Tag Archives: Networking Best Practices

Where do you network?

By Phil Stella | Published: August 4, 2019

A reader new to NE OH asked for suggestions about good places to network. My response …

Some people say you can and should network anywhere and everywhere, but I suggest some places are better than others.  Where you go to network is a function of the kinds of people you’re trying to meet, which is a function of what your specific networking objectives are. And your objective are all about the kind of information you’re seeking to help you run your business or do your job better, faster, easier or cheaper. Read More »

That’s Really a Dumb Question!

By Phil Stella | Published: August 2, 2019

And speaking of questions, let’s look at questions in a networking context. You know that old adage, ‘There’s no such thing as a dumb question’? Sorry to spoil your fantasy, but that’s wrong. Read More »

I Hate Elevator Speeches & So Should You!

By Phil Stella | Published: April 1, 2019

Have you ever been at a COSE or some other business networking event and heard an amateur networker deliver an ‘Elevator Speech from Hell’? I know I have. Lots of times. You wanted to hit the emergency stop button and escape that elevator fast. Read More »

LinkedIn Losers

By Phil Stella | Published: February 4, 2019

My recurring rants about LinkedIn Losers often generate reader reaction and commentary – both positive and negative. So … here we go again! Read More »

Why I Love ‘Escalator Speeches’

By Phil Stella | Published: October 3, 2018

Elevator Speeches – your simple answer to the often-asked question ‘What do you do?’ – are sometimes maligned and often done poorly. But, they’re still a fact of life when you network.

So, that’s why I love Escalator Speeches. Assume you’re on the down escalator as someone passes by you going up on the other side.. You only have a few seconds to communicate, so you must be focused and concise.

Mine is ‘I empower business leaders to take away their pain from workplace communication.’ Short, simple and likely to generate some questions when the other person turns around and follows me back down.

Crafting something that concise is a lot of work, I admit. But, it’s well worth the time and effort if you want to make the Varsity Networking Team.

What To Do AFTER Your Elevator Speech

By Phil Stella | Published: September 5, 2018

As wannabe Power Networkers, many of you polish your finely-crafted Elevator Speeches and deliver them with passion and purpose every chance you get. Great. Read More »

A Great Impression Every Time

By Phil Stella | Published: August 6, 2018

(Back in May, I lead with ‘Why I Hate Networking … ‘. It didn’t take long for readers to figure out that I really only hate lame, ineffective and unfocused networking. And so should you. Now … let’s get back to simple strategies for maximizing your Networking ROI.)

How do you make a great impression on people every time? The answer is really simple and easy, yet the devil is in the details of execution. Read More »

Don’t be a Card Shark!

By Phil Stella | Published: July 3, 2018

I’ve been ranting about business card finesse for over 25 years and I thought by now there would  be no need to keep doing it. I assumed business people would get it, change behavior and stop being card sharks forever. Apparently, that’s not the case … so here we go again! Read More »

Why I Hate Networking … And So Should You!

By Phil Stella | Published: May 2, 2018

(FYI … I wrote this for COSE’s ‘Mind Your Business’ blog last month. Enjoy …)

I hate networking. I really hate it. Rather strange comment coming from the self-proclaimed Godfather of Networking in COSE-land. Yes … but let me explain. Read More »

Networking with ‘Uncommon Courtesy’

By Phil Stella | Published: August 3, 2017

I used to refer to this concept as networking with ‘common courtesy’. But, just like ‘common sense’, this practice is anything but commonplace in the business world today. One of the fastest and smartest ways to make that best possible first impression when networking is both very simple and very easy. Just display ‘Uncommon Courtesy’ that clearly differentiates you from the pack of amateurs by: Read More »