Overview

On this episode of Build Your Network, you’ll hear top networking tips from two high-profile guests – Dr. Ivan Meisner and John Ruhlin.

Topics Discussed:

• Tip 1: Dr. Ivan Meisner
  • Founder of BNI
  • Tell us about a time when a connection led to a moment of success.
    • In his book, he writes about the butterfly effect of networking.
      • You have no idea where one connection can lead to.
    • He had been invited for a week to Necker Island with Richard Branson.
      • The process started two and a half years earlier when a business coach reached out to him.
      • The coach asked him for a favor, so he said yes and it led to connections which led to relationships.
      • He suggests that when you meet people, don’t size them up as to what they can do for you.
      • You never know who people know and who they might introduce you to.
      • It’s natural to size someone up, we either think people aren’t good enough or are too good for you to connect with.
    • Why do so many people fail at networking?
      • They’re not taught in school, they think it’s about face to face cold-calling.
    • What are some practical ways you try to add more value to the people you meet than you receive?
      • You go places to build relationships.
      • Ivan talks about the VCP process: Visibility, Credibility, Profitability.
        • Use the VCP process at events.
      • If you had to boil it down to tip, what would it be?
        • There’s no one tip, it’s always a recipe.
        • What’s most important depends on what your strengths and weaknesses are.
      • Talk about introducing yourself effectively.
        • You say “Hi, my name is X, tell me about what you do?”
          • Don’t instantly go into sales mode.
        • When it’s your opportunity to talk about yourself, have a tight USP.
        • Use the eyebrow test.
      • Who’re the most interesting and influential people you’ve ever met?
        • Richard Branson.
        • Jack Canfield – author of Chicken Soup for the Soul and Success Principles.
        • His ego does not enter the room before he does.
      • Who is the best networker that you know, and why?
        • Richard Branson, he can connect with people at all levels of the organization.
      • Walk us through your thought process when you met Richard Branson.
        • Richard Branson invited him outside and then to sit by him at dinner.
        • He just thought, how did I get here?
      • If you moved to a new place and lost all of your current contacts, how would you rebuild?
        • He’d go to a BNI meeting.
      • Tip 2: John Ruhlin
        • Author of Giftology
        • Tell us about a time when a connection led to a moment of success.
          • He met someone at an EO conference that he wanted as an advisor or partner.
          • He went up to him after he heard him speak and asked him to a game and dinner.
            • He agreed to go and told him his favorite place was Brooks Brothers.
            • He bought the guy $7,000 in clothes from Brooks Brothers for the guy and had them put in his hotel room.
            • He’s opened up doors for them that advertising could never do.
          • If you had never made you one big connection, how far behind would you be?
            • It would be significant.
            • His speaking fee would probably be less and he probably wouldn’t have a book written.
          • Why do you think so many people fail at networking?
            • They hold back because they want to do the least they can get away with.
            • You have to play the long game, most tactics take at least a decade.
            • You have to persist through the suckiness of things before you reach success.
          • How do you figure out what someone would really appreciate getting?
            • 80% of their gifting budget is taking care of people’s spouses or kids.
          • If you lost all of your current contacts, how would you rebuild?
            • He would find everyone in the community who was a giver.
            • He would look to add massive value to 5 people.
            • He would look to see if there was an EO or IPO in the city.
            • He would join a mastermind.
            • He would take 10-30 people and put them on a drip campaign.

Tweetable Quotes:

• You never know who people know and who they might introduce you to.
• The problem today is that we want a 140 character answer to complex problems.
• Most people don’t ask themselves, what’s the most I can do, they want to know what’s the least they can get away with.

Resources Mentioned:

Buildyournetwork.co – Podcast website

BYN.media/fb – Facebook Group

ivanmeisner.com