and for trust to be established.
If networking is so important, why do so many sales professionals, business owners, and job searchers avoid it or not spend the time to get better at it? Well, networking requires work. Heck, the word “work” is right in the word “network.” Not everyone is willing to put in the work to develop their network.
Many sales producers, and especially financial advisors, simply don't know where to start:
What should I be saying? Who should I be meeting? Where should I be going? Why am I doing this? Where am I? How do I know I'm making progress?
Then there's the fear factor or what‐if factor:
What if I meet someone I don't like? What if they don't like me? What if I run out of things to talk about? What if I need to start a conversation with a total stranger? What if I forget the name of the person I've been speaking with for twenty minutes? What if I forget my own name? What if I say something stupid? What if I don't know the answer? What if I don't know the question? What if I need to end the conversation and they won't stop talking to me? What if they try to sell me their product or service?
Have no fear. I wrote this book for you!
I understand that networking can seem daunting to both the new sales producer as well as the grizzled veteran. I get it. I was there once. Alone. Not knowing what to say and why I was even at an event. I was more focused on watching the time slowly go by rather than figuring out how to talk to people, learn, help, and have some fun talking about our respective businesses.
But you don't have to be an extrovert to be successful at networking!
By dedicating myself to learn about networking and how to master “making the connection,” I have managed to become an educator and professional speaker on the subject. Since July of 2000, I've been running a sales and training firm and have been hired to speak, train, coach, and consult with top broker dealers, Registered Investment Advisory (RIA) firms, asset management companies, banks, private equity firms, and hedge funds.
Also, companies in software, hardware, real estate, hospitality, and even universities have hired me to help their people develop their networking skills to achieve a goal.
Yes, achieving a goal – isn't that what the whole thing is about? Making the sale! Landing the job! Getting the girl (or boy)! Winning the fight! You can do all of this by making the connection.
In fact, I believe you can achieve almost anything by networking. As long as you're clear on what your goal is, you can almost always figure out where you should be going, what you should be saying, and with whom.
Here's the reality. Most people in sales take networking for granted. They don't realize what a powerful business tool it can be when done correctly. Networking is not about asking for business or pitching your product or service. It's about building, establishing, and maintaining positive (and fun!) relationships.
Then there are those who understand that networking is important but aren't sure how to do it properly. Or think they're doing it properly but aren't getting the results they're looking for, or are getting no results at all.
I have written this book for the people in both of those camps.
In addition to my speaking and consulting work, I've been teaching a public speaking class as an adjunct professor at Rutgers University for many years. I have shared many of my networking ideas and approaches with thousands of students to help them land internships and jobs. It brings tears to my eyes every time a student shares a success story with me based on their networking.
In fact, I've been teaching so long that many of my former students have gone on to have great careers. Some have tracked me down on LinkedIn and have had their companies hire me to speak and train their sales teams. How cool is that?
Yes, I live and breathe this stuff!
Bottom Line!
Anyone who is willing to make a concerted effort to devote the time to learn and practice the art and science of networking (the sweet science!) will develop the skills necessary to grow a business, land a job, maybe save a life.
Every tip, idea, approach, story, anecdote, suggestion, process, and recommendation in this book is based on my personal success and failure at networking. I also base a lot of my approaches on the success and failure of clients as they work hard to grow their own businesses. Then there are all of those students and job searchers looking to develop their own networking paths.
There are no theories here, only proven approaches that have worked for me and those I have had the privilege to help along the way. And if I can practice these strategies and succeed, anyone can do it!
This book will teach you all the networking strategies you need to know: how to deal with sticky situations, develop a target market, perfect your elevator speech, and generate more referrals. You will learn about the right places to go, the right things to say, and the right people to meet (and all the wrong stuff too). You will learn how to work a room, follow up, follow through, start your own networking group, greet people effectively, exchange business cards (that still happens!), end conversations tactfully, and develop your very own networking fight plan.
Most importantly, you'll learn how to develop ongoing strategies to make great connections and establish important relationships.
If you're a financial advisor, this might be the most important book you ever read about prospecting, developing important relationships, and establishing a network that will help you grow a successful practice or business. Bold statement, I know, but twenty years of my experience working with financial advisors is right here between the covers of this book.
If you're not a financial advisor but you're focused on selling something else – real estate, printers, phone services, software, shampoo, cars, window treatments, flowers, or if you're focused on landing a job – this book is still for you! And that goes for business owners too!
Building relationships and establishing a network translates to almost all sales‐related professions focused on proactively developing a book of business.
I may use the terms “financial advisor” or “financial services” often, but please replace whatever financial‐based term I may use with whatever position you happen to be in. From time to time when I say “financial advisor” I may add “and other sales producers,” but I won't do that every time as it may get to be a bit annoying.
It's more important to me that you embrace the ideas and approaches I'm discussing and apply them to your own business, your own objectives, your own scenarios, and your own successes. Basically, understand the concepts I'm sharing and own them!
By purchasing and reading this book, you have taken a major step forward in your business or practice (and in many cases your life). I am thrilled and honored to be in your corner as you learn and achieve success through networking.
If I can offer further guidance, feel free to visit me at www.KnockOutNetworking.com or follow me on my social media channels. Remember, it's about the connection.
Touch gloves and come out networking!
Michael Goldberg
Jackson, New Jersey
Part 1 Opening Rounds
In boxing, the opening rounds are usually the time that both fighters are getting warmed up while getting a sense of their opponent's style, speed, and power. Rarely does anything significant take place in the first couple of rounds (like a knockout), although fighters like Mike Tyson made knocking out their opponents in the first round part of their style. (Tyson knocked out 22 opponents in the first round, which is second most all time among fighters who have won a title.)
Well,