THE BEST NETWORKING PLATFORM…NOT WHAT YOU THINK

Play this 2 minute podcast

I walked into the board meeting of Operation New Birmingham…looked around the room and saw the usual suspects.  I’ve been on the ONB Board for a really long time so I know most everyone.  However, when I glanced towards the front of the room, I saw a man I’ve never met talking to the ONB President.

 I walked up and introduced myself.  He told me he was a banker who works for a large bank that had just taken over a bank headquartered in Alabama.   He told me about his banking career and the other banks he had worked.  We then exchanged business cards and sat down together.

 At the end of the meeting, he asked me about AmSher…he had obviously scanned my business card.  I told him about our company and then mentioned that we are currently doing work for the bank that his bank had taken over and hoped that his bank would continue to do business with us.

 He asked me to contact him so that we could discuss further.  I sent him an e-mail and we scheduled lunch.

 I’ve had so many good things happen for me and AmSher because of my community service.  When I review my current list of clients and prospects, most of them came from relationships that were developed through my volunteerism.  Our largest client came from someone I met at a Chamber of Commerce meeting.  Last week I got some business from a fellow board member of the City Action Partnership.

 This all makes sense.  You and other volunteers have a lot in common.  For sure, you have a passion for the same cause or organization.  People respect and appreciate your efforts, just like you appreciate and respect theirs.

 I love social media and I enjoy going to networking events, but community involvement, without doubt, gives you the best results.

 This is David Sher, your e-Networking guy, saying it’s not what you know, but whOO you know.

Click “Read More” to the right to make your comments

DON’T BE A JERK

Play this two minute podcast

He sat down next to me at lunch at the convention…a young fellow in his mid to late 20’s.  He pulled out two cell phones…one was an IPhone…and some other small high tech contraption.  I had never seen anything like it before, so I asked him, “What is that?”  He said it was a recorder that shoots videos and uploads them straight to YouTube.

 He asked me if I had an IPhone.  I said no, and showed him my Blackberry.  He asked if I texted.  I told him I didn’t text…that I thought it was a generational thing.  He said, and I quote, “the problem with you OLD people is you just don’t want to learn anything new.”  Then things got worse.  I told him I trained professionals & business owners on social media like LinkedIn & Facebook.  He told me no one is interested in that stuff because young folks like him were onto other things.  The speaker at the luncheon began his talk, so we didn’t talk further. 

 Compare my ill mannered table companion with the fellow who sat next to me at lunch the next day.  We introduced ourselves and had a wonderful time learning about each others businesses and families.  He told me he worked with financial consulting firms to build their practices.  This was a great coincidence since I serve on an advisory board of a financial consulting firm.  I was impressed with what he had to say and I promised I would put him in touch with the owner. 

 When I arrived home, I received an e-mail from someone I didn’t know.  He was friends with Bill, the financial guy I met earlier in the week.  Bill had recommended he contact me.  He was interested in hiring me for some training.

 Wow!  What a different outcome.  A condescending kid versus a really nice guy who knows how to build his business network.

 The lesson is you don’t know where your next customer is coming from…and it sure doesn’t pay to be a jerk. 

 This is David Sher, your eNetworking guy, saying it’s not what you know, but whoo you know.

Click “Read More” to the right to make your comments.

ARRIVE TEN MINUTES EARLY & STAY TEN MINUTES LATE

Play this two minute podcast

I got to the meeting about ten minutes early and the first person I saw was a LinkedIn friend of mine. The reason I say a “LinkedIn friend” is he is a person I only sort of knew before I asked him to join my network on LinkedIn.   

 I talked to him for a few minutes and then he  introduced me to the fellow sitting next to him.

 We shook hands and he mentioned he was a practice administrator at a gastroenterology group located here in Birmingham. I wished he had worked in a different type of medical practice because I can never pronounce gastroenterology.

 At the end of the meeting, we had an opportunity to talk.  I told him I was with AmSher Collection Services, and I asked for permission to contact him about possibly doing some collection work.

 When I got back to my office, I sent him an e-mail and he responded saying it was okay for me to stay in touch.  By the way, this is how I have made most of my sales at AmSher—through introductions.

 My point is I never would have met the practice administrator if I hadn’t gotten to the meeting early and stayed a few minutes afterwards.   

 People oftentimes go to a meeting thinking that the purpose is the speaker or the information they’re going to get, when the purpose often is to meet other people.  So it’s a good idea to get to your meeting a little early and stay a few minutes late.

 This is David Sher your e-Networking guy saying it’s not what you know, but whOO you know.

Click “Read More” to the right to make your comments

ETIQUETTE IS IMPORTANT ON LINKEDIN, FACEBOOK, & OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA

Play this two minute podcast

I couldn’t believe my eyes. I was viewing an e-mail I received on LinkedIn. It’s the kind of LinkedIn e-mail I get on a regular basis, where one of my connections asks for an introduction.  I really enjoy helping people so making introductions is something I do regularly. I also ask for introductions myself—so it is something everyone expects.

 In any event, I was surprised to see that the request wasn’t for one introduction…it was for a lengthy list of introductions. Evidently, my friend had reviewed all his prospects and matched them against my LinkedIn connections.

 I think that’s a bit aggressive and over-the-line. It’s reasonable to ask someone to make an introduction every now and again, but certainly not to ask for a long list of introductions.

 The same individual, by the way, had run a status update on LinkedIn the previous day specifically asking for business. These are examples of bad etiquette.

 I also see people regularly breaking conventional etiquette on Facebook.  Facebook is primarily a social platform.  People mistakenly try to turn Facebook into a business generator.  Now, I feel its okay to do some business on Facebook if your postings are mainly social.  It’s also okay to do business on your business or fan page…since your friends can opt in or out.  Have you ever been to a Saturday night party and someone followed you around trying to do business with you?  Didn’t make you like them, did it?

 If you want to be successful with your social media relationships, it’s important to follow the appropriate etiquette.

 This is David Sher your e-Networking guy saying it’s not what you know, but whOO you know.

Click “Read More” to the right to make your comments

LOVE AT FIRST TWEET

Play this 2 minute podcast

This is not your typical love story because I have been happily married for 43 years.  It started in July with a notice from Twitter that I was being followed by Phyllis Neill, a woman I didn’t know…which certainly is not unusual for Twitter.

I quickly reviewed her profile and saw she was a business person living here in Birmingham, so I clicked to follow her.  Being curious, I then searched her LinkedIn profile & invited her into my network.

She quickly accepted & asked to meet for coffee.  The plot thickens. 

I met Phyllis at Starbucks in Vestavia & liked her instantly.  She was smart, aggressive, had a great deal of high level marketing experience, & was a social media wonder.  It dawned on me we could make a great team…so I popped the big question:  “How about becoming business partners?”

Now you may be asking how on our first date I could ask a stranger to consider a partnership.  Well, this is not as far fetched as it might seem.  By the time we met, I had done a great deal of Internet & social media due diligence on her.  I reviewed her LinkedIn profile; examined her work history, recommendations, connections—including our common connections; read her blog & I had Googled her.  I was not surprised she dominated her Google search pages. This woman was a find.

It didn’t happen that day, but Phyllis & I are now partners at WeMentor Social Media Marketing.  We help companies make money with social media. We wouldn’t have met without Twitter.  We wouldn’t have known each other without LinkedIn.  This is the true value of Social Media.  This is David Sher, your e-Networking guy saying it’s not what you know, but whOO you know.

BEST WAY TO FIND EMPLOYEES…PASSIVE RESUMES ON LINKEDIN

 Play this two minute podcast

I recently had lunch with a good friend; one who really understands the Internet. We got into a conversation about finding employees on LinkedIn. This is not surprising because we’re both avid LinkedIn users.

She said, “You know the platforms that job applicants generally use to find jobs, or companies use to find employees, like Monster or CareerBuilder?  It’s only a matter of time before LinkedIn eats their lunch.”

 I didn’t quite understand what she meant, but she explained.  “Look, you’re an employer who is trying to hire employees. Would you rather hire someone who’s out of work and looking for a job or would you rather hire someone who’s been in a job for eight or ten years, and not necessarily looking for a change? You probably have a better chance of hiring a winner when you hire somebody who’s winning already, rather than someone who is looking for a new opportunity.”

 I got additional insight when a business associate pointed out that resumes on LinkedIn are peer reviewed.

 I thought about that for a minute. It’s probably not a good idea to post anything on LinkedIn that’s not true, when your brother-in-law or wife, cousin or co-worker, can look at it and see that you didn’t tell the truth. Your credibility would be shot.

 This statistic may shock you.  Fifty three percent of people who apply for jobs lie on their resume. I don’t know about you, but I think I’d rather find a peer-reviewed resume on LinkedIn than take my chances with a resume.

 This is David Sher, your e-Networking guy saying it’s not what you know, but whoo you know.

Click “Read More” to the right to make your comments

WHY SOME PEOPLE ARE SUCCESSFUL & OTHERS NOT

Play this 2 minute podcast

Let’s go back ten or eleven years.  I got a call from Michael Calvert, the President of Operation New Birmingham…the economic development organization for our city center.  At the time I was Chairman of the Board. 

A national consultant was in Birmingham meeting with all the economic development groups to gain support for building a dome stadium.  Michael wanted me to attend.

When Michael & I arrived, there was a young man with the consultant.  I remember being impressed that such a youthful man had such an important job.  I figured he must have been a great athlete or well connected.  By the way, his name is Nick Sellers & as it turned out he was neither a great athlete or well connected.

Now let’s fast forward to last week to a Leadership Birmingham meeting.  Nick was one of the co-chairs & I had an opportunity to talk with him. 

We reminisced about the first time we met & he told me he had been twenty-three years old & had just moved to Birmingham.  He had tried out for arena football, but had been cut after two weeks.  He needed a job badly & single mindedly had decided he wanted to work for a local celebrity, Gene Hallman, the president of the Alabama Sports Foundation.

He didn’t know Gene & was unable to get him to return his phone calls.  Then one day, he saw Gene on TV speaking at a cerebral palsy telethon.  He put on a coat & tie & rushed to the telethon where he basically stalked the guy.  When given the opportunity, he asked him for a job—no matter how menial.

Gene called him the next week to ask if he would consider being a driver for the consultant.

The rest is history. Nick eventually went to work for Alabama Power where his career has been on fire…all because of Nick’s people skills, creativity, & bravery.

This is David Sher your e-Networking Guy saying it’s not what you know, but whOO you know.

THE MORE YOU HELP OTHERS…THE MORE THEY WANT TO HELP YOU

Play this two minute podcast 

I was rushing out the door, heading for a workout, when I got a call on my cell.  It was from a business owner friend who had a problem.   He was being audited by Federal wage & hour & he was looking for an experienced attorney who specializes in that area of the law.  He said, “I know you have lots of connections,” and I was wondering if you know a lawyer you could recommend.”  Fortunately I hadn’t had a need for wage & hour counseling, but I had recently talked with a client who was having the same issue.  I called him and he, indeed, knew an experienced attorney he was currently working with. 

 Helping people find jobs, connecting friends who are looking for vendors or vendors looking for clients…I spend a fair amount of my week helping others.  Now you are probably saying, what is that all about?

 And I know this sounds strange, but the more people I help, the more people that seem to help me.  Steven Leung, from the San Francisco area, who I wouldn’t have known -without LinkedIn, taught me how to do podcasts.  Wade Kwon, our local blogging expert, spent an hour with me giving me tips on how to improve my blog.   In fact, you may be listening to this podcast because of some search tips or tags Wade showed me.  Duncan Lamb, a brilliant business man and a good friend of mine, actually came to my house to help me with some computer issues.  My friends on LinkedIn, Facebook, & Twitter are always answering my question.

 I was talking to a long time attorney friend of mine and he said, and I quote, “I don’t want to get on LinkedIn…someone might ask me for something.”

 Now I don’t usually get philosophical, but I am going to quote the Talmud, “If I’m not for myself, who will be for me?  If I’m only for myself, what am I?  And if not now, when?

 This is David Sher, your e-networking guy, saying it’s not what you know, but whOO you know.

Click on “Read More” to leave your comments…

A SALESPERSON WHO REALLY GETS SOCIAL MEDIA

Play this 2 minute podcast

 I woke up at 5:30 to get some work done and rushed to my computer.  I had checked my e-mails the night before…so I didn’t expect any new ones.  But there was a lengthy LinkedIn e-mail from a John Garrett.  Who is John Garrett?

 I had posted a question on LinkedIn the previous afternoon asking if anyone had ideas about how to build traffic for my podcast.  John sent me two pages of suggestions at 1:30 in the morning.  What an unselfish act.

 I responded with a thank you, and he replied by inviting me to lunch to brainstorm other ideas.  I didn’t know it at the time, but that is how John builds his business relationships.  He sincerely tries to help others and has a goal to never eat alone.

 At that lunch and through other interactions with John, I’ve determined John might be the most creative salesperson I’ve ever met.

 He created a LinkedIn group titled, “Business Owners of Birmingham, Alabama.”  As of the day of this post, the group has 129 members….128 business owners…and one salesperson, John.  Of course John is a business owner, President of the Microfit Group, but he sure has packed the group to his advantage.

 And John doesn’t believe in cold calling.  He has a sure fire way of getting past the gate keeper and having decision makers want to talk with him.  John publishes a blog…so he calls up companies he respects and offers to give them free publicity to write about them.  Naturally, everyone loves a free plug.

 You may say this seems contrived, but I don’t agree.  I’ve never seen John ask for business.  He believes if you show interest in others and sincerely try to help them, they will recognize your value.  John gets it…that’s what social media is all about.

 This is David Sher, your e-Networking guy saying it’s not what you know, but whOO you know.

 John Garrett’s blog:  http://www.johnegarrett.com/

Click “Read More” to the right to make your comments.

A RICHER LIFE BECAUSE OF FACEBOOK & SOCIAL MEDIA

Play this two minute podcast

It’s with mixed emotions that I make these comments.  I had one of those weeks that was happy beyond belief.  My daughter Melanie delivered my first granddaughter and my wife, Ina-Mae, and I celebrated our 43^rd wedding anniversary.  Two positive powerful events that make you appreciate and understand how great life can be.

 I posted my blessings on Facebook and immediately heard from many of my Facebook friends with notes of congratulations and best wishes.  But somehow, I felt badly…because some of my friends are having a difficult time.  One is going through the early stages of divorce; another’s wife is struggling to learn some of the basics of life after having gone through a major health episode that came close to ending her life.  A third friend lost his job several months ago and is terrified that he won’t be able to find something soon.

 So, somehow, I felt guilty…like I was flaunting my good fortune in the face of others misfortunes.  And then I realized that if these events had happened a year ago, I never would have had this dilemma…because I wasn’t on Facebook and I wouldn’t have this platform to make these public announcements.

 Facebook and my other social media platforms like LinkedIn & Twitter have literally changed my relationships and interactions.  When I think about the people I interact with, I now have a window into their lives and theirs into mine.

 I followed posts in the past week from two female friends who were both joyful with their success of potty training their children.  Another friend was thrilled with a 5K race she ran.  Others talked about their experiences on a special trip, a celebration dinner…or a family trip to the zoo.

 What’s amazing is I’m getting to know people in ways I’ve never had the opportunity.  Many of these people are clients, prospective clients, and business associates. If business is about building relationships…and it is, social media has created opportunities to build relationship that never existed before. 

 This is David Sher, your e-networking guy, saying it’s not what you know, but whOO you know.

Click “Read More” to the right to make your comments.