Managing Your Networking Phone Calls as the CEO of ME, Inc.

Greetings from Chennai, India…

Ah, the phone call! This is where the rubber meets the road. Many professionals admit that placing phone calls, particularly to unfamiliar parties, is like trying to carry a 10-ton elephant up the north face of Mt. Everest in a raging snowstorm.

What makes calling a network contact so difficult is that you don't want to sound like a solicitor begging for a sale. The key is the philosophy behind your call. If you fall into immediate sales mode and tell the contact what you want, you'll fail. Why? Because it's all about you. You are not thinking in “reciprocity mode.” Until you can think that way, your calls won't be productive.

The philosophy behind every call is simply to reconnect and exchange information. It's a networking call, not a sales call. If you feel your heart racing and the phone seems heavy, you are making the wrong call. STOP! Make the call but remember the goal is to simply reconnect and exchange information.

You can do it … I know you can!

Best wishes and keep networking alive,

Coach Rod