It’s Not What You Know, It’s Who You Know
It’s WHO you know! The age old saying – is it true? I sure as hell think so. I’m only just discovering this myself, and it does seem so much easier to make things work if you are talking to the right people.
It all boils down to relationships. I believe you can get better outcomes if you know the people you are dealing with. Especially if you have a relationship with a person or group of people. Why is this? I think it’s probably due to trust.
If you talk to someone that you have never met before, they could have the best “deal” for you in whatever you are looking for – say a new security system for your work premises. Their deal is the best on the market, their service is apparently second to none & they use some of the best equipment in the world. Does this make you sign the dotted line? Not until there is some instance of trust in your short-lived relationship.
I’m not saying you will get sold on a security system from a “friend” you have known for ages. Maybe he is terrible at what he does. Maybe he’s really good. Either way, you will probably end up basing your decision on the relationship that you have – whether it is only just evolving or whether it is a long-standing one.
So if it’s all about who you know, then what can we take away from this?
Get to KNOW lots of people.
- Attend networking groups, functions, seminars, product launches – anything you can to get out there. And if you are going to the trouble of attending these events, make sure you don’t sit in the corner sipping a cup of tea – get out there and talk to people.
- Introduce yourself to everyone! Don’t be afraid by what people look like, introduce yourself and give them a business card. I
- Be confident. If you are confident about yourself and your product/service, your brand, then this will shine through when you are meeting people. If you are not confident, do this for a month and you soon will be!
- Keep a business card holder/book. It’s amazing how many times you will refer back to this in the future.
Next time you need something done, maybe a product or service, maybe some advice, chances are, if you look through your business cards you will find many people that could help you with your situation. Sometime all you need is a foot in the door, and by leveraging these relationships, you can take action to achieve the best possible outcomes.
Ryan Kilfoil is The Kiwi Millioniare
http://www.thekiwimillionaire.com
