Have you been to a holiday party yet this year?  No doubt when you do, you will find all kinds of interesting ‘people watching’.  To make sure you aren’t one who is talked about for months afterward, today’s post offers some advice on keeping your professional image at a holiday party.  

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Guest Post by Lynn Zimmer of Sales Pro Insider, Inc.

The holiday season has started and many holiday gatherings have begun.

Whether it is your company or a client hosted event, holiday events provide an added opportunity to strengthen your relationships and to network with other members within the organization.

View this as an opportunity to have the majority of your decision makers in one place at one time.  With that said, remember that moderation is the key to your success at these events.

According to business etiquette expert, Hilda Klinkenberg, the cardinal rule during the holiday season is to remember that no matter how festive the occasion, it’s still about business.

Here are some ideas to help ensure an enjoyable event:

1. Hold drinks or small plates of food in your left hand, so when you shake hands, your hand isn’t wet or cold.
2. Mingle; introduce yourself to someone you don’t know. 
3. Visit with multiple individuals, being careful not to “monopolize” one individual’s time.
4. Talk business at holiday events, but don’t “talk shop.”
5. Dress appropriately for the occasion. 
6. Before you leave, find your host and thank them for the invitation.
7. If you make any verbal commitments to people you have visited with, write them down when you leave, so that you remember to follow-up.

Success is simple.  Do what’s right, the right way, at the right time.

Arnold H. Glasglow

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Thanks Lynn – good tips for all of us to keep in mind.  Personally, I have seen #5 abused so many times, I’m not sure what is appropriate these days!

How about the rest of you?  What are more tips?  And how about your most intersting people watching at a business holiday function?

Have you ever had this experience?

Someone whom you look up  to, consider a role model and whom you want to emulate suddenly notices you?  Or validates something you have done?

That’s how I felt this morning when I saw that Jill Konrath - of Selling to  Big Companies, Sales Shebang and Get Back to Work Faster – posted a blog post about Sharpenz.   I wanted to sing Barry Manilow’s song…Looks Like We Made It! 

Really!  Jill does topnotch work, gives her stuff away free with the Great Sales Give and is mentioned in thesame breath as all the big sales “guys”.  And now she has endorsed Sharpenz sales boosters!   This nod has given me energy today!

If you haven’t yet visited www.sharpenz.com now is the time!  Our 50% off ALL orders ends on November 15th.  We hope you’ll take us up on a Try Before You Buy - and then return for more.

As Laura Holtz of Data Financial told me today (she delivered her first Sharpenz on Monday): 

To my great pleasure…the booster is so well written… there is movement, collaboration and …. that is was exciting to hear how engaged they were. 

Our marketing manager said “who, amazing to have the people on spot with you that time of day so engaged, really sharing high level of energy.  We were thrilled!

Thanks Laura for your feedback! 

Make the time to visit Sharpenz today – your team will thank you for it!  

What does it take to engage in mutually beneficial networking these days?  It seems more and more confusing.  In the “early” days sales pros met one-on-one with prospects, including potential business network possibilities.  Today networking has a whole different set of rules!  And sometimes it is easy to forget what set of rules we need to play by in the moment.

That is why when I was asked to actually meet face to face with a potential prospect this week, I looked forward to it.  Wasn’t it easier to make decisions and connections “live”?

During the meeting, this person let me know that he is a networker.  That he believes in reciprocal business.  I’ll do business with you, IF you do business with me.  It kind of took me by surprise.  I mean…doesn’t building relationships take time, was I supposed to jump on this “opportunity” within 20 minutes?

I didn’t feel I should have to decide right then.  I found myself doing a bit of backtracking.  And lots of questions were flying through my head:

• Was this the type of business relationship that was going to be worthwhile? 
• What is the upfront and back-end energy going to be? 
• Was I being open-minded or closed-minded?  This was a hard close to make a decision now.
• Do I have time for this?  After all, we only have so many hours in the day – and as I like to add – only so much energy within those hours to expend!
• How badly do I want this business?
• What’s the buzz about this person and company in the e-world?

As I’ve learned with other networkers, taking time to step back and ask these questions is really important.  There are a lot of opportunities to build relationships and it is up to us to make the time for due diligence so we can spend our time/energies in productive relationships.

So, the  ”live” meeting was interesting.  I was able to be direct and let him know that I have good information to consider. And now I have more work to do before jumping in.  So help me out please….

When you look at professional networking opportunities, what are some of the questions you ask yourself before deciding how to proceed?  What are the “rules” of getting good information to make a good decision?

Ever thought about your E-Reputation?  Know what it is?  Guest Post Author Lynn Zimmer of Sales Pro Insider shares information on a topic many have never considered:  Our E-Reputation.  Nancy Bleeke will return on  April 17th (hopefully she has found some sun and warmth…and time away from everything electronic

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Many of us know that protecting our reputation or making sure our actions lead to a good reputation is an important business strategy.  But today technology has changed the way we do business and our reputation is more transparent than it ever has been!

Technology has made it easy for us to research everybody!  This is so helpful in sales as we can learn about them and their business before we call them.  And we need to know that they can do research on us at any time during the sales process as well!  And this research may help us…or hurt us.

While this might be unsettling to some, it’s a REALITY that people can find out a lot of information about us without ever personally having a conversation.

What information is out “there” about you?  Are you familiar with your “e-reputation” and what is available about you and your company online?

You can check if you perform a search on:

1. Your name using a popular search engine (Google, Yahoo)
2. Your company name using a popular search engine. Don’t just go to your website, find out where the search of your company name takes you!
3. LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter
   More and more people are using a variety of online resources to post personal information, reconnect with old classmates, meet new people, etc.   LinkedIn is recognized as a business-oriented social networking site used by more than 30 million professionals to market their products, services and themselves. 

To help you ensure your e-reputation is pure, here are some guidelines for using a social networking site:

1. Create a complete profile, including a picture, so that people can find you (and know it’s you!)
2. Be sure that you’re accepting invitations from people that you know and who would “represent” you well, should anyone ask about your relationship. 
3. When making connections, concentrate on quality, not quantity.
   WHAT DO PEOPLE SEE?  Know what is posted under your name and your company so that you can keep it updated, professional and accurate.  
   Reputation is what other people know about you. Lois Bujold

Check in on your e-reputation often to make sure that it works for you.  And then you can use that reputation to get your foot in more doors.

Feeling alone at work?  If you are, you’re not alone!  Nearly 21 million people work out of their home offices these days according to US Census stats.  Many home office workers experience what I call “professional loneliness.”  It’s the downside to the flexibility and no commute of home office work. 

Professional loneliness can occur when you are physically isolated from colleagues.  There is no opportunity to turn to someone and say or show anything!  When I started this consulting firm in 1998 this was a BIG problem.  When people asked me about the downside to non-typical corporate work (at least it was non-typical back then) I said there are two main drawbacks:  Zero on-site IT support and professional loneliness.  Today, both of these drawbacks have easy solutions to eliminate or reduce their effects.  Social network sites and technology allow us to reach out and touch someone virtually whenever we want – even for IT support!

I wish I had started writing about this years ago – it is a HOT topic without a name.  When I see statistics of the amount of time people spend on Twitter, FaceBook, LinkedIn, Ning and so on, I am reminded of the very strong need of humans to interact.  And these tools/sites provide the opportunity for that interaction at any time of the day or night.

While I am still trying to figure out how to balance my time at work while participating in these sites,  I’m glad there are options to eliminate one of the drawbacks to working remotely, professional loneliness.   

Working from home?  You really are not alone anymore.

What are some things you do to combat professional loneliness?

Looking for a new job?  The news out there is bleak these days as the Labor Department’s U-6 unemployment rate was 13.5% at the end of 2008.  That’s a lot of unemployed people!  On top of that, the newspaper is full of stories of companies who have or will soon downsize their workforce.  I wonder how equipped these unemployed people are to sell themselves for a new job.   With so many people are afraid of sales, what is scarier than selling yourself as you look for a new job?

Yet, some people ARE still getting hired – just last week I spoke with three people who just landed GREAT new jobs.  How did they do it?  They applied great sales skills to the job hunting contest.

Two sales secrets for job hunting:

1. Focus on What’s in it for Them!  Narrow the value you bring to a few specifics that help THIS company, this manager, this industry. Do not list or tell EVERYTHING you have ever done.  Make it relevant to them with information from the Internet on the company and possibly the contact. 

Translate your experiences and skills into a benefit to them!  Assume that whatever you state, the screener is thinking “So what?”  And answer the “so what” in your statements.  Examples:

• “I have developed marketing and graphics for my employer for 7 years.”  So what?  Try…  “I have developed marketing and graphics that allowed our sales force to close more sales.” 
• “My experience includes knoweldge of teh following software applications…..”  So what?   Try… “I hae worked with software applications such as _______ and that allowed me to increase efficiency by 15% and decrease the costs associated with getting the projects completed.”

2.  Make contacts every day!  Successful people do not let days go by without making connections.  I see job seekers take WEEKS to write and re-write their resume.  That is too long – most resume screeners only spend 30-60 seconds glancing at your resume.  Your resume will not get you a job, contacting potential hiring managers will.  But what do you say? Prepare a very short statement of what you can help them do.  And then ask for an appointment to discuss their company and a potential fit.

      “Mr. Manager, I am Nancy Bleeke, a sales professional who has improved sales processes resulting in 12% sales increases the last three years.  I am in the job market and may be able to increase sales for your company.   Can we meet to discuss openings in sales with your company and how I might use my expertise to  increase sales for you?” 

Want to get hired?  Do your homework to prepare a great contact and interview that differentiate yourself from the other seekers.  These two sales secrets will help you win that job!

Expanding your network and referral base is smart business these days. But so many professionals miss the boat on how to network effectively! As you link with other people, keeping your old connections is as important as making new ones.

Yesterday I met with someone starting her own business. As we discussed how to build a network, I was reminded of the important nuances of building the network lifeline.

In my 11 years of providing sales training courses and tools for successful sales and service, I have been on the receiving end of a LOT of bad attempts to network. Most – and I mean 95% – of people that contact me to network really just want to know who I can introduce THEM to. I learned the hard way how important finding out what value they bring to others is before making these connections.

As a rookie, I was giving out names to new contacts very easily – after all wasn’t that what I was supposed to do? Until…

I realized that I was potentially damaging some VALUABLE existing relationships by not ensuring they would be a GOOD connection. I was wasting my existing connections’ time with people that they didn’t need (or want) to talk to.

Not anymore. I am more careful before making a connection. To value my existing relationships, I have work to do before I link them with a new connection.

Additional specific tips to network effectively:

1. Before you ask to meet with someone to network OR go to a network event, consider what you can offer to the other person(s). Is it expertise? Other contacts? Assistance with something they are working on?
2. Know your value proposition to potential clients. If you can’t explain your value, how will your networkers know who might need what you offer?
3. Do your homework! Know as much about the person or the people in the group as you can prior to connecting.
4. In a “live” setting ask people for THEIR business card first. Look at the card and see what it says – use that as a conversation starter.
5. For live events, always have the following items with you:
   • Your business cards
   • A pen to take notes on their business card
   • A smile on your face
   • Some type of paper to write on
6. Tap into social networking. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn. All great potential tools…if you use them correctly and keep the first 3 tips in mind.
7. Ask questions about the motivation and reputation of a new connection BEFORE giving out the names and phone numbers of your valuable existing relationships
8. And with his efforts, I’m pleased to introduce Jim and what he does to you! His blog and newsletter have great marketing information. See how the value exchange pays off?

And a foundation element to all of these networking tips: Networkers that GIVE something to others before asking for something are much more successful in the long run. A great example: Jim Connolly’s blog post shows how a seemingly little effort of giving in networking can pay off big – not only for himself but for everyone else!

Networking with others will be even more important as the world we operate in shrinks with technology. As you consider how you will expand your network, focus on the song I learned in Girl Scouts, “Make new friends, but keep the old…one is silver and the other gold!”

Newsflash! In the next six weeks, the SalesProInsider will be offering more free resources for you! Two eBooks, a free webinar and more! Stay tuned…

What is an expert? Dictionary.com defines expert as a person who has special skill or knowledge in some particular field; specialist; authority. This week I am with a group of experts – focused on helping people and companies increase their sales.

The conference is called the Sales Shebang. Author and truly inspiring business professional, Jill Konrath, started the conference in 2007 to showcase women sales experts. A pre-conference session yesterday was for a special group of Sales Experts who shared their stories and tips for business success with each other.

What is fascinating is the openness to sharing the “inside secrets” to our business. Nothing held back, and no question unanswered. My mind is still spinning with the actionable ideas shared to enhance business. Topics included: Strategic Alliances, Membership Sites, Sales Coaching Models, Maximizing Sales Results, Creating a Strong Referral Network and more.

As I thought about YOU, I wondered, do you have a format/venue to exchange ideas with the experts in your field? It doesn’t matter what your “field” is. Who is someone you can learn insider secrets from that will help you be even more successful?

Before contacting anyone to tap into their expertise, something to consider…One of the speakers, Colleen Stanley, spoke of the Generosity – Reciprocity Effect. A main point from this is that when building relationships of mutual benefit, we have to share and help others first. These women demonstrated that attitude of giving yesterday – 13 hours of it!

In the upcoming weeks I will share more of the wisdom from these fascinating experts.

Until then, back to you…What is one piece of expert knowledge you have that you could share with others? What can you do today to share your expertise?