibility.  Get listed on your networking organizations’ web sites, send out press releases, participate in community projects, and assume leadership positions in one or more of your social, business, or philanthropic groups.

7. Establish a stellar reputation. If you know that you’re good, but not sure your clients are raving about you, ask them for written testimonials (but don’t you dare write them yourself!).  They will write much nicer things about you than you would ever write yourself, and the process reminds them of how good you are, so they are more likely to refer to you.

8. Create a rewards program for referrals.  Set up a system that gathers information about how your clients heard about you, and reward those who refer to you.  It can be as complicated or as simple as you like, but remember: if you promote it, you must honor it. 

9. Develop strategic alliances with non-competing businesses.  Find out who works with your clients before they need your services, and set up a system that funnels their clients your way.

10. Reward referrals, not sales.  It is your responsibility to close the sale, so always measure the success of your referral program by the number of referrals you get, not sales.

Carpe diem,

Networking, when done correctly, is fun and profitable. I know from my experience, as well as from the experience of my colleagues and clients, that networking is a great way to meet new friends and make valuable connections for my business, which often result in new clients. After all, we all know that people do business with people they know, like and trust.

I know this, and as I just mentioned, many of my colleagues and clients know this, but every once in a while, I meet a few people who insist that networking doesn’t work for them. After asking just a couple of questions, the reasons why networking doesn’t work for them become obvious: They’re not following the rules.

Never heard of the networking rules? Here are a few I’ve picked up in workshops and various reading.  Oh, and a few from that Special-Ed school…you know the one: ‘Hard Knocks”?  So, here you go:

1. Attend meetings or events where your ideal clients gather. This sounds like a no-brainer, but until you’re very clear about whom you serve, it will be very tough to meet your clients. Merely attending random events with the intent of converting everyone you meet into clients just doesn’t work, so you need to figure out where your clients are gathering, and meet them there.

2 . Attend meetings or events where your colleagues gather. Belonging to a trade or industry association is valuable for the support, community and educational aspects, and the connections you can make there will benefit you as well. Also, it doesn’t hurt to have a good network among other REALTORS®!

3. Share a ride but not the whole evening with your friends. I’m all for car-pooling, but you really need to be on your own at meetings when you intend to network. You look more approachable when you’re alone, and you have more autonomy as well.

4. Set goals for the event. I never attend a networking meeting without specific goals, and neither should you. My default goal is to introduce myself to at least five people in the room, which is a great goal for almost anyone. If you’re feeling self-conscious or shy, look around to see if there are any other people standing alone, and introduce yourself to them. Don’t worry about getting trapped in a conversation you can’t escape; nobody is looking for a new best friend. As a matter of fact, most of the people are there for the same reasons you are.

5. Wear a nametag on your right shoulder. A nametag identifies you (handy when you’re trying to meet people), and putting it on your right shoulder allows right-handed people to see it clearly when you extend your arm for a handshake. If you wear your nametag on your belt, or on a lanyard on your chest, people’s eyes may stray to places that aren’t appropriate for public inspection, so do yourself (and the people you meet) a favor, and put your nametag in an easy-to-see-and-read spot.

6. Be prepared to introduce yourself well. There are usually two opportunities to introduce yourself at a networking function: As you wander around the room meeting people casually, and again when the group does the round robin of introductions. My apologies if this sounds remedial, but you must be prepared to say your name, your company name or your professional title, and your ‘Sound Bite’. Your ‘Sound Bite’ is a seven- to nine-word phrase that distills the essence of your value to a particular market.

Sadly, I’ve met too many people who can barely spit out their names, let alone their company names or professional titles. If you’re not comfortable using your ‘Sound Bite’ during casual encounters, here’s a tip: Greet the person, say your name, and ask what he or she does. Example (this is best when you can read the person’s name off her name tag): “Hi Nancy, I’m Ronnie. What do you do?” The obvious path for this conversation to take is for the other person to tell you what she does, and then ask you what you do.

7. Have a great answer to the “what do you do?” question. This is the perfect time to haul out your ‘Sound Bite’. When anyone asks me that question, I say, “I help small businesses attract more clients.” Talk about impact! That opens up the conversation immediately, and gives anyone who meets me a good idea of what I do.

8. Be prepared with a great follow-up to your ‘Sound Bite’. If you are lucky enough to hear those three little words (“tell me more!”) as a response to your ‘Sound Bite’, you’ve got up to 30 seconds to share more information about your work and yourself. Bear in mind that 30 seconds is a long time in boredom years, so be prepared with a succinct, interesting response that invites even more interest. (For some hints about what to say after your ‘Sound Bite’, see my web site for the article of the same name.)

9. Take advantage of the visibility opportunities. Many groups offer places to display marketing materials, or even allow members to make short spotlight presentations. Two words of advice: Do it! This visibility will help people get to know you, and possibly remember you when the need for the service you provide arises.

10. Follow up with everyone you meet. Send a personal note telling every person you met that it was nice to meet him or her. If you met anyone really interesting, consider adding that person to your Group 100 list. You’ll be remembered, and will be closer to having a real relationship with those people, who may then start referring prospective clients to you.

11. Don’t assume that just because one person isn’t a potential client for you, that the relationship has no value. The plain truth is that every client you’ve ever wanted (yes, including heads of state and celebrities) is a mere six people away from you. You won’t find your referral partners quickly and easily if you expect to trip over them at a Rotary meeting holding a sign that says, “I know many of your potential clients,” though. What you will find at trade and association meetings are people who know other people, who know even more people, who might be great clients for you. But those great clients won’t be able to find you if you don’t make some connections first.

Like all rules, these can be bent, broken or ignored all together when the time and circumstances are right, but if you’re still a rookie Networker, I wouldn’t risk it. Just follow these simple rules and you’ll find that the time you invest in networking is time well spent.

Carpe diem,

You can also click on one of the following links to have the mastery coaching blog with helpful life and business tidbits geared to real estate’s elite delivered to your computer,

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If you’re a member of a networking organization, chances are that there is a wonderful opportunity for you to significantly raise your visibility in the group, and to become known, liked and trusted.

And chances are that you haven’t yet taken advantage of this opportunity.

That opportunity is the “Hi, My Name Is…” speech – the five or 10 minutes that each of us are granted upon enrollment in most organizations we join to address the group, introduce ourselves and explain our business in detail.

Although most groups offer these opportunities to their members, too many of us don’t take advantage of them, or if we do, we don’t always exploit the “Hi, My Name Is…” to its full potential, and that opportunity is wasted, for both us as speakers as well as our listening audience.

But it doesn’t have to be wasted time–as a matter of fact, a “Hi, My Name Is…” speech can be a terrific business builder for you if you play your cards right.

First, you need to understand that a “Hi, My Name Is…” speech is NOT a chance to tell your life story or even how you got into your business, however fascinating that may be.

Your time in the “Hi, My Name Is…” Moment is your best chance to explain how you help your clients, and to provide a demonstration of your expertise to your audience. It’s your chance to achieve (in under 10 minutes) what matters most in business: To become known, liked, and trusted (because we all know that people buy from people they know, like and trust).

But how can you do all that in 10 minutes or less? Here are two words to keep in mind regarding your “Hi, My Name Is…” speech: Value and preparation.

Value is the single most important aspect of your speech, and you can easily offer information of real value in just a few minutes. Share tips, advice, explain a procedure, anything! And don’t just TALK about your services and what you offer, SHOW your expertise. (You get bonus points for involving your audience!) 

Once you’ve established the value of the services you’re offering, preparation is key to a successful speech. Here are several things you can do to make the most of your time (before, during and after) in the “Hi, My Name Is…” while you have your audience’s undivided attention:

• Provide an interesting paragraph or two for the press release, newsletter, or other marketing that the organization does for the meeting.
• Bring your own introduction. If you have one prepared, you can be sure that it sets the right tone for your presentation, and it keeps your introducer from having to make something up about you at the last minute. A good introduction will help establish your credibility before you speak, and actually extend your time in front of the audience, since your introduction is all about YOU.
  
  
• Look the part. When I did my “Hi, My Name Is…” speech recently, I wanted to make a visual impact and say more about myself than my business suit alone could say, so I wore a big button that simply said “Attract More Clients! Ask Me How.”  (See how that “Sound Bite” keeps coming into the picture?)  Between the content I presented and my handy visual aids, my audience understood immediately what I am about, and what I have to offer.
• Take advantage of the speaker table or other special opportunities offered to “Hi, My Name Is…” speakers. If there’s room (and there usually is for “Hi, My Name Is…” speakers), arrange your table as you would for a trade show, decorating it with information of your real estate services, giveaways, your business cards, and so on.
• Have a sign-up sheet on your table. Remember that this “Hi, My Name Is…” speech is a prospecting activity, so give people a place to sign up for more resources or your newsletter. Here’s another tip: Add a “call me” section so that hot prospects can indicate their interest.
• Include a photo on your one-sheet. A one-sheet is a marketing page that tells who you are, lists a few credentials and/or your services, and quotes happy customers, and so on. But more than that, it is a relationship piece that helps your prospects get to know you. It doesn’t have to be fancy; you can print it out in color on a piece of letterhead, back it with cardboard, and set it up with a small tabletop easel for display.
• Save time in your speech for questions. Organize your speech to share information first, but remember to leave one or two minutes at the end for some quick questions from your audience.
• Invite your audience to sample your services, and/or visit your display table. After the questions, thank your audience, and then mention any special offers or incentives that you have for signing up on your mailing list or setting up a consultation.
• After your “Hi, My Name Is…” speech, you’ve still got work to do. You’ll need to follow up with the people who signed up on your list or requested consultations. Give them a call to set up meetings, and send them whatever materials you promised.
• Don’t forget to thank the person who introduced you, as well as the person who booked your speech.

Because the purpose of networking groups is to establish and develop business networks, one would think that “Hi, My Name Is…” speeches would be highly sought-after opportunities, but it has been my experience that people are often afraid to take center stage.

This fear must be caused by the fear of the “Hi, My Name Is…” itself; it can be intimidating to stand up in front of a group and talk about yourself. It may help reduce that fear to keep in mind that you’re not up there talking about yourself; you’re sharing information of interest and value with your peers.

So please, don’t let fear keep you from taking advantage of this wonderful opportunity to speak. Speaking is a great way to build your own confidence, as well as credibility in the eyes of others in your organization.

Carpe diem,

You can also click on one of the following links to have the mastery coaching blog with helpful life and business tidbits geared to real estate’s elite delivered to your computer,

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I want to recommend that you read one of the finest books I’ve read: Book Yourself Solid (Port).

One of the greatest misconceptions is that “everyone” will want a certain product or service. While this may come as a shock to some of you, there is no product, service, or idea that has ever been developed for sale that appeals to everybody.

Not everybody wants to be thinner, richer, smarter, blonder, sexier, taller, better hydrated, fresher-smelling, chemically enhanced, or more physically fit than they already are. And not everybody wants to take advantage of once-in-a-lifetime-ground-floor opportunities, or make money from their down-lines, or cash in on the latest trends.

So while that may be bad news for some, in terms of marketing your real estate services, that’s actually pretty good news! Because marketing to everybody is time-consuming and expensive, and I have yet to meet an entrepreneur who is willing to spend much more than 10% (if that) of their annual revenues on marketing.

Why focus on your ideal ‘target’ client?

There are many reasons, but the one I like best is that really happy clients become your unpaid marketing department! Seriously, though, by focusing on a certain type of problem/solution for a specific type of client (1031 Exchange information for folks interested in investing, or diversifying your investment portfolio by adding real estate, TIPS for sellers or buyers, etc.), you enhance your problem solving skills and get really familiar with that category of issues (and therefore more valuable in the eyes of that client).

And of course, marketing to a smaller pool of prospects is easier, quicker, and less expensive than marketing to a huge pool.

Although many REALTORS® are willing to take money from anyone with a checkbook, the truth is that until you know precisely who your ideal client is, getting clients will continue to be a struggle.  The more precise you are about what you do and for whom, the more easily you will attract your best client! As Dr. Phil says, you must be able to name it to claim it.

So who is YOUR ideal ‘target’ client? You ‘NICHE’ market?  How do you describe that person or market?

If you want your sales to be quick, easy, and inexpensive, you should include these five attributes as a start. Your ideal client is someone who:

• Acknowledges or recognizes their desire to have the outcome (solution or experience) you provide.
• Is willing to pay your fee to get that solution or experience.
• Is motivated for whatever reason to take action to get what they want (and is ready to buy).
• Will be thrilled with your service.
• Will tell their friends about your service.

So who wants what you’ve got, who is ready, willing and able to pay for it, and who will be thrilled with it?

Once you can identify who is most likely to buy from you, and who is seeking your solution to a specific problem, then pretty much all you have to do is let that person know that you exist.

This is much easier, much cheaper, and much faster than trying to sell yourself to someone who just plain isn’t already ready to buy.

Carpe diem,

You can also click on one of the following links to have the mastery coaching blog with helpful life and business tidbits geared to real estate’s elite delivered to your computer,

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I do a lot of networking, so naturally, I hear a LOT of ‘Sound Bites’. Some are great, some are good, some are not so good, and some are simply awful.

What’s really weird is that some of the not-so-good ‘Sound Bites’ could be great, but they are delivered poorly.  Poor delivery can kill a great ‘Sound Bite’ especially if you’re in a long line of folks introducing themselves.

I’ve heard people commit every verbal crime you can imagine against perfectly good ‘Sound Bites’, and then wonder why they aren’t getting a good reaction. (Because sometimes they DO get a reaction - but they don’t like it.)

Here’s a clue: If you mumble, whisper, slur, shorten, rewrite on the fly, or recite it so quickly that it- sounds-like-one-long-word-with-no-inflection-or- point-of-interest, even the greatest ‘Sound Bites’ is going to tank.

And if your ‘Sound Bites’ is the least bit threatening, or frightening (believe me, it happens), you will not get the type of positive response you want. The response you want is “I want that,” not “Oh Heaven help me!”

So when you’re at a meeting, and you are the 47th person to introduce yourself as the host jumps from person to person at the giant networking meeting, SMILE. Speak up. Inject some life, some interest, and some intensity into your ‘Sound Bites’.

Sure, they’ve all heard it before, but today might be the day they hear what they want to hear, so say it like you mean it, for all to hear and remember. And don’t forget to add a little pizzazz to your ‘Sound Bites’, especially if you want to stand out.

Speaking of standing out, last week I was at one of those huge networking events in which the self-introductions were seemingly endless. Of all the 70-some introductions that I heard, only one really stood out.

It’s not often that I am bowled over by an introduction, but that day, I was WOW’d, as was the crowd at that meeting. It happened like this:

One guy stood up to take the mic from the host, and after a brief glance at the floor, he raised his head and looked around the room.

“A duck walks into a bar,” he said, followed by the briefest of pauses, during which a tremendous burst of laughter gurgled up from the crowd.  And the bartender said, “I’m John Gaynor with AFLAC insurance,” he continued…

Now, I am pretty sure he said more here, but I didn’t hear it because the laughter turned into a standing ovation.

The lesson here is tha7 if you really want people to HEAR you, you have to get their attention first. And in the company of a lot of ‘Sound Bites’, you have to do something to make yours stand out.

When I sat down with John one morning soon after that meeting, he told me that he made up that intro on the spot, because he just didn’t want to say the same old thing one more time.  He has a great new ‘Sound Bites’ now, which is “I help working families protect their income,” but I hope he continues to introduce it with his comedic flair, because he certainly got the attention of every person in that room.

Now you don’t have to create a great comedic routine to draw attention to your introduction, but you don’t have to bore yourself (and your listeners) to tears, either.  Have some fun and play with it (just don’t change your message or you’ll confuse folks).  You’ll find you get more attention if you inject a little “you” in your introduction.

Carpe diem,

You can also click on one of the following links to have the mastery coaching blog with helpful life and business tidbits geared to real estate’s elite delivered to your computer,

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Everyone knows that a great ‘Sound Bite’ can attract the clients you want like a magnet. Your ‘Sound Bite’, that seven-to-nine word distillation of the value you offer to a specific market, is probably your single best marketing tool. And yet, many people choose to ignore all the rules about what makes a ‘Sound Bite’ great, and then they wonder why their ‘Sound Bites’ aren’t attracting the right clients (or any clients at all!).

Even worse than that, a so-so (or a just plain bad) ‘Sound Bite’ can actually work against you, by repelling those very people you hope to attract.

 What to do? By all means, avoid the mistakes people make when crafting their ‘Sound Bites’:

1. Not articulating the value or deliverable of your service. If you mention your process rather than your results, you’ve lost whatever resonance you may have begun. Remember, your ‘Sound Bite’ is about what your client gets, not what you do.

1. Not identifying your ideal client. By not being specific about whom you help, you miss the opportunity for your prospects to self-identify by thinking “hey, that’s me!” or to come up with a prospect for you by thinking “that’s not me, but it sure sounds like Bob.” The only time to use the word “people” or “individuals” in your ‘Sound Bite’ is if you qualify it by following it with “who are…” not “people who want…” Seems counterintuitive, doesn’t it? But don’t assume people understand their own wants; bet on the fact that they at least know who they are, so that they can identify themselves (or others to whom to refer to you) if you describe them clearly. Better yet, dodge that bullet and call them baby-boomers, teen-agers, coffee drinkers, job seekers, or whatever description fits your ideal client best.

1. Having a long and obviously memorized speech. People stop listening after 11 words, unless you sound like you’re reeling off a memorized speech, in which case they stop listening after just three words. If it sounds memorized, people know you’re not really opening a conversation but trying to sell them something, so they’ll stop listening immediately. After all, wouldn’t you?
2. Beginning with “My business is…” That’s just verbal offer that takes up your listener’s time and attention, which is better spent on hearing what wonderful results you get for your lucky clients.

1. Ending with a sales request. You haven’t even qualified your client yet, so why would you ask for the business first? There is a time and a place for everything, so fashion and use your ‘Sound Bite’ appropriately, which is to attract a specific client, and not to push every person who crosses your path towards the sale.

1. Using hackneyed questions or phrases. These brand you as a “technique-y” or a neophyte. You may have just heard that fascinating question, but incorporating it into your ‘Sound Bite’ is not the right way to use it. Questions like “What would you do if you knew you could not fail?” are interesting to use in sample sessions or qualification conversations, but definitely not in (or tagged onto) your ‘Sound Bite’.

1. Using non-sequiturs. A non sequitur merely is a statement that does not follow logically from what preceded it. I’ve heard some egregiously bad ones, but the worst are when people use some sort of a tag line like “Once is never enough” and shoehorn that into their ‘Sound Bites’. If you get blank stares when you introduce yourself, you may be using a non sequitur. Don’t.

1. Using incomprehensible language or jargon. Unless you have a very narrow ideal client description, and you are already speaking to those people who both fit your ideal client profile and will recognize you as an insider for using jargon, don’t use it. And stay away from long words with multiple or vague meanings that people might not understand, even if you know what you mean. Someone who provides “robust multi-use business enhancement options” is selling nothing of value to anyone (even if there’s a good product or service behind that knuckleheaded phrase). Or do you really believe that there are people out there that will perk up and respond to such a ‘Sound Bite’ by saying, “Gee, I could really use some of those robot multifaceted business trance operations?”

1. Using the wrong intonation. Teen-age girls are known for ending their sentences on high notes, so that every statement they utter sounds like a question. If you’re doing this, you will sound tentative, unsure of your own value, and let’s face it, like a gawky gauche teen. Practice your ‘Sound Bite’ with a trusted friend, your coach, or even your spouse until you can say it like you mean it, and like you believe it. Even the right words delivered the wrong way will call your credibility into question.

1. Improvising. If you haven’t got a prepared ‘Sound Bite’, you’re playing with fire, and running the risk of really embarrassing yourself. Most people talk too much without making a point when they improvise, or worse, they stop (sometimes more than once!) so that they can start again. Do I really have to tell you how very unprofessional that sounds?

OK, so your ‘Sound Bite’ is just killer, and you’re not making any of the mistakes listed above; are you golden? Could be, but then again, maybe not.

After your ‘Sound Bite’ is crafted, you still have to develop a great follow up statement. Since the entire point of a great ‘Sound Bite’ is to elicit one reaction (“Oh, yeah? Tell me more!”) you must be ready with a response. That response might include a slightly more elaborate version of what you do, success stories and examples, as well as questions to qualify that person as a prospect or a referral.

Carpe diem,

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Being successful in business is less about having all the answers yourself than knowing where you can access expertise. Since you can’t know everyone, you often rely on your friends or trusted colleagues for referrals, which is where your professional network comes in handy.

After all, a basic truth of business is that people do business with people they know, like and trust.  Happily, this model works both ways. The more people who know you or about you, the more business will come your way.

Creating an extensive professional network is not nearly as time-consuming or intimidating as you might think, but it does take conscious effort.

Carpe diem,

You can also click on one of the following links to have the mastery coaching blog with helpful life and business tidbits geared to real estate’s elite delivered to your computer,

To subscribe to the mastery coaching blog via email

To subscribe to the mastery coaching blog via RSS reader