In Praise of Good Old-Fashioned Networking
I don’t know what’s on your list of discomforts but I’ll share one of my own: networking. Just don’t dig it. Never have.
But it’s even worse than that: people who excel at networking kinda irk me. Jealousy, I suspect.
Perfect example: I was speaking at the International Builder’s Show and I was walking the trade show floor with my marketing director (and networking goddess) Cassandra Grauer. It seemed like she knew every other person we saw… “Cassandra!” “Melanie!” (kiss, kiss).
I marveled at her connections and incredulously asked, “How do you know all these people?” Cassandra replied, “Well, I walk up to people and I say ‘Hi, my name is Cassandra, what’s yours?’ And then we start a conversation and become friends. Your problem, Jeff, is that you would rather hole up in your hotel room and get work done. And unless I’m mistaken, there is no one to meet in your hotel room.” Ouch. True, but ouch.
So here I am working to promote my new book on the subject of boldness in the sales process. Part of the campaign is to reach into the blogosphere and connect with some of the great sales thinkers of our day. And that requires…yep, networking. It means sending introductory emails and requesting phone conversations, setting appointments and talking to strangers (lions and tigers and bears, oh my!). Can you say, ‘out of my comfort zone?’
So, how am I doing with all that?
FANTASTIC!!!!
Seriously, I couldn’t be more excited. I’m having amazing conversations with really great people like Jill Konrath and Daniel Newman and Jeb Blount and David Brock and Dan Waldschmidt and Babette Tan Haken and Dave Cooke and Rochelle Moulton and countless others. It’s awesome!
Like all my other comfort addictions, I needed to simply beat this one with a stick. And just like every other time I’ve stared down a discomfort, the results have been incredible.
What discomfort can you dismantle today? And how will you feel when you do?
I kinda feel like changing the world!
About the Author:
Jeff Shore is a highly sought-after sales expert, speaker, author and executive coach. His latest book, Be Bold and Win the Sale: Get Out of Your Comfort Zone and Boost Your Performance, (published by McGraw-Hill in January 2014) illustrates Jeff’s innovative BE BOLD methodology and teaches you how to change your mindset and change your world. Learn more at jeffshore.com or follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffshore.
For more than three decades, Jeff has guided executives and sales teams in large and small companies across the globe to embrace their discomforts and deliver BOLD sales results. In a crowded field of sales experts and training programs, Jeff Shore stands out with his research-based BE BOLD methodology. Combining his extensive front-line sales experience with the latest Cognitive Behavioral Therapy research, Jeff has created a highly effective, personalized way to reset sales paradigms and deliver industry-leading results. Jeff doesn’t just teach you how to sell, he shows you how to change your mindset and change your world.
