Load Up Your “Business Gun†With The Right Ammo
As I’ve mentioned, networking and constantly getting to know new people is absolutely imperative, but those efforts are practically useless if you aren’t set up to develop a chance meeting from a couple minutes chatting to a long term relationship. The ammunition you should have in your “gun†might include anything from professionally designed business cards to a well crafted tag-line. The key is to have it ready and on hand when you meet your next great connection.
A business card is a given but in this day and age you need to hand people more than just a phone number. They will expect an email, a website and other online information. If you haven’t done so already, build a solid online presence, even if it’s just a one page website with basic information and links to other things you or your business are involved in. I also suggest looking into getting a LinkedIn account, creating a Facebook page, starting a Twitter account, or writing a blog. You’ll need to investigate which options will work best for what you’re doing and then spend some time forging them into the ammunition you need.
If it makes sense for your business, consider investing in promotional items. It can be anything from pens, magnets, or small gadgets related to your business that are easy to carry and hand out so people have a reminder of you and what you do. When at shows or conventions, have informational materials ready for those times when you can’t get in much more than your tag-line.
In addition, be ready to give back and help others. The more you assist others in their personal or business goals, the better they will remember you and the more willing they’ll be to assist you in your endeavors. Nothing in your arsenal will have more of an impact than a little gratitude and a positive image. Put this together with a solid on-line presence and plenty of ready contact information and you will have a truly well loaded business gun.
Mark O. Haroldsen – More of My Heroes
There are friends and people I have met or who I want to meet who have made a lasting impression on me. In this post, I want to go over some of the heroes I know or want to meet. I’ve already written about two – Stein Erickson and Oprah Winfrey.
Here are some of my other heroes:
Roy Emerson
Roy is a super famous tennis champion who despite all his fame is incredibly warm, genuine, and giving. The world’s perception of famous people is usually wrong. We think of the famous as snots who are in rehab because that’s what is in the news. But in my experience, that’s not the case. Most of the time they are like Roy. Most of the time you can meet your heroes.
Paul J. Meyer
I talk about Paul in my book. He’s a half billionaire who was recently in the Dominican Republic getting treatment to repair his heart muscles. He’s sought treatment there because the country allows stem cell research and blood work. He hopes to regenerate his heart and get some extra years of life.
Paul is 80 years old. We’ve been life-long friends. He’s a very smart guy who I’ve known for 25 years. He’s a great salesman who started the SMI Institute. He was the first person to put motivational information on records and then on cassette tapes. He’s so organized that he can get so much done and is a workaholic!
Unknown to me, Paul told me he followed me for years. Then one day he wrote to me after reading my first book. Because of this book, he and his friends started to buy property. It has been a great friendship and he has stopped in Salt Lake City to visit.
Nando Parrado
I talk about Nando in my book and how he survived the near impossible. While stranded for 72 days due to a plane crash, many people cannibalized. Searchers had given up finding anyone. Nando hiked up a freezing mountain to escape. I talked about him in my post about finding mentors. He’s one of my heroes and I hope to meet him.
Who are your heros and why? Please leave your response as a comment below.
