From Business Cards to Business Relationships

Want to supercharge your life? Effective networking is the answer and this book will teach you how. Professionals of all stripes and ages are told to 'get out there' and network so they can build their careers, grow their businesses and elevate their influence in the community, but they are rarely taught the skills to do that. Most people are lost, intimidated by the idea of presenting their own personal brand, and frustrated when it comes to networking. Despite long hours at events and attempts to make the right connections, they aren t seeing their desired results. From Business Cards to Business Relationships is a start-to-finish guide that demystifies the networking process and teaches readers how to truly benefit from getting connected. Allison Graham provides an easy to follow road map that is adaptable to your personality, circumstances and growth goals. You will learn how to strategically decide where to go, what to do when you get there and what to do afterwards to turn those casual business card contacts into meaningful relationships. Allison's approach is based on the Four Pillars of Profitable Networking: Perspective, Personal Brand, Procedures, and a Strategic Plan. This is a prescriptive, practical system based on the author's real-life experience of going from unconnected to connected in a short period of time. No cheesy gimmicks or high-pressure nonsense, just the skills and knowledge that will create success for anyone willing to do the work and follow this advice. Regardless of your past experience or current level of connectivity, your industry or profession, whether you're an entrepreneur or climbing the corporate ladder: you can accomplish whatever you want by meeting and connecting with the right people. From Business Cards to Business Relationships gives you the tools you need to cement a positive personal brand and build your own profitable network. Praise for From Business Cards to Business Relationships "e;Allison Graham can help you turn an introduction into a business, a dinner into a relationship, and an average practice into world class. I've long preached that we're in a relationship business, and this book provides the handshakes, codes, actions, and routes to master those relationships."e; Alan Weiss, PhD, Author of Million Dollar Consulting and The Consulting Bible "e;At last a networking book that actually makes sense! Allison Graham's four pillars of networking are as simple as they are powerful. If you are willing to follow her lead with consistent and persistent effort, you will make your mark and expand your horizons both personally and professionally."e; Lou Heckler, Humorous Business Keynote Speaker and Speech Coach "e;This book is an excellent and much-needed resource to share with the business community."e; PJ Hartson, Business Editor, Sun Media

Want to supercharge your life? Effective networking is theanswer and this book will teach you how.Professionals of all stripes and ages are told to 'get outthere' and network so they can build their careers, grow theirbusinesses and elevate their influence in the community, but theyare rarely taught the skills to do that. Most people are lostintimidated by the idea of presenting their own personal brand, andfrustrated when it comes to networking. Despite long hours atevents and attempts to make the right connections, theyaren't seeing their desired results.From Business Cards to Business Relationships is astart-to-finish guide that demystifies the networking process andteaches readers how to truly benefit from getting connected.Allison Graham provides an easy to follow road map that isadaptable to your personality, circumstances and growth goals. Youwill learn how to strategically decide where to go, what to do whenyou get there and what to do afterwards to turn those casualbusiness card contacts into meaningful relationships. Allison'sapproach is based on the Four Pillars of Profitable Networking:Perspective, Personal Brand, Procedures, and a Strategic Plan.This is a prescriptive, practical system based on the author'sreal-life experience of going from unconnected to connected in ashort period of time. No cheesy gimmicks or high-pressure nonsensejust the skills and knowledge that will create success for anyonewilling to do the work and follow this advice. Regardless of yourpast experience or current level of connectivity, your industry orprofession, whether you're an entrepreneur or climbing thecorporate ladder: you can accomplish whatever you want by meetingand connecting with the right people. From Business Cardsto Business Relationships gives you the tools you need tocement a positive personal brand and build your own profitablenetwork.Praise for From Business Cards to BusinessRelationships"Allison Graham can help you turn an introduction into abusiness, a dinner into a relationship, and an average practiceinto world class. I've long preached that we're in a relationshipbusiness, and this book provides the handshakes, codes, actionsand routes to master those relationships."Alan Weiss, PhD, Author of Million DollarConsulting and The Consulting Bible"At last--a networking book that actually makes sense!Allison Graham's four pillars of networking are as simple as theyare powerful. If you are willing to follow her lead with consistentand persistent effort, you will make your mark and expand yourhorizons both personally and professionally."Lou Heckler, Humorous Business Keynote Speaker andSpeech Coach"This book is an excellent and much-needed resource to sharewith the business community."PJ Hartson, Business Editor, Sun Media

Preface xiIntroduction xvTHE FIRST PILLAR OF PROFITABLE NETWORKING: PERSPECTIVEChapter 1: The Power of Building a Profitable Network 3Chapter 2: What Does Having a Strong Network Mean to You? 7Chapter 3: Expectations 10Chapter 4: What Networking Is Not 14Chapter 5: Understanding Business Networking 18Chapter 6: Friendship versus Business Relationships 21Chapter 7: Education and Connection 26Summary 28THE SECOND PILLAR OF PROFITABLE NETWORKING: PERSONAL BRANDChapter 8: Th e Business of YOU 33Chapter 9: Overcoming Age Objections 37Chapter 10: You Never Know Who's Watching 41Chapter 11: Your Ideal Personal Brand 44Chapter 12: Reality Check 46Chapter 13: Why It Matters 49Chapter 14: Personal Hygiene and Grooming 51Chapter 15: Professional Wardrobe 53Chapter 16: A Smile 57Chapter 17: Eye Contact 59Chapter 18: Authenticity 61Chapter 19: Approachability 63Chapter 20: The Tone and Pitch of Your Voice 65Chapter 21: Sense of Humor 67Chapter 22: Confidence: Part One 69Chapter 23: Confidence: Part Two 72Chapter 24: Confidence: Part Three 74Chapter 25: Recovering from Embarrassing Situations 80Chapter 26: Building Your Reputation 83Summary 87THE THIRD PILLAR OF PROFITABLE NETWORKING: PROCEDURESChapter 27: The Fundamentals 91Chapter 28: Handshakes 93Chapter 29: Name Tags 97Chapter 30: Remembering Names 99Chapter 31: Forgetting Names 103Chapter 32: Dining Etiquette 105Chapter 33: Objectives for Attending Events 110Chapter 34: Calculating the Return on Investment for Events 112Chapter 35: Networking Eff ectively with Spouses, Friends, and Work Colleagues 116Chapter 36: Before an Event 119Chapter 37: Understanding Event Flow 123Chapter 38: Arrival 126Chapter 39: Mingling Formula 128Chapter 40: Initiating Dialogue 130Chapter 41: Small, but Meaningful, Chat 133Chapter 42: Listening 138Chapter 43: Creating Mini-Bonds 140Chapter 44: Exchanging Contact Information 144Chapter 45: Moving On 146Chapter 46: Breaking into Group Discussions 151Chapter 47: Business Cards 153Chapter 48: Communicating YOU 157Chapter 49: Developing Your Own 5-10-15-Second Communication 163Chapter 50: General Business Etiquette 166Summary 177THE FOURTH PILLAR OF PROFITABLE NETWORKING: STRATEGIC PLANChapter 51: Now What? 181Chapter 52: The Logical First Step 183Chapter 53: Electronic Filing System 188Chapter 54: Categorizing Contacts 190Chapter 55: Relationship-Development Action Plan 195Chapter 56: Following Up 199Chapter 57: Transitioning from Social to Business 206Chapter 58: Maintaining Relationships 210Chapter 59: Tapping into Your Network 213Chapter 60: Staying Visible 217Chapter 61: Online Networking 220Chapter 62: Accessing the Traditional Media 225Chapter 63: Finding Your Focus 229Chapter 64: Filling Your Calendar 235Chapter 65: Analyzing the Options 238Chapter 66: Networking Ruts 243Summary 245Epilogue 247About the Author 251