Greatest Salesman in the World

My dad was a food-broker. Growing up, I didn't know that meant "a person who sells food to restaurants." I thought it meant that we got to eat in restaurants every night because that was his job.

I loved my dad.  He loved Oregon State University and he loved baseball.

In 4th or 5th grade, I borrowed this book, "The Greatest Salesman in the World," by Og Mandino.  I read it from cover to cover.  I had no idea what it meant, but I liked the story.

When I was an adult and wanted to run my own business, I asked my dad if I could buy his food-broker business.  I wanted to move back to Oregon when my husband left the Air Force so we could be closer to relatives and friends.  My dad's response was, "Sales are too tricky for girls."

So our family moved to Wisconsin, my husband got a job as a financial analyst,  and I started my own company.  I set off to the National Speakers Association to learn how to become a motivational speaker.  The evening keynote speaker was Og Mandino.  I couldn't afford to attend all of the sessions for the conference, so I snuck in to massive ballroom to hear Og speak.  He was not only a great salesman, but he was a fabulous speaker.  

A few months later, Og died.  I was glad that I had snuck in to see him speak before his tragic accident.

Many years and many moves later.... I've decided to return to return to an industry I love:  networking, promoting, and selling professional speakers, authors & consultants.  

Last Sunday I found an old copy of The Greatest Salesman in the World in a "free book" box at church.  Now I know exactly what Og was talking about.

"Strive to be a millionaire, not for the money it will bring you, but for the person you will become along the way."

Message for the Day:

• What are some of the well-meaning messages that loved ones have told you that are not true?
• Forgive them today.

• When was the last time you read a book that changed your life?  
• Do it today.

• Who are people in your life that you want to meet?  With social media, it's easier than ever to engage with people you admire. 
• Make a connection today.

Uncommon Women on Common Ground

I love to Network. I'm far more comfortable in a large room full of strangers than I am anywhere. I'm not sure why.

 Maybe it's because I got married when I was very young. My husband was in the Air Force and I was 20 when I moved from the West Coast (Oregon) to the East Coast (Massachusetts.) Other than my husband, I didn't know a soul. Every person I met was a stranger. I was lonely and I wanted to make friends. So I learned to introduce myself to almost anyone. I learned the only way to learn about being in the military was to ask. Over the course of 10 years and two overseas tours to Germany, I became excellent at developing quick relationships so that I could get directions, find a dentist, or hire a babysitter.

It wasn't until we moved back to the States in 1995 and started my own business, Extraordinary People, that I learned that there was a business term for all of this meeting & greeting. It was called Networking.
My first Networking event was a pre-conference function. The conference was put on my Women Inc., and was titled, "Uncommon Women on Common Ground." I didn't want to miss a thing. The Networking event took place the night before the program began. It lasted from 5-7pm. and involved wine and cheese. I'd never been to New York City and I'd never attended a conference. I came. I ate. I waited. I made small talk with a few people. I exchanged business cards and shook hands firmly (but not too firmly.) I had no idea what to expect. I secretly expected something magical to happen to me as a reward for attending this event. Other than the free food, there were no immediate results.

The next morning, I recognized two or three people from the Networking event the night before. I sat next to one in a breakout session and another at lunch. That evening I met a woman in the hotel lobby. 

When I arrived home I sent a brief note to everyone who had given me their business card. (I made a short note on the back of each so that I could remember them if I saw them again. Example: Carol Reed (brown hair, from Dallas, 2 kids, likes chocolate) When I returned home, I sent them each a short note saying to say hi and to invite them to stay in touch. (Whenever possible, I included something personal about them from my notes.)

For every 25 cards I sent, I got 3-4 responses. For every 3-4 responses, I'd make a deeper connection. 

I'm still friends with a woman I met at my second Women Inc conference in Long Beach, CA in 1996. She's a talented therapist from LA and her name is Trina O'Quinn. She was a wonderful resource then and a wonderful resource now.

 If you aren't sure how to Network, start by meeting people. Don't concentrate on collecting business cards. Concentrate on collecting relationships. Find something in common. Or discuss something memorable. Be a good listener. Be a good friend. Then follow up. Stay in touch. There is nothing magical about Networking. But there is something magical about the connections that you can make from Networking.

 Until next time...

Simply the Bill "Best"

I caught a quote on Twitter retweeted by @MDRtweet from the Million Dollar Round Table Annual Meeting in Toronto Canada, June 8-11th.  "Talk to strangers. You don't know who is going to be the person to give you the best idea." 

Twenty years ago (in 1994) while stationed at Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany, our young family drove to Normandy, France. A WWII historian, my husband, Markus, was thrilled at the opportunity to join in the 50-year celebration of D-Day. The kids, too little for pre-school, had fun playing in the sand.

Near our French hotel, Markus ran into a lovely and sprite British veteran who was in town to receive a medal from the French Government. He didn't land on the first day, but rather the 2nd day. We offered to give him a ride to the awards ceremony. He shared his story with us and History was never the same. He gifted us with his first hand stories and this photo. 

He told us that when he got off the boat, he did two things: 1.) he threw up and 2.) he turned around and snapped this picture: Hearing his experience first hand was overwhelming. Below are the notes he included with the photo.

"I’m enclosing herewith a photo copy of the picture I took as we landed from the Landing Craft. As O.C I was first off (we had to back on) and headed the tank column, so I took the opportunity to get my picture. The regiment was approximately 700 strong and I believe this was the only photo taken. The two rods sticking up are the radio aerials." - Bill Best

I've lived an extraordinary life by meeting strangers in the most unlikely of places.

Advice for the day: Life is a journey, not a destination. Be sure to spend each day listening for HisStory and HerStory.

Best places to Network

Sometimes I really hate organized networking events. For some reason, they make me nervous. I think its because at these types of events everyone is trying so hard to network.  You're either networking or being "networked." For me, the most successful networking opportunities are spontaneous conversations that sprout out of nowhere.  In line the grocery store. Sitting next to someone one an airplane.  An e-mail from someone who saw your post in an on-line forum.

Too often people think that networking is collecting a lot of business cards at the Friday night Chamber of Commerce Wine & Cheese Party. Yes, business cards are handy (they have all sorts of good info like Name, phone #, and e-mail address.) But more important than collecting business cards/contact information is creating new relationships. Real relationships...not relationships based on a hidden agenda.  (Can't you tell when someone strikes up a conversation to sell you something, not because they really care about getting to know you?)

If you want to build your business through networking...keep collecting business cards, but remember that it's more important to build relationships. Practice really getting to know people. Genuinely care about them and what they do. If they are passionate about their work, chances are they are good at it too.

People like doing business with people they like. And people like people who are like them. Leveraged networking is about tapping into the people that people know, and nobody is going to want to share their valuable contacts with you unless they "know you." Trust is the key to meaningful relationships and only time will truly expose people for their true intentions. 

One of the best tag lines I ever saw was for a woman's conference I attended back in the mid 90's.  It was titled, "Uncommon Women on Common Ground."  It was an event put on by Women, Inc. (a former non-profit organization for entrepreneurial women.)  I was sitting in the hotel lobby and started chatting with the lady next to me.  I had no idea who she was.  It didn't matter.  I was excited and my ride was late.  I just started talking. I told her I loved the conference and I was so glad that someone had put together such a great event for new entrepreneurs.  To make a long story short, she was one of the co-founders of Women Inc. She asked me to stay in touch. I sent her a thank you letter when I got home.  She invited me to speak at their next event and I later became their National Spokeswoman.

This taught me that networking takes place any time. Any where. Start today. Be yourself.  Make some friends.  Have some fun. And watch your business grow!