Tag Archives: networking

Phil Stalnaker Makes Business Section Cover of Florida Weekly

Though I am still fairly new in the Fort Myers metro, I am so excited and thankful to have has such early success. Of course, the credit goes to God, my new friends in the area, and an awesome team at Stickboy Creative!

The image is from this past week’s Florida Weekly, a news magazine that includes local columns, such as this from the Fort Myers business section. Somehow, though I am still a newbie to the area, I made the front cover. Woo hoo! I am excited to continue networking in the area. Just sharing for some fun. Thanks!

Referral Based Marketing | Why it Pays to Have Trusted Business Relationships

Could this post BE any more about pop culture placement? As much as I would love to spend the entire article making sly references to New Zealand’s 4th most popular folk parody duo, this is about marketing your business through referrals. Simply put, there is no better or cheaper way to market than to utilize referral marketing.

Case in point: I have a networking friend, Albi (names have been changed to protect the guilty) with whom I am also a customer. He runs a real estate office of multiple agents. Because of our networking relationship, whenever someone would mention to me that they were either buying or selling a house, I would give them Albi’s name as an option and suggest they contact him to see if he would be a good fit. Since I knew him, I liked him, and I trusted him, it was a fairly easy referral to give.

The reason for that is not because I used him for my own house purchase first (in fact, that will come later), but because as responsible business marketers and networkers, we understood one KEY principle. People do business with people they like and trust. Albi and I spent time building a trusted business relationship. It starts small, with easy ways to try out a person’s trust level. We met for coffee, lunches, and even brought our wives in for an evening out. We decided for both of us it was important enough to know the quality level of the person, so that we could speak with honesty and integrity. After all, whenever you refer someone, you are ultimately putting your name on the line for them. Trust is HUGE.

When it became “Business Time” and my wife and I decided to buy a house, we chose to give him the opportunity. When we personally experienced his level of service and quality, we were even more blown away than we could imagine. I already knew and trusted that Albi would do a great job, and my expectations were fulfilled – even more than I thought they would be. Not only do I have a long term, trusted relationship with him, but it was tested with personal experience. Now he can’t keep me from talking about him. Who would not want to gain new customers this way?

Do people in your local area know you? Do they like you? Do they trust you? I encourage you to take a moment to think and see what you might be able to do to develop trusted relationships with business around you; think of the advantages it would bring you. Just don’t use too much tape.

(Image from www.gawker.com/flightoftheconchords)

Marketing Psychology | Phil Stalnaker, Pro/Vision Coaching’s Business Development VP Speaks to Coldwell Banker Bain Agents

Originally posted on March 27, 2012 at Pro/Vision Coaching.

On Thursday, March 22, I gave a training presentation on marketing to a group of CB Bain Agents (both live and watching online). In it, I addressed such marketing topics as Target Audience, Marketing Message, Marketing Strategies, and Evaluation of Methods. I also discussed the psychology behind marketing and spoke about things like the concept of demand resistance (why don’t people follow through?), the reasons people buy (pain vs. pleasure), and how the human psyche handles purchases.

The entire presentation can be seen on the link. Enjoy!

http://bit.ly/GLgtwt

Sales Explosion | Linda Panattoni of At Work Credits Pro/Vision Coaching with Placement Success

Originally posted at Pro/Vision Coaching.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=uN9nui6JD-s#!

Linda has consistently been a solid producer for her non-profit organization, At Work, where she is a job placement specialist for people with developmental disabilities. She believes thoroughly in networking for her business, which is where we met her.

Linda became one of our first Academy clients, starting in the Networking 4 Introverts support group as well as taking the Time Management Workshop. Through those tools and the time she has spent with myself (Phil) and Paul, she has seen a significant increase in her time efficiency and marketing presentation, both of which have led to a major upswing in job placements.

Over the last few months Linda has gone absolutely gangbusters and all of us here at Pro/Vision Coaching are super excited for her and the continued success headed her way. We look forward to a continual relationship with her, as she has not only become a client, but a friend. Congrats, Linda!

Business Networking 101 | Why High School Games Never End

Originally posted at Pro/Vision Coaching.

Everyone has had the dream at some point. You know what I’m referring to…the original nightmare. You slowly awake to the annoying sound of your alarm clock squawking at you like a chicken only to realize that this was the eighth time you’ve hit the snooze button and have already missed the bus for school. Hurrying as fast as possible, you skip breakfast, managing only to swallow the toothpaste as you crazily brush your teeth, forgo even talking to your parents in an effort to save thirty seconds, then hightail it to school running as fast as you can. Your heart racing, you make it as the bell rings and everyone is pouring out of homeroom, heading off to first period. That’s when you notice that something is different – something that is, for the first time, causing people at the school to notice your existence. But it’s not what you hoped – it’s far worse. You’re naked.

That’s when the real alarm clock goes off and you make sure to get dressed FIRST before even getting out of bed just to make sure that this day goes by just like every other day; with no one noticing. Regardless of your adolescent social status, everyone in high school wanted to blend in, mainly because everyone was dealing with the horror of adolescence itself. If you stuck out from the crowd, you were noticed, which, in our fantasies was a great thing, but the risk that your flaws would be broadcast was too strong; therefore, you chose to blend in, despite the true desire burning a hole in your heart.

We all long for acceptance – in high school it was called popularity. If we were popular, we would be in charge, get invited to all the parties, and soak in the warmth and love you would receive if everyone liked you. The problem was that you could not reach popularity without working your way through the gauntlet of judgment. All the eyes were on you, and many of them looking for ways to bring you down. You had to have the right friends, the right clothes, the right car, the right…everything. The basis for judgment was purely external, and that exterior expectation meant that there were only a few who could afford the trip to the top. I was certainly NOT one of the “lucky” few.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=yksOJ29LZvk

The mercy of it all is that high school is temporary (unless you are Drew Barrymore). We all grow up, and even the gearheads learn that there is more to life than what is on the outside. You don’t have to be the craziest or wear the trendiest outfit to be accepted as an adult. The rules, thankfully, have changed – at least in some circles (GQ probably won’t repost this article, and I suspect neither would US Weekly).

Business networking works eerily similar to high school popularity. The most well-known, or the most popular, often achieve the highest levels of success, because in this world, as we all know, it’s not WHAT you know, but WHO you know. That’s why networking is ultimately just like the high school game, but with one major difference. The judgments have changed. While there certainly are a few people who still live by the old rules, you will learn very quickly that they don’t generally succeed in the business world (that’s why you usually run into them at used car lots). Instead of your acceptance in the group being based on outward appearance, you are judged by internal worth.

Your ability to be friendly to people, your willingness to give before receiving, and your efforts in helping other people be successful (and to some extent, decent personal hygiene) are the benchmarks by which you are now judged in the networking world. Can you be my friend regardless of whether or not I buy from you? Can you earnestly seek to help a fellow networker with a referral? Will you try to develop a personal friendship before pushing for business?

Simply put, if you become popular in the world of networking, you can very easily write your ticket for future success, but it won’t happen because of your Armani suit or your stage dancing ability. As Martin Luther King Jr. once dreamed, you will be judged on the content of your character. If you expect to succeed, you better live up to it.

Business Networking | A Huge Waste of Time, or Humanity’s Greatest Hero?

Originally posted at Pro/Vision Coaching.

A lot of people blog for their businesses simply to get better SEO (search engine optimization) for their website, thus leading to a higher search engine ranking and more clicks to their site. This is not a bad practice, whether you are in Omaha, Nebraska; Seattle, Washington; or anywhere else in the world. It is obvious (and truthfully, good practice) to make sure your business is known publicly and easily assessable. And as a business coaching firm, we would advise you to do just that. The world of the internet is a great way to make that happen (and also to sneak in wonderful keywords in THIS blog entry), but not the only way to get known and make your business successful.

Sometimes you just have to stick your face out there and be seen. Or do you? History has been faithful in teaching us that if you stick your face in front of a fan it might get cut off, or if you step out on a road you may get run over. Is growing your business really worth that risk? In the online game of Second Life—one of the fastest crazes to die in the last 10 years—you create a personal avatar (that can be you, or anyone you want to be) and go through “life” in the digital world. You are even able to buy products for your Second Life home, such as a TV from the Best Buy store in the game (which costs REAL money, by the way), or you could commit a crime inside the game and do hard time.

–Funny YouTube Clip on SecondLife–

If you are not like the 2 current members of the worldwide Second Life community, you prefer to live your life in the real world – and take note – that’s a good thing! But even so, many people are still uncomfortable with the idea of face-to-face business networking, and some of you may not even know what it is. Here are some questions I am often asked about the subject:

Q: Is it true that if you try to sell at a networking event, you will be captured and tossed into a dark cave beneath the Chamber of Commerce with a lonely, starved tiger? A: No. Ever since the Michael Vick dogfighting scandal, all the underground Chamber tigers have been released into the wild. Last I heard all but three tigers were accounted for at local area zoos.

Q: Ok, so they may not throw you to your death, but is it a bad idea to try and sell at a networking event? A: Yes. Even though your life should NEVER be at risk during networking, the goal is for you to build relationships with other networkers, thus building a community. People who come in and try to sell their wares right off the bat often miss out opportunities for future business growth.

Q: If I am allergic to shellfish and go to a networking event that serves it, should I eat it anyway and hope for the best? A: Do you always carry an EpiPen with you? Q: No. A: No. Allow me to say again that your life should NEVER be at risk during an event.

Q: Really? Last week I walked past a booth at a trade and they were literally shoving fried shrimp down my throat. Though I was able to run away, I lost my bag of goodies from the show. I think they were a rogue group of ___________________. (Mad Libs: Name an Industry of Your Choice) A: Seriously? That’s pretty crazy.

After all is said and done, if you go to a networking event with a sincere desire to meet people, learn about their businesses (first!) and then, when given the opportunity, share about how yours can be a benefit to people, you will do well. You may not end up being the hero networker, but it certainly won’t be a waste of time. Just keep an eye out for wandering tigers if you live in ___________________, __________________, or ____________________ (Mad Libs: Names of Cities).

JM Web Designs’ Marketing Director Appointed President of Local BNI Chapter

Originally posted at JM Web Designs.

Phil Stalnaker was recently appointed as President of his local Business Networking International [BNI] Chapter, Network Connections.  Since joining the chapter in October of 2008, he has shown advanced leadership through superior performance, high commitment to attendance, and a marked desire to go above and beyond his expectations.

BNI is a member group with one member per industry allowed per chapter in order to eliminate competition.  This is a structured group with their focus on “Givers Gain”, which means that you are expected to give to all members in the group, which in turn means that you will receive from all members of the group.

“I am excited to take my turn as leader of such a great group of people.  Their commitment to each other and the group as a whole will make my tenure as President fun and rewarding.”  Phil has committed to a one year stint as President and will be evaluated on the number of members and quality of referrals passed back and forth.  Since serving as the chapter’s Educational Coordinator (he began that role in January of 2009), he feels that he has been allowed to step into the Presidency easily, with significant time to learn his responsibilities.