Knowing what you don't know: a followup posting to my latest one

In my last installment to this blog I mentioned people who don't know what they don't know.

Once in a while I am fortunate enough to run into someone who says, "I need help with online donations and don't know where to start. Can you help?"

I was asked for help after I completed a presentation at a conference in May and yesterday visited with the Finance Committee of the Board to explain all that they needed to know about online donations. I brought an esteemed colleague who is an expert in an affiliated area in which they needed assistance as well. A dynamic duo!

The potential client was warm, honest, engaged and curious.

They admitted they needed to know. It was a pleasure to educate and inform rather than hear skepticism and misunderstood concepts perceived as fact. They were invigorating!

What to Say When You Are STILL Talking to Yourself

When I first started in business for myself I was given the book "What to Say When You Talk to Yourself" by Shad Helmstetter.

It was perfect for me at the time: I had just left the big corporate culture in which people to speak to, and conversation with them, were abundant.

On my own, new in business, what do you say to yourself in the deafening silence?
"How do I keep my focus, outlook, and attention without any sensory inputs?"
What was I saying to myself?

Now, over 7 years later, yes, I still talk to myself. In between, the phone rings a lot, I speak publicly (next one 11/19 at AFP CT Philanthropy Day conference in Waterbury) and now I also give webinars.

Thanks to my colleague Geri Stengel at Ventureneer in NYC, I am giving my third free webinar on Wednesday November 18th from 2 to 3:15 pm ET, this time "LinkedIn for NonProfits."

As of last night we have 134 people registered. Wow. We may have hit a nerve out there: nonprofit social networking tips and techniques seems to be a hot topic, based on the registrations.

So as your webinario, I am ready to speak to the attendees that afternoon directly from my office, speaking into my headset and showing my presentation slides from my desktop. Right on your screen and into your speakers or phone.

Without the benefit of ascertaining facial reactions when I teach or make public presentations at conferences, the webinar will be the latest chapter in my continuing habit of talking to myself: 134 new colleagues will actually be listening to me as I talk to myself, no one else in my office, about something that may help them.

And...even if you cannot attend on the 18th, the webinar will be recorded and available on my LinkedIn page and Ventureneer.com. Funny: in that situation I will be speaking without even being present: my presentation coming at you 24x7x365 and I am not even talking to myself!...ah technology...

Optimists meet! Hope abounds!

Can you imagine such a newspaper headline?
Or a talking head on TV saying "Optimists meet! Hope abounds! News at 11."

Well, it indeed happened last night, at a social event held by the Optimists' Tribe, in which a diverse group put names to faces and verbal promises of deeds to accomplish in 2009 that will make world just a little better place.

Sixteen quality people met, each with a view of the present and the future as bright and hopeful, in the spirit of social cause networking.

Join us on the website. It's free, or if you care to make a contribution that's cool too.

Optimism and how to get more of it!

It's easy to be cynical or even downright pessimistic if you read the news: religious leader and mayors arrested for corruption, etc. etc.

I am not advocating suspending your newspapers subscriptions.

But I am suggesting finding optimistic open-minded people to mingle with and enjoy their energy. I am lucky I get to do this a lot.

Today I joined a new green business group sponsored by the local award-winning SCORE chapter. There were so many intelligent and sustainable business ideas in one room!

On Monday I am attending a social gathering of the Optimists' Tribe, a newly formed group that revels in an optimistic view of the present and the future. I am looking forward to an infectious evening of new contacts and positive friends.

I will report back soon.
Optimistically,
Marc

Guest Blogger Adrian Miller writes on How to Screw Up a Good Introduction

Before I let you read the guest blog post, I have to set the stage:
Have you ever met a person who exudes so much vitality and business savvy that you are left saying to yourself, "Wow, I REALLY need to get to know that person better. I have so much to learn from him/her."

Adrian Miller is unique in these areas. I am fortunate to know her and had her come make a great sales presentation to a private group of clients. My clients loved her!

She knows some amazing people and routinely networks people. I know this personally, she has connected me to the leader of a great group of nonprofit consultants in NYC!

Recently, she has started a unique way of bringing people together in virtual network sessions she calls Adrian's Network. Check it out!

Adrian recently posted a piece on Gotham's list-serve and I wanted to repeat it on my blog. It was that good.

It's called How to Screw Up a Good Introduction and since we are all guilty of this sometime, I thought it was worth distributing on this blog. Enjoy.

How to Screw Up a Good Introduction

Networking isn’t a short-term strategy. It’s not about power selling and moving onto the next lead. Smart networkers understand this concept.

Unfortunately, there are many misguided networkers out there that thoroughly don’t “get” the give and take of networking. They only consider introductions as opportunities to sell and irritate fellow business professionals with their short-sighted, myopic view of networking. They don’t take the time to explore all of the potential opportunities and feel that is more important to lunge ahead and aggressively sell to anyone who is put in contact with them.

If you’re having a lack of success with your networking efforts, it’s well worth your time to explore how you are approaching introductions. Some questions to ponder:

Are You Taking the Time to Get to Know New Contacts?
Relationships of all types, including those with networking contacts, require a period of discovery. How can you begin to explore how you can help each other until you understand each others needs, wants, capabilities, likes, and dislikes?

Are You Looking For Ways to Help Them?
Only after you have a good understanding of how you can possibly work together can you begin to offer suggestions. Use the information that you’ve gathered to find logical, thoughtful ways to help.

Are You Uncovering All Possible Opportunities?
Again, networking is a process not a one-time effort. Don’t stop at one attempt to assist a new acquaintance.

Are You Making Yourself Available?
Out of sight, out of mind definitely certainly applies to networking. Keep in good contact with your new networking acquaintance and provide them with all of your contact information so that they can reach you.

Start reading her blog.

I welcome your comments and war stories, and I encourage you to reach out to Adrian and get to know her and her work. Thanks for everything, Adrian!

What if they don't come back?

The hard part of receiving online donations is getting the donors to come to your website. If you tell your story well, they will feel compelled to give online. You worked so hard to tell your story, but do you make changes to the website and in your marketing to keep it fresh?

An article in today's New York Times shows how nonprofits miss a great opportunity to keep their donors continuously interested and driven back to the website, where a fresh story, anecdote, video, etc. can make them feel the need to come back and contribute.

Couple a fresh face on the website with an email blast, a paper mail campaign, phone-a-thon, anything to get them to revisit the website...and you are using efficient marketing methods that businesses use all the time. It's all part of making your nonprofit act more like a business.

We love creating online donation pages, but it's up to our nonprofit clients to urge the donors to come back again and again.

We have some tools and experience in how others have made this successful. Please ask us.

In re the death of customer service-now hear this!

I just received this in an email and thought it was brilliant:

Customers want you to listen to them. They want you to show them respect and listen to their needs. Don’t assume you know what they’re going to say. Let them tell you. And don’t interrupt them!

Customers want you to take responsibility. They want you to own them and their problem. Don’t pass the buck. Take care of them the way you would take care of your grandmother. See their issue through to completion. And then follow up with them and make sure they are happy with the outcome.

Customers want you to pay attention to the details. They want you to use their name when speaking to them, and call them back when you say you are going to. They want to feel important because they are!

Customers want you to remember it is their time and money. They don’t have to do business with you; there are other companies they can buy from. Remember, you are not doing them a favor. They are the reason you are in business. To serve them!

Give customers what THEY want, and they’ll be sure to come back! And they’ll tell others to come as well. And isn’t that what WE want?

I printed this and placed it on my bulletin board next to my office phone. I hope you will too.

We have been featured in FastCompany's blog today

We were very pleased to receive a phone call from Ruth Sherman, a nationally-known training coach for speakers, whose expertise is in personal and business communications.

She heard we mail hand-written Thanksgiving thank-you's to clients.

Here's what resulted. http://blog.fastcompany.com/experts/ on Nov 15th. Thanks, Ruth!

It's just another way we are different than the competition....

Have a great holiday. Thanks for reading this blog.