As our final blog post of 2009, we are featuring Inquisix member Shiera O’Brien‘s article on The Power of Business Networking.

Best wishes for a wonderful, healthy and prosperous 2010!

In the early 90s, a film called Six Degrees of Separation built its story around the idea that we are all separated by six degrees from everybody else on the whole planet. Everybody is an open door into another world and knows the people you are looking to meet or companies you want to work with. Everybody is connected on this planet by a trail of only six people, whether you are famous or not. If you find the right people to make the connection with, distance vanishes and the right opportunities will come your way.

In thinking about this I decided to look on YouTube to remind myself of the key ideas in this film and whether it really does have any relevance to our business life today. To my surprise and delight, I found a documentary on scientists who have studied and written an algorithm to prove this network theory, which they worked on for years. It shows that nature has this hidden blueprint and structure that connects us all. The scientists mapped it out and tested it on people by taking parcels across the world and asking 27 people to only use their social networks to get the package to a person on the other side of the world. It was amazing how quickly the parcels moved closer to the addressee, who was a scientist working at Harvard University in Boston.

This is an idea worth experimenting with in our daily business lives. I apply it in my own business strategy by making my business networks help with word-of-mouth marketing and create the connections and opportunities I seek with particular companies. There is no better example of the power of networks than the latest Web 2.0 social media networks. If you test the theory within your own social circle, you will find very quickly that people have connections that can open doors for you. Many of your connections within your business circle either know each other or have a contact into a client or employer that you may be looking to meet.

Looking at our own economy and applying this to our client-building strategy or job search, makes me think that the traditional ways of building businesses and finding jobs is far too slow. In this day and age, you need to be tapping into your personal, social and professional networks, if you want to get faster results. Systematically searching for the right people through your networks, using a plan, will yield faster results every time than a traditional approach of throwing out a blanket of hopeful letters and calls. In human nature, people will always respond faster to people they know than to strangers.

You may be asking yourself, “How is that in any way relevant to me?” If you are looking grow your practice or find new opportunities, it is very relevant. My suggestion to you is to take it out and test the theory yourself.

Here are six steps to help you in your own Six Degrees experiment:

Step 1: Connect into the network hub

The scientists tell us that in every network there is a traceable hub, where the core activity takes place. It is the place where people gather and take information about you back into their world. Even more interesting is that within each hub, you will find the “human hub”, the person with the highest degree of influence and connectivity. They are important people to know and start building relationships with. What they do for a living is irrelevant, their social currency is what you really want to tap into! Identify this person within your networks. This includes your family and friend networks, professional networks, membership organisations, and most importantly your on-line networks. Ask yourself, “Who are the people gathering around me with the most influential links?” Make sure you set up your social media accounts (LinkedIn, Facebook, Inquisix and Twitter) to build your on-line treasure chest.

Step 2: Have a networking plan

Key to getting the results you want is deciding or naming the companies and roles of people you wish to meet through your network, whether at networking events or through your on-line contacts. Then identify a very good reason why they would want to meet you. Human nature is designed to act principally from self-interest, which is driven by the reptilian part of our brains. So people will always unconsciously ask “What’s in this for me?” Give your network and potential contacts a worthwhile reason to want to meet you. Perhaps it’s to share some information, opportunities, save them money or help them use your networks.

Following on from that, it is important to have something to share about you that’s of value to them, and sets you apart. Direct them to your website, literature, testimonials or information that you think they would benefit from. Ask them to do you a favour. Most people like doing favours for others and help their own business contacts. It helps cement relationships.

Step 3: Authenticity at networking events

There is no end of opportunities to attend networking events as we go into the autumn. Networking is not just about getting into a room to break the world record for the largest business card collection. Nor is it a popularity contest on social media. The most valuable asset you can bring to a networking event is your authentic self. Be real, be present, engage and listen to people as you would if you were at a social gathering. And avoid talking about yourself all the time. Ask great questions. They don’t have to be about business. Get to know people, because relationships are built on this. Even if you only meet 3-4 quality contacts and have agreement to follow up and meet, you will have done a great job. Set a goal of having at least 2 meetings come out of a networking event.

Step 4: The Follow-Up

The downfall of people’s networking strategy is either poor follow-up, no follow-up or the full- blown sales pitch in an email. Think of your follow-up as a “getting-to-know-you” phase of your relationship. It must happen within 24 hours to reinforce the connection you made. Acknowledge the meeting, the event and create the invitation to connect on LinkedIn, Inquisix or Twitter. You will need to explore which of these ones suits your business needs. And ignoring emails is a poor reflection on your business, so avoid it at all costs. Arrange a follow-up meeting, even if it’s for a coffee to learn more about each other’s business, in anticipation of opportunities down the line. This is always a great starting point.

Step 5: The Power of Reciprocity

Give without expecting something back demonstrates how powerful reciprocity can be. If you see an opportunity to share some information or introduce a contact to your contacts, “Just Do It.” This is building some credit for reciprocal behaviour from others in the future. I saw this recently when I did a favour for a business contact. In return, an out of the blue opportunity came my way through the person I did the favour for. I was the first person that came to mind. This is the power of reciprocity.

Step 6: Build it and they will come

People often give up before they reach the momentum that makes them a network hub in their own right. They are inconsistent or dismiss people as not being of value. I suggest a rule of thumb is to treat everybody you meet like your clients, even your “so-called” competition, as they may be a vital link for a joint venture in the future.

It’s far too easy to assume people in your network as not worth knowing, because they wouldn’t understand your business of have the right kind of contacts. The business people I have met are very intelligent so give them your time! And don’t be a dabbler by attending networking events, gathering cards, connecting on social media sites and then abandon ship. Use your 20:20 vision. See the value in everybody you meet as a chain in your network and a part of your most valuable asset: your contact database.

To truly understand the power of networking, read The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell, who writes brilliantly about Connectors, Mavens and Salespeople. These are the people turning their businesses around, making money and finding great jobs, when the masses are doing things the old way. Be a pioneer in your business or profession and tap in that that rich reservoir. Your best client or the perfect job is only six handshakes away.

Biography
About Shiera O’Brien: Shiera is an expert in sales optimisation. She specialises in consulting and training companies in sales and communication strategies to their clients. She offers training and coaching on business networking, communication skills, presenting and selling excellence. Contact her in Ireland on (086) 399-6601 or shiera@zenithtraining.ie Visit www.zenithtraining.ie for more information.

We’ve blogged about business networking in every shape and form: reviews, strategies, techniques, insights but never, ever fashion. Guest blogger Emmi Sorokin, a national men’s stylist, says it’s just as important.

As we all know when it comes to business networking first impressions are key and often determine the quality of connections you make. You get only one shot to come across as confident and competent from the start and your goal is to make people want to get to know you better after the initial meeting. Personality and interpersonal communication skills can take you very far, but it all starts with you looking like a quality connection yourself.

A Poorly Dressed Networker in Action

Clothing greatly impacts a key component of networking effectively, confidence. And if you’re not taking advantage of that, you’re missing out. The good news is that dressing well really doesn’t require that much more effort than looking just OK, once you’ve learned some basics. So what does that actually mean for the individual as he sets forth into the fray of a networking event? Start by making sure that you aren’t making any of these common mistakes. If you are, I given you the fix for each as well so on you can improve your chances of making an excellent first impression.

Poorly Fitting or Dated Clothes-

Men tend to select clothing that is too large for their frame, inadvertently making themselves look frumpy rather than masculine. They also hang onto to items in their closet way past the expiration date (think pleated dress slacks). Even worse than that, your peers don’t have to be fashion-savvy to spot your aged threads. Over the past decade, a shift in style has emphasized a slim silhouette. The leaner fit is has become so commonplace that anything lacking a tailored look stands out like a Hummer in a lot of Honda Priuses. It doesn’t take a GQ subscriber to see which of these things is not like the other, and the last thing you want is to give the impression that you or your skills are anything less than current.

Above: Traditional cut shirt and khakis engulf his frame.

The Fix:
Many brands now offer dress shirts in a slimmer cut, a welcome improvement over the traditional boxy fit for a lot of men. These more flattering styles are available from Calvin Klein, Perry Ellis, Geoffrey Beene, etc. The slimmer fit will be notated on the shirt’s tag using terms like City Fit, Modern Cut, and Tailored. This attention to body flattering lines has not stopped at the waist. Pants, from casual jeans to wool dress slacks and every fabric in between now come in a variety of fits as well.

Above: Modern cut dress shirt and slim straight cut khakis

Too Casual- You don’t have to wear a suit and tie to look professional or to be dressed well. Although internet casual has been embraced by the many, the T-shirt and jeans combo is not the new suit, except maybe in Los Angeles. The key to looking professional without resorting to suiting up is to make sure everything you have on fits well, appears new and clean with attention paid to the details. Clothing that is wrinkled or looks to be in less than excellent condition does not portray a solid professional image.

Above: Baggy jeans and T-shirt

The Fix:
Choose jeans with a darker wash (but not black) because they look dressier than their light blue counterparts. Select slacks that have a small amount of Lycra in the fabric, this will help them retain their shape throughout the day. If you aren’t going to wear a sport coat or suit  add another distinguishing touch by wearing a french cuff dress shirt with cuff links or a well made, lightweight sweater. For dress shirts use metal collar stays to ensure your collar won’t curl and stays stiff.

Above: Darker wash slim cut jean and quarter zip sweater

Above: Collars show wear on a shirt, keep them straight and stiff with metal stays (below)

Losing Your Distinction-

Don’t default to the lowest-common-denominator mentality when it comes to business casual (Polo+Khaki, sound familiar?), and internet casual doesn’t mean reverting back to looking like an intern. Yet while you want to avoid losing your identity in a sea of lackluster polos and khakis, be careful not to confuse distinction with flash.

Above: The ubiquitous polo and khaki

The Fix:
Pick up updated versions of the business casual classics with subtle creative detailing. From a distance you’ll simply look well put together and up close there is even more to admire.  Rather than black pants select a pair with a subtle plaid or pinstripe. Also consider a button down shirt with a patterned weave instead of a solid. When it comes to sweaters opt for a deep blue or forest green instead of grey. It’s actually easier to set yourself apart as a leader in a business casual atmosphere because the majority of your colleagues will be opting for the uninspired default polo and khaki uniform.

Above: Deep blue v-neck sweater and grey glen plaid slacks

Above: White stripe weave dress shirt, distinct but not flashy

The hard fact of the matter is that first impressions count. Especially when you network for business. Making a good, lasting impression isn’t all about what you say or how you act, it includes your personal style. Make sure your’s isn’t saying the wrong thing.

Emmi Sorokin is a national men’s image stylist and Founder of It’s a Man’s World Image Consulting, the first and only image and style firm in New England exclusively for men. Dressing her clients for personal and professional success, Emmi has been quoted in national magazines such as Research and Men’s Health. As one client put it, “Emmi is the only men’s image consultant who is frugal, brutally honest, speaks fluent man-ese, and has rabid fans.” You can follow Emmi on Twitter atwww.Twitter.com/AskEmmi and get more style guidance at www.amansworldco.com/wordpress.

Editor’s Note:  At Inquisix, the networking is primarily for building your business.  But sometimes you need to start your business or career again.  Which is why when Inquisix member Debbie Boucher asked me if she could post about finding a job through networking on our blog, I agreed.  After all, I referred her to one of her jobs.

Can networking help you get your next job?  Absolutely!  In this current economy, networking plays a critical role in landing your next job.

The New York Times recently published an article entitled, “Network To Find A Job – The Basics” By Vault.com.  The article talks about how 80 percent of jobs are through word of mouth and how managers first go to their network asking for referrals.  Here’s an excerpt from Marcy Lerner’s book, “Vault Guide to Schmoozing“:

We’ve moved past the point where we expect that jobs will be mainly filled through company recruiting and advertising. According to widely-cited statistics, 75 to 80 percent of all job-seekers find their new position through referrals; most openings never see the light of day (or newsprint). By schmoozing, you make word-of-mouth work in your favor. You can learn about a variety of industries and make friends and contacts whom you can call upon for career advice or assistance. . . .”

I’ve had firsthand experience in networking.  Over the past 11 years, three of my last four jobs were due to networking based on people I’ve worked with or who referred me to colleagues.

I’m constantly networking.  Case in point, I recently finished my kickboxing classes for the season (BTW, love it).  I attended the classes for 12 weeks and ended up knowing everyone in the class as well as what they do for work and vice versa.  I was able to get my niece to join the class and we talked about networking and how important it was (especially since she was out of a job).  As a result of our discussion and through networking, she was able to get a job by one of the HR Managers who was taking the class as well.  She is now a strong believer in networking; thus the reason for this blog posting.

Matt Bertuzzi, a colleague of mine at The Bridge Group, and I recently posted a survey in several groups within LinkedIn for feedback.   We received over 75 responses (thanks to all who participated) and found that “networking” helped 90% of respondents find at least one job.  That says a lot!  So here’s the breakdown:

Has “networking” ever helped you find a job?

Over 50% of respondents report that networking helped "every time" or "almost every time"

Also interesting was who within their networks provided assistance in finding the job. Here is what the survey shows:

What was the nature of your connection?

(Select all that apply)

Colleague (57%)  and Friend (43%)  were the top two connections in "getting the job".

Have anything you’d like to add?  Then please post!

Inquisix Member Debbie Boucher is an Inside Sales Consultant for The Bridge Group, Inc.

Pat Weber runs an online networking group called the Consummate Networkers and she’s invited me to speak to her group this week. The event is phone-based and anyone can join the call via BlitzTime.

Date: Thursday, July 23rd at 7pm ET

Topic: The Day After the Networking Event – What Do I Do Now?

Why not join us and participate by signing up here? The event is free and you’ll have a chance to meet other professionals interested in networking.

I starred 3 blog posts this week that I’ve re-read a couple of times already and wanted to share with you.

From Seth Godin – He refutes the cliche and states that “It DOES hurt to ask” because you then don’t get a chance to ask the right way.

From Geoffrey James – An example of what he considers an eternal rule of business, “Anyone who manipulates you with fear intends to screw you eventually.”

From Adrian Miller, author of “The Blatant Truth”, 10 Ways to Suck at Networking. I was at the New England Networkers event last night and am going to the Cambridge Business Development Group event tonight so a quick referesher on what NOT to do was timely.

This is Part II of our interview with Shiera O’Brien, Inquisix member since April ’08.  Hailing from Dublin, Ireland, she recently started an Inquisix Group, The Dublin Chamber Business Referral Traders. 

If you missed Part One just click HERE. Now on to Shiera…

About the Inquisix Group you started- The Dublin Chamber Business Referral Traders Group- please tell us more…

I started the Dublin Chamber Business Referral Traders Group because I was keen to bring Inquisix to my contacts there and try and replicate an on-line experience of the great networking events they put on around Dublin. I run a program at the Chamber called “Maximize Your Membership,” how to really get value from networking, because the consistent problem was that people let it all slide after attending an event. They never followed up. And that can be expensive. So I thought with Inquisix, we could keep the momentum.

Do you see a specific need that Inquisix addresses of your group?

Inquisix allows the group to start building their on-line network and continue the conversations they have had at the Dublin Chamber events. It will strengthen the ties within the group and encourage them to trade and conduct commerce between each other. It is still in the early adopter phase. We are planning to do an on-line event with Michael Kreppein to demonstrate the power of this tool to help our members. We hope to do that in the next month and really get the buzz going about Inquisix over the summer months.

If you could get across one thing about Inquisix to a perspective member what would it be?

Inquisix is like clean energy in on-line networks – no noise polution, no spam footprint & a cleaner world. It’s real and you do make connections.

I really love the clean way the information is presented, I’m not bombarbed with job adverts and spam, which is a serious problem with other tools, which devalue the experience of on-line networking. So keep it clean and it will build loyalty. With Inquisix, I can just get on with the job, which is to make connections and build a business network worth participating in and generate real business opportunities.

Thank you for talking with us Shiera, Happy Connecting!

For more information on how you can start your own group or about our affiliate program, contact Michael Kreppein.

We were lucky to grab this very busy power networker – meet Shiera O’Brien, Inquisix member since April ’08.  Hailing from Dublin, Ireland, she recently started an Inquisix Group, The Dublin Chamber Business Referral Traders. 

Hi Shiera, so tell us about your business.

Zenith Training and Development is my business. I work specifically with sales professionals, helping them have more powerful sales conversations and meetings. I offer training and coaching to clients in the psychology of buying and selling and how to get better results from sales meetings and become a buying facilitator rather than a sales person.

Why do you network?

I network because meeting in person is powerful as an introduction to my company, and I am generally meeting people on the sales front line, so it’s the type of business introduction I want. I use on-line networking to back up my off-line/in-person networking and am sharing this methodology to all my contacts. I need other people to create a business network, and I want technology to do the work for me after I’ve put time and effort into an event.

What made you join Inquisix?

As an active member and Ambassador at The Dublin Chamber of Commerce, in Ireland, I found the on-line networking tools to be lacking in process, when it came to post-networking follow-up. Linked-In was too public; would I want to put all my contacts on public view? I loved the idea that I could keep my contacts in a Vault, yet allow others to tap into the contact pool and return the favour. The real attraction is holding contact privates, yet opening the doors of opportunity to others and vice versa. We get a glimpse at the potential for real connections via this tool.

I found Inquisix mentioned in a blog and then was travelling to the US and met Michael Kreppein. I really liked how he communicated the vision of what they wanted to achieve with Inquisix and so far they’ve been loyal to this vision, willing to invest in supporting users in Ireland. Inquisix went a out of their way to make the address fields work for us here, which was the only way we could kick start things and build a community.

Prior to joining, I was doing lots of in-person business networking through local business groups. I found it to be useful, yet the missing link was an easy to use on-line follow-up tool- a system to follow-up that I could have on-line, that would keep track of all my contacts and referrals. The follow-up process and technology was the big missing link- I couldn’t work with the tools that existed out there, because of the public way it displayed contacts and there was no proper referral tool. Inquisix came across my screen when I did research on it for the Dublin Chamber of Commerce.

What do you like best about Inquisix?

The layer of anonymity: I can see what’s happening in the world of my contacts. Somebody asks for a referral, and if I don’t see the real value in the connection, I can make a decision anonymously whether I want to give the referral or not, and relationships remain intact. I also like the pro-active referral tool. I meet people every day that I think should hook up and it’s great to be able to go in, hit a button and send on referral contact details with a note. Pure Magic. Like a gift in their In-Box. It’s a very powerful way to say “Hey, I am serious about helping you with your business, ” without always looking for a return favour. This helps build a reputation, which Inquisix tracks and profiles, so people can see how committed I am to networking in the local business community.

Easiest thing about Inquisix is, it does all the work I don’t like doing; keeping track, sending emails, and putting all that information on referral into somebody’s inbox with a few clicks. And it shows me graphically what is happening. It’s very well designed and takes the effort out of passing on contacts.

Any great examples of using Inquisix Trusted Referrals™?

I had a request from somebody in the network, who knew me, but I didn’t know them as well. I got the request one morning, called him, asked about his business, thought it was good fit, so I hit the referral button; 30 minutes later he was on the phone talking to a contact he had been looking to meet for 2-3 previous weeks. I gave him an additional contact in same business arena. So he got two targeted contacts from one request through Inquisix. This demonstrates the power of Inquisix and got me very excited about the possibilities it can bring to businesses in a way it hadn’t existed before.

What are the misconceptions about online networking? 

The misconceptions in this part of the world are based on people’s perceptions about social media in general. Can we trust these people? What if I give a referral? What will happen to my reputation?

The reality is, the next generation don’t have that at all, so as they come into the work force, Inquisix will be a natural tool to use; they will want to use it and won’t think twice about asking for a referral into a network they don’t personally know, they will make the connection and move to the next one. When somebody really embraces this technology they will experience rapid business growth.

Do you like the direction Inquisix is going? How do you see the future of networking?

Yes, Inquisix is going in the right direction. I like how it has closely replicated the real world of networking. Networking on-line is the way forward.We are in a time-poor work society, where connecting to the right person is absolutely vital. I can see that the next generation are going to drop all concerns and embrace this like no other group of people. They do not have the same “perceptions” around relationships. On-line relationships are as real to them as off-line relationships.

I see it being an integrated part of a Sales Strategy, CRM strategy and people will build profiles and businesses rapidly by embracing it now rather than adopting a wait-and-see-attitude. I am an early adopter and I am willing to put the effort in and harvest the reward over time. Like everything, Inquisix will reach a tipping point and create the snowball effect that will bring in the wider web community.

Next post : Part II, Shiera talks about starting an Inquisix Online Networking Referral Group.

For more information about how you can start your own group or about our affiliate program, contact Michael Kreppein.

Even though I have 2 degrees from Boston University and live 15 minutes from campus, I’m not a big BU alumni. Maybe it’s because there wasn’t a big fraternity scene or football tailgating parties. For me, it was the city of Boston itself that’s the attraction. Since BU is 1 mile long and a block wide, the campus really becomes the city itself. So I’ve ignored BU attempts at bringing me back.

The one sport BU is good at is hockey and they’ve been ranked #1 most of this year and are going to the Frozen Four next week. Watching hockey on HD with the boys is almost as good as watching the games live so I’ve been caught up in the BU spirit. And then BU got me at a weak moment and I said, “Yes” to attending a BU Engineering industry night last week.

I’m back on campus, walking thru the student union and knowing that I can’t even pass for a grad student getting their PhD. Obviously not a professor, maybe the parent of one of these kids. Go into the dining room where they’re hosting the event and take a big breath.

The room is full of engineering seniors wanting to mingle with alumni and ask what’s it’s like in the real world. No speeches, just a quick intro and then mingle the crowd so that the kids could ask us questions one-on-one. I told the crowd, “I don’t know why BU ENG asked me to attend as I got out of engineering and into sales within 2 years of graduating BU.” Of all the other alumni, only 1 other wasn’t still in engineering and he was a patent attorney. I figured I’d be left alone for the next 2 hours, scorned for going to the dark side of sales.

Instead, I was mobbed. And I really enjoyed talking with them and was glad I attended. Why? Because I can remember being in their place and knowing I had spent so many hours studying to be an engineer, hours that my English and Business major friends were spending in the bars downtown. I can remember that eager but tight feeling of, “I have to get a Engineering job right now” without realizing that working for the next 40 years is what’s ahead of me. After all, I thought 30 year olds were due Social Security benefits when I was graduating BU. Just no concept of 4 years of school vs 40 years of working.

What these kids wanted to hear from me that it’s OK not to do the expected and get the obligatory engineering job right away. So I told them it’s OK. Be a (gasp) sales person. Join the Peace Corp, get a teaching job, be a bartender or ski instructor, travel the world if you can. Take some time to discover what you love to do. That job will be waiting when you’re ready.

I wrote about NetParty‘s Business Networking event last August 2008.  Well, they’re back and hosting a new party in Boston on Tuesday, March 24th.  Their parties combine Business with Social Networking.  First h0ur or so is business networking with just light music in the background.  Then the social networking kicks off and the music gets turned up.

Will you attend?  Get your free invite here by March 23rd.

Boston not local to you?  They have other cities to choose from.  Wonder what the party in Buenos Aires looks like?

Whether you’re a front-line sales rep hunting for new business, a consultant delivering solutions, or small business owner communicating with customers, board members and employees, it’s all about selling: selling to win new business or selling to retain customers in an increasingly competitive marketplace. So what’s the deal with the buzz around emerging Sales 2.0 solutions? Which approaches are best able to fill the pipeline? How can you integrate informal networking with the latest technologies?

This White Paper by Michael Kreppein, Inquisix’s Chief Sales Officer, explores the value of referral networking by using Inquisix to combine your in-person with your online networking.

Please download the White Paper in pdf format by clicking the link below.

Inquisix White Paper on Referral Networking