Want to Grow Your Business and Accelerate Your Career - in Integrity?

"I told my doctor I broke my leg in two places. He said, 'Stop going to those places!'" - Henny Youngman

A participant asked a great question - "How can I accelerate my speaking career?" - in my program for the Northern California chapter of National Speakers Association on Saturday.

I said, "I'm going to give an unexpected answer. The way to grow your business and accelerate your career IS NOT by trying to sell your products and services.

We've all received 'cold calls' online - and met people at business events - and it's clear from the first words out of their mouth that their sole goal is to SELL us.

They want us to hire them, buy from them, recommend them, etc. etc. etc.

Sigh. It's like Bette Midler said in Beaches, "Enough about me. What do you think about me?"

Their "me, me, me" agenda makes us want to head the other direction, doesn't it?

If we don't like people doing this to us - why would we do it to them?

The good news is, there is an in-integrity way to grow and accelerate your career.

Adapt Henny Youngman's insight.

Who is in a position to hire you, recommend you? Where do they hang out?

Start going to those places!

And when you get there, the purpose is not to SELL YOU, it's to SERVE THEM.

Here's a favorite example of a client who did this - with win-win results.

A financial consultant from Philadelphia hired me to help her scale her business.

I told here, "There are a LOT of financial advisors. Instead of chasing away potential clients by trying to sell them, it's wiser to give them an opportunity to experience you in action so they choose to work with you - not because they're being SOLD TO - but because they WANT TO."

She said, "Sounds good, but how do I do that?"

"What do you like to do in your spare time?"

"Well, I used to compete in dressage, but I don't have time these days. Plus, it's really expensive and I can't afford my own horse anymore. I need to focus on biz dev."

"Hmmm. So, who are your ideal clients?"

"Affluent people who want to work with wealth managers who can scale their portfolio."

"Where do they hang out?"

She smiled, "Palm Beach is a haven for horse people. There's dressage, polo, show jumping."

I suggested, "Can you operate your business virtually?"

"Most of the time. Why?"

'It'd be really fun and strategic to go to Florida for three months this season. Offer to exercise people's horses for them. Immerse yourself in that community. Do not market yourself. Just keep showing up and adding value.

Instead of wanting something FROM them, you will be that rare person who actually wants to do something FOR them."

Well, to make a long story short. Laura did take a three-month work sabbatical in Palm Beach. Guess who got to ride world-class horses for free in the morning - while she worked virtually with clients in the afternoon? Guess who was lit up doing what she loved?

Guess who had people asking "What do you do when you're not exercising horses?" - and discovered her proven track record of delivering bottom-line results for her clients?

Guess who started adding new, compatible clients because they got to know/trust Laura over time, and wanted to work with her?

So, what's the point?

Steve Jobs said, "We can't connect the dots forward. We can only connect them backwards."

I respectfully disagree.

We absolutely CAN connect dots forward. But first, we need to COLLECT MORE DOTS.

A win-win way to do that for your personal and professional life is to:

• Start doing more of what you love - Sailing? Pickleball? Ballroom dancing? Book club? Hiking? - so you are meeting like-minded, like-hearted people who share your interests.

• Start going where your ideal clients hang out so they get to witness you in action (without selling) and over time come to like and respect how you show up - and choose to befriend you, hire you, refer you - because they want to, not because they're being sold to.

By the way, you are not taking time AWAY FROM WORK when you do this.

This is an in-integrity way to DO YOUR WORK AND WHAT LIGHTS YOU UP while adding value and organically growing your circle of friends and circle of influence - for good.

P.S. Thanks to Maile Collmer Janice Litvin Kathy Klotz-Guest MA, MBA Melissa Dinwiddie Allison Tabor, CPC, Dynamic Speaker and Award Winning Facilitator Kristy Rogers and the entire National Speakers Association/Northern California Chapter for their warm hospitality. Hope you'll check out their programs and get involved in their outstanding community.