How much value do you add? That’s the key question I ask each day when I am out in the world of business. It may not be a perfect question, but the free market is open. People are free to make decisions on their own on what they value.
You are valuable when you can connect, articulate and deliver value to another person.
You can’t insist.
You can’t force people to do what you want.
You can’t whine and hope others will pacify you.
We have choices and we tend to choose in our self-interest.
The great thing is that every day your customers spend money and look for value.
That’s why in your networking, you have to keep tilting the odds in your favor by being helpful and clear in what you are offering. It’s about being personal but not taking responses personally if they don’t go your way.
Consider Mark Ford’s tips on networking:
Gain interest first, earn trust later.
Always be specific and sincere in your praise.
Don’t expect to receive an answer to every note you write.
Ask questions.
Be grateful for answers.
Suggest business only when your target person is ready.
Business is people. And the business of people relies on you being valuable out there and networking in a way that is consistent, clear and respectful.
Every day I am looking for those that would truly add value to my life. Hopefully, we connect in a way that makes life better because we met.