Was proud to speak alongside FW de Clerk yesterday at the 'Network for Networth' Academy for Chief Executives Southern Regional Conference (thanks to brilliant photographer Giles Christopher for the photo).

Organised by the great Joe Adams, brilliantly hosted by Richard Brooman, Mike Burnage and Brian Chernett, and taking place at the fabulous Warren House, this was a day for great speakers, great audiences and great networking!

Mr de Clerk is an incredible man with enormous gravitas, great authenticity and deep insight. I loved his quote that many people in business and government spend their time thinking of brilliant ways to do the wrong things better!

Other terrific speakers and experts you should know about that 'led the line':

Andy Lopata: One of the few people that know as much about networking as me! And the best connector I know...

Neil Poynter: Great thoughts on leadership and engagement. Passionate about building people to be extraordinary!

Simon Ricketts: Really entertaining sales speaker with a track record to blow your socks off!

I met some really interesting people with really interesting jobs and really boring ways of telling people about it! See, most people are lousy at networking, at mingling and particularly at introducing themselves and others.

That's why I devote my work to helping people like you build better reputations. It makes you irresistible and memorable.

I ran a 70 minute live networking session with a mixture of motivation (inspiring people to do it), education (upskilling people to do it) and participation (making people do it)!

Here are a few of my soundbites and exercises from that session:

1. Remember your richest resources will always be in your richest relationships. When I first came up with this phrase, I was brooding on the brilliant BNI motto, Givers Gain.


2. See networking as simply personal marketing. When you look at it that way, it's less intimidating. You're selling you and nothing else. Put another way, 'your net worth is in your network'
   


3. Consider that networking is a jigsaw. Lots of little things come together to make great networkers. It’s not one underlying trait or skill. It's a blend of little things like your handshake, your introductions, your badge, your business card and your follow up.
   


4. Decide the tip of your arrow. This is what you lead with. It's the first thing that comes out of your mouth. What can you say that will make any kind of impact into people's busy lives? what can get under their skin in a good way in those precious first few seconds?


5. Use a variety of elevator speeches. This is such a crucial topic, I wrote a full Pocket Guide on it! These are my 'Business Books in 40 Minutes'. In it you'll find lots of powerful hints, tips and scripts to introduce yourself better and answer the 'what do you do?' question with impact and interest. Take a look>>


6. Practise your introductions. We did five types - your best client (and why), the best part of your job (and why), your biggest challenge, an example, war story or case study of something great you've done recently for a customer and the big one...


7. ...USE KILLER QUESTIONS! These are one or two questions that you can bring into a conversation that people can use to position you and create an opening for you. For instance, if you were positioning me, you'd ask someone the following question: "Do you have conferences or seminars for your people where you bring in motivational speakers or business experts from outside?" When they say yes, you simply ask; "Well, could I recommend someone to you that would do a fantastic job?" And away you go talking about Rob Brown.


8. Have unbalanced conversations. The average balanced conversation is 40% you talking, 40% them talking and 20% comfortable silence. Great networkers skew that to 30-10-60. Talk less, listen more, ask insightful questions. People will think you're fascinating!

Where to now? Check out Clive Gott's Blog for some more great insight and feedback on this event. He's a blast and one of life's true entertainers!

And if you love personal development, go here to see what I consider to be the future of learning and development>>

What many people don't realise about building relationships is that you've got to go out there and find them in the first place. New friends, customers and suppliers are not just going to land on your doorstep, unless your advertising and marketing is incredible. You need to be a little more proactive. Here are four of my best ideas to help you source and build the relationships you need for profit and success!

1. Take More Risks. Be brave. Take a chance! Approach a stranger. Who know what conversations lie on the other side of a courageous question? Who know what sales lie on the other side of a courageous close? Who knows what romance lies on the other side of a courageous approach?

"Nothing in life is worth having that doesn't lie on the other side of a risk"
Columbian proverb

2. Raise Your Profile. Get your name out there more. Let people know you're there. It doesn't serve your purpose to think small, and it doesn't help your cause to be the best kept secret in the world. Your strategy for survival is visibility, as on old mentor once taught me. Profile yourself with my three Ps - publish (books and articles), present (speaking, seminars) and party (networking).

3. Keep In Touch. Stay connected after the initial connection. Many relationships are like the seed that falls on stony ground. They never take root, and never get the love, attention, water and nourishment they need to grow. Anyone can say hello once. It's finding reasons to stay in touch, finding ways to help and offer value, finding things in common that is the mark of a great relationship builder.

4. Be A Connector. Be a conduit that people go through to get to others. Good mavens (as they are called) are good at joining the dots of people's careers, interests and desires. They make great introductions. If you can be a networking hub, people will come to you for advice on who to talk to for all kinds of things.

Get these right, and before too long, you'll be the talk of the town. Your business relationships will blossom and both your personal and company reputation will go sky high!

Change doesn't stop in a recession!

You may already be overwhelmed and oppressed by the amount of change, restructuring and cost-cutting you're going through. But the global recession is only going to exacerbate that!

Is there a silver lining in the cloud? Yes! Where there is danger, change and gloom, there is also opportunity, innovation and transformation.

Where people lose money, people can also make money.

Read more: Recession Opression = Recession Opportunities