#1 Way to Miss an Opportunity
Sarah Elkins
International Speaker | Workshop Facilitator | Storyteller | Musician | Gallup StrengthsFinder Coach | 300+Episodes Podcast Host | Author | Job Interview Coach
Seriously. Don't Do This.
He was walking downtown during his lunch break, lost in thought about how to solve his problem. His office was in desperate need for a product to help them keep organized, some sort of project management tool, but where to start? They didn't have an IT department to ask, most of their administrative tasks were outsourced so they could really focus on their mission.
As he turned the corner toward his office, a stranger came running up to him, smiling under a large brimmed hat. His eyes weren't visible, it was almost like he was a blurry photograph running toward him. The stranger handed him his business card and said: "I'd like to connect," and then ran away.
The man looked down at the card in his hand, startled to see it there, and puzzled by the stranger. "Ahhh..." he thought as he read the card, "just what I was looking for."
And --- NO. That's not how this works. Here's what really happened:
The man looked down at the card in his hand, startled to see it there, and then dropped it into the trash can next to him.
This isn't how people connect.
People do business with people they trust, people they know, people they have a relationship with.
The stranger knew something about the man, he must have, or he wouldn't have dramatically delivered his business card. But he didn't stop to introduce himself. He had EXACTLY what this potential customer needed, but he squandered the opportunity to meet him face-to-face and build a connection.
First
Don't do that. Personalize your connection requests. Let people know why you're reaching out.
Second
Listen to this interview with John White about how #NoLongerVirtual, #NLV2017, changed his career. It wasn't by throwing a business card at a stranger; his #gamechanger was attending a conference that was limited to 50 participants, contributing to the sessions, and following up with the tribe he created in those two days.
Third
Register for #NLVDenver. Come to learn, come to contribute, come to build your tribe, and come to build a vibrant, non-virtual business network.
The agenda for the next No Longer Virtual in Denver is relevant, the content is solid, and the facilitators are outstanding. I couldn't be more excited to meet the next #NLVtribe in Denver in 2018.
Join us at No Longer Virtual in Denver on February 22 and 23, 2018.
Sarah Elkins is a professional coach and consultant, helping people and businesses improve their communication through the art of storytelling. She's also the President of Elkins Consulting, the company making a splash with small, face-to-face, affordable interactive conferences called No Longer Virtual.
Speak Truth to Power
6 年For some reason this article reminds me of people who throw playing cards. Ricky Jay can throw cards and make them stick. He would not do that with business cards. I still have cards from years ago. Not sure if they still work for those companies. Most are from hotel reservations and some properties have changed hands. I really don't have more to say about #NLV. People have to figure it out for themselves.
Consultant Empowering MSMEs, Startups & Manufacturers | 30+ Years of Engineering Expertise | Advancing Core Engineering Products, Services & Solutions | Partnering with Businesses to Unlock Growth & Innovation.
6 年#NLV is a well conceived idea and the need of the hour. I am an ardent believer of this concept. Thanks Sarah Elkins for taking this initiative.
Love Your Space, Love Your Life! I Facilitating healthier connections to home, others, and self through decluttering, Feng Shui, and emotional intelligence I Speaker I Author I Compassionate Guide I
6 年I highly recommend #NLVDenver. The experience continues to have positive pond ripples almost a year later for me both personally and professionally. Investing in your professional development and building meaningful relationships is well worth your time. High quality learning with high quality people. Thank you so much Sarah Elkins for creating this opportunity for people.
Office Support
6 年Face to Face - what a concept.
Public Speaker I L&D Consultant I Personal Branding I Communications I Trainer I Writer ? Seen in Forbes, Business Insider, The Muse, Inc., Thrive Global
6 年I loved listening to this interview! One of the things I can't stress enough is for professionals to invest in their development and take accountability for their careers. It's no longer about waiting for the job to do it for you. It's about taking control of your career and seeing events like #NLV as an opportunity to grow and step out your comfort zone, whether it's within your current role, a new job, or building/expanding your business.