The Connectors : How the World's Most Successful Businesspeople Build Relationships and Win Clients for Life

In today's commoditized marketplace, no matter what product or service you sell, there's probably someone somewhere able to offer it cheaper, faster, and maybe even better. So how do you differentiate yourself from your competitors? __The Connectors__ shows that the only thing that truly sets you apart is the quality of your relationships with your clients and customers. Everyone knows that relationships are important in business. Yet most people would admit that their relationships could be better-but don't spend time working on the underlying skills. This book explains how to develop better, more profitable connections-as illustrated proven by some of the world's most successful professionals. Even if you're not a "people person," you can dramatically grow your business or your career through a few simple approaches to relationship-building. __The Connectors__ presents a five-step methodology that lead to lifelong clients, repeat customers, and endless referrals. Inside, you'll learn how to: * Stop networking and start truly connecting * Create an avalanche of referrals and an army of happy customers * Become a "connector," even if you've never been a "people person" * Find your social IQ-and improve it * Put relationship-building principles to work daily * Focus on others and reap the rewards yourself * Ask the right questions-and sell without selling * Differentiate yourself through the impact you have on others In __The Connectors__, Maribeth Kuzmeski, founder of Red Zone Marketing, LLC, and consultant to Fortune 500 firms, shows you how to build profitable, long-lasting business relationships. Content: Chapter 1 The Common Denominator of Greatness and Success: It's Not Money, It's People! (pages 1–18): Chapter 2 You Can Be a Connector Even If You're Not a Natural People Person: How Social Intelligence Makes a Major Difference in Business (pages 19–30): Chapter 3 The Connector IQ Assessment: Am I Socially Intelligent? (pages 31–41): Chapter 4 The Red Zone Connectors Formula: The Principles for Building Valuable Relationships (pages 42–49): Chapter 5 Develop a True “What's in it for Them” Mentality: Focusing on Others Brings More for You (pages 51–64): Chapter 6 Listen! Curiously Listen (pages 65–82): Chapter 7 Important Questions to Ask that Attract Connections (pages 83–95): Chapter 8 Getting the Sale to Close Itself: Using Creative Strategies to Sell Without Selling (pages 96–105): Chapter 9 Create a Memorable Experience: Differentiating Yourself by the Impact You Leave on Others (pages 106–122): Chapter 10 Gain a Stream of Profitable Referrals: The Litmus Test for Relationship Success (pages 123–137): Chapter 11 The Employee Connection: The Critical Factor in Creating Clients for Life (pages 138–146): Chapter 12 I Don't Have Time to Connect!: Finding the Time to Connect with an Already Busy Schedule (pages 147–153): Chapter 13 Find a Mentor: The Influence that Leads, Motivates and Holds You Accountable (pages 154–163): Chapter 14 Women's Organizations: Fulfilling a Unique Need for Women to Connect (pages 164–171): Chapter 15 How to Get the Most from Outlook, ACT, and Other CRM Software: Strategies for Organizing and Tracking Relationships (pages 173–181): Chapter 16 Christmas Cards Don't Work: Meaningful Strategies for Keeping in Touch (pages 182–190): Chapter 17 Using Speaking Skills to Develop Relationships: Simple Strategies to Connect Powerfully When Speaking to Small and Large Groups (pages 191–199): Chapter 18 Connecting through Social Media Technology: How to Get the Most Out of Facebook, LinkedIn, and Other Social Networking Sites (pages 200–211): Chapter 19 The Contrarian Networking Strategy: Create Truly Effective Networking Not Focused on Networking (pages 212–221): Chapter 20 Coaching Your Way through to Better Relationships: A Self?Coaching Exercise for Improving Business Relationships (pages 222–234): Chapter 21 Financial Advisor Relationship Strategies: A Niche?Based Look at Connecting with Dramatic Sales Results (pages 235–247): The Connectors: How the World's Most Successful Businesspeople Build Relationships and Win Clients for Life......Page 5 CONTENTS......Page 7 INTRODUCTION......Page 11 PART I: Winning Business with Relationships......Page 17 CHAPTER 1: The Common Denominator of Greatness and Success......Page 19 Secrets of Greatness......Page 20 A Different View......Page 22 An Underlying Thread......Page 23 The Preacher and the Pitcher......Page 25 A Business Philosophy Called PSP......Page 27 Champion of the ‘‘Little People’’......Page 28 A Tale of Two Airlines......Page 29 Our Brother’s—and Sister’s—Keeper!......Page 31 The Other Side of the Coin......Page 32 The Fine Print......Page 33 In Other Words......Page 34 CHAPTER 2: You Can Be a Connector Even If You’re Not a Natural People Person......Page 35 The Connector Plan: Where Do I Start?......Page 36 Your Intelligence Is Important......Page 37 Breaking the Myth of the IQ Test as a Success Measure......Page 38 We Are Sophisticated Beings and We Were Born to Connect......Page 40 Social Intelligence and the Impact in Politics......Page 42 What Is It about Being Socially Intelligent That Gets People to Act, Buy, and Follow?......Page 44 Is Social Intelligence a Learnable Skill?......Page 45 CHAPTER 3: The Connector IQ Assessment......Page 47 The Connector IQ (C-IQ) Assessment......Page 48 Improving Your Connector IQ: Awareness Is the First Step......Page 50 Other Helpful Assessments Available......Page 53 Understanding the Personality and Style of Others......Page 56 CHAPTER 4: The Red Zone Connectors Formula......Page 58 Connecting More Effectively Using The 5 Red Zone Connector Traits......Page 59 What Skills Do I Need to Work on?......Page 62 Playing in the Red Zone......Page 65 PART II: How Do They Do It? The 5 Traits of Connectors......Page 67 CHAPTER 5: Develop a True ‘‘What’s in It for Them’’ Mentality......Page 69 Bringing People with You by Making It about Them......Page 70 How Do You Make Something That’s about You about Others?......Page 71 Our Love of the Underdog......Page 72 Connecting Is Not for Lone Rangers......Page 73 What Really Counts......Page 74 Seriously, Do I Matter to YOU?......Page 75 Strategies for Making It All about Others—and Becoming Likeable at the Same Time......Page 76 Everyday Greatness......Page 78 Downloadable Form 5.1: ‘‘The What’s in It for Them FACTOR"......Page 79 In Other Words......Page 80 CHAPTER 6: Listen! Curiously Listen......Page 81 Good Listening Skills Bring Success in Business......Page 82 Can Listening Save You from Getting Sued?......Page 83 The Effects of Curious Listening Can Be Dramatic!......Page 84 What Does It Mean to Really Listen?......Page 85 There’s Something about the Way That a Curious Listener Makes Us Feel......Page 86 Listening for the Remarkable......Page 87 Lee Iacocca Says Listening Curiously is #1 Trait of Leaders......Page 88 Good Listeners Listen with Their Faces......Page 89 Can You Top This?......Page 90 Seven Simple Yet Powerful Listening Tips......Page 91 Time Spent Listening......Page 92 A Nation of Non-Listeners......Page 93 An Acquired Skill......Page 94 The Listening Stick......Page 95 Downloadable Form 6.1: ‘‘The Listening Assessment’’......Page 96 In Other Words......Page 97 Did You Ask Any Good Questions Today?......Page 99 Asking Questions Effectively......Page 100 All the Right Questions......Page 101 Heart Questions......Page 102 Fulfilling a Dream......Page 103 Questioning Your Employees......Page 104 The How-Tos of Effective Questioning......Page 105 Open and Closed Questions......Page 106 Some Sample Questions......Page 107 Funnel Questions......Page 108 Downloadable Form 7.1: Self Assessment of ‘‘The Questions You Ask’’......Page 109 In Other Words......Page 110 CHAPTER 8: Getting the Sale to Close Itself......Page 112 Give ’em What They Want!......Page 113 Three Strategies for Connecting and Closing Sales......Page 114 The More Questions I Ask.........Page 119 Getting to the Heart of the Matter......Page 120 Downloadable Form 8.1: ‘‘Getting the Sale To Close Itself’’ Self Assessment......Page 121 CHAPTER 9: Create a Memorable Experience......Page 122 A Hard Rock Experience......Page 123 It’s All about the ‘‘Gift’’ You Give......Page 124 Energy Exchange Creates the Experience......Page 127 Customercentric......Page 128 But Do People Want Your Experience?......Page 129 The Cheesehead Phenomenon......Page 130 Individuals Create a Brand Experience......Page 131 The Age of Experience......Page 132 How Are You Creating the Experience?......Page 133 It’s More Than the Product You Sell......Page 134 Being Authentic......Page 135 What ‘‘Gifts’’ Are You Giving to Others?......Page 136 The True Litmus Test—Ask Others!......Page 137 PART III: Applying the 5 Connector Traits......Page 139 CHAPTER 10: Gain a Stream of Profitable Referrals......Page 141 A. Have You Taken the Time to Develop a Relationship?......Page 142 Take Action to Build Client Relationships......Page 144 Communicating with Your Clients......Page 147 Delighted Clients Become Evangelists for You!......Page 148 Dropping the Ball on Business and Referrals......Page 149 The Lifetime Value of a Client......Page 151 C. Are You Truly Referable—or Could You Be More Referable?......Page 152 CHAPTER 11: The Employee Connection......Page 154 Building a Client Connection Begins with the Employee Connection......Page 155 What is Different Today?......Page 157 HCL’s ‘‘Employee First, Customer Second’’ Initiative......Page 158 Command and Control versus Collaboration and Teamwork......Page 160 Open Lines of Communication......Page 161 CHAPTER 12: I Don’t Have Time to Connect!......Page 163 Simple but Sound Advice......Page 165 “All We Have”......Page 166 Big Rocks First......Page 168 Resource......Page 169 CHAPTER 13: Find a Mentor......Page 170 Downloadable Form 13.1: Choosing a Mentor......Page 171 The Mentee: What to Expect......Page 172 The Xerox Approach......Page 173 Approaching Potential Mentors......Page 174 An Unlikely Mentoring Champion......Page 175 Downloadable Form 13.2: Mentor Meeting Checklist......Page 178 CHAPTER 14: Women’s Organizations......Page 180 NAWBO......Page 182 Women’s Leadership Exchange (WLE)......Page 183 eWomenNetwork......Page 184 The Common Theme......Page 187 PART IV: Power Tools for Relationship Building......Page 189 CHAPTER 15: How to Get the Most from Outlook, ACT, and Other CRM Software......Page 191 Strategies for Organizing Emails......Page 192 Strategies for Organizing Connections/Contacts......Page 195 Description of Customer Relationship Management Software Programs......Page 196 CHAPTER 16: Christmas Cards Don’t Work......Page 198 Client Communication......Page 199 Consider Personally Delivered Communications......Page 200 Keeping in Touch with Prospects......Page 204 Keeping in Touch with an Entire Group/Bringing It All Together......Page 205 Three Types of Contact Strategies......Page 206 CHAPTER 17: Using Speaking Skills to Develop Relationships......Page 207 Those Who Speak Well Win in Business!......Page 208 The Red Zone Connectors Formula for Speaking......Page 209 Design Your Presentation around Their Concerns, Not Your Solutions......Page 210 Ask Questions to Get to Know Your Audience and Their Concerns (Before You Ever Set Foot in Front of Them)......Page 211 Organizing a Presentation......Page 212 “The Heckler Techniques” for Authentic, Conversational Speaking......Page 213 A Formula that Connects......Page 214 CHAPTER 18: Connecting through Social Media Technology......Page 216 It’s Not Traditional, but Everybody’s Doing It......Page 217 The Business Happy Hour......Page 218 The Top 10 Social Media Sites......Page 219 CHAPTER 19: The Contrarian Networking Strategy......Page 228 “Stop Networking!”......Page 229 Collaborations and Partnerships......Page 230 Networks versus Networking Organizations......Page 231 What to Say When Someone Asks about You......Page 234 New and Better Ways......Page 236 CHAPTER 20: Coaching Your Way through to Better Relationships......Page 238 Creating Sustainable, Profitable Business Relationships......Page 239 Are Financial Advisors a Commodity?......Page 251 The Relationship Quotient......Page 252 So, What’s Working?......Page 254 Facts About Marketing in Negative Market Conditions......Page 258 Evaluate Your Site Using Analytics......Page 263 NOTES......Page 264 INDEX......Page 267

What makes the world's most successful individuals so good at their jobs? What do they do that others don't?

The Connectors answers those questions with the kind of straightforward wisdom that business strategists so often overlook. Forget marketing tactics or business school best practices. Those are handy, but it's really people—and the relationships you build with them—that form the cornerstone of long-term success, sales growth, and excellence. Whether you're a salesperson, an entrepreneur, or an executive, your ultimate job is to bring in clients and keep them.

Competition is brutal. No matter what you sell, there's probably someone somewhere selling it cheaper and faster than you can. So how do you differentiate yourself from your competitors? The Connectors uses practical exercises and case studies to show you how to set yourself apart from the rest by building high-quality, profitable relationships with your clients and customers.

The Connectors presents a five-step methodology that helps you build the kind of high-quality relationships that lead to lifelong clients, repeat customers, and endless referrals. Inside, you'll learn how to:

• Stop networking and start truly connecting

• Create an avalanche of referrals and an army of happy customers

• Become a "connector," even if you've never been a "people person"

• Find your social IQ—and improve it

• Put relationship-building principles to work daily

• Focus on others and reap the rewards yourself

• Ask the right questions—and sell without selling

• Differentiate yourself through the impact you have on others

In addition, The Connectors includes a wealth of valuable relationship-building tools, including tips on using software; smart strategies for keeping in touch; speaking tactics that really work; and self-coaching exercises that will change the way you develop relationships.

Learn the relationship-building secrets that lead to lifelong clients, repeat customers, and endless referrals In today's commoditized marketplace, no matter what product or service you sell, there's probably someone somewhere able to offer it cheaper, faster, and maybe even better. So how do you differentiate yourself from your competitors? The Connectors shows that the only thing that truly sets you apart is the quality of your relationships with your clients and customers. Everyone knows that relationships are important in business. Yet most people would admit that their relationships could be better--but don't spend time working on the underlying skills. This book explains how to develop better, more profitable connections--as illustrated proven by some of the world's most successful professionals. Even if you're not a "people person," you can dramatically grow your business or your career through a few simple approaches to relationship-building. The Connectors presents a five-step methodology that lead to lifelong clients, repeat customers, and endless referrals. Inside, you'll learn how to: Stop networking and start truly connecting Create an avalanche of referrals and an army of happy customers Become a "connector," even if you've never been a "people person" Find your social IQ--and improve it Put relationship-building principles to work daily Focus on others and reap the rewards yourself Ask the right questions--and sell without selling Differentiate yourself through the impact you have on others In The Connectors, Maribeth Kuzmeski, founder of Red Zone Marketing, LLC, and consultant to Fortune 500 firms, shows you how to build profitable, long-lasting business relationships.