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Actually, it shouldn’t be that much different than a regular one-on-one. You just need to bring those documents electronically.

What could some of those documents be? Down below we list some of those documents with links to examples. Those examples are what PR Works President Steve Dubin brings to his one-on-ones. Those include:

• Ideal Client Profile
• What to Listen For sheet
• Company Product or Services (e.g. PR Works Podcast offering).

For more on what to bring to a virtual one-on-one, list to this week’s podcast on our YouTube channel.

This is something that’s not only important for you to know.
It’s also extremely beneficial to people in your networking group and contact
sphere. That’s why we recommend developing a one-page sheet outlining your ideal
client.

This one pager can contain as little or as much detail as you desire. An Ideal Client profile for our sister company, PR Works can be downloaded by clicking here. Feel free to copy and paste to create your own Ideal Client profile.

So, it’s been a while since you received a referral. Now what? Leads and referrals happen for a reason. Usually due to the work you do in presenting your business to your network to make it easier for them to refer you.

Over the next several newsletters, we will explore several steps you can take to end the dry spell. Step one is to target the people in your sphere of influence. Those are the folks who are most likely to pass you a lead or referral and make a simple introduction.

The first step is to define who those folks are.

Do you know who is in your sphere of influence? Do the people in your sphere know that?

We often take things for granted. The CPA may assume the bookkeeper will pass them leads and referrals and vice versa. Most probably do. Yet the conversations still need to be had on a fairly timely basis. At a minimum, once a quarter. During a dry spell. It should be more frequent.

Conversations with your sphere of influence don’t have to be anything more than answering a few simple questions:

What are you working; what new business have you recently received?
What referral source did that piece of business come from?

You would be amazed how providing answers to very basic questions can trigger possible introductions.

For example, let’s say the bookkeeper just started doing work for a pet store. The CPA may have done work for a pet store in the past. Perhaps he/she could arrange an introduction for the bookkeeper?

Let’s take it a step further and state the referral came from a financial planner who set up the 401(k) for the pet store. If the financial planner is making that type of a referral, is it a leap to think he/she could refer the CPA? Probably not.

So, what would it look like to make that introduction happen? Ideally, people in your network and sphere of influence are looking to ways to introduce you and pass business. But that’s a very conscious effort. With people as busy as they are it might not be a top-of-mind thought. That’s why the CPA should ask the question:

“Would your financial planner be open to an introduction?”

Simple question. The bookkeeper might not have been thinking of it. Or maybe he/she was but wanted to be more established with the client before making the request.

By having a regular dialogue with your sphere of influence, you can ask these types of questions. This minimizes the likelihood of misunderstandings (e.g. “Jim the Bookkeeper hasn’t passed me any business.”). It will also increase the possibility of discovering additional introduction possibilities.

My Pinnacle Network recently announced a full slate of business-to-business networking meetings for March. My Pinnacle Network meetings are as follows:

My Pinnacle Network – Westborough, Tuesday, March 3, from 8 a.m. – 9:30 a.m at Digital Federal Credit Union, 18 Lyman Street, Westborough, MA 01581.

My Pinnacle Network – Mansfield, Wednesday, March 4, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., Mansfield BioIncubator, 241 Francis Avenue, Mansfield, MA 02048.

My Pinnacle Network – Pembroke, Thursday, March 5, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., ACTSmart Training Center, 70 Corporate Park Drive, Suite 1225, Pembroke, MA 02359.

My Pinnacle Network – Needham, Thursday, March 12, 7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m. at Bullfinch Group, 160 Gould Street, Needham, MA 02494.

My Pinnacle Network – Braintree Third Thursday, Thursday, March 19, from 7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m. at 100 Grandview Road, 3rd Floor Conference Room, Braintree,
MA 02184.

Only one B2B professional will be selected for each category. Those categories can be found at bottom of http://www.mypinnaclenetwork.com. Prospective members are encouraged to attend a My Pinnacle Network meeting before committing to join.

If you are interested in attending a meeting in your area, please contact Steven V. Dubin at SDubin@MyPinnacleNetwork.com or 781-582-1061 to RSVP. There is no charge to visit a My Pinnacle Network meeting.

It’s Veteran’s Day. We thank all veterans for their service to our great country. Thank you.

In writing that sentence, another thought comes to mind. Is there a greater network than our veterans?

Think about it. There’s an instant bond whenever two vets meet. It could be two entirely different branches of service. Their time in the service could be decades apart. It doesn’t matter. The bond of being willing to put your life on the line for your country ties these men and women together forever.

Now, there’s no comparing a networking group to veterans. That’s pure folly. Yet in running networking groups like we have over the past seven years, it’s difficult not to admire the veterans for more than their service, but their commitment to each other.

Happy Veterans Day. To our members who also served in our armed forces, Thank you.

Who is the veteran who comes to mind first when you think of Veteran’s Day? Post your gratitude on our Facebook page.

For the November 7 meeting only, My Pinnacle Network-Pembroke will meet at 20 Corporate Park Drive, Suite 170-180, Pembroke, MA. The meeting will begin at 9am as usual. The photo here shows the exterior of the building, with the meeting site circled.

My Pinnacle Network-Pembroke will return to its regular meeting site, ACTSmartIT, in December.

Before you start saying that’s a bit of a personal question, we’re talking about networking meetings. And the question revolves around whether or not to sit or stand when you give your verbal brand (formerly known as elevator pitch). Yours truly took a little different approach the other day at My Pinnacle Network-Westborough’s meeting and not only stood but invited the group to do so as well.

That begs the question as to whether or not it is better to sit or stand when you give your verbal brand?

My Pinnacle Network is different from many other groups for a number of reasons. The most obvious is that we’re strictly for business-to-business professionals and business owners whose customers are other businesses. Another is that while we do offer a meeting structure, we try to be flexible in terms of the amount of time you take for your verbal brand. Along those lines, you can sit or stand.

No matter what you choose, you do want to take several things in mind before you stand or sit. 

First, you want to make sure you are both seen and heard. If chairs are in a horseshoe and you’re sitting on either end of the shoe, some might not be able to see you and that could impact how well they listen.

Second, standing or sitting, you still want to make eye contact with people in the room as you present. Again, you can do that sitting or standing. Just remember to do it.

Speak loudly so that everyone can hear. One of the benefits of standing up is that it is physiologically easier to speak louder than when you are seated. Something about being stretched that makes it so.

Finally, don’t succumb to peer pressure. If you prefer standing when you present and the rest of the group sits, you should still stand when it’s time to deliver your verbal brand. Or vice versa. 

My Pinnacle Network recently announced a full slate of business-to-business networking meetings for October. My Pinnacle Network meetings are as follows:

My Pinnacle Network – Westborough, Tuesday, October 1, from 8 a.m. – 9:30 a.m at Digital Federal Credit Union, 18 Lyman Street, Westborough, MA 01581.

My Pinnacle Network – Mansfield, Wednesday, October 2, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., Mansfield BioIncubator, 241 Francis Avenue, Mansfield, MA 02048.

My Pinnacle Network – Pembroke, Thursday, October 3, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., ACTSmart Training Center, 70 Corporate Park Drive, Suite 1225, Pembroke, MA 02359.

My Pinnacle Network – Needham, Thursday, October 10, 7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m. at Bullfinch Group, 160 Gould Street, Needham, MA 02494.

My Pinnacle Network – Braintree Third Thursday, Thursday, October 17, from 7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m. at 100 Grandview Road, 3rd Floor Conference Room, Braintree, MA 02184.

Only one B2B professional will be selected for each category. Those categories can be found at bottom of http://www.mypinnaclenetwork.com. Prospective members are encouraged to attend a My Pinnacle Network meeting before committing to join.

If you are interested in attending a meeting in your area, please contact Steven V. Dubin at SDubin@MyPinnacleNetwork.com or 781-582-1061 to RSVP. There is no charge to visit a My Pinnacle Network meeting.

You can tell a lot about a person by his/her handshake. More importantly, there are a lot of people who will form their impression of you from your handshake. So, you want to take that into consideration before putting out your hand.

For example, you want to offer a firm handshake with fingers extended (web to web) rather than clumped together. Avoid the dead fish handshake but don’t go overboard with a bone crusher.

Beyond your shaking style, be sure to shake hands in the proper order. For example, if you’re introduced to the ownership team of the company, be sure to shake the hand of the owner before the intern.

Always shake hands standing up. If you are seated and somebody approaches you, stand up to shake his/her hand.

Here are some other tips:

• Shake up and down only, no back and forth
• Keep it brief, 2-3 seconds
• Stand still when you shake, never walking or on the move
• High and dry; better to wipe your sweaty palm dry.
• Add a greeting and remember a name; “Nice to meet you, Bob” as you shake hands. It will help you remember first names.
• Make eye contact, even throw a smile in there to deepen your first impression.

Now, if you know a person and you see them at an event, you may want to get a little more casual with a fist pump, high-five or forearm bang. If you must, that’s okay. Same with business hugs and the double check air kiss. Yet if it’s not somebody you know and you want to present in a more formal way, you’re pretty much always better off playing it safe and shaking hands.