Impressions That Stick

To be a master of networking, you must be able to make an unforgettable impression with every person you meet.

I am constantly tweaking my presentation and trying to fit it to the person I’m being introduced to.  As time goes on, you’ll find the need to upgrade your presentation to stay on the cutting edge of your industry or career.

Having several business arenas that I am playing in, you would probably understand that there is no way that one presentation could effectively cover them all.

One example is US Safety Sign & Decal.  I started the company in 1983 and it took over five years to finally find a niche.  I found myself happily stuck in the oil and gas industries.

When I have the opportunity to meet a safety director, I want him to know in less than sixty seconds that I can relate to one of his duties, which is buying safety signs.

The first question I ask is, “Have you or those on your team ever bought signs from a catalog?”  The answer is always, “yes”.  Next question, “Is buying signs a responsibility that you enjoy or is it something you put off until you absolutely have to have them to meet some sort of deadline or get ready for a safety inspection in a couple of days?  Now they are starting to chuckle and act as if I’m reading their minds.  Third question, “What if I showed you a way to buy the signs and decals you need with out having to search through a catalog all day?”

(FYI) Most safety directors don’t need just one sign.  Some can need up to 100 different signs to be in compliance with safety laws and they can search for hours, only to find out that there are several signs on their list that aren’t even in the catalog.  Talk about a bummer!

Now that I have their complete attention, I give a brief description of how we make it easy to get the signs they need without any hassle, and our motto that if we don’t have it, we’ll make it.

The last think I give them is a packet of eight different safety stickers.  The sayings are humorous like, “DANGER... IT’S MONDAY, TALK TO ME AT YOUR OWN RISK!”  These stickers have become the rave at different conventions and trade shows we have been to.  Without a doubt they get passed along or posted in offices all over the country.  Not only is our company name and 1-800 number on the bottom of every sticker, there is a business card with a slogan that sticks under the logo.  It simply reads, “U.S. Safety Sign & Decal...At Last, Freedom from the Catalog!”

It should be obvious that I have found it very profitable to be able to relate to people and what they are going through  All it takes is continual research and personal communication.  You must stay in tough because every aspect of the business ocean is changing like the tide.

If you can quickly communicate the fact that you know about the challenges faced by the person you are networking with and then quickly communicate that you have they answer they have been looking for, shazaam, you’re still in business.

Last week, I quoted a phrase that we have all heard, “Knowledge is Power.”  Let me get a little more accurate by saying, “Applied Knowledge is POWER.”  Find out what they need and get it to them.

Randy’s SuperQuickReminder:  In my experience, there are problem finders and problem fixers.  For some reason, it’s the fixer who will always have a place in my memory.

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