Michael Goldberg - Knockout Networking for Financial Advisors and Other Sales Producers

1 Cover

2 Preface Preface “When you put the gloves on, it's better to give than to receive.” — Sugar Ray Leonard Great quote from an all‐time great boxer! Better to give than receive. The same holds true when networking. It's about giving and giving more. You may have noticed that there are boxing gloves on the cover of this book. This must be a boxing book! Of course, if you're in a bookstore or ordered this book online, you would know it's a book about networking. Sorry to disappoint you. Look on the bright side. Maybe the ideas in this book are “knockout” ideas. Or the stiff jab you need to grow your business. Or the one‐two punch to networking. (Was that title an option?) There are countless boxing metaphors, expressions, and quotes that come to mind when you associate boxing with business. Well, the fight is certainly on when you decide to become a business owner or sales producer. If you've decided to become a financial advisor, you better be ready to lace up your gloves. If this is you, you know what I'm talking about. Every day is a fight, baby! Until you get going, get busy, and get good – as they say in the ring. Yes, back to boxing for a moment. Networking, Like Boxing, Is about the Connection Networking, Like Boxing, Is about the Connection The more great connections you make in a boxing ring or when growing a business, practice, sales team, branch, agency, complex, region, or territory, the more successful you will be. I have shared that message with literally thousands of financial advisors, brokers, agents, planners, sales managers, business owners, hedge fund managers, private equity bankers, real estate agents, pharmaceutical reps, software sales producers, and just about any type of sales producer you can imagine. And job searchers too. Audiences from all over the world. If you fall into at least one of the categories I just mentioned, yes, this book is absolutely for you! That is, if making more and better connections to produce more business is important to you. Most things that are important in life come down to the connections you make and the relationships you establish. The positive ones do anyway. That's what this book is about: being more focused, having more fun, being more confident, and ultimately generating more business. As in boxing, it's all about the connections you make. Jumping Rope, the Heavy Bag, and Roadwork Networking Is Your Knockout Punch! Bottom Line!

3 Part 1: Opening Rounds CHAPTER 1: Networking Is the Key to a Successful Career Why Financial Advisors Should Network Top Producers Should Network Too Why Financial Advisors Don't Network CHAPTER 2: What Is Networking? Six Reasons for Networking Why Understanding the Six Reasons for Networking Is Important What Is Networking Anyway? CHAPTER 3: Why You Won't Connect with Everyone One‐Thirder Dynamic Two‐Thirder Dynamic Focus on the One‐Thirders! Zero‐Thirder Dynamic Mirror Image Sometimes You Can Reduce the Fraction

4 Part 2: The Rules of Networking™ CHAPTER 4: No Selling Ever The Cost of Selling at a Networking Event Trade Shows: An Exception to the Rule CHAPTER 5: Everyone Is Not a Prospect What Is a Prospect Anyway? True and Probable Referral Sources Natural Market Prospecting Is Important! CHAPTER 6: Focus on a Target Market How I Discovered My Target Market Do You Have the Right Formula? How to Discover, Establish, and Develop Your Target Market Why Advisors Resist Having a Target Market Remember, Stay Focused! CHAPTER 7: Create (and Use!) Your Elevator Speech Profession Expertise Environments Call to Action The Rules of the PEEC Statement Sample PEEC Statements CHAPTER 8: Business Cards Breed Business Have Your Business Cards and Other Tools of the Trade It Is Never About You Always Be Positive, Professional, and Respectful Look the Part Know about Contacts, Leads, and Referrals Count Your Chickens and Eggs Eat and Drink Strategically Initiate Conversations by Introducing Yourself and Asking Questions Have a Goal and a Plan Listen More, Talk Less Keep Your Eyes Focused on Your Conversation Introduce Others with Passion Implement a Time Limit Intend to Follow Up Terminate Conversations Politely It's a We Thing, Not a Me Thing Get to Know: The Know, Like, and Trust Factor Have Fun!

5 Part 3: Where to Go, What to Say, and Who to Meet CHAPTER 9: Where to Go? Not All Events Are Created Equal Hard Contact Meetings Soft Contact Meetings You Can't Just Show Up CHAPTER 10: What to Say? What Prevents Us from Listening? Four‐Step Process for Active Listening Initiate Conversations by Introducing Yourself and Asking Questions CHAPTER 11: Who Will You Meet? The Faces of Networking People Seldom Change

6 Part 4: Special Topics CHAPTER 12: How to Handle Awkward Situations How Do I Introduce Myself? How Do I Introduce Others in a Conversation Without Being Rude? How Do I Introduce Others and Walk Away? What Should I Do If I Forget Someone's Name? How Do I Ask Someone for a Business Card? How Do I Take Notes on Someone's Business Card? How Do I Know When to End a Conversation? What If I've Done Something Embarrassing or Stupid? CHAPTER 13: Knockout LinkedIn Strategies Step 1: Define Your LinkedIn Marketing Goals Step 2: Pick Your Target Market on LinkedIn Step 3: Create the Right Messaging for Social Media Step 4: Tell Your Story to Engage People Step 5: Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile to Five Stars Step 6: Set Up the Right Networking Dashboards to Track LinkedIn Success Step 7: Post Something of Value Each Day on LinkedIn Step 8: Engage with Your First‐ and Second‐Degree LinkedIn Network Step 9: Reach Out Via Direct Message to Your LinkedIn Connections The Bottom Line CHAPTER 14: Generating More Referrals Reasons You're Not Getting Referrals Knockout Ways to Generate More Referrals CHAPTER 15: One‐on‐One Networking Meetings Best Practices Your PUNCH Card Important Points to Keep in Mind

7 Part 5: Developing and Implementing Your Networking System CHAPTER 16: The Four Phases of Networking Preparation Presentation Follow‐up Maintenance (OOSIOOM) CHAPTER 17: What Now? 90‐Day Goals Goals Objectives or Tasks Business and Networking Examples Daily Fight Plan (DFP) Final Round

8 Acknowledgments

9 About the Author

10 Index

11 End User License Agreement

1 Chapter 3 Figure 3.1 You will Connect with One‐Third of People You Network with.

2 Chapter 6Figure 6.1 Reducing the Fraction.

1 Cover

2 Table of Contents

3 Begin Reading

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