Networking, in the context of this blog, is in-person interaction typically experienced at business gatherings sponsored by local Chambers of Commerce, trade associations and business referral forums. In this setting, the goal is to assemble professionals to meet in non-intimidating settings where introductions are made and business cards freely exchanged.

Think of networking as a source of prospects. Attending multiple networking events monthly typically generates bundles of business cards.  So, it is important to already have a proven successful sales prospecting system in place. An effective system entails several steps which when correctly applied can net one an abundance of customers from these business cards.

While Sales Prospecting is a more assertive, individual activity where the end-goal is to qualify a suspect’s decision-making authority, ability to pay and urgent, recognized need for a product or service, it can be fine-tuned and polished to eliminate any notion of cold-calling. The 2 step process begins with: 1] A personalized direct mailing to set the stage for an expected, timely; 2] Qualifying phone call. If you are willing practice, rehearse and internalize this process it will become a second-nature mindset as a result of your disciplined, habitual application.

While many consider networking to be an event, Dr. Ivan Misner, founder and CEO of BNI (Business Network International, www.bni.com), the world’s largest referral networking organization with 130,000 members worldwide; would disagree. Networking is a lifestyle, not an event. It is a way of being, not an occasional occurrence.

Picture the poor sales person who religiously attends all networking events but fails to follow up in a timely manner.  You know her.  She is quick to show you her business card booty file hoarded in plastic sleeves; yet, sadly, no sales were transacted to justify her effort!

I praise those who leverage their networking skills and who possess the sales prospecting mindset and discipline to convert weekly networking contacts into serious prospects and eventually raving customers. These are my heroes!

Those who occupy the C-suite have too little time and too many strategic decisions. The patience-threshold of those at the top of the corporate pyramid is very narrow. The successful ones depend on staff and trusted advisors to lighten their decision-making burdens so they can focus on what really matters most to fulfill their CEO, COO, CFO, CIO, CMO or other Chief duties and expectations.  

The conjunctive noun: value-adder carries obligations. The higher one climbs up the corporate ladder the greater the expectation of shared value. Deliver high value often and others will seek you.

Value, at this stage, is relevant, accurate, insight that enables Chiefs to consistently make informed, correct decisions. Time and outcomes reveal whether a decision is correct or incorrect.

Notice I said: insight, NOT information. This distinction is important. Information is a free, readily accessible commodity that may be true or false. Staff credentials carry the expectation of skilled Information-gleaning skills when accessing the World Wide Web and its seemingly infinite resources.

Insight is information with a dose of expertise from first-hand experience or substantiated secondary sources. Insight is the platinum standard in the corporate or C-Suite information game.

The expertise of the insight provider must be established as a credible, trustworthy source; otherwise, the shared insight of the bearer is of marginal value.  The very first challenge of a value-adder is to establish trust-worthiness as a reliable, consistently accurate insight-provider.

This process begins outside the domain of C-Suite occupants. Often, it begins with a subordinate. Sometimes it arrives on the wings of a peer.  Even someone in another company or institution who the C-Suite occupant knows and respects can be the bearer of relevant insight.

Becoming a value-adder of insightful information is a disciplined process one must acquire and repeatedly exercise to master. Recently, I overheard a truism of our instant gratification society:

“In a society where average is the standard few people are willing to sweat to achieve excellence.”

Becoming an excellent value-adder of insightful information sought after by C-Suite occupants requires sweat equity plus the application of disciplined rules. These I will share in my next blog posting.

A recently completed 2009 Boardroom survey confirmed an interesting trend. Decisions, formerly delegated to mid-level operations managers are now being made at the top or executive level. 

In this period of tight money, boardroom executives are frequently making decisions about interim financing.  With easy money sources drying up in our uncertain economy dominated by government bailouts and bank failures, senior executives across all sectors are handling finance-related activities.  At least, until some degree of consumer confidence is restored and demonstrated with more robust retail sales, which are unlikely to happen until 2011.

So, how do you begin this process?  Why not add this activity to your 2010 Business Resolutions? Make it a priority!  Add this 2010 Resolution: I will identify and call on executive level decision-makers who will be most affected by the use of my services and products.

Much of what you already know about successfully dealing with entry level and mid-level managers still applies. However, because the stakes are higher as you ascend the corporate ladder, you need to learn some new rules of engagement plus new realities.

While What is In It For Me (WIIFM) still rings true, there is a new caveat.  It is essential to identify who at the executive level will be most affected by choosing your products and services over your competitors’ or even deciding to budget money for your purchasing category, at all.

This person’s buy-in or sponsorship has several ramifications. If the company has never made this type of purchase, then finances set aside for other capitol equipment purchases may be reduced or denied entirely, if your category is determined to be more strategically important to achieve long-range goals.

Even the lingo or language of those who occupy the boardrooms is different. Strategic implications and concepts, which affect long-range goals and objectives, are the words of the day. People at this level are concerned with multi million dollar decisions which will affect their entire organization and how they will be scrutinized by corporate stockholders and their Boards of Directors.

In my next posting, I will share the details of how my understanding of one CEO’s concept landed me a training client worth several hundred thousand dollars and a referral for a training contract with an Industry Leader.

Mount Olympus in Greek Mythology  was the mystical domain of the Gods who ruled Ancient Greece.  It is a near perfect analogy  to the Corporate Suite (C-Suite)  domain. The world of CEO, COO, CFO, CIO, CMO (Chiefs) because it is these few senior decision-makers whom we business-to-business (b2b) sales professionals must gain repeated, ethical access to if we are to control our sales destinies inside corporations.

Repeated, ethical access requires learning a specific skill set to be invited back into their domains because we have something of value to add or a significant, unique contribution to make.  Once we earn their trust  (and, earn it we must)  we are approaching the status of a ‘Trusted Advisor’. OK, enough said about ‘Trusted Advisor’ status for now.  I am getting way ahead of myself!

Since beginning this blog in March 2008, my focus has been the tactical aspects of business-to-business  (b2b) sales prospecting. I make no apologies for my posting irregularity. I feel as strongly now about my then-promise of only posting when I have something worthwhile to contribute.

These Rules still apply especially in our congested blogging community. Like many serious peers, I resent time-intrusion techno annoyances, such as Twitter, which interrupt my concentration whether I am working or playing. Twitter, to me, is still an annoying, ringing phone I am too busy to answer!

In June 2009, I ranted about Twitter, in my “Twitter, Twatter, Does It Really Matter?” blog. The overwhelming response to my commentary was from ardent Tweeters who were in favor of hanging my cyber entrails from a pole in the Internet Town Square.  God love them! They are entitled to their opinions but so am I! While Twitter has gained in popularity, it is just too real-time for me and not a technology I choose to embrace at this time.

Technology to me is like a shovel in my tool shed. It is there when I need it. I am still amazed when I see busy executives wearing two or more PDA’s, cell phones or pagers draped on their belts.  They are like newborn infants with their umbilical cords tethered to their mommas.  It’s their choice but not mine!

OK, back to my 2010 topic focus of Exploring the Fascinating World of C-Suite Access. I have received many requests to share effective techniques for gaining repeated, ethical access to C-Suite decision-makers, so this is our 2010 starting point.  I am excited and I hope you will be too with my heavily researched content. Please feel free to post comments, at will.

Dirty Harry Callahan got it right with this most famous movie one-liner. In the context it was spoken in The Enforcer it was never intended to improve anyone’s day.  Today, in this blog let’s consider a more positive, fresher version.

Sometimes an e-mail or phone call just won’t work to help a friend through their ‘bad day blues’. Especially, in today’s ruthless, roller-coaster economy where lots of people are suffering serious personal and financial challenges, with many ending in tragedy.

When tragedy hits close to home it’s a quick splash of cold water reality in the face. Last week, we heard about two in our church family. One lost his job and house to foreclosure. The other, unemployed for 8 months with lapsed health insurance, discovered his wife had an advanced-stage cancer.

I prefer to send 3 greeting cards over a 3 week period to let people know we really care and we’re here for them, for the long haul. Why 3? It sends a strong signal their friends are in their hearts and prayers and they are not weathering this crisis alone.

Like many, my busy schedule gets in the way of going to the store to pick out the right card to send. Unlike others, I’ve taught time management training so I feel double guilt when I don’t do what I instruct others to do. Shame on me!

Here’s my near-perfect solution for personal and business card-sending. You may recall, I train sales pros and small biz owners how to painlessly get new customers.

In 2006, I discovered a process for opening doors, minds and hearts. It is the single most effective component for ending cold-calling described by some as the scourge of the selling profession. Since then, I have created dozens of greeting card-based direct mailing campaigns that have achieved double-digit sales-buster results.

In 2007, I’m was almost embarrassed to sit opposite a CEO of a $130 million dollar software company to tell him I was replacing his expensive, slick direct mail marketing campaign, which he paid his former advertising agency, big bucks to create and print, with 3 off-the-shelf personalized greeting cards. 

Almost embarrassed, because I snail-mailed him these 3 off-the-shelf greeting cards with the right message. My reward was our first in-person sales appointment because I gave him a live demo. I proved it worked with my in-your-face Mr. CEO Demo!

 I demonstrated exactly what I had in mind for his sales team to use to get the focused attention of starch-collared chemical engineers who made the final decision to buy his expensive software solution or that of his competitors.

His former advertising agency rep thought it was funny until he was instructed not to come back which gave me a great deal of ‘make my day’ satisfaction!

The right greeting card with a matching right message snail-mailed to the right decision-maker at their business address is all it takes to set the stage for a timely phone follow up call. But ‘right’ is the key. Executed properly, this process completely disarms the coldness associated with communicating effectively with a stranger.  

Here’s why. We are people 24/7 underneath our decision-maker, doctor, lawyer, nurse, starch-collared chemical engineer’s skin. Even on the job, when we become our alter work egos, we still laugh, tear and act human when triggered to do so.

In our cut-throat economy with paper-thin margins, tight budgets and longer work days people crave a quickie break from their daily grind. Relieve this tension, for a few seconds, and they will remember and appreciate your tasteful, funny gesture.

You can do it for less than the cost of a cup of 7/11 coffee and in nearly the same time it takes to pour, mix and cap that cup of hot java. I’m still astonished at how few marketing professionals apply this psychology to their positioning advantage. Their oversight has become my competitive advantage.

Personalized, funny, colorful graphic images on off-the-shelf greeting cards can be used very effectively to trigger these human nature tendencies we all share.

I use Sendoutcards.com, an online greeting card processor, headquartered in Salt Lake City, UT to automate this need. What www.sendoutcards.com has so brilliantly done is made the process of sending personalized greeting cards a time-saving, no-brainer anyone can execute from the convenience of their favorite chair and computer.

In minutes, you can select a card from several categories of a constantly refreshed 7,000 card online inventory. Appropriate-to-the occasion glossy, coated cards with eye-popping colors and/or pictures with serious or humorous wording are available.

A very user-friendly online navigational system prompts you to open the electronic image of the card on your computer screen; type a personalized message; add a first name or title (Mr., Ms, Mrs.) last name; colorize the type font and even add your picture and your facsimile signature. Other options include adding denominational gift cards from The Home Depot, Chili’s, Barnes & Noble and other nationwide retailers.

Names and contact info, including a company name are captured in a database which can be imported from an Excel or other common CSV database files, or manually entered.

Merging the selected card(s) with the database addressees takes minutes and your personalized greeting card mailings are ready to go! The entire process of sending a snail-mailed, personalized greeting card (or as many as you choose) takes minutes, online, instead of the hassle of shopping for a card and manually processing it, the old-fashioned way.

Once you proof your message, you CLICK on Send Card and the named addressee, your return address, the selected card with your message are electronically transmitted to SendOutCards’ computer servers in Salt Lake City, for processing within 24 hours.

Best of all, there are no label-addressed envelopes. It’s a direct-imprint on the outside envelope and it even includes an affixed first class stamp for first-class personalization.

FACT: Whether you choose to imitate my success or not, Americans love to receive greeting cards at work or at home. Putting Human Nature to work in the marketplace can be a very rewarding experience for those who demonstrate tasteful creativity to achieve their corporate marketing goals with this innovative and inexpensive process.

I encourage you to investigate www.sendoutcards.com. Should you wish to wander around their website, enter ID # 8265, to gain online access.

My Power Prospecting® ebook for sale for $40 includes my 4 card campaign with the copy if you wish to duplicate my 83% success response while minimizing your risk. Just CLICK on the Power Prospecting ebook button in the right margin. You can download my FREE minibook before you buy at my www.powerprospectingebook.com website.

So, go ahead and make someone’s day and discover what I learned (and, maybe, profit too) about why Americans love to be carded.

Should one post to their blog, weekly; or, only when one has something relevant and important to say? This is the dilemma posed by Blogging Heroes, a recently published book which features bloggers who have achieved significant readership and results. Since I’m a stickler for making the most of my waking hours, I’m inclined to post when I have a specific, timely message which is relevant to the focus of this blog. Thus, I hope you will appreciate my intelligent choice!

My focus for this and succeeding nearterm blog postings will be building and maximizing referral relationships. Continuing where I left off in my November 26th posting, my focus will be leveraging and maximizing networking peer groups.

One of my foremost, developing networking peer groups is the TEC Group. I have chosen to have Ray Watson, a guest blogger and a TEC Chair in Central Florida, explain the advantages of TEC Membership. In Ray’s own words:

Peer group organizations for Presidents and CEO’s have proven to be a tremendous vehicle to develop better leaders making better decisions that create effective results.  Studies have shown that companies involved in peer groups outperform their competition by a factor of 2 or 3 times.  The reasons are simple.  CEO’s  that join peer groups realize they do not have all the answers and involving 10-15 other CEO’s from non-competing companies in the decision making process results in better decisions.  I’m sure you will agree: 15 people are smarter than 1.

In good times, participation in a peer group is a positive thing.  However, in the challenging times we are facing, peer groups are even more beneficial, if not critical.  When times are good, bad decisions can be overcome.  In challenging times, bad decisions or the failure to take advantage of an opportunity may result in the demise of the company.  Many companies are operating on a thin edge and the difference between successes or failures may be just be the difference between making one right or wrong decision.

How can a peer group help?

1.      Improved decision making:  Many CEO’s wrestle with issues which cannot be discussed with staff, friends, or other business people and may be operating in a vacuum.  A peer group provides a talented experienced and supportive team where any and all issues may be discussed in a totally confidential environment.

2.      Increased accountability:  As a CEO, you ensure those who work with you are held accountable.  But who holds you accountable in a supportive and helpful way?  Each peer group and group chairman maintains a strong emphasis on follow-through and implementation of actions committed to by the members.

3.      Personal and Professional Growth: Peer groups participate in workshops and seminars by bringing talented people to the group to work on major business and personal development topics.

4.      Isolation:  Most CEO’s experience a sense of isolation.  In these challenging times, that feeling may be amplified due to the exerted financial pressures.  A peer group provides a support team where members can discuss the undiscussable, helping reduce the stress associated with that level of responsibility.

5.      Change:  Change, in our information age, is coming at us at light speed.  Recent events have accelerated the speed of change.  Most CEO’s are caught up in the tactical battles of day to day management.  They hardly have the time to step away from the business and work “on the business” and think strategically.  Change may overtake the business rather than the business adapting to and taking advantage of change.  A peer group provides a forum for the CEO to recognize how change is affecting his or her business and stay current with the effect of change.

One of the premier and oldest peer group organizations is TEC (The Executive Committee).  There are over 14,000 members internationally and TEC has been helping CEO’s outperform their competition for over 50 years.

I’m not a TEC Member. As a sales prospecting consultant, I offer my services to TEC Member Companies in Central Florida. Recently, I gained access to one TEC Member Group by conducting a free 90 minute presentation about b2b sales prospecting; or in my lingo, POWER Prospecting®, a formula which empowers b2b sales professionals to consistently and painlessly gain ethical access to decision-makers.

While TEC policy strictly prohibits presenters from pitching their services, it does encourage presenters to share their cutting edge business practices with examples of how TEC Members can implement these processes and formulas into their business environment.

TEC Chairs, like Ray Watson, are strict gatekeepers. Ray and I have known each other since the 1980s, when he was President of Inacomp Computer Centers, an $80 million/year computer dealership which was one of my major clients. We have built a trusting relationship which now enables me to share my formula and 26 years of tactical sales prospecting experience with members of his TEC Group.

Already, several TEC Members who attended my November 2007 presentation have hired me to make my magic work inside their organizations; plus, I have also received several well-qualified referrals from those attendees into non-TEC organizations.

To qualify for TEC Membership, companies must have revenues of $1-5 million/year or $6-100 million/year. Those with the former annual revenues may qualify for The President’s Forum and larger organization CEOs may qualify for TEC (The Executive Committee). I say, may qualify, because TEC Membership Chairs follow strict guidelines during individual interviews to ensure membership candidates fit well with others in their small 8-15 member peer groups.

To learn more about TEC and to locate TEC Groups near you, go to www.vistage.com. I can’t say enough good things about this wonderful organization and the services it provides its 14,000 members worldwide. Plus, it is becoming a robust source of new business and networking referrals for my company. Talk about a Win-Win Networking Opportunity!

While the 30 BNI Chapters in my Central Florida Region provide me exposure to 700+ companies who typically generate less than $5 million/year, TEC Group companies cover the higher end of the spectrum. Nurturing these two peer networking groups in this challenging 2009 economy is my “Bail Out Plan”! Whats yours?