Slow Down Fast Personal Coaching and Lifestyle Design

Up until about five years ago, if you were networking for your business, you would think of attending Chamber of Commerce events, organizations like BNI and LeTip, or professional groups in your industry.

Today, however, networking encompasses not only those types of venues, but tons of online networking sites.

I believe MySpace was the first to create a vast networking website where people all over the world could connect at the click of a mouse. It was soon followed by other “social networking” or “social media” sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, FastPitch, Plaxo Pulse, Merchant Circle, Plurk, and Twitter.

(more…)

Bookmark to:

Hide Sites

When you were young, do you remember your parents making a big fuss over what they’d be bringing to the party? If it was a summer picnic, Mom would maybe make a big vat of potato salad. If it was a holiday extravaganza, you can bet the host would be getting a bottle of good wine.

Now you’re grown… and, just like your parents taught you, if you’re attending a party, you bring something. The same is true for business networking – whether it’s in person at a convention hall, or online at a forum that you drop by regularly to participate in the discussions.

Did you ever notice… not everyone who networks for business remembers to “bring something to the party?” And that’s too bad, because those of us who’ve gained clients and product sales via networking know that “giving without expectation” is the real way to gain a following.

Maybe you’ve heard of the Law of Attraction. LOA states that whatever you put into circulation will grow. In other words: it’s all about investments, or what you put in.

Networking is an investment. It’s a gift of your knowledge, your time, and your attention, that comes back to you tenfold over time.

Now, of course you can’t bring a covered dish to a networking event. But there are things that you CAN contribute — gifts to give that will bring you return on investment for your effort:

You can bring your expertise – so that other people can benefit from your teachings.
You can bring your questions - so that others may share what they know.
You can bring an open mind - so that you may learn from another person’s point of view.
You can bring YOURSELF - so that people may get a genuine picture of who you are, what you stand for, and why they might want to do business with you in the future.

Let’s say you’re an electrician, and in your networking travels you come across a person who’s purchased an older home. They want to know if they should upgrade to a higher voltage system.

Your choices are, a. Share with them the truth about what you know, and include details – basically giving away your “trade secrets.” Or, b: Pass them a “virtual business card” and tell them to call you for a quote.

Now, many people would likely choose option b., which is pass the card. But that’s the wrong way to go about it. Why? You’ve brought something, right?

Wrong. Bringing your card is not an investment of your time, knowledge, or expertise. Granted, it’s better than nothing… but a business card alone is not going to help you get known. First, the gesture is self-serving, not other-people serving, which is what you should strive for if you want to become known in your field. Second, while your card may look professional… it doesn’t differentiate you from every other electrician in the crowd.

In a gathering of 50 people, the electrician who takes the time to explain what he knows, point by point, may get 20 people who miss what he said, 20 people who understand what he said but don’t do anything, 8 people who attempt to do what he said on their own, and 2 people who decide to do business with him.

But the thing is: the one who makes the effort will be the one who is REMEMBERED in the crowd. And those two people will tell two people. And so on… and so on. Sure, the electician may not get a swarm of new prospects overnight. But the truth is that people remember other people who share with them, listen to them, and treat them well.

Unfortunately, most networking I’ve been exposed to is all about “What’s in it for me?” And that kind of networking just doesn’t fly in the Information Age!

Whether it’s a bottle of wine for the host and hostess, a dish to pass at a company party, or spending the time to get to know others at a networking event… Bring something! It’s especially important to bring YOURSELF.

Find out what people do/need so that you can be of real service to them instead of forcing yourself and your services on them.

One of the greatest gifts we can give others is our undivided attention. Take a genuine interest in others. Listen. See if there’s a way you can help.

NEWSFLASH: I’ve added another chapter to my life by joining C.A.S.T. Recovery, a Los Angeles based outpatient drug rehab program which specializes in designing highly individualized recovery plans with appropriate professionals to support a client’s health, accountability, and success.

Bookmark to:

Hide Sites

Every day, we’re bombarded by television commercials, celebrity spokespeople, and advertisements telling us the “right” way to live.

We are told to strive for unattainable lifestyles and to model ourselves after unrealistic, airbrushed models.

Sometimes you need to step back from this virtual reality and ponder what life is really about. Will that Mercedes or those anti-anxiety medications really make you happier, or are they only temporary solutions to deeper issues? Examine these five myths about how you should be living your life and start living the way you want to live.

(more…)

Bookmark to:

Hide Sites

According to Wikipedia, transparency used within the context of business and behavior is defined as: a metaphor—implying visibility in contexts related to the behavior of individuals or groups. Likewise authentic is described as a particular way of dealing with the external world, being faithful to internal rather than external ideas.

With the onset of Blogging and Social Networks such as MySpace and Facebook, the word “transparency” has become akin to revealing all in public. Sometimes casually referred to as “over sharing,” early bloggers talked about everything including their deepest, most private feelings. Photos were being posted on social web sites that revealed drunkenness, partial nudity, or people depicted in violent situations.  Now we have “tagging,” where information can be randomly added to someone’s photo, with or without his or her knowledge.

All is done in the name of being and remaining “transparent.”

How does “transparency” come back to haunt you as an entrepreneur or new college grad looking for a good position at a worthwhile company? (more…)

Bookmark to:

Hide Sites

Whether you’re a full time corporate employee or a solopreneur, there have been times when clients or bosses drop large projects into your lap.

Suppose someone hands you a five-pound box of paper and tells you that it’s part of a project that’s due next week!

Or what about if you’re creating a business model for your own company – that’s a pretty voluminous project.

Here are some must-have tips for streamlining the work so that things get done right and move forward according to schedule. (more…)

Bookmark to:

Hide Sites

Let’s face it, the workplace can be like a battlefield. It’s hard enough that you have to huddle in a little cubicle, slagging away every day to support yourself and your family, but you also have a bunch of workplace drama that you usually have to deal with, too.

While this is not true of all work environments, there are some people in your professional crowd that you definitely want to avoid. Learn the traits of these professional piranhas, and stay out of their treacherous pond at work, so you don’t get eaten alive and watch your career go down in flames.

(more…)

Bookmark to:

Hide Sites

How many times have you read a quotable quote by a famous person and thought, “I wish I could have such great insight”?

One-liners are often meaningful and memorable, but what about the context they were taken from? While it’s great to be remembered for snippets of brilliant conversation, it’s better to be memorable for being a great conversationalist as a whole.

If you’d like to heighten the value of your conversations, here are some tips to consider. (more…)

Bookmark to:

Hide Sites

by David Bohl

There is a great debate in the world of marketing: is the quality of a lead when networking more important than the quantity of leads you get? Then there is the field of thought–why can’t you get both? It’s the American way to get it all so here’s what you have to do to combine the quality of the leads you get from networking and increase the quantity of these leads right along with it.

 Step 1. Focus on quantity.

Especially if networking is new for you, you may not have a clue as to where you should start, so quality isn’t even a factor yet. You have to get some leads first!

(more…)

Bookmark to:

Hide Sites

Here are the 12 Most-Read Numbered Posts in 2008 at Slow Down FAST:

12.    5 Tips for Becoming a Better Listener
11.    5 Qualities of Successful Relationships
10.    6 Ways for Effecting Change in Your Life
9.      6 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Busting Out of the Rat Race
8.      5 Signs It’s Time to Slow Down Fast
7.      6 Ways to Be a Friend Without Involving Money, Gifts or Obligation
6.      5 Ways to Reconnect to Your Inner Child
5.      10 Great Productivity Web Sites
4.      5 Signs You’re a Pleaser and What to Do About It
3.      5 Simple Tricks To Make You Smarter
2.      8 Essential Ingredients to Master Your Time
1.      The Causes and Cures of Procrastination

Thank you all for your support throughout the year, and best wishes in all your future endeavors.

Bookmark to:

Hide Sites