Here’s a lovely ‘how to’ of things to do to network effectively at those sometime tricky social & professional occasions, from Karen James. Tips like- People like to talk about themselves and their business. Good questions would be; ‘How did you get started in business?’ or ‘You have been very successful, what’s your secret?’ Which beautifully illustrates the underlying…
‘The compassionate Fool’ by Norman Cameron , is one of my favourite poems. It’s beautifully written. When I first got to know the piece I thought that it was about me, as teenagers tend to. About how difficult I found it to get out of relationships in case I hurt the other person’s feelings. Then I passed through…
Most corporate presentations lack that little bit of ‘story structure’ that is the foundation of making sense to, and being remembered by, the audience. A simple, 3-act story requires that your presentation has- A definite beginning- That sets the context, introduces the characters (the presenter and the subject of the presentation), and sets the question to…
As a part of my speech for UBS in London in March 2011, I developed a set of simple things that anyone can use to help them make a better impact in their professional and social lives. Here are those few things- In your head- Assume every person you meet is important, and treat him…
I was asked to do a short input to a group of potential investment bankers at UBS, London, a few weeks ago. I think it went rather well and I enjoyed it immensely. The event was organised by my friends at ‘Greenlight‘ the specialist arm of Stafford Long and Partners the fabulously creative London agency…
In previous posts I have suggested that-Your network will save your business, given the chance and cared for. And I suggested 3 thoughts that will help turn you into brilliant networkers. The three things to think about were- Generosity– people are lovely when they realise you only want to help them. So look for opportunities…
I do a lot of work to help professional people, in very large firms, to become more comfortable with ‘networking’. They talk to me about the difficulties they find in cultivating new ‘prospects’. Times are tough, and they have tough targets to achieve for new business, and business development. And what they used to do,…
I’ve been running my own businesses for 21 years. It’s been brilliant, though tough at times. Brilliant when you’ve more work than you can do, and tough when the arse falls out of the economy, and you realise that your lovely clients are the only protection you have from the small claims court. I used…
Imagine the scene. You’ve spent days preparing a major presentation to a new client, and you’re coming to the end of the pitch. You’ve moved from what they need, to what you can do for them, how you will proceed, the costs carefully explained in context of the results to be delivered. Now is…