Networking – Dale Carnegie style

Dale Carnegie was the consummate networker.  He wrote “How to Win Friends and Influence People” in 1936!  His teachings are still as relevant today as they were when originally written.

Here are 3 excerpts from his book that we can apply when attending your next networking event:

• “Become genuinely interested in other people.”  The moral here is to drop the “what’s in it for me” attitude.  When you engage others and ask them about what they do, why there are there or simply welcome them as a guest, you show that you care about them.
•  “Smile.”  You certainly cannot win many friends if you always go around with a frown on your face.
• “Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.”  Many times at networking functions, I see folks spending all of their time talking about themselves and trying to establish their place whereas if they would be a sponge and soak up what other people have to say, they would be much more effective in making an impression.

Dale Carnegie was a genius at teaching folks how to be winners in all aspects of life.  His writings are still very applicable today as they were almost 80 years ago.

Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Win_Friends_and_Influence_People

Peggy P. Edge (c) 2014

Strategic Alliances: A Great Way to Leverage your Expertise or Product Offerings

A Strategic Alliance is a joint venture between two companies or two people in the co-relational industries.

As a small company in the industrial packaging industry, for 16 years I have used strategic alliances at Edge Packaging Systems, www.edgepackaging.com, to leverage and maximize my offerings to clients.

How I have accomplished this is to partner with companies who have expertise in areas that I have either cursory knowledge or they can provide me with a look of a much larger organization than I am thus being able to provide my clients with just about anything they need.

Some examples of how you can create a business partnership include:

Competitors – yes seek out those who have a mutual interest to help you.

Expertise:  If they have a particular expertise that you lack, consider how you can use them as consultants for a project.

Product Offerings:  If you have a need for your client but cannot provide from your current sources, look at the possibility to partner with a competitor.

When you partner with a competitor, obviously you must lay down some ground rules that will make it mutually beneficial to both of you.

Vendors – are a great resource for helping finance business ventures.

Financial:  Many vendors will give extended terms to emerging companies to help them jump start their businesses.  Sometimes it is a matter of asking for the assistance.

Utilizing the expertise of a competitor or obtaining the financial assistance from a vendor is just two great means to leverage your company and product offerings.  Usually it is just a matter of asking for the help.  It could be your EDGE over Your Competition!

Peggy P. Edge (c) 2014

What is your Edge over your Competition?

If you can’t put a Square Peg in a Round Hole, then what is your EDGE over your competition?

Too many times sales organization try to emulate what their competition is doing. They create products and services that are “me too” and that dilutes your ability to be unique, special, innovative, i.e., different.

I sell products that are highly standardized. As a matter of fact, my clients can purchase many of the brands that I sell elsewhere.

So what makes me different? What is my “Edge” over my competition? It is my red hair, my wild and crazy personality; it is the Brownies that I have made for my clients each year during the holidays.

Brownies! Seriously, that is what one client told me several years ago. I asked, “Kyle, why do you do business with me?” He said, “It’s those wonderful brownies that you bring me every Christmas.”

Usually around July, he and some of my other guys will start in on me by asking, “Isn’t it about time for some of those Brownies?” I answer, “It ain’t Christmas yet!”

In the marketplace, when all things appear to be equal, there are just a few little details that can make you stand out and shine to your clients. So share with me, what is your Edge?

Peggy P. Edge (c) 2013